Solved: Set Content Approval just not working

Anonymous · ‎08-13-2019

Hello, I'm really confused about this Set Content Approval business. I created a flow with "when a file is created or modified" trigger and it worked just fine. But I wanted writers to be able to send documents for approval only when they are ready to do so (i.e., not just for small changes). I found a great demo here to create a "Get Approval" button to trigger the workflow. However, I simply cannot get it to work, even though I've replicated every step from my previously successful flow. I finally just created a pared down library and simplified everything I could, but it still just will not change the approval status. What am I missing? Is the trigger condition just not going to work in the same way?

Anonymous · ‎08-14-2019

Ok, I think I have it figured out. I don't know exactly how I fixed it, but this is a screen shot of a working flow!

It works!

View solution in original post

Pstork1 · ‎08-13-2019

First thing I would check is to make sure that "Require Content Approval" is turned on in the List Settings > Version settings. If that isn't enabled the field won't be there that is required for Update Content Approval to work.

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Anonymous · ‎08-13-2019

Yup, content approval is on, with major versioning set up

Pstork1 · ‎08-13-2019

Kind of hard to tell from your screenshot, but I would take a look at a run and make sure the yes side of your condition is running. YOu should be checking Outcome from the Approval and it looks like you are checking something that starts with Content.

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Anonymous · ‎08-13-2019

The field is Content Approval Status. Oddly, neither Outcome and Response were options in the dynamic content list. This is the closest field I could find.

This makes me think that something is off upstream. It's almost as if the initial trigger has hidden functionality that messes things up. When I create the exact same workflow with a different trigger, it works like a charm. I really don't know where to go from here.

Pstork1 · ‎08-13-2019

Try searching for Outcome when setting the condition. Dynamic content can often be over filtered, but if you search for it in the dynamic content box it will show up.

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Anonymous · ‎08-13-2019

No, it's not available in this particular flow. I searched and searched. There's nothing else that approximates it, either.

Pstork1 · ‎08-14-2019

I just looked again at your screenshot. Did you rename the Approval action? If not, then you evidently started with a template or an old Flow. The Create an Approval action has been deprecated for a while and is no longer available to be directly added to a Flow. If you are using the older version that might explain why you aren't seeing the same dynamic content. I would delete that action and replace it with the current Start and wait for an approval V2 . Then you should start seeing the other dynamic content that people are mentioning.

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Anonymous · ‎08-14-2019

I changed the template to Start and wait for an approval (I didn't see a v2 version) and moved the response action into the same container. Then I was able to get the correct Outcome field. However, now it is failing on the Get File Metadata action. (I'm using FileID as the field, though it asks for a particular folder. This worked fine in my other workflow). However, it keeps insisting that the file is not found, and I need that particular action in order to get the ETag for the content approval. Am I missing something with the Get File Metadata? I've tried using it at different point during the workflow, and it fails every time...

Thank you for all your help!

Anonymous · ‎08-14-2019

I just tried ID as the field in Get File Metadata and it failed. Then I tried Identifier as the field, and it CLAIMED to be successful, but nothing actually happened. I didn't get either the approval email or the approval change. Any advice is welcome!

Anonymous · ‎08-14-2019

Ok, I think I have it figured out. I don't know exactly how I fixed it, but this is a screen shot of a working flow!

It works!

juresti · ‎08-16-2019

You changed your condition.

In the first screen shot you had a sharepoint icon in condition.

In your second screen shot you were using the approval icon.

Your screen shot was a great example to follow, by the way.

Anonymous · ‎08-16-2019

Thank you! I did change the condition, but I also changed the Get File Metadata field to Identifier. That seemed to do the trick. I've since built upon the workflow with automated email notifications and copy file actions, and all is working well.