Introduction
Before going further, let’s first discuss the meaning of the approval process in terms of business. It is the process whereby a junior seeks approval before going forward with any decision, from the senior. Another example can be of HR seeking approval from the manager to process a candidate.
Now, let’s discuss the meaning of the Approval Process in Salesforce, in detail.
What is the Approval Process?
In the case of Salesforce, it is a process that is automated and further approves the record on the platform. This process helps the organization when a record is put up for approval, rejection, recalling or its first submission for approval.
Moreover, this process further involves several steps for a record to be approved in Salesforce. They are as follows:
Part 1 – Building the Approval Process:
With the below-given steps, the approval process is put up for creation firstly. In other words, the steps involved in the submission process take place in this part. For the same, first, click on Setup -> Build – > Create -> Workflows and Approvals -> Approval Process.

After this, follow the below steps:
Step-0 Select Object :
After choosing the object, click on the ‘Create New Approval Process’. For the same, you’ll have an option to choose from 2 processes:
- Jump Start – This process involves only a few configuration options for the creation of a new process.
- Standard Setup Wizard – This process involves all the configuration options for the new process.

Step-1 Enter Name and Description:
Firstly, enter the process name along with the description and then click on Next as shown in the given below picture:

Step-2 Record Entry Criteria:
After this, you are required to specify the record criteria. Through this, you can specify the record, which you want to be eligible for the process. Also, you can mention multiple group criteria with the same.
In entry criteria, we have two options: first when criteria are met, and second when the formula evaluates to true.


Step-3 Approvers and Record Edit Settings:
In the next step, you have to mention the ‘Automated Approver’ for specifying the approver of the processes, from the list. Mostly it is a Manager who does the job of an approver. Further, you can also mention suitable Record Editability properties.

Step-4: Notification Templates:
After the user who will approve the record has been specified, salesforce.com then sends an automatic email over the same. For this, the creation of an email notification template is required in the next step.
After selecting the email template, click on Next.

Step-5 Approval Page Layout:
The Approval page is the one wherein the approver will approve or reject the records. The next step involves selecting the fields from the ‘Available fields’, from the given list, to ‘selected fields’. Moreover, these selected fields will be further displayed on the approval page of the approver.


Step-6 Initial Submitters:
With this last step of ‘Building the Approval Process’, you have to specify the person or group. This person or group will be eligible to submit the record for the approver. After making the desired changes, click on ‘Save’.

Part 2 – Defining Approval Steps:
After building up the approval process, you have to define at least one approval step too. This approval step will further activate the defined approval process.
So as to begin with the same, go to Setup -> Build -> Create -> Workflow & Approvals -> Approvals -> (Select the approval process that you have created) -> Approval Steps -> New Approval Step.

Step-1 Approval Step Name and Description:
Here you have to write ‘Name’ and ‘Description’ along with a ‘Unique Name’. You can see the below image to get a clear view of the same:
After you are done with the part, click on Next.

Step-2 Step Criteria
You can either select all records to enter the step or only the records with certain attributes.
Click on Next, after the selection of the right option.

Step-3 Assigning Step Approver:
Here, you have to specify the user who will approve the records that enter in this step. Several options will be provided for the same, even you can mention the approver’s delegate. Click on ‘Save’.

Final Approval & Rejection Actions:
To add an action, go to Add New -> Field Update -> (Fill the required Fields include Field to Update) -> Save.
To add approval and rejection actions, click on show actions. In the “Approval Section” and “Rejection Section”, click on ‘Add New’ -> Field Update -> (Fill the Required Fields) -> Save.
Similarly, you can create a Recall Action.

Conclusion
To sum up, go through all the steps to create your first Approval Process in Salesforce, successfully. Further, you can customize the fields according to your own needs.
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