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How to Create a SharePoint PTO Request Form with Power Automate Approval

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to build a Paid Time Off (PTO) request form using a SharePoint List and connect it to a Power Automate approval workflow.

How to Create a SharePoint PTO Request Form with Power Automate Approval

Product: SharePoint and Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating employee PTO requests and managerial approvals.
Observed behavior: A SharePoint list form needs to be configured with the correct Power Automate triggers to route approval requests to managers, HR, and executives.

Before you start

Ensure you have 'Edit' or 'Owner' permissions for the SharePoint site to create Lists, and verify that you have an active Microsoft Power Automate license to build automated workflows.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure the SharePoint List and Power Automate Approval Flow

Use specific SharePoint triggers and Power Automate actions to capture form submissions, identify the correct managers, and route approval emails.

When using the Forms feature built directly into a SharePoint List, the data is handled differently than standalone Microsoft Forms. You must use SharePoint-specific triggers to ensure your workflow captures the PTO request data correctly.

Set the Correct SharePoint Trigger

In Power Automate, create a new automated cloud flow and select the SharePoint trigger 'When an item is created'. Avoid using the 'When a new response is submitted' trigger, as that is reserved for Microsoft Forms. Follow the trigger immediately with the 'Get item' action to retrieve the PTO request details from your list.

Identify the Employee's Manager

Add the Office 365 Users 'Get manager (V2)' action to your flow. In the 'User (UPN)' field, insert the 'Created By Email' dynamic content from your SharePoint trigger. This automatically fetches the organizational hierarchy to find the submitter's manager.

Set Up the Approval Action

Add the 'Start and wait for an approval' action. Set the 'Assigned to' field to the manager's email retrieved in the previous step. If the PTO requires HR or Vice President approval, you can add their email addresses directly into this field separated by semicolons, or use the 'Search for users' action to find them dynamically.

Include Approval Comments in the Response Email

Create an email action (e.g., 'Send an email (V2)') to notify the employee of the final decision. In the body of this email, insert the 'Responses Comments' dynamic output from the approval action so the employee can read any feedback or denial reasons provided by the approver.

Configure the SharePoint List and Power Automate Approval Flow

Approval Comments Note: If multiple approvers are assigned, the 'Responses Comments' output will return an array. You may need to use an 'Apply to each' loop or a 'Join' data operation to format multiple comments neatly in the final email.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I use 'When an item is created' instead of Microsoft Forms triggers?

When building a form directly within a SharePoint List, the submitted data lives directly in SharePoint rather than Microsoft Forms. Therefore, you must use SharePoint's 'When an item is created' trigger to detect the new list entry and initiate the Power Automate flow.

How do I route the PTO request to multiple approvers?

In the 'Start and wait for an approval' action, you can input multiple email addresses (like the direct manager, HR personnel, and a VP) separated by semicolons in the 'Assigned To' field. You can also configure the approval type to require everyone's approval or just the first to respond.

How can the employee see the manager's denial reason?

You can capture the manager's input by inserting the 'Responses Comments' dynamic content from the approval action into the follow-up email action that notifies the employee of the outcome.

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