Approval flow to specific person

[TommiR]

Scenario:

• I have a folder in Sharepoint. Everyone can submit files, but when they submit a file they must choose a person, who is responsible of the file (a column in the list)
• When new file is submitted I want to start approval flow and send email to chosen person. Only he/she can approve the file and only the author and the chosen person should see the file at this stage.
• If the submitter chooses him-/herself for the responsible user, the file should be automatically approved
• Same flow should be applied when a file is edited
  • If editor is the same person as the responsible person, changes should be automatically approved
  • If editor is not the same person, approval flow should be started for the responsible person and changes should be visible only for the editor and responsible person.

 As meta language this is very simple:

when item is created || edited{ 
	set approver = responsiblePerson
	set approvalStatus = pending
	if (creator || editor == approver{
		approve item
	} else{
		send apporval email to approver
		}
}

But I can't get this done in flow. I had a semi working solution done by workflows, but it was buggy and over complicated for something as simple as this.

[efialttes]

Hi

Can you describe a little bit which are the limitations you have found in Flow to implement this scenario?

[TommiR]

Hi!

The major issue atm is that I can't or don't know how to control files approval status. I really need to atleast automate approval if the editor/uploader is the same person as approver. It is really frustrating for users to have to approve their own changes and it makes no sense at all to them to do so.

I think that the visibility of the changes is so implemented in Sharepoint usergroups, that it will be impossible to make changes visible only to uploader/editor and approver.

[v-xida-msft]

Hi @TommiR,

Do you want the approval action could be completed automatically if creator or editor is the same person as the responsible person?

Further, do you want only the author and the chosen person to see the submitted file?

I afraid that there is no way to achieve your needs in Microsoft Flow currently, if you would like this feature to be added in Microsoft Flow, please submit an idea to Flow Ideas Forum:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/idb-p/FlowIdeas

Best regards,

Kris

[TommiR]

Hi v-xida-msft

---

@v-xida-msft wrote:

Hi @TommiR,

Do you want the approval action could be completed automatically if creator or editor is the same person as the responsible person?

Further, do you want only the author and the chosen person to see the submitted file?

I afraid that there is no way to achieve your needs in Microsoft Flow currently, if you would like this feature to be added in Microsoft Flow, please submit an idea to Flow Ideas Forum:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/idb-p/FlowIdeas

Best regards,

Kris

---

Yes, exactly! In that case I would like to complete approval automatically and if they are different users, I want only the author and chosen person to see submitted file or changes that are made.

Well thats too bad! =( I guess I just have to fine tune my Workflow then. I had hope I would get rid of my old workflows, because I think Flows are much more flexible and Microsoft seem to have neglected workflows completly. 

[efialttes]

Hi again

I am just wondering if you can compare "Created By" (DisplayName, email, etc.) info from the new item (or file, if you are using a library) with the content of the "responsible person" column.

So once your flow is triggered, you can add a condition: if both contents match, then skip the approval step, if not send the approval request.

Does this approach fits your requirements? Which format are you using to encode "responsible person" column?

[TommiR]

---

@efialttes wrote:

Hi again

I am just wondering if you can compare "Created By" (DisplayName, email, etc.) info from the new item (or file, if you are using a library) with the content of the "responsible person" column.

So once your flow is triggered, you can add a condition: if both contents match, then skip the approval step, if not send the approval request.

Does this approach fits your requirements? Which format are you using to encode "responsible person" column?

---

Hi,

that was the way I first tried to solve this problem. Unfortunately it doesn't work. If I have content approval on in my file library skipping the approval step in flow just leaves file unapproved. If I don't have content approval on in the library, sending approval from the flow doesn't matter because files don't require approval and changes are seen by everyone by default.

[efialttes]

Sorry my proposal was not useful and thanks for sharing such detailed explanation, @TommiR !

[lallison]

Hi

Did you manage get this working with flow - I have the exact requirements, The business is currently running SP Designer 2010 and I need to transfer them to Flow.

Thx

Linda