Easy Sequential Approvals in Power Automate
Power Automate
Jun 18, 2024 4:00 AM

Easy Sequential Approvals in Power Automate

by HubSite 365 about Reza Dorrani

Principal Program Manager at Microsoft Power CAT Team | Power Platform Content Creator

Citizen DeveloperPower AutomatePower SelectionLearning SelectionPower Beginner

Master Sequential Approvals in Power Automate: A Beginner’s Guide to Efficient Workflow Setup!

Key insights

 

  • Introduction to Sequential Approvals in Power Automate, focusing on building an approval workflow using the "Sequential Approval" type in the Approvals connector.
  • Steps to set up sequential approval workflows, assigning tasks serially to define approvers and managing the progression from one approver to the next upon approval.
  • Utilization of SharePoint Lists to manage the approval process, including defining approvers either manually or dynamically and updating list item status based on the outcome of the approvals.
  • Key video content highlighted, including starting guides, defining steps, and the benefits of choosing a Sequential Approval type for specific automation needs.
  • Detailed table of contents provided in the video, guiding viewers through the tutorial stages from introduction to setting approvers for sequential steps.

Understanding Power Automate Sequential Approvals

Power Automate's sequential approvals are designed to streamline decision-making processes in businesses, ensuring that each step is thoroughly reviewed and approved in a predefined order. This approach is critical in managing tasks where multiple stakeholders' inputs are required before finalizing a decision. By using SharePoint Lists, the process becomes more dynamic, allowing for conditional approver settings.

These workflows are crucial for scenarios like expense approvals or general administrative decisions, where the integrity and order of approvals can significantly impact operational accuracy and accountability. The automation not only saves time but also reduces the potential for errors by enforcing a structured pathway for approvals.

For professionals looking to implement or upgrade their automation workflows in Microsoft Power Automate, the sequential approval process taught in this tutorial offers a robust solution. It exemplifies how automation can be tailored to fit complex business processes, enhancing efficiency across various organizational levels.

 

Introduction and Overview
Reza Dorrani introduces beginners to creating Sequential Approval Workflows in Power Automate, highlighting how to use the new “Sequential Approval” type in the approvals connector. This tutorial is designed to simplify the process for building a sequential approval workflow. By following the steps detailed in the tutorial, users can effectively manage approval sequences involving multiple approvers.

Defining the Workflow Steps
The process begins by defining the approval steps and setting up the sequence of approvers, ensuring tasks are serially assigned. As each approver in the chain approves, the task progresses to the subsequent approver. Leveraging SharePoint Lists, Reza illustrates how to dynamically or manually set the sequences based on a configuration list in SharePoint, demonstrating an expense request approval workflow in action.

Key Features and Learning Outcomes
The tutorial covers several key components of building approval flows using Power Automate, including the intricacies of the Sequential Approval type and updating SharePoint List items based on approval outcomes. By viewing this tutorial, users will gain a comprehensive understanding of creating and managing a sequential approval workflow, ensuring efficient handling of tasks within an organization.

Application and Practical Use
Sequential Approvals are essential for organizations looking to maintain order and accountability in processes that require multiple levels of verification. By employing this method within SharePoint, businesses can automate and streamline the approval processes, thus improving operational efficiency and reducing the time taken for tasks to be approved.

Conclusion
Reza Dorrani’s tutorial empowers beginners with the knowledge to create and manage a Sequential Approval workflow using Power Automate. This informative guide serves not only to educate on the basics of automation within processes but also showcases practical examples of the application in real-world scenarios.

Sequential Approvals through Power Automate

Sequential Approvals in Power Automate represent an advanced yet accessible feature that allows for orderly processing of approvals across various levels within organizations. By meticulously defining approval pathways and sequences, businesses ensure that every task is scrutinized by appropriate parties in a defined order. This functionality is crucial in environments requiring stringent controls and audit trails, such as financial operations, human resources, and compliance-related activities.

Power Automate, as part of the Microsoft Power Platform, facilitates these processes by integrating with SharePoint Lists, where approver sequences can be set dynamically. The ability to adapt approver lists based on real-time data and organizational changes makes Power Automate a flexible tool for managing complex workflows. Moreover, the clear, step-by-step guidance provided in Reza Dorrani's tutorial makes it accessible even to those new to automation, removing common barriers to entry in the automation space.

As businesses continue to seek efficiency and meticulous control over their internal processes, tools like Power Automate become indispensable. The use of Sequential Approvals within this tool ensures that approval tasks are handled efficiently, transparently, and without omitting any procedural steps. This not only saves time but also enhances the reliability and accountability of business operations, ultimately contributing to better managerial decisions and smoother organizational functioning.

 

Power Automate - Streamline Approvals with Power Automate: A Quick Guide

 

People also ask

"How to create sequential approval workflow in Power Automate?"

The process involves adding an approval action specifically for pre-approvals.

"What is an example of approval flow in Power Automate?"

For instance, within a company, sales personnel could submit a request for a discount on customer purchases through a SharePoint list, which catalyzes the approval flow. This flow employs the 'Start and wait for an approval' action, integrating custom responses.

"How to create a parallel approval process in Power Automate?"

A parallel approval process can effectively be established in Power Automate by configuring the workflow to handle concurrent approvals.

"What is the alternative to approvals in Power Automate?"

An alternative to the standard approvals in Power Automate includes configuring dynamic parallel approvals, utilizing a variety of field types such as text inputs

Keywords

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