Sequential Approval in Power Automate
Sequential Approval is a powerful feature in Microsoft Power Automate that allows organizations to ensure decisions are made in a structured, step-by-step manner. Whether it’s managing leave requests, budget approvals, or document sign-offs, sequential approvals enforce accountability and transparency by routing requests through a predefined sequence of approvers.
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What is Sequential Approval?
In a sequential approval workflow, a request is sent to multiple approvers one after the other. Each approver must approve or reject the request before it moves to the next step in the sequence. This contrasts with parallel approval workflows, where multiple approvers can act simultaneously.
Why Use Sequential Approval?
- Structured Decision-Making: Ensures requests are reviewed in a logical order, typically from junior to senior stakeholders.
- Accountability: Tracks individual actions, showing who approved or rejected at each stage.
- Compliance: Helps meet audit and compliance requirements by maintaining a detailed log of the approval process.
Key Components of a Sequential Approval Workflow
- Trigger: Defines when the workflow starts (e.g., when a form is submitted or a new file is added to SharePoint).
- Approvers List: A predefined list of individuals who need to approve the request in a specific order.
- Approval Actions: The tasks sent to each approver for review.
- Condition Logic: Determines the outcome based on approval or rejection at each stage.
- Notifications: Alerts to notify the requester and approvers about the status.
Setting Up Sequential Approval in Power Automate
Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a sequential approval workflow:
1. Create a Flow
- Navigate to Power Automate and select Create > Automated cloud flow.
- Choose a trigger, such as “When a new response is submitted” for a Microsoft Form.
2. Initialize Variables for Approvers
- Use the Initialize Variable action to define a list or array of approvers.
3. Use the Start and Wait for Approval Action
- Add the Start and Wait for an Approval action.
- Select the approval type: “Approve/Reject – Everyone must approve.”
- Use dynamic content to assign the task to the first approver.
4. Loop Through Approvers
- Add an Apply to Each loop.
- Configure the loop to send the approval request to the next approver in the sequence after the current one completes.
5. Handle Rejections
- Use a Condition action to check for rejection at any step.
- If rejected, send a notification to the requester and terminate the flow.
6. Complete the Workflow
- Once all approvers have approved, send a final notification to the requester confirming approval.
Practical Example: Leave Request Approval
Scenario:
An employee submits a leave request. The request goes first to their team lead, then to the HR manager, and finally to the department head for approval.
- Trigger: Employee submits a Microsoft Form.
- Step 1: Team lead receives the request, approves it, or rejects it.
- Step 2: HR manager reviews and decides.
- Step 3: Department head gives the final approval.
- Outcome: If approved at all stages, an email is sent to the employee confirming the leave.
Best Practices for Sequential Approval Workflows
- Define Roles Clearly: Avoid confusion by specifying approvers and their responsibilities.
- Use Timeouts: Set deadlines for approval to prevent delays in the workflow.
- Test the Flow: Run multiple test scenarios to ensure the workflow behaves as expected.
- Provide Feedback: Notify approvers and requesters about the workflow’s progress.
Conclusion
Sequential Approval in Power Automate helps businesses streamline complex approval processes by automating workflows and ensuring decisions are made systematically. With its user-friendly interface and robust integration capabilities, Power Automate empowers organizations to increase productivity while maintaining compliance and transparency.
Start building your sequential approval workflow today and experience the efficiency of automation in your business processes!
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