Power Automate Multi Level Approval Workflow | Serial Approval | Multiple Approvers

In this tutorial video, I will show how to build Multi-Step Approvals in Power Automate.
We will build a multi-level / serial approval workflow using the Approvals action & add approvers dynamically based on various use cases (type of data, value greater than, etc.).

We will leverage SharePoint Lists & an approval workflow along with SharePoint column formatting. We will showcase an Approval timeline which will include a progress / status indicator for showcasing the current state of the approval process related to the SharePoint list item + Approval history which includes all details of the approval action (approver name, approval date, time taken to respond, comments), highlight the serial list of approvers, show status of each approver & calculate the time taken for the approval.
We will define our approvers dynamically based on metadata & log the approval history to SharePoint list item (best practice since flow approval history is only available for 28 days).

Scenario in video is an Expense Report application in SharePoint where users log expense details & we have a multi stage / level approval process.

Topics covered:
✔️ Multi Level Approval Workflow using Power Automate
✔️ Dynamic approvers selection for serial approvals
✔️ SharePoint Column Formatting
✔️ Approval Status Indicator

#SharePoint #PowerAutomate #Approvals #ListFormatting

Table of Contents:
00:00 - Introduction
00:30 - SharePoint List Walkthrough
00:58 - Standard Pattern for Multi-Step Approvals
02:47 - Dynamic Multi-Step Approval flow pattern
09:03 - Update multiple approvers and test
10:27 - Add Manager Approval if Expense Amount is greater than $500
13:16- Expense Reporting Dynamic Multi Stage Approval Workflow
17:42 - Subscribe to Reza Dorrani channel

[TheAsterii]

Thanks for the inspiration Reza. Leveraging the Apply to each control and and applying the counter variable to dynamically determine the final approval responsible is quite brilliant :)

[chadalthaus]

This is brilliant, Reza. I'd never think to use an "Apply to each" on an array variable and start and wait for approvals within each.

As always, man, this is so good! This is such a helpful way to improve a clunky and hard to maintain flow.

[getakter]

This is absolutely brilliant. I never thought of the approval workflow in this way.
Thanks, Reza for your great efforts.

[shaiksamad]

Reza... You are just amazing.
I remember Daniel used to say he is your big Fan. He is wrong I am your big Fan and as always you are my superhero..🦸

[FranciscoCamacho_fjcamachoj]

Hi Reza, very useful in many scenarios, thanks for sharing. Something that can be challenging in Lists is validation between columns. For example, depending on the "Expense Type" the "Amount Value" allowed may vary and making a "Comments" column required. If Expense Type = Travel the Max Amount Allowed = 5.000 and you must fill de comments column.

[williamhill]

Sharing for beginners, when creating approvals, if you don't hit the "show advanced options" all approvals will come from you the creator of the flow. You'll end up getting alot of emails/questions of why they are coming from you vs the person who created the approval. Question for Reza, since power automate doesn't provide a great audit trail, I know in a previous video you created a separate list for that, if we took those steps and put it in here, would the outcome be the same? Also could you show a dynamic approval flow leveraging users in AD groups and distribution gorups vs names stored in a sharepoint list?

[prashant]

Thanks for sharing this.

I have built something very similar for my Organization too, which takes care of multiple Business Processes for Approval as i tried to create as generic as possible.

There are two more rules i added…. Configuration can decide weather the Approval behaviour would be “First to Respond” or “Everyone must Approve”.

it can also decide that weather the Approvers would be predefined in a List or it can dynamically pick the Approver based on the transaction.

I am currently working on something similar for Document Library Approval.

I really loved the Card Presentation of Approval status. I would definitely try this JSON Format.

[warrengibbs]

Great video Reza! Last week I was working on exactly same requirement. I used a Switch to control flow sequence based on the status of the approval. Your approach is much more elegant. Thanks for sharing your talents!

[Markfx_w]

Great video! Very clear and easy to follow. Do you have any tutorials on how you customised the list view to show as cards such as what you had in this tutorial

[linsss]

Thank you, Reza! Amazing content as always!
I am wondering if this can be applied to a more complicated approval process, where we have approval stages based on Expense Amount (ex.: Amount < 1K -> 1 level Approval, if >1k -> 2nd level, if >3K 3rd Level etc.), combined with dynamic approvers based on Expense Type. I also need to record the approval history on item level: I have columns for all approval stages: Approval L1 Responce, Approval L2 responce, etc. where I capture Response Summary from the Approval action.
Basically I need to capture Approvers first, based on Expense type, then based on Amount to start approvals for each level, until Final Approval or the condition for the amount is no longer met.

Is this possible with this method, or becomes too complex?

Thank you!

[MrSumblaambreen]

it's really helpful, to look for a flow solution for 2 SharePoint lists (request & approvers) request needs to be approved by multiple departments and each department has multiple approvers.

[evolutionofj]

I am actually using this for project management and technical approvals, this will work, I'll have to build a little more but this is exactly what I needed! Thank you so much

[gauravnema]

You have simplified the complex flow, just Wow. Keep sharing.

[Dany-nshg]

You are genius Reza as your knowledge around these power platform tools are commendable, God bless you and give more knowledge and wisdom to share such useful video with us. I am learning a lot of new things through your amazing videos.

[mohamedyusuf]

Exceptional Solution! I would like to know more about how you did the list card formatting to display real time status. Appreciate the sharing of your knowledge.

[HammadJagirdar]

amazing content, specially the dynamic approvers from the sharepoint list and then approving it.

[MindfulLivingSpace]

Thank you, Reza! Amazing content as always!

[ExeterTrees]

Thanks for the detailed video - this is just what I was looking for to help a friend out. They work in an office and deal with cover requests which are multi level. So some people only have 1 approver and there are a few that have as many as 5! I've duplicated your power automate and followed the guide and although there are no errors it doesn't email or show the progress in the approvals section. I really can't see what I've done wrong but am sure it will be something minor. The first part of the flow works as the status changes from new to pending - but that is all that seems to happen. I'll see about getting this on a forum later on. Hopefully once I can get your original one working correctly I can adjust it suit my friends setup.

[jwsjkud]

Such a great instructional! Thank you!

[stevenhampson]

Well presented and really like the building of the complexity for the use cases and solutions. Very professional.