How to automate approval processes with Salesforce Flow

How to Automate Approval Processes with Salesforce Flow

Salesforce Flow provides visual automation for building approval processes that route records to the right approvers, enforce business rules, and track approval history. As of April 2026, Flow Builder is available in all Salesforce editions; some features require Enterprise Edition or above.

Step 1: Define the Approval Process

Go to Setup > Approval Processes. Create a new approval process for the target object (Opportunity, Case, custom object). Define:

• Entry criteria (which records require approval)
• Approver assignment (manager hierarchy, specific user, or queue)
• Actions on approval, rejection, and recall

Step 2: Build the Flow

Go to Setup > Flows > "New Flow." Select "Record-Triggered Flow" and configure:

• Object: The Salesforce object (e.g., Opportunity)
• Trigger: "A record is created or updated"
• Entry conditions: Field criteria (e.g., Discount > 20%)

Step 3: Add the Submit for Approval Action

In the Flow Builder canvas:

1. Add a "Submit for Approval" action element
2. Set the Record ID to the triggering record
3. Specify the approval process name (or leave blank for default)
4. Optionally set specific approver IDs

Step 4: Add Post-Approval Actions

After the approval action, add elements for:

• Update Records — Change status field to "Approved" or "Rejected"
• Send Email Alert — Notify the requester of the decision
• Create Task — Assign follow-up actions after approval
• Post to Chatter — Announce the approval to the relevant team

Multi-Level Approval Example

Discount approval for sales opportunities:

1. Discount 10-20%: Direct manager approval only
2. Discount 20-30%: Manager approval, then VP Sales approval
3. Discount 30%+: Manager, VP Sales, then CFO approval

Each level uses "Approval Step" with criteria-based routing. If any approver rejects, the record returns to the submitter with rejection comments.

Practical Configuration

• Email templates: Create custom email templates for approval requests, approvals, and rejections
• Approval history: Approval steps are recorded in the Approval History related list on the record
• Mobile approvals: Approvers can approve or reject from the Salesforce mobile app or email
• Delegated approvers: Configure backup approvers for out-of-office scenarios

Common Pitfalls

• Records are locked during approval (users cannot edit fields). Use "Initial Submission Actions" to set locked field values before submission
• Approval processes have a limit of 30 steps per process
• Flow-triggered approvals can create loops if the approval outcome updates a field that re-triggers the flow (add exit conditions)