How can I configure the 'If Declined' section of the Approval process?

Pascale

Hello,

I'm new to Smartsheet. I have an approval process that works fine on the approval section.

But when it comes to the decline process, the flow just stops abruptly. I'll post pics here (See image #2).

This is what I'd like the flow process to be after the first decline:

1. The requestor can make an update and it goes for a 2nd approval/decline. If declined a 2nd time, the requestor does another update and it goes for approval again. This should continue until an approval is made.
2. The requestor can also add a comment rather than make an update to the fields. The approver should get an email alert when the requestor adds a comment. The requestor should get an email alert when the approver replies/adds a comment. So I tried to add 'when comment is added' to my trigger (the trigger is on #1 see image) and found out the approver got email alerts even on their own comments. I just need the approver's email alerts to come in when the requestor has added a comment.

Your assistance is highly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Pascale

Kleerfyre

You are going to have to add more below that If Declined part by clicking on the Plus sign below it and build it out like you did the others. Its not doing anything else because it doesn't have anything left to do. The Workflow assumes it is complete based on what comes next, which for this path is nothing.

Pascale

Hi Jonathan,

Thank you for your feedback.

I feel that could be a bit complex. I may be wrong

I am thinking of modifying my trigger to incorporate changes being made. Thanks again for looking into my issue.

Pascale.

L_123

You can also make another workflow that starts when the field is declined

Pascale

@L_123 ,

Kindly expound.

What will that other workflow do exactly?

My thinking was, if the request is declined, the requestor gets an update request where they can make amendments if necessary. I thought the update request would go back for approval. It's not. That's where my problem is.

Pascale

L_123

It allows you to create another trigger. Triggers are the start of the workflow, if there is a "pause" in the workflow, it won't iterate itself automatically.

It makes it easier if they are updating a single cell, as you can just use that as a trigger to start the next workflow. Maybe you might need to use a helper column and join() the potential modifiable cells into one then use that to trigger the next step

Pascale

@L_123,

Thank you for your feedback. It's a bit clear with the additional trigger. I am thinking I should add a bit more conditions to my original trigger. I'll test that

They will not be updating just one field.

I am new to Smartsheet so I don't know much about Join()

Pascale.

L_123

Join() is concatenate() in excel. It puts the values from a range together into a single field. That way if they change any of the values, it updates the one cell, and you can look at that one cell in your automation to trigger your workflow.