Sequential approvals

[TechBen]

Hello,

im working an my first flow for my company. 

We want to automate our vacation requests with multiple approvers workflow: 

Create a modern approval workflow with multiple approvers - Power Automate | Microsoft Docs

I build a trigger in Forms, where the user needs to provide the date, name, ... 

Its working fine with "get manager". 

My problem is, i want to add a condition for representatives.

Should be like this: 

If the user provide the E-Mail address of a representative, he should get the approval first and after his approve, the manager needs to approve.

When there is no represantative, only the manager should approve the request. 

I dont find a expression or something, how to build it and hope you can help me with it.

Thank you all!

Regards

Ben 

[efialttes]

@TechBen 
So, I guess you have a representatives email list, right? And, your Forms questionnaire is asking for an email address?
The more information context you provide (Forms questionaire screenshot, Flow current design screenshot), the faster you will get a useful response
Thanx!

[v-LilyW-msft]

Hi @TechBen 

Has your problem been solved?

I set up a flow, you can take a try with the screenshots below.

This is my test Form.

Flow in details:

Complete flow

Save and test the flow.

When a new Form is submitted like this:

Approve mail will be sent to representative first, after representative approve, the manager will receive an approval email.

When a new Form is submitted like this.

The approve email will be sent directly to the manager.

Hope the content above may help you.

Best Regards

If my solution helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[TechBen]

Hi @efialttes, 

no, im not working with a list. Currently, there is a free-text field, so the user have to know the correct Mailaddress of his representative. 

Is there a way to ask dynamiclly about the AD Users, like the "Persons" function in the SharePoint list?`

Im attaching the flow in seperate post. 

Thank you! 

[TechBen]

Hi @v-LilyW-msft 

thank you, it is designed like this, but i dont understand how to do a "If there is no represantative, only manager need to approve"? 

[v-LilyW-msft]

Hi @TechBen 

In my previous screenshots, the content in If No can achieve your requirements about 'if there is no represantative, only manager need to approve'.

Please refer to the previous screenshots for detailed configuration.

Best Regards.

[efialttes]

Hi again!
I assume if representative is  provided, and he/she rejects the approval the process shall be stopped, right?
If so I would do the following:
1.- Add a 'Initialize variable' action block, let's call it 'Representative', of type 'string', assign as its value the response to such field (the result is the same as with @v-LilyW-msft suggestion to use a 'Compose' action block)
2.- Now add a 'Condition' action block, configuring the following inputs:
a) Term on the left: the following expression

empty(variables('Representative'))

b) Operator: equals
c) TErm on the right: please assign the following expression:

true

So in the left brach on your condition you should add the extra approval step, leaving the right branch empty (please note this is the main difference with @v-LilyW-msft proposal)
Now just after the 'Condition action block' you should add the approval request to the Manager.
Hope this makes sense



Please also note, as far as I know, there is no way to make the Form evaluate if a response to a question is an email address belonging to the organization, so you need to implement such validation in your flow, one way to do it is  by means of 'Office 365 users' connector 'Get user profile' action block. I agree with you it would be a great functionality to be able to validate it in Forms directly

Please let us know your progress

[efialttes]

I've edited my last response in order to add a screenshot from a Test Flow I've just implemented