Why are there 2 emails that are sent out when using these Request Approval Automations.

BrendonL

Hi all,

I have an issue where I have 2 automations. One is an initial request for approval and the other is a reminder email with the option of also approval in the reminder email. After responding to either, I wanted to send an acknowledgement email saying that we got your response, but the email is sending twice when you click approve on either email. Is there a reason that the automations interact this way and is there a way I can make it so only 1 email is sent out?

Genevieve P.

Hi @BrendonL

Thank you for showing screen captures of your current set-up! 🙂

The reason you're seeing two emails is because you're saving the response in the same column for both workflows. This means that when the "Confirm" column is updated by either workflow, it's triggering your next action in both workflows since both workflows have actions that take place based on what's input there.

Here's more information: https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2479276-request-approval-from-stakeholders#toc-keep-the-following-in-mind

You have two options:

• Use a different approval column for each workflow
• Use different approval text in the same column, depending on which workflow is being used, and add a Condition Block after the "If Approved" and "If Declined" to check the value submitted before sending the alert

For example:

Then:

Cheers,
Genevieve

Razetto

@BrendonL Review the triggers and conditions set for each automation. For example both can have the same trigger but I would a condition or a different condition to the reminder. You just need to play with both trigger and conditions to make it work right.

BrendonL

@Razetto Basically the only automation is to send myself an request approval automation with a yes no answer that is recorded in a response column. the other automation is the same but will occur every 3 days. the trigger for both is a date that has passed because I want to test it manually.

Are you saying that I need to put a condition after getting a response to the request for approval? the way I circumvented this issue earlier is just adding another automation that sends the email when the column value changes instead of after the button in request for approval is clicked. However, I dont want to have to make this separate automation all the time as well.

Genevieve P.

Hi @BrendonL

Thank you for showing screen captures of your current set-up! 🙂

The reason you're seeing two emails is because you're saving the response in the same column for both workflows. This means that when the "Confirm" column is updated by either workflow, it's triggering your next action in both workflows since both workflows have actions that take place based on what's input there.

Here's more information: https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2479276-request-approval-from-stakeholders#toc-keep-the-following-in-mind

You have two options:

• Use a different approval column for each workflow
• Use different approval text in the same column, depending on which workflow is being used, and add a Condition Block after the "If Approved" and "If Declined" to check the value submitted before sending the alert

For example:

Then:

Cheers,
Genevieve