| title | description | services | suite | author | contributors | ms.subservice | ms.topic | ms.date | ms.author | ms.reviewer | ms.collection | search.audienceType | |||||
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Manage sequential approvals with Power Automate |
Learn how to create a modern approval workflow with multiple approvers. |
flow |
v-aangie |
|
cloud-flow |
conceptual |
09/08/2023 |
hamenon |
angieandrews |
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Some workflows require pre-approval before the final approver is required to sign off. For example, a company may have a sequential approval policy that requires pre-approval for invoices over $1000.00 before they're approved by the Finance department.
In this tutorial, you create a sequential approval flow that manages employee vacation requests. For detailed information about using SharePoint with Power Automate, go to the SharePoint documentation.
For detailed information about using SharePoint with Power Automate, go to the SharePoint documentation.
Note
SharePoint is used here only as an example. It isn't required to create approval flows. You can use any of the more than 200 services with which Power Automate integrates to drive your flows. If you're using SharePoint 2010, go to SharePoint 2010 workflow retirement.
The flow:
- Starts when an employee creates vacation request in a SharePoint Online list.
- Adds the vacation request to the approval center and then emails the request to the pre-approver.
- Emails the pre-approval decision to the employee.
- Updates the SharePoint Online list with the pre-approver's decision and comments. Note: If the request is pre-approved, the flow continues with these steps:
- Sends the request to the final approver.
- Emails the final decision to the employee.
- Updates the SharePoint list with the final decision.
This image summarizes the preceding steps:
[!INCLUDE prerequisites-for-modern-approvals]
For the purposes of this walkthrough, the SharePoint Online list that you create must include the following columns:
The SharePoint Online list you create must include the following columns:
| Title | Single line of text |
|---|---|
| Vacation start date | Date and time |
| Vacation end date | Date and time |
| Comments | Single line Of text |
| Approved | Yes/No |
| Manager comments | Multiple lines Of text |
| Modified | Date and time |
| Created | Date and time |
| Pre-approved | Yes/No |
| Created By | Person or group |
| Modified By | Person or group |
Make note of the name and URL of the SharePoint Online list. We use these items later when you configure the SharePoint - When a new item is created trigger.
Power Automate uses either the classic designer or the Edit with Copilot (preview) designer. To identify which designer you’re using, go to the Note section in Understand the Edit with Copilot designer (preview).
[!INCLUDE sign-in-and-create-flow-from-blank-template]
[!INCLUDE add-trigger-when-sharepoint-item-created]
- On the When an item is created card, select the Site Address and the List Name for the SharePoint list that you created earlier.
[!INCLUDE add-get-manager-action]
Note
It's a good idea to periodically save changes to your flow as you go.
[!INCLUDE add-an-approval-action]
This action sends the pre-approval request to the email address in the Assigned To box.
[!INCLUDE add-approval-condition-response]
Note
This condition checks the response from the Start and wait for an approval action.
[!INCLUDE add-action-to-send-email-when-vacation-approved]
[!INCLUDE add-action-to-update-sharepoint-with-approval]
-
Use the Get the manager for the person who created the vacation request steps we did earlier to add, and then configure another Get manager action. This time we get the pre-approver's manager.
-
The Get manager 2 card should resemble this image when you're finished. Be sure to use the Email token from the Get manager category on the Add dynamic content from the apps and services used in this flow card.
-
Use the add an approval action for pre-approvals steps we did earlier to add, and then configure another Start and wait for an approval action. This action sends an email request for final approval.
-
When you're done, the card should resemble this image:
Repeat the steps from add a condition to add, and then configure a Condition that checks the final approver's decision.
-
Use the steps from Add an email action for pre-approvals to add, and then configure an action that sends an email when vacation requests are approved.
-
When you're finished, your card should resemble this image:
-
Use the steps from Add an update action for pre-approved requests to add, and then configure an action that updates SharePoint when the vacation request is approved.
-
When you're finished, the card should resemble this image:
[!INCLUDE add-action-to-send-email-when-vacation-rejected]
This action must be added to the IF NO, DO NOTHING branch below the Condition card.
[!INCLUDE add-action-to-update-sharepoint-with-rejection]
-
Use the steps from Send email with pre-approval rejection to add, and then configure an action that sends an email when the vacation request is rejected by the final approver.
This action must be added to the IF NO, DO NOTHING branch below the Condition 2 card.
-
When you're finished, the card should resemble this image:
-
Use the steps from Update SharePoint with pre-approval rejection to add, and then configure an action that updates SharePoint if the final approver rejects the vacation request.
-
When you're finished, the card should resemble this image:
-
Select Update flow to save the work we've done.
If you've followed along, your flow should resemble this image:
Now that you've created the flow, let's see it in action.
[!INCLUDE request-vacation-approval]
Your request should resemble this image:
[!INCLUDE view-pending-approvals]
[!INCLUDE approve-request-from-different-locations]
The steps to approve a request are identical to the steps to pre-approve a request
The final approver gets the vacation request only after the request has been pre-approved.
[!INCLUDE reject-a-request]
Single approver modern approvals walkthrough
[!INCLUDEfooter-include]