Fix Power Automate Approval Link 'No Access' Error in SharePoint
Question details
Approvers receive an access denied error when opening a SharePoint document link sent via a Power Automate flow, despite having Edit permissions.
- Product
- Power Automate & SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user is attempting to approve a SharePoint document by clicking an approval link generated and emailed by a Power Automate flow.
- Observed behavior
- The approver is blocked by a 'No Access' or 'Access Denied' error page upon clicking the document link, preventing them from viewing or approving the file.
Ensure you have Site Owner or Administrator privileges in the SharePoint site, as resolving this issue requires checking and modifying library settings and user permissions.
Grant Design or Full Control Permissions for Content Approval
If the SharePoint library is configured to require content approval, standard Edit permissions are insufficient. Approvers must be granted higher permission levels.
When the 'Require content approval for submitted items' setting is enabled in a SharePoint document library, the system automatically restricts who can approve items. Users who only have 'Edit' or 'Contribute' permissions will face a 'No Access' error when using the Power Automate approval link.
To fix this, you must grant the assigned approvers either 'Design' or 'Full Control' permissions on the library.
Navigate to the SharePoint library. Click the Gear icon (Settings) in the top right, select 'Library settings', click 'More library settings', and then select 'Versioning settings'. Check if 'Require content approval for submitted items' is set to Yes.
Go back to the main 'Library settings' page and click 'Permissions for this document library'. Use the 'Check Permissions' button in the ribbon to see what access level the approver currently has.
If the approver only has Edit permissions, click 'Grant Permissions' in the ribbon. Enter the approver's name or email, click 'Show options', select the 'Design' or 'Full Control' permission level, and click Share.
Use an Incognito or Private Browser Window
Browser caching or multiple signed-in Microsoft accounts can cause the browser to pass the wrong credentials to SharePoint.
Simplify Document Workflows with WPS Office
If complex SharePoint permissions and Power Automate access errors are slowing down your productivity, consider using WPS Office for your daily document creation. It is a highly compatible, free Office suite that makes editing, sharing, and signing documents effortless.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free installation package for Windows, Mac, or Linux.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does an approver with 'Edit' permission still get an Access Denied error?
If the SharePoint library has 'Require content approval for submitted items' turned on, standard Edit or Contribute permissions are not high enough. The system requires approvers to hold 'Design' or 'Full Control' permissions to view and approve pending items.
How do I turn off required content approval in a SharePoint library?
Go to the library, click Settings (the gear icon) > Library settings > More library settings > Versioning settings. Under 'Content Approval', change 'Require content approval for submitted items?' to 'No', and click OK.
Can I approve a document directly in SharePoint without using the Power Automate link?
Yes. The approver can navigate directly to the SharePoint document library, locate the pending file, select it, click the three-dot menu (More options), choose 'More', and then select 'Approve/Reject' to manually process the document.
Why does the approval link work for me but not for my colleagues?
You likely have Site Owner (Full Control) privileges, while your colleagues only have standard Member (Edit) access. You must elevate their permissions to 'Design' or higher for the specific library to allow them to use the approval links.
