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How to Fix Duplicate Approvers Error in Power Automate Sequential Approval

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users encounter a Duplicate Approver error when attempting to assign multiple roles to the same person within a sequential SharePoint approval flow.

Product: Microsoft Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up a sequential approval flow where one person is required to approve at multiple distinct stages of the process.
Observed behavior: The flow fails with a Duplicate Approver error, as Power Automate generally restricts assigning the same user multiple times in a single approval request.

Before you start

Review your approval workflow design and identify any specific stages where the exact same user email address is assigned more than once.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove Duplicates and Combine Approval Roles

Modify the flow to assign the user a single, combined role instead of sending multiple sequential requests to the exact same person.

Because Power Automate does not allow duplicate approvers in the same approval request, consolidating the user's responsibilities into a single approval step is often the most efficient workaround.

Open flow editor

Navigate to Microsoft Power Automate, locate your specific workflow, and click 'Edit'.

Locate approval action

Find the 'Start and wait for an approval' action that is failing.

Remove duplicate entries

Check the 'Assigned to' field and delete any duplicate email addresses for the user holding multiple roles.

Update approval details

Modify the 'Details' text box to clearly outline all the combined responsibilities and checks the user must perform in this single approval.

Workflow Simplified: Combining roles reduces the number of email notifications the approver receives, creating a better user experience.

Solution 2

Create Separate Sequential Approval Actions

Split the approval process into distinct actions so the same user can approve at different stages without triggering a duplicate error within a single request block.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Power Automate block duplicate approvers?

Power Automate prevents duplicate approvers in a single approval request to avoid logic conflicts and redundant notifications. The system design assumes a single person only needs to submit one decision per specific request block.

Can I use SharePoint groups to bypass the duplicate approver error?

Using SharePoint groups can sometimes abstract individual users. However, if the flow expands the group during execution and detects the same user already explicitly assigned in the current step, it may still fail. Separating approval stages is the most reliable method.

Where can I get advanced help for Power Automate workflows?

For highly complex workflow errors, it is recommended to ask in the Microsoft Power Automate Community forums (powerusers.microsoft.com), where Microsoft experts and experienced users provide detailed technical assistance.

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