Practice Lab 4 – Approval flow

In this lab you will create an approval flow.

What you will learn

How to create a Power Automate approvals cloud flow

High-level lab steps

Create an automated cloud flow for the SharePoint list
Create an approval
Add condition for approval outcome
Test the flow

Prerequisites

Must have completed Lab 3: SharePoint

Detailed steps

Exercise 1 – Create approval flow

Task 1.1 - Create the trigger

Navigate to the Power Automate portal https://make.powerautomate.com
Make sure you are in the Dev One environment.
Select + Create from the left navigation pane.
Select Automated cloud flow.
Enter Task approval for Flow name.
Enter SharePoint in Search all triggers box.
Select When an item is created.
Select Create.

Task 1.2 - Configure the trigger

Select the When an item is created action.
Select the When an item is created action name and enter New task.

[!NOTE] If you encounter an issue editing the trigger name, use Copilot to rename it.
Select Copilot, and in the Copilot chat enter the following prompt: Rename the trigger to New task.

Select the Power Automate SharePoint site created in the previous lab. If the site is not listed, select Enter custom value and paste the URL of the Power Automate SharePoint site
Select the Tasks list.

Task 1.3 - Add approval action

Select the + icon under the trigger to add an action.
Enter approval in the search box.
Select Start and wait for an approval under Standard approvals.
Select Create New.
Select Approve/Reject - First to respond for Approval Type
Select Start and wait for an approval action name and enter Approval
Enter / into the Title field and select Insert dynamic content.
Select Title under New Task.
Enter your tenant user id for Assigned To.
Enter / into the Details field and select Insert dynamic content.
Select Description.
Enter / into the Item Link field and select Insert dynamic content.
Select See More, and then select Link to item.

Task 1.4 - Add condition

Select the + icon under the Start and wait for an approval action to add an action.
Enter condition in the search box.
Select Condition under Control.
Enter / into the left Choose a value field and select Insert dynamic content.
Select Outcome.
Select is equal to for Operator.
Select the right Choose a value field and enter Approve

Task 1.5 - Update status actions

Select the + icon under True to add an action.
Enter update item in the search box.
Select Update item under SharePoint.
Select the Update item action name and enter Set task to approved
Select or enter the Power Automate SharePoint site URL for Site Address.
Select the Tasks list for List Name.
Enter / into the Id field and select Insert dynamic content.
Select ID from New task.
Select Show all next to Advanced parameters.
Enter / into the Title field and select Insert dynamic content.
Select Title from New task.
Select Approved for Approval Status Value.
Select the + icon under False to add an action.
Enter update item in the search box.
Select Update item under SharePoint.
Select the Update item 1 action name and enter Set task to declined.
Select or enter the Power Automate SharePoint site URL for Site Address.
Select the Tasks list for List Name.
Enter / into the Id field and select Insert dynamic content.
Select ID from New task.
Select Show all.
Enter / into the Title field and select Insert dynamic content.
Select Title from New task.
Select Declined for Approval Status Value.
Select Save.
Verify that a message appears indicating that your flow is ready to go.
Select the <- Back button from the top left of the command bar.

Exercise 2 – Test approval

Task 2.1 - Trigger approval flow

Navigate to the SharePoint site and select the Tasks list.
Select + New to add a new item, enter the following data, and then select Save:
1. Title=Approval test
2. Description=Test
3. Owner Name=MOD Administrator
4. Deadline=Today
5. Approval Status=New

Task 2.2 - Progress approval

Navigate to the Power Automate portal https://make.powerautomate.com
Make sure you are in the Dev One environment.
Select My flows from the left navigation menu.
Select Task approval.
Select the date and time in the 28-day run history.
Open a new browser tab and navigate to the Power Automate portal https://make.powerautomate.com
Select Approvals from the left navigation menu.
Select the Approval test, select the Tick, and select Confirm.
Select Done.
Select My flows from the left navigation menu.
Select Task approval.
Select the date and time in the 28-day run history.
Expand the Condition action and verify that the True branch ran successfully.
Navigate to the SharePoint site and select the Tasks list.
Verify that the Approval status of the Approval test item is Approved.