Using PowerApps with Flow

[nhintl18]

Hello,

Is it possible to create a MS Flow for an approval process that uses PowerApps for the approval part? I know most of the Flow part of this is possible, just unsure of whether PowerApps can be integrated.

Proposed setup below-

1. Input: SharePoint List (items added via webform or email intake)

2. Flow monitors SharePoint list and runs when new items are created

3. Flow pulls list of approvers from AD (based on the type of request) then sends them an email with a link to a PowerApp that lists outstanding items and allows them to approve or reject the item. 

4. Flow would need to keep track of the approval status and complete the workflow once everyone has approved (some approvals would need one approver while others may need multiple)

5. Once Approved/Rejected Flow would update the SharePoint list

I found an older post similar to this one but it seems that Microsoft released some new connectors for Flow/PowerApps in August and I'm unsure if they added this funtionality.

[HadynM]

Hi @nhintl18

I do something similar with a booking request application that has various states and multiple approvers.  This doesn't use modern approvals as the approvers need to be able to update specific data while approving/declining the request.

It has two Powerapps, 1 for the original request data capture, and 1 for the approvals, and a single flow that manages the notifications between states.

The setup is as follows:

• An end user makes a request via the data capture app and saves it to a SharePoint list.
• The flow monitoring the list picks up the new record and notifies the Capacity Approver to go to the approval app via a link in an email with an ID for the specific request.
• The Capacity Approver approves or declines, changing the status and updating the list.
• The flow notifies the Financial Approver to go to the approval app via email.
• The Financial Approver approves or declines, and updates the list.
• The flow then either sends the approved request to production or notifies the end user of the reason it was declined.

I have two columns in the list that are Status and PreviousState.  The flow determines what email to send and to who based on these.  Once the email is sent the flow updates the PreviousState to the current Status. 

Hope that helps.

Hadyn

[v-xida-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @nhintl18,

How do you send the approval email within your flow? Using Start a Approval action (Modern approval) or Send an email with options action?

Do you want to make a response (Approve or Reject) to the approval request within a PowerApps app?

If you want to make a response (Approve or Reject) to the approval request within a PowerApps app, I afraid that there is no way to achieve your needs in PowerApps currently.

If you use Start a Approval action (Modern approval) to send the approval request, you could only make a response to this approval request within your Outlook email, Approvals center in Flow web portal or Microsoft Flow Mobile App.

If you use Send an email with options action to send the approval request, you could only make a response to this approval request within your Outlook email.

In addition, I also agree with @HadynM's thought almost, you could consider just send an email to the approvers with the link to the Approval App (a PowerApps app) to notify them approve the request item (modify the SP list item in the Approval app), rather than use the Start a Approval action (Modern approval) or Send an email with options action to send the approval request.

Best regards,

Kris

[nhintl18]

Hi @HadynM,

Thanks for your responce. That helps a lot

I'm not clear on how Flow moves the request along as you go? Which connectors/modules in Flow do you use?

Thanks,

-nhintl18

[nhintl18]

Hello @v-xida-msft,

I am currently using the 'Start a Approval' action. 

Yes - the responce (approve/reject) needs to be within an app.

It seems that being able to directly incorporporate a PowerApp into Flow is something that would be commonly used. Is this something Microsoft is looking to add in the future?

Thanks,

-nhintl18

[HadynM]

The trigger for my flow is SharePoint: When an existing item is modified.  This catches new and updated records.

The first real action is a Condition - 'is the status equal to the previous state?'.  This determines if there was a state change or not.  The 'If no' side of the condition does nothing.

The 'If yes' side of the condition has a Switch action for each of the states New, Pending approval, Approved, Declined.  The default switch condition sends an email to the admin (me) notifying of an unknown state change.

Each of the other conditions sends an appropriate email (Outlook: Send an email) to the required approver (taken from the list item).  An additional step for the Approved notification is to create a PDF of the request and include it in the email.  I use HTML emails where the format/layout is important, rather than markdown in Modern Approvals.

The last step is to update the PreviousState to the same as the current State. 

That's it in a nutshell.

Hadyn

[bbsin]

Hi
I am need to PowerApps and getting it to submit to the flow is so complex with coding which i have zero idea.

I am also looking inti use Start approval that can send email to the person.
I don't understand what to do.

I have created a form with attachment icon in PowerApps and its submit the data into SharePoint List which is working fine. Now I need to get the data and attachment i to flow using Start Approval and I am stuck on it, not sure how to get it.

By right approval shld start befor data are upload into sharepoint but i just cannot find the way as the ApprovalFlow.Run() command is so confusing, so now I am trying to get the data uploaded in SP list first and flow for approval and update the status.

Can u kindly show how to create the flow?

Thanks.