Document Automation and Approval in SharePoint Online

SharePoint Online is a powerful platform that enables organizations to efficiently manage their documents and collaborate with colleagues in a secure manner. One of the most valuable features of SharePoint Online is its ability to automate document approval workflows, streamlining the document review process and ensuring that all documents are properly reviewed and approved before they are published or shared.

In this blog post, we will explore how to use SharePoint Online for document automation and approval, and how to leverage Power Automate to create a more streamlined approval process.

Create a Document Library

The first step in automating document approval workflows in SharePoint Online is to create a document library. A document library is a container that stores documents, and it provides features such as versioning, check-in and check-out, and document approval workflows.

Enable Document Approval

Once you have created your document library, the next step is to enable document approval. Document approval ensures that all documents are properly reviewed and approved before they are published or shared. To enable document approval in SharePoint Online, follow these steps:

1. Go to your document library and click on the gear icon in the top right corner.
2. Select “Library settings” from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on “Versioning settings” under the “General Settings” section.
4. Scroll down and select “Yes” under “Require content approval for submitted items?”.
5. Click on “OK” to save your changes.

Create a Power Automate Flow

The final step in automating document approval workflows in SharePoint Online is to create a Power Automate flow. A flow is a sequence of actions that are triggered by a specific event, such as a document being uploaded to the document library. To create a Power Automate flow for document approval in SharePoint Online, follow these steps:

1. Go to Power Automate and click on “Create” in the top navigation menu.
2. Select “Automated cloud flow” and give your flow a name.
3. Under “Choose your flow’s trigger”, select “When a file is created or modified (properties only)”.
4. Select your SharePoint Online site and document library.
5. Under “Choose an action”, search for “Start and wait for an approval”.
6. Configure the approval settings, such as approver, due date, and approval outcome options.
7. Save your flow.

Using SharePoint Online for document automation and approval can significantly improve your organization’s efficiency and productivity. By creating a document library, enabling document approval, and creating a Power Automate flow for approval, you can streamline the document review process and ensure that all documents are properly reviewed and approved before they are published or shared.

If you are new to SharePoint Online or Power Automate or are looking for more advanced automation capabilities, consider partnering with a SharePoint consulting firm. SharePoint consultants can help you maximize the potential of your SharePoint Online platform and ensure that you are leveraging all of the features and functionalities available to you.