Others

How to Create Conditional Approval Levels in Power Apps & Power Automate

Natalie Taylor Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to build a multi-level sequential approval workflow for requests using conditional logic based on specific parameters like request amounts.

Create Conditional Approval Levels with Power Apps and Power Automate

Product: Power Apps and Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up a business process workflow where varying loan request amounts require different levels of departmental approval, routing sequentially based on the data.
Observed behavior: The goal is to successfully configure conditions that trigger the correct sequence of approvers based on dollar amounts and terminate the flow appropriately if any level rejects the request.

Before you start

Ensure you have an active Microsoft 365 subscription with sufficient permissions to create Power Apps, Power Automate flows, and SharePoint lists.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure Sequential Approval Logic in Power Automate

Use a SharePoint list to store request data and Power Automate to handle the conditional routing based on amount thresholds.

By integrating Power Apps with Power Automate, you can build a customized form for user input while leveraging the robust workflow engine of Power Automate to handle complex, multi-tiered approval logic asynchronously.

Create the data source

Set up a SharePoint list with the necessary columns to capture the request details: Request Title, Department, Amount, Approvers, and Approval Status.

Design the submission form

Build a Canvas app in Power Apps connected to your SharePoint list to allow users to easily submit their loan requests and department details.

Initialize the flow

In Power Automate, create an automated cloud flow using the trigger 'When an item is created' and point it to your new SharePoint list.

Add conditional logic

Insert 'Condition' actions to evaluate the 'Amount' field. For example, if Amount <= 500, route to Level 1; if Amount is between 501 and 1000, route to Levels 1 and 2.

Configure approval actions

Add 'Start and wait for an approval' actions sequentially for each required level. You can determine subsequent approvers dynamically by looking up the manager of the previous approver using the Office 365 Users connector.

Handle rejections

Add a condition after each approval step to check the outcome. If the outcome is 'Reject', use the 'Update item' action to set the SharePoint status to Rejected, and then add a 'Terminate' action to end the workflow immediately.

Configure Sequential Approval Logic in Power Automate

Licensing Notice: Licensing requirements may vary. Standard SharePoint and Office 365 Outlook connectors are generally included in basic plans, but using Dataverse or premium third-party connectors will require a premium Power Apps/Power Automate license.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Streamline Document Approvals with WPS Office

If you are looking for a simpler, cost-effective way to manage document-based approvals without complex coding or premium licenses, WPS Office offers a lightweight and highly compatible alternative. Enjoy seamless integration with standard Office formats while collaborating effectively with your team.

1. Download and Install: Get the free WPS Office suite from the official website and install it on your device.
2. Open Existing Documents: Seamlessly open your existing Word or Excel workflow documents without formatting loss.
3. Collaborate and Share: Utilize built-in sharing and commenting tools to manually route and approve documents efficiently.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.Lightweight installation with a familiar, easy-to-use interface.Built-in document sharing and collaboration tools for simple approval tracking.Cost-effective solution compared to enterprise Microsoft 365 plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a premium license for multi-level approvals?

Standard multi-level approvals using SharePoint and standard Office 365 Outlook connectors can usually be built with standard Microsoft 365 licensing. Premium licenses are only required if you use Dataverse or premium third-party connectors as your data source.

How do I dynamically assign the level 2 approver?

You can determine the level 2 approver dynamically by using the Office 365 Users connector to look up the manager of the level 1 approver, or by querying a custom approver matrix stored in a separate SharePoint list.

What happens if the level 1 approver rejects the request?

You must configure a condition immediately after the level 1 approval action. If the outcome is 'Reject', use the 'Terminate' action to end the workflow immediately so it does not proceed to the level 2 approver.

Can I build approval workflows using only Power Apps without Power Automate?

While you can build simple status-updating logic directly in Power Apps using the Patch function, Power Automate is highly recommended for sequential workflows because it runs asynchronously, easily handles logic branching, and manages email notifications natively.

Office Quick Solutions