Approval Workflow for Form Submissions, Step by Step
Many forms exist because someone has to say yes or no. An approval workflow makes that decision fast and recorded.
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Define who decides
Start with the question of who approves each kind of request. A purchase request may go to a manager, a refund to finance and a time off request to a team lead.
Route with logic
Use conditional logic to choose the approver from the answers. For example, requests above a set amount go to a senior approver.
Record the decision
The approver opens the submission, approves or declines, and may add a note. The decision and the time are stored with the submission.
Tell the requester
When the decision is made, the requester receives an email with the outcome. They do not need to ask for an update.
Keep it accountable
Roles decide who can approve. On the Pro plan, the audit log shows who changed what and when, which helps when someone asks why a request was approved.
- Define the approver for each request type
- Test the flow with a sample request before you publish
- Review the log after the first weeks and adjust
Where it applies
Applications, purchase requests, access requests and quotes all fit. See online application forms for an example.
Build an approval flow
Describe your request form and add an approval step when you save your form.