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How to Validate Approver and Requester Are Different in Microsoft Forms

Huda Qurayshi Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to set up a validation rule to ensure that the designated approver is not the same person submitting the request.

How to Validate Approver and Requester Are Different in Microsoft Forms

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up an approval workflow where a user is asked to input an approver's name or email, but they must be prevented from entering their own details to approve their own request.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Forms lacks built-in field comparison features, allowing users to mistakenly or intentionally select themselves as the approver.

Before you start

Ensure you have an active Microsoft 365 account with access to both Microsoft Forms and Power Automate to create custom workflow conditions.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate to Compare Requester and Approver Fields

Since Microsoft Forms cannot compare fields natively, you can use a Power Automate flow to validate the responses and block self-approvals.

Microsoft Forms is designed for simple data collection and does not support complex, cross-field validation rules by itself. To enforce a rule where the requester cannot be the same as the approver, you must process the form submission through Power Automate.

Create a New Automated Flow

Open Power Automate, click on 'Create', and select 'Automated cloud flow'. Choose the trigger 'When a new response is submitted' and select your Microsoft Form from the dropdown menu.

Get Response Details

Add a new step and search for the 'Get response details' action. Select your Form ID again and insert the 'Response Id' dynamic content into the corresponding field.

Add a Condition Control

Add a 'Condition' step. In the first value box, select the dynamic content representing the Requester's email (usually 'Responders Email'). Set the operator to 'is equal to', and in the second value box, select the dynamic content for the Approver's email field from your form.

Configure the 'If yes' Branch (Self-Approval Blocked)

In the 'If yes' branch (meaning the requester and approver match), add an action such as 'Send an email (V2)'. Configure it to notify the requester that self-approval is not permitted. Then, add a 'Terminate' action to stop the flow.

Configure the 'If no' Branch (Proceed with Approval)

In the 'If no' branch, add the 'Start and wait for an approval' action. Route the request to the designated Approver's email address and continue building your standard approval workflow.

Use Power Automate to Compare Requester and Approver Fields

Email Format Verification: Ensure that the field used to collect the approver's details in Microsoft Forms requires a properly formatted email address so that Power Automate can correctly route the approval.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Microsoft Forms restrict user input to prevent self-approval natively?

No, Microsoft Forms does not have built-in field validation to compare two different fields, such as Requester and Approver, within the same form. Workflow automation tools like Power Automate are required for this functionality.

What happens to the flow if the user enters a typo in the approver email?

If the approver email is invalid or contains a typo, the Power Automate approval action will fail. To prevent this, it is recommended to use a pre-populated dropdown in your form if the list of approvers is fixed and relatively small.

Can I send an automatic email to the requester if they try to approve their own request?

Yes. By setting up a Condition in Power Automate, you can configure the 'If yes' branch (when requester equals approver) to trigger a 'Send an email (V2)' action, informing them that self-approval is prohibited before terminating the flow.

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