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How to Submit Multiple SharePoint List Items for Approval in Power Automate

Huda Qurayshi Oct 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to submit multiple selected SharePoint list items for approval in a single Power Automate request.

How to Submit Multiple SharePoint List Items for Approval in Power Automate

Product: Microsoft Power Automate, SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to trigger a batch approval flow for several selected SharePoint list items.
Observed behavior: The Automate option becomes unavailable in the SharePoint interface when multiple rows are selected, preventing the default 'For a selected item' trigger from working.

Before you start

Ensure you have permission to edit Power Automate flows and verify that your target SharePoint list has the necessary columns (such as an 'Approval Status' column) to support batch processing.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Custom Batch Flow Using the 'Get Items' Action

Instead of relying on the single-item trigger, build a flow that retrieves multiple items based on their status, consolidates their data, and sends one comprehensive approval request.

The default 'For a selected item' trigger in SharePoint is designed for single rows. To process multiple rows, you must use a different trigger and gather the items using the 'Get items' action, then combine their details into a single approval message using variables.

Create a new triggered flow

Open Power Automate, click on 'Create' in the left menu, and select 'Instant cloud flow' (using the 'Manually trigger a flow' option) or 'Scheduled cloud flow' to run the batch process at specific intervals.

Fetch the pending SharePoint items

Add a new step and search for the SharePoint 'Get items' action. Select your Site Address and List Name. In the advanced options, use an OData Filter Query (e.g., Status eq 'Pending') to retrieve only the items that need approval.

Initialize a string or array variable

Add the 'Initialize variable' action before any loops. Set the Name to 'ApprovalDetails', the Type to 'String' (or 'Array' if you plan to create an HTML table), and leave the Value blank initially.

Loop through the items and append data

Add an 'Apply to each' control. Select the 'value' dynamic content from the 'Get items' action. Inside the loop, add the 'Append to string variable' action. Format the details of each item (e.g., Title, ID, Link) so they list cleanly in the variable.

Send the consolidated approval request

Outside and below the 'Apply to each' loop, add the 'Start and wait for an approval' action. In the 'Details' field of the approval, insert your 'ApprovalDetails' variable so the approver sees all the accumulated item information in one single notification.

Create a Custom Batch Flow Using the 'Get Items' Action

Microsoft Community Support: For highly specific flow architectures, OData query syntaxes, or complex JSON formatting, it is recommended to consult the Microsoft Power Automate Community forums.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Automate button disappear when I select multiple SharePoint items?

By default, SharePoint's out-of-the-box 'For a selected item' trigger integrated with Power Automate is designed exclusively to process one item at a time. Highlighting multiple rows automatically hides this trigger option.

Can I group multiple SharePoint items into a single email approval?

Yes. By utilizing the 'Get items' action alongside an 'Apply to each' loop in Power Automate, you can collect data from multiple list items, append it into a single variable or HTML table, and send one consolidated approval request.

Do I need premium Power Automate connectors to batch process SharePoint items?

No. The standard SharePoint connectors, such as 'Get items', as well as standard 'Approvals' and 'Variables' actions, are fully sufficient to create a batch approval flow without requiring a premium Power Automate license.

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