What Are Flow Approval Processes?

Flow Approval Processes are Salesforce's modern, declarative framework for building approval workflows entirely inside Flow Builder. Introduced in Spring '25, they replace classic approval processes with an orchestration-based architecture that supports multi-step, multi-user, and even cross-system approval scenarios — all without code and at no additional cost.

Unlike classic approvals, which relied on a separate rule-based engine, Flow approvals are built on top of Flow Orchestrator. Although orchestrations typically consume automation credits, approval orchestrations are explicitly excluded — they're free regardless of volume.

Architecture & Building Blocks

Every Flow approval orchestration is composed of a small set of building blocks that combine to handle simple or complex scenarios. Understanding these components is essential before you start building.

Supporting Components

Decision Elements route records after a step completes based on the approval outcome. Every approval process — even simple ones — needs at least one Decision element to handle Approve vs. Reject paths.

Evaluation Flows act as an advanced gatekeeper when you have complex entry/exit criteria that can't be accomplished within the orchestration alone. They are a special flavor of Autolaunched Flows with a single predefined output boolean variable: isOrchestrationConditionMet. Any additional output variables you add will be silently dropped.

Work Items are the records that get created when an Approval Step is assigned to a user. These appear in the Orchestration Work Guide component on the record page and are tracked via the Approval Work Item object.

Classic vs. Flow Approval Processes

Understanding the differences helps you decide when to migrate and what to watch for. Classic approvals are maintained but no longer receive meaningful updates.

Prerequisites & Pre-Work

Before building your first Flow approval process, there are several setup steps and supporting flows you need to prepare.

1. Plan your approval workflow on paper first. Map out: Who submits? What triggers submission? How many approval levels? Who approves at each level? What happens on approval/rejection? What fields need updating?
2. Create a custom status field on your object (e.g., Approval_Status__c picklist with values: Pending, Approved, Rejected). Flow approvals don't use the classic Approval Status field — you manage this yourself.
3. Build a Screen Flow for the approver experience. You can use Salesforce's built-in template: Approvals Workflow: Evaluate Approval Requests. This provides the approve/reject radio buttons and comments field. The key output variable is approvalDecision.
4. Build an Autolaunched Flow for status updates. This flow receives the record ID and the approval outcome as input variables, then updates the record's status field accordingly. This becomes your Background Step.
5. Set up Org-Wide Email Address if you want approval notification emails to come from a branded address rather than the Automated Process user.
6. Enable Email Approval Response in Setup → Process Automation Settings → check "Enable email approval response" if you want approvers to respond via email keywords.

Build: Record-Triggered Approval Orchestration

This is the most common pattern — the approval process fires automatically when a record is created or updated and meets your entry criteria. No user button click required.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

1. Create a new Flow. Go to Setup → Flows → New Flow. Select Record-Triggered Approval Orchestration. Choose your object (e.g., Opportunity).
2. Configure the trigger. Set when the flow runs — on record create, update, or both. Define entry conditions (e.g., StageName = 'Proposal/Price Quote'). The orchestration will only fire when these conditions are met.
3. Add a Stage. Click the + icon on the canvas to add a Stage element. Name it descriptively (e.g., "Manager Approval"). A Stage groups related steps into one logical phase.
4. Add an Approval Step inside the Stage. This is the interactive step where the approver acts. Configure: the Screen Flow to use (your evaluate-approval-requests flow), the assignee type (User, Queue, or Group), and the specific assignee (e.g., {!$Record.Owner.Manager.Username}).
5. Add a Decision element after the Stage. Reference the Approval Step's output: {!Stage1.Step1.approvalDecision}. Create two outcomes: one for Approve and one for Reject. Remember: it's Approve/Reject, not "Approved"/"Rejected."
6. Add Background Steps for post-decision actions. On the Approve path, add a Background Step that runs your autolaunched flow to update the status to "Approved." On the Reject path, update to "Rejected" and optionally send a notification.
7. Add additional Stages for multi-level approvals. For example, if the amount exceeds $100K, add a Stage 2 for VP approval. Use a Decision element between stages to conditionally route.
8. Save, then activate the orchestration once you've tested.

