Business Logic and Process Automation · Topic 5 of 7
Flow Approval Processes and Classic Approvals
Salesforce approvals for app builders: Flow approval processes built as orchestrations with stages and steps, and classic approval processes with locking.
- 4 min
- Flow approval processes are approval orchestrations built in Flow Builder.
- They are made of stages, which run in sequence, and steps, such as approval and background steps.
- Classic approvals use entry criteria, steps, approvers and actions at each stage.
What it is
An approval routes a record, such as a discount, expense or contract, to one or more people who approve or reject it. Salesforce offers two ways to build one.
Flow approval processes are built in Flow Builder as approval orchestrations made of stages and steps, and are the current direction for new approvals. Classic approval processes, built in Setup, are still supported and still appear in many orgs and exam scenarios.
How it works
Flow approval processes
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Approval orchestration | The flow that runs the whole approval; it can be record-triggered or autolaunched |
| Stage | A phase of the approval; stages run one after another |
| Approval step | Assigns an approval request to an approver, such as a user, group or queue; can lock the record while it is open |
| Background step | Runs an autolaunched flow without user interaction, such as setting a status |
| Evaluation flows and conditions | Decide when a stage or step starts or is complete |
Because it is built in Flow, an approval process can use decisions, record lookups, several approvers in one stage and logic that classic approvals cannot express easily. Approvers receive the request and respond to it, and administrators can monitor running orchestrations and open them in Flow Builder.
Classic approval processes
| Part | What you set |
|---|---|
| Entry criteria | Which records can be submitted |
| Initial submitter | Who can submit, such as the record owner |
| Approval steps | One or more steps, each with criteria and approvers |
| Approvers | A user, a queue, a related user field such as Manager, or several approvers |
| Multiple approvers | Unanimous approval or first response |
| Actions | Field updates, email alerts, tasks and outbound messages at each stage |
Actions run at initial submission, step approval or rejection, final approval, final rejection and recall. Records are locked on submission so they cannot be edited during review.
Submitting and automating
- Users submit with the Submit for Approval button, or a flow submits records automatically with the Submit for Approval action, for classic processes.
- A record-triggered approval orchestration starts automatically when a record meets its conditions.
- The Approval History related list shows the path of a classic approval.
Choosing an approach
| Requirement | Approach |
|---|---|
| New approval with complex routing or several parallel approvers | Flow approval process |
| Simple sequential sign-off already running in the org | Keep the classic approval process |
| Lock the record while it awaits approval | Classic approval, which locks the record on submission, or a Flow approval step set to lock the record |
| Route to each submitter's own manager | Related user field such as Manager, or a lookup in the flow |
A worked example: discounts above 20% need the sales manager's approval, and above 40% also need finance. The builder creates a record-triggered approval orchestration on Opportunity. Stage 1 assigns an approval step to the submitter's manager; stage 2 runs only when the discount exceeds 40% and assigns a step to the finance queue. A background step sets the Discount Status field to Approved or Rejected at the end.
For classic approvals, choose the approver "Manager" (a related user field) to send each request to the submitter's own manager without naming a user.
How the exam asks about this
- "Build a new multi-stage approval with conditional stages." A flow approval process.
- "Prevent edits while a record awaits approval." Record locking on submission.
- "Submit qualifying records automatically." A flow that submits the record, or a record-triggered approval orchestration.
What to remember for the exam
- Flow approval processes are approval orchestrations built in Flow Builder.
- They are made of stages, which run in sequence, and steps, such as approval and background steps.
- Classic approvals use entry criteria, steps, approvers and actions at each stage.
- Classic approvals lock records on submission; recall lets the submitter withdraw.
- Unanimous versus first-response approval applies to multiple approvers.
In a classic approval process, a record that does not meet the entry criteria cannot be submitted. Check the criteria first when submission fails.
Common mistakes
Assuming classic approvals no longer exist. They are still supported and still tested.
Naming one approver for everyone. Use a related user field, queue or lookup.
Forgetting final approval and rejection actions. Without field updates there, the record's status never shows the decision.
Check yourself
What are the building blocks of a Flow approval process?
Stages that run in sequence, each containing steps such as approval steps and background steps.
What happens to a record when it is submitted to a classic approval process?
It is usually locked, and the initial submission actions run.
How can a flow start a classic approval process?
With the Submit for Approval action.
Topic 5 of 7 in Business Logic and Process Automation
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