In any organization, there are several approval processes that need to be completed for different tasks such as purchase orders, leave requests, expense claims, and more. Traditionally, these approval processes are manual, time-consuming, and prone to errors. However, with Power Automate approval workflows, organizations can automate these processes, save time, and reduce errors. In this blog post, we will introduce you to Power Automate approval workflows and how they can be used to automate approval processes.

What are Power Automate approval workflows?

Power Automate approval workflows allow you to automate the approval processes by creating workflows that can route approvals to the right people at the right time. Approval workflows can be used to automate processes such as leave requests, purchase orders, expense claims, and more. Power Automate approval workflows allow you to create custom approval workflows without writing any code.

How does Power Automate approval workflows work?

Power Automate approval workflows work by creating a custom workflow that routes an approval request to the right person. When an approval workflow is triggered, Power Automate sends an email to the approver with a link to the approval request. The approver can approve or reject the request, and the workflow will update accordingly.

Power Automate approval workflows can be triggered in several ways, including:

• Manual trigger - The approval workflow can be triggered manually by the user.
• Scheduled trigger - The approval workflow can be triggered at a specific time.
• Event trigger - The approval workflow can be triggered when an event occurs, such as when a new item is added to a SharePoint list or when an email is received.

How to create a Power Automate approval workflow?

Creating a Power Automate approval workflow is easy and can be done without any coding. Here are the steps to create a Power Automate approval workflow:

Step 1: Choose a trigger

The first step in creating a Power Automate approval workflow is to choose a trigger. You can choose from several triggers, including when a new item is created in SharePoint, when a new email is received, or when a form is submitted.

Step 2: Add an action

The next step is to add an action to the workflow. In this case, the action will be "Send approval email". You will need to provide details such as the email address of the approver, the subject of the email, and the body of the email.

Step 3: Add a condition

After the email is sent, you will need to add a condition to the workflow. The condition will check whether the request was approved or rejected. If the request was approved, the workflow will continue to the next step. If the request was rejected, the workflow will end.

Step 4: Add a follow-up action

The last step is to add a follow-up action to the workflow. The follow-up action will be based on the decision made by the approver. For example, if the request was approved, the follow-up action might be to update a SharePoint list or send a confirmation email.

How to use Power Automate approval workflows?

Power Automate approval workflows can be used in several ways to automate approval processes. Here are some examples of how Power Automate approval workflows can be used:

• Leave requests - Employees can submit leave requests through a form or SharePoint list, and the approval workflow will route the request to the appropriate manager for approval.
• Purchase orders - Employees can submit purchase orders through a form or SharePoint list, and the approval workflow will route the request to the appropriate manager for approval.
• Expense claims - Employees can submit expense claims through a form or SharePoint list, and the approval workflow will route the request to the appropriate manager for approval.
• Document approvals - Employees can submit documents for approval through a SharePoint library, and the approval workflow will route the document to the appropriate person for review and approval.
• Change requests - IT teams can use Power Automate approval workflows to route change requests to the appropriate team for review and approval.
• Project approvals - Project managers can use Power Automate approval workflows to route project approvals to the appropriate team for review and approval.

Benefits of using Power Automate approval workflows

There are several benefits to using Power Automate approval workflows to automate approval processes. Here are some of the key benefits:

Streamlined approval processes - Power Automate approval workflows streamline approval processes by automating the routing of approval requests to the appropriate person.

• Faster approvals - Power Automate approval workflows enable faster approvals by eliminating the need for manual processing.
• Reduced errors - Power Automate approval workflows reduce errors by automating the approval process, eliminating the need for manual data entry.
• Increased productivity - Power Automate approval workflows increase productivity by freeing up time that would have been spent manually processing approval requests.
• Greater visibility - Power Automate approval workflows provide greater visibility into the approval process, making it easier to track the progress of approval requests.

Tips for using Power Automate approval workflows

Here are some tips for using Power Automate approval workflows to automate approval processes:

• Use templates - Power Automate provides pre-built templates that you can use to quickly create approval workflows for common tasks.
• Use connectors - Power Automate provides connectors to a wide range of services, such as SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook. Using connectors can make it easier to integrate your approval workflows with other services.
• Test your workflows - Before deploying your approval workflows, test them thoroughly to ensure that they are working as expected.
• Provide training - Provide training to users who will be using the approval workflows to ensure that they understand how to use them.
• Monitor your workflows - Monitor your approval workflows to ensure that they are working correctly and to identify any issues that may arise.

Conclusion

Power Automate approval workflows are a powerful tool for automating approval processes in any organization. They enable organizations to streamline approval processes, reduce errors, and increase productivity. By following the tips and best practices outlined in this blog post, you can create successful approval workflows that will save you time and improve your business processes.