PLEASE HELP ME! Formula question

yoyeeyee

I have a budget request sheet that requires two approvals - first approval can be one of two people, second approver is always the same and only used if the request makes it past the first approver. I am trying to get "Status" to update with Approved or Denied once the approval have been submitted. I can get it to work for one set of approvers but I can't add in the other approver or denials. I am at a loss and feel like there is probably a simple solution that I just don't know! Any help is appreciated. 

 

Column approver 1                Column approver 2                      Column final approval          Status

Approved                       (not needed, #1 is approver)                   Approved                       Approved

(not needed, #2 is approver)        Denied                                (Not Needed, denied)          Denied

Approved                      (not needed, #1 is approver)                    Denied                           Denied

 

 

Hope that makes sense; I am needing it to populate the Status column based on the answers from the approvals.

 

Paul Newcome

Are you able to provide a screenshot with manually entered "dummy data" in it that reflects what you are wanting?

 

Honestly I am having trouble deciphering what you have posted.

Andrée Starå

Hi,

I agree with Paul,

Can you describe your process in more detail and maybe share the sheet(s) or some screenshots? (Delete/replace any confidential/sensitive information before sharing) That would make it easier to help. (share too, andree@getdone.se)

Hope that helps!

Have a fantastic day!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

Andrée Starå

To add: Do you want each approver to have their separate column, or do you want them to be combined in one?

yoyeeyee

yea, that didn't come across the way that I typed it in! Sorry about that.

 

I added a pic of my screenshot. 

 

I'm not sure on the approvers needing separate columns - from what I could tell is that the only way I can set it up for an approval workflow? I don't mind it being in one column, just as long as I can have the workflow move correctly and have the formula to updated the approval status. (I'm sure I'm going about it all the HARDEST way possible!)

 

 

yoyeeyee

I added a reply below... thank you for any help!

yoyeeyee

I added a reply below! thank you for any help!

Andrée Starå

Happy to help!

I'll take a look!

Paul Newcome

What about your other criteria? Does the below outline all of your criteria? Feel free to adjust, edit, remove, whatever you need to do so that each possible outcome has each of it's listed criteria.

.

Approved:

Both are "Approved"

(This is shown in the screenshot)

.

Pending:

Either is "Submitted"

.

Denied:

Either are "Denied"

yoyeeyee

Approved:

Approval from one of two initial approvers (supervisors) + final approval from ceo

 

Pending:

Approval status goes to 'submitted' when a budget request has been made (default on form)

 

Denied:

Denial happens when either of two initial approvers (supervisors) deny

OR

approved by initial approver (supervisor); final approver(CEO) Denies.

 

So, in the form, I have the requestor select their supervisor in a dropdown - this triggers the approval request to go to one of the two initial approvers. (if that makes sense) Then the CEO always has final say and must also approve (or can deny). If a supervisor approves, it goes to ceo for his decision. 

 

Paul Newcome

So basically if there is even 1 "Denied" then "Denied". If there are 3 "Approved" then "Approved". Otherwise it is "Pending". Does that sound about right? If so, give this a try (change column names as needed).

 

=IF(CONTAINS("Denied", [First Approval Column]@row:[Last Approval Column]@row), "Denied", IF(COUNTIFS([First Approval Column]@row:[Last Approval Column]@row, "Approved") = 3, "Approved", "Pending"))

yoyeeyee

great, thank you soooooooooo much - this works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

Paul Newcome

Happy to help! 

Andrée Starå

I saw that Paul answered already!

Let me know if I can help with anything else!

Best,

Andrée