Permission & Access Issues

How to Prevent Requesters from Adding Themselves as SharePoint Approvers

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 10, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users need to restrict the Approvers column in the SharePoint Approval template to prevent requesters from adding their own names as approvers.

How to Prevent Requesters from Adding Themselves as SharePoint Approvers

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Configuring access controls and validation rules for a SharePoint Approval list template.
Observed behavior: Standard SharePoint settings and ordinary column validation cannot prevent a requester from selecting their own name in the default Approvers column.

Before you start

Because out-of-the-box SharePoint settings cannot enforce this restriction on the default Approvers column, you will need administrative access to Microsoft Power Automate or Power Apps to design a custom workflow.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate for a Custom Approval Workflow

Bypass the default SharePoint Approvers column by using Power Automate to automatically route approval requests to designated managers.

Since the default Approvers column cannot validate against the current requester, the best approach is to remove this column from the user form entirely. Instead, use a Power Automate flow that triggers when an item is created and routes the approval based on predefined logic or management hierarchy.

Modify the SharePoint List

Go to your SharePoint list settings and remove or hide the default 'Approvers' column from the new item form.

Launch Power Automate

Open Power Automate from your Microsoft 365 dashboard and click 'Create' to start a new 'Automated cloud flow'.

Set the Flow Trigger

Choose the SharePoint trigger 'When an item is created' and connect it to your specific site address and list name.

Add the Approvals Action

Add a new step for 'Start and wait for an approval'. In the 'Assigned To' field, dynamically assign the approver using the 'Get manager' action (based on the 'Created By' email), preventing the requester from having a choice in the matter.

Use Power Automate for a Custom Approval Workflow

Independent Approvals: This method ensures that the approval chain is handled entirely backend-side, making it impossible for requesters to self-approve.

Solution 2

Hide the Approvers Column using Power Apps

Customize the SharePoint entry form with Power Apps to hide the Approvers field from the person creating the request.

Solution 3

Submit Feedback for Native Support

Request that Microsoft add standard validation rules for the Approvers column in future updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't standard SharePoint column validation work for the Approvers field?

The Approvers column is a default field specific to the SharePoint Approval template. Standard out-of-the-box column validation rules do not support complex dynamic comparisons, such as checking if the currently logged-in user matches the selected user in a Person or Group field.

Can I prevent self-approvals without using Power Automate or Power Apps?

No, natively within the standard SharePoint Approval template UI, there is no simple toggle or validation formula to prevent self-approval. You must use either Power Automate to handle routing automatically or Power Apps to hide the field from the requester.

Do I need a premium license to build this custom approval flow?

Generally, no. The standard 'Start and wait for an approval' action and standard SharePoint connectors in Power Automate are included with most basic Microsoft 365 licenses that provide access to SharePoint.

Document & File Issues