What are Salesforce Flow Approvals?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Salesforce Flow Approvals are approval processes built with a special flow type called an approval orchestration. An orchestration is a flow that runs in stages. Each stage holds one or more steps. A step can ask a person to approve or reject something, or it can run background automation, such as updating a field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think of a school trip permission form. First, the class teacher signs it. Then the principal signs it. Finally, the office books the bus. Each signature is a step, and the office booking is automation. Salesforce Flow Approvals let you draw that whole path in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Salesforce Flow Approvals Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Classic approval processes work, but they are hard to change and have limits. Salesforce now puts most of its new automation work into Flow. So learning Salesforce Flow Approvals keeps your skills current. Here is why they help Bright Path Tutors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- First, one canvas shows every stage, so new admins understand the process quickly.<\/li>\n\n
- Also, you can run flows between approval steps, such as sending a custom email or creating a task.<\/li>\n\n
- Next, approvers can be users, queues or groups, and you can pick them with logic.<\/li>\n\n
- Each approval stays visible on the record, so sales reps can track progress.<\/li>\n\n
- Finally, you can test and debug the process with standard Flow tools.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
So Flow Approvals give admins more control with fewer workarounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Salesforce Flow Approvals Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Salesforce Flow Approvals follow a clear pattern. First, something starts the orchestration, such as a record change or a button. Next, the orchestration enters the first stage. In that stage, an approval step creates a work item for the approver. The approver opens the item and chooses Approve or Reject. Then the orchestration moves to the next stage, or ends, based on the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Salesforce](\"https:\/\/swapnilzambare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/salesforce-flow-approvals-diagram-1-1024x640.png\")
How a flow approval moves through stages and steps.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Stages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A stage is a group of steps that belong together, such as “Manager Review”. Stages run one after another. A stage finishes when its steps are complete or when its exit condition is met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Approval Steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
An approval step asks a person, queue or group to decide. Salesforce creates an approval work item and shows it in the approver’s list. The step records the decision and any comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Background Steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A background step runs an autolaunched flow without any person. For example, it can update the Approval Status field to “Approved” after the final stage. Because background steps are just flows, you can reuse them in other processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Approval Submission<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Salesforce Flow Approvals also store each submission as a record. So you can report on how many requests were approved, rejected or recalled, and how long each one took.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Salesforce Flow Approvals vs Classic Approval Processes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The table below compares the new and the old way to build approvals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/th> Classic approval process<\/th> Flow approvals<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Where you build it<\/td> Approval Processes in Setup<\/td> Flow Builder canvas<\/td><\/tr> Automation between steps<\/td> Field updates, email alerts, tasks<\/td> Any flow you can build<\/td><\/tr> Approver choice<\/td> Users, queues, manager field<\/td> Users, queues, groups, flow logic<\/td><\/tr> Seeing the full process<\/td> Spread across several pages<\/td> One visual canvas<\/td><\/tr> Debugging<\/td> Limited<\/td> Flow debug and test tools<\/td><\/tr> Best for<\/td> Simple, stable approvals<\/td> New and changing approvals<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n When to use which is simple. Keep a classic approval process if it works and rarely changes. Build new approvals with Flow, especially when they need extra automation or several stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Salesforce](\"https:\/\/swapnilzambare.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/salesforce-flow-approvals-diagram-2-1024x640.png\")
Classic approval process vs flow approvals.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n How to Build Salesforce Flow Approvals Step by Step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let’s build Salesforce Flow Approvals for Bright Path Tutors. Sales reps sometimes offer big discounts on corporate course deals. So any discount above 20% needs approval, first from the sales manager and then from the finance head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Prepare the Fields<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Create a Percent field called Discount on Opportunity.<\/li>\n\n
- Then create a Picklist field called Approval Status with the values Not Submitted, Pending, Approved and Rejected.<\/li>\n\n
- Next, add both fields to the opportunity page layout.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Create the Orchestration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Go to Setup and open Flows, then click New Flow.<\/li>\n\n
- Next, choose the approval orchestration type that starts when a record changes.<\/li>\n\n
- Select Opportunity as the object.<\/li>\n\n
- Then set the entry condition to Discount greater than 20.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Add the Stages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The table below shows the stages for this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stage<\/th> Step<\/th> Who decides or what runs<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Manager Review<\/td> Approval step<\/td> Ravi Kumar, the sales manager<\/td><\/tr> Finance Review<\/td> Approval step<\/td> Finance Approvers queue<\/td><\/tr> Finish<\/td> Background step<\/td> Flow that sets Approval Status to Approved<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Step 4: Handle Rejection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Add a decision after each approval step that checks the outcome.<\/li>\n\n
- If the outcome is Rejected, send the path to a background step.<\/li>\n\n
- Then let that step set Approval Status to Rejected and notify the rep.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Step 5: Add the Approval Component<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Open the opportunity Lightning record page in Lightning App Builder.<\/li>\n\n
- Next, add the approvals component that shows the approval trace.<\/li>\n\n
- Then save and activate the page.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Step 6: Test It<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- First, edit a test opportunity and set Discount to 25.<\/li>\n\n
- Next, log in as Ravi and approve the work item.<\/li>\n\n
- Then log in as a finance user and approve the second item.<\/li>\n\n
- Finally, confirm that Approval Status shows Approved.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Choosing Approvers with Logic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Salesforce Flow Approvals can pick approvers based on data. For example, Bright Path Tutors has different finance heads for each region. A small flow can read the opportunity’s region and return the right user. Then the approval step uses that user as the approver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This removes the need for many near-identical approval processes. Instead, one orchestration handles every region. As a result, changes take minutes instead of hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recalling and Reassigning Requests<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
People sometimes submit by mistake or go on leave. So plan for both cases. Submitters can recall a request that is still waiting, if your process allows it. Admins and approvers can also reassign a work item to another person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Write these rules down before you build. Otherwise, users will ask for them on day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moving from Classic Approvals to Flow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do not move every approval at once. Start with one simple process and rebuild it with Salesforce Flow Approvals in a sandbox. Then test it with real users. Once it works, deactivate the old process and activate the new one on a quiet day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n