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Approval workflow - approval reminder

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Posted on by 27

Is there a way to alert an approver in a Flow approval workflow if a document hasn't been approved after a certain period of time? I can't find a suitable way to do this.

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  • William_GCB Profile Picture
    William_GCB 2 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    Hi @Dorul, i tried this but my "Do Until" action never start:

    William_GCB_0-1711128542254.png

     

    I tried to set the Delay for 1 minute for testing and doesn´t work.

    William_GCB_1-1711128745508.png

    Any ideas?

     

    Thank you so much

  • franciscooa Profile Picture
    franciscooa 78 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    Hi,

     

    The issue with your solution is that the approver cannot approve the request after the Reminder - which I think is what the people here want to achieve.

  • ElenM Profile Picture
    ElenM 2 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    Ηello,

    I found an easy way to send reminders (for example after 3 days).

     - Firstly, you need to initialize a variable , let's say Approval and need to be boolean

     - Then add "Start and wait for an approval" inside a loop and set the timeout of the approval to P3D 

    - Now you can use the outcome value .If the outcome value is not null (so the user approved or rejected the request ) , you will set the variable Approval =true and the loop will stop.

    - Also you need to specify that the condition will be executed after approval flow is successful or has timed out

     

    ElenM_1-1673622403847.pngElenM_2-1673622427298.png

    ElenM_3-1673622452182.png

     

     

  • pgeory Profile Picture
    pgeory 108 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    Can i jump in on this with asking for help. Below is my flow it contains a pre approver step. I am finding that the pre approver isn't the issue but the final approver is. Where would i add my reminder?

    pgeory_0-1673346632834.png

     

    pgeory_1-1673346741020.png

     

    pgeory_3-1673346850754.png

     

    pgeory_4-1673346940002.png

     

    pgeory_5-1673346999121.png

     

    I have this flow working and just wanting to add a reminder too it. It took me a while to get to this point so I am reluctant to start messing too much. 

  • Deltodeus Profile Picture
    Deltodeus 80 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    Halo @Dorul , so currently i am doing what you shared here and a little bit struggle with the expression here ( i guess this is the problem why my flow is not working properly), could you please explain/break it down for me ? 

    Regards,
    William

    Deltodeus_0-1649386419577.png

     

  • archanaNagraj Profile Picture
    archanaNagraj 6 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    Hi,

     

    I have implemented the same as you described. But, if the approver takes action within the delay timings(minutes). Still its waiting for the delay branch to complete the specified time/minutes.

     

    ARchana

  • ScottShearer Profile Picture
    ScottShearer 25,150 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    @RTW :

     

    Your concept would work as well.  However, you probably don't want to pull all entries and loop through them.  Rather, use an OData filter in the Get items or Get Files (properties Only action.  The OData filter will make it so that the only items returned are those that meet your criteria.

     

    Also, if you have a simple situation with a single approval and are using my suggestion, you could use a Control Terminate action (with success) after the approval has been completed and any additional action after the approval has been taken.  That way, the Flow will end and not stay active.

     

    Scott

  • RTW Profile Picture
    RTW 180 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    @ScottShearer I know this is an older topic but its something that I'm working on.

     

    Would it not also work to have a second flow that runs on a schedule? Lets say it ran daily, M-F at a specified time. I would pull pull all entries where Approval Status is Pending and the Created date is far enough in the past.

     

    This way you're not having flows hanging after the approval is created.

  • Dorul Profile Picture
    Dorul 340 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    Hi @scm8nwr

    Another example - I managed to do that with Do until, and keeps sending reminders every 7 days or so - flow from printscreen is set to 1 min, for testing.

     

    Capture.JPG

     

  • robertcaretta Profile Picture
    robertcaretta 81 on at
    Re: Approval workflow - approval reminder

    I agree. I feel like the reminder piece should be built into the approval action.

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