Skip to main content
Community site session details

Community site session details

Session Id :
Power Automate - Building Flows
Unanswered

Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

Like (0) ShareShare
ReportReport
Posted on 3 Mar 2020 13:59:12 by 8

Hi everyone, I'm trying to set up an automated approval workflow that would sometimes require multiple approvers. The end goal is that everyone should answer before the flow moves forward but I seem to be having trouble getting that set up correctly. I can not for the life of me see what I have wrong. Hoping someone can help please.

 

Below is a screenshot of the of my flow that I keep having issues with. 

I receive the initial approval email to both assigned email addresses, after hitting approval on both user accounts it immediately goes to an approval failed action.

Should the Outcome - is equal to - be 'Approve' only in this scenario with multiple assigned users?

Flow_Multiple_Approvers_Screenshot.jpg

 

 

  • trem0rs Profile Picture
    36 on 22 Apr 2021 at 05:00:15
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    Thank you so much.  This worked for me.  Saved my bacon!

  • jasonmurphy Profile Picture
    34 on 25 Mar 2021 at 00:33:26
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    Hi @Pstork1, confirming all good here. Thanks again for your help! 

  • jasonmurphy Profile Picture
    34 on 24 Mar 2021 at 00:48:35
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    Thanks @Pstork1, I've re-built the flow and having some good success using your suggested method with testing in prototype. Will confirm asap how it goes in final version. Really appreciate your help.

  • Pstork1 Profile Picture
    67,342 Most Valuable Professional on 23 Mar 2021 at 23:13:55
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    @Jcook Outcome will actually work for multiple approvers.  It gives you a comma delimited string of the results.  That way you can evaluate the result without resorting to an Apply to Each.

  • Pstork1 Profile Picture
    67,342 Most Valuable Professional on 23 Mar 2021 at 23:12:43
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    Outcome is a delimited string of the approvals.  So if you have two approvers it will look like "Approve, Approve" or "Reject, Approve".  I normally turn the conditions around and check if Outcome "Contains" "Reject".  If it does its rejected.  If it doesn't its Approved.  Since you are only checking for Approve its giving you some false positives.

  • jasonmurphy Profile Picture
    34 on 23 Mar 2021 at 23:01:59
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    Hi @Pstork1@Jcook

     

    I'm having a similar challenge and wonder if you could please help?

     

    We've got three levels of sequential approvals and the first approval step (#1) requires both approvers (always two) to approve. Then there is a condition if they approve it goes to approver #2, if they approve to approver #3 and then the final outcome.

     

    At the moment, it goes to approver stage #1 and then flows to #2 and #3, and completes the outcome, but then cycles back to approver #2 and #3 for a second time.

     

    I've posted a screengrab of how it's setup.Screen Shot 2021-03-24 at 9.51.22 am.png

  • mmorales Profile Picture
    8 on 11 Mar 2020 at 18:14:56
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    @Pstork1  I eventually could not get having 2 different approvers in the same "Start and Wait for an Approval - Everyone Must Approve" to work. It would either reject the response of Approve, Approve or if I changed the condition from "Response" to "Outcome" it would send a Approve / Reject email to the created by email that initially kicked off the flow.
    I ending up opting to do this in a two step method where it would go to the 1st user for approval and if he approved it would then go to the 2nd user. In both scenarios they each have a condition to inform the "Creator" in the event if something was rejected. 

    I've attached two screenshots below in the event if anyone ever runs into the same scenario. 

    First ApproverFirst Approver

     

    Second ApproverSecond Approver

     

     

     

  • Pstork1 Profile Picture
    67,342 Most Valuable Professional on 03 Mar 2020 at 20:05:57
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    Not quite.  If you are going to use a loop based on Responses then there should be a piece of dynamic data available when doing your condition that ends in Response (note the singular ending).  That's what your condition should be based on.  And you should be checking against Approve.  "Approve Approve" would be if you were checking Outcome outside the loop.

  • mmorales Profile Picture
    8 on 03 Mar 2020 at 17:28:15
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    @Pstork1 Gotcha gotcha, 

    So as I understand it, you are saying for me to test it out as shown below in the image?
    Flow_Multiple_Approvers_Responses2.jpg

     

  • Pstork1 Profile Picture
    67,342 Most Valuable Professional on 03 Mar 2020 at 15:19:08
    Re: Flow - Start and Wait for an Approval - Multiple Approvers - Keep receiving "Start an approval action failed"

    My point was that if you used Outcome you don't need the Apply to Each loop.  You only need the condition to test Outcome.  If you are going to use the loop on Responses then you want to test the 'Response' dynamic content.

Under review

Thank you for your reply! To ensure a great experience for everyone, your content is awaiting approval by our Community Managers. Please check back later.

Helpful resources

Quick Links

Telen Wang – Community Spotlight

We are honored to recognize Telen Wang as our August 2025 Community…

Announcing our 2025 Season 2 Super Users!

A new season of Super Users has arrived, and we are so grateful for…

Congratulations to the July Top 10 Community Leaders!

These are the community rock stars!

Leaderboard > Power Automate

#1
Tomac Profile Picture

Tomac 986 Moderator

#2
stampcoin Profile Picture

stampcoin 699 Super User 2025 Season 2

#3
Riyaz_riz11 Profile Picture

Riyaz_riz11 577 Super User 2025 Season 2

Loading started