Build: Autolaunched Approval (Button-Triggered)

Use this pattern when you want users to manually initiate the approval process — via a custom button on the record page, from another flow, or from Apex. It gives you more control over when approvals start.

1. Create a new Flow. Select Autolaunched Approval Orchestration (No Trigger). This flow type has no record trigger — it must be invoked externally.
2. Build your Stages, Steps, and Decisions exactly as you would in a record-triggered orchestration. The architecture is identical — the only difference is how it starts.
3. Save and Activate the orchestration.
4. Launch via URL button. Since quick action buttons don't work for autolaunched orchestrations (they have UI components like approval step screen flows), you use a URL-based button. Create the button with the URL pattern specific to your org and flow API name.
5. Or use the Request Approval component (newer approach). In Lightning App Builder, search for "Request Approval" and drag it onto your record page. This native component replaces the URL button approach and supports dynamic inputs like approver selection and comments.

When to Use Each Type

Advanced Patterns

Deploy to Users

Building the orchestration is only half the work. You need to make the approval experience accessible and visible to both approvers and submitters on the record page.

Essential Page Components

Deployment Steps

1. Edit the Lightning Record Page in App Builder. Add the Orchestration Work Guide component (search "Work Guide"). Enable "Hide when empty" to keep the page clean when no approvals are pending.
2. Add the Approval Trace component to the page, typically in a tab or below the Work Guide. This gives all users visibility into the approval history.
3. For Autolaunched orchestrations: Add either the Request Approval component or a Submit for Approval button to the Dynamic Highlight Panel. Apply conditional visibility so it only shows when the record is eligible for submission.
4. Configure email notifications. Set up an Org-Wide Email Address if you want branded emails. Enable "Email Approval Response" in Process Automation Settings. Optionally customize the notification email template in the Approval Step configuration.
5. Set up the Approvals App. Users can access the centralized Approvals lightning app from the App Launcher to view all Approval Submissions, Submission Details, and Work Items across objects.
6. Save, activate the record page, and assign it to the appropriate profiles/apps.

Debug & Troubleshoot

Winter '26 introduced built-in debugging for approval orchestrations directly in Flow Builder. There are two main mechanisms for preventing and diagnosing issues.

1. Fault Paths

Add a Fault Path to each Stage of your orchestration. When a validation rule, required field, or runtime error occurs, the fault path executes instead of failing silently. Your underlying screen and autolaunched flows should also have their own fault/error handling — think of stage-level fault paths as a safety net for the orchestration layer.

2. Debug Mode (Winter '26+)

You can now debug approval orchestrations directly in Flow Builder. Two modes are available:

Common Issues & Fixes

Go-Live Checklist

Use this interactive checklist before activating your approval process in production. Click each item to mark it done.

Pre-Build

• Approval workflow mapped on paper (stages, steps, approvers, outcomes)
• Custom status field created on the target object
• Screen Flow built and tested independently (approval/reject UI)
• Autolaunched Flow built and tested (status update logic)

Build

• Orchestration created with correct trigger type (Record-Triggered or Autolaunched)
• Entry conditions configured correctly
• All Stages and Steps added with correct assignees
• Decision elements route on Approve / Reject (not "Approved"/"Rejected")
• Background Steps added for post-decision status updates
• Rejection path explicitly handled (status update, notification, End element)
• Recall path configured (if applicable)
• Fault Paths added to each Stage
• Record locking configured per step

Deploy

• Orchestration Work Guide added to Lightning Record Page
• Approval Trace component added to record page
• Submit for Approval button or Request Approval component added (if Autolaunched)
• Conditional visibility set on submit button (only show when eligible)
• Org-Wide Email Address configured
• Email Approval Response enabled in Process Automation Settings
• Record page saved, activated, and assigned to correct profiles/apps

Test & Validate

• Debugged in rollback mode with manually set output variables
• Tested end-to-end in sandbox (submit → approve → verify status)
• Tested rejection path end-to-end
• Tested recall path (if applicable)
• Tested email notifications (check spam folders)
• Tested Work Guide renders correctly for assigned approver
• Tested with approver unavailability edge case
• Verified Approval Trace shows correct audit trail