How to create a SharePoint Approval Workflow

In this SharePoint tutorial titled "How to create a SharePoint Approval Workflow" we will show you how to build an approval process step by step.

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SharePoint, Microsoft's collaborative platform, offers a powerful solution for managing documents, data, and workflows within organizations. One of the most valuable features of SharePoint is its ability to automate approval processes, ensuring that tasks move smoothly through the pipeline without unnecessary delays or bottlenecks. In this guide, we'll delve into the world of SharePoint approval workflows, exploring how to set them up using Power Automate and SharePoint itself.

Understanding SharePoint Approval Workflows
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of creating a SharePoint approval workflow, let's take a moment to understand what it is and why it's essential. A SharePoint approval workflow is a predefined sequence of steps that automate the approval process for documents, items, or tasks within a SharePoint environment. This workflow allows users to submit items for approval, route them to the appropriate stakeholders, and track their progress until final approval or rejection.

The Power of Power Automate in SharePoint Workflows
Power Automate, formerly known as Microsoft Flow, is a cloud-based service that allows users to create automated workflows across multiple applications and services. When it comes to SharePoint, Power Automate provides a seamless integration that enables users to create sophisticated approval workflows with ease. Whether you're dealing with a simple approval process or a complex multi-stage workflow, Power Automate has the tools you need to get the job done.

Getting Started: Setting Up Your SharePoint List
To create an approval workflow in SharePoint, you'll first need to set up a SharePoint list to store the items that require approval. This list could contain anything from expense reports and purchase orders to vacation requests and project proposals. Once you've created your list, you can customize it to include the necessary fields and columns, such as "Title," "Description," "Requested By," and "Status."

Creating a Basic Approval Workflow in Power Automate
Now that your SharePoint list is set up, it's time to create your approval workflow using Power Automate. In this example, we'll walk through the process of setting up a basic approval workflow for a simple expense report.

Navigate to Power Automate: Start by opening Power Automate and selecting "Create" to begin a new workflow.

Choose Your Trigger: Select the trigger that will initiate your workflow. In this case, we'll choose "When an item is created or modified" in SharePoint.

Add Conditions (Optional): Depending on your requirements, you may want to add conditions to your workflow to determine when approval is required. For example, you could set up a condition to trigger approval only if the expense amount exceeds a certain threshold.

Add Approval Action: Next, add the "Start an approval" action to your workflow. This action allows you to specify the details of the approval process, including the approver(s), due date, and custom messages.

Handle Approval Outcome: Once the approval request has been sent, you'll need to handle the outcome of the approval. You can use conditional branching to route the workflow based on whether the item was approved or rejected.

Update SharePoint List: Finally, update the status of the item in your SharePoint list to reflect the outcome of the approval (e.g., "Approved," "Rejected").

Advanced Approvals: Handling Multiple Approvers and Custom Logic
While the example above covers a basic approval workflow, SharePoint and Power Automate offer a wealth of features for handling more complex scenarios. For instance, you may need to route approval requests to multiple approvers based on certain criteria, such as department or project. With Power Automate, you can easily configure your workflow to accommodate multiple stages of approval, parallel approval paths, and even dynamic approver assignments.

Leveraging SharePoint Designer for Custom Workflows
In addition to Power Automate, SharePoint also offers SharePoint Designer, a powerful tool for creating custom workflows. While Power Automate provides a user-friendly interface for building workflows, SharePoint Designer offers more advanced functionality for developers and power users. If you require highly customized workflows with complex logic and integration capabilities, SharePoint Designer may be the tool for you.