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Approval flow based on Forms with attachments - allow for different file types

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Posted on by KatLane

Hi,

I have a Forms form for sending through a request for reimbursement. It includes a required field for a copy of the receipt, and the allowed file types are pdf and image to give staff the option of scanning their receipt or using their phone and taking a photo.

The flow is triggered when the form is submitted, I've used Parse JSON to get the attachment, then it goes for approval. If the request is approved, it will create a file (the attachment) in the Approved folder in a specified document library. If it's declined it will create a file in the Declined folder in the same document library.

I need to attach the document to the Start & Wait for Approval step, the Create File Step (in both approved and not) and in the send an email step that goes back to the staff member.

I would also love for the attachment to appear in Teams for the approval but I understand that's a WIP?

My issue is specifying the file types. If I don't specify a file type in the File Name section of either of the steps listed above, the attachment wont open. I can add .jpeg or .pdf or whatever at the end of the file name and that will allow the attachment to save and attach to emails in that format - great! But it only works if it matches the format that was initially submitted.

I feel like I'm missing something small but important that will allow for the different file types. Screenshots of my flow are below.

Also, can I somehow add a step to remove the initial document from my OneDrive once it's been actioned and added to where it needs to go in the document library? Or rename it in my OneDrive so that it's identifiable and then I can just use the

dynamic content in all my steps rather than specifying a file name? Or ideally both?

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rodriguezschaef on at

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Re: Approval flow based on Forms with attachments - allow for different file types

colonbroom-premiu...
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KatLane 73 on at

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Re: Approval flow based on Forms with attachments - allow for different file types

@lisae1103 yes I did!
I have a lot of stuff in the middle to customise the date as I'm in Australia so wanted the dd/mm/yyyy. And then need to be able to save it with the date in the file name so there's an option with dd_mm_yyyy. If that's not applicable to you then just skip over those variables.

You need two variables - one for the approval and one for the email
I'm going from memory here, I believe the expression for the condition is related to the compose above it, so the expression is empty(outputs('Get_response_details')?['insert dynamic content from compose output here'] and then is equal to false.

So if empty = false, then you have an attachment so for the no condition, there's nothing to do, but for yes (meaning you have an attachment) then I Parse JSON for the attachment.
Then I need the file content which is where your two variables above come in:
You can see above that "ContentBytes" works for the email attachment, whereas "Content" works for the approval.

Then in the Start and Wait for Approval, in the attachment section you'll need to toggle to input the entire array, and from there you'll use the dynamic content of the variable for the approval that you set up previously.

It's definitely handy to rename your variables so that you can track which is which.

You then have the condition based on the approval response.

Part of which triggers an email with the attachment, and same as above with the start and wait for approval, you need to toggle the attachment section but this time use the Email variable.

I hope that helps. It's been a while since I got it working so you tested my memory a bit there!
lisae1103 6 on at

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Re: Approval flow based on Forms with attachments - allow for different file types

Hi. Did you ever fix this flow? It is exactly what I am looking to recreate!
KatLane 73 on at

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Re: Approval flow based on Forms with attachments - allow for different file types

I've updated my flow since my initial post above, based on this video and this blog. I'm so close, but still no luck, it's now throwing an error at the start and wait for approval step. Here are screenshots of my updated flow with the error.