Can an approval wf be setup so that the same person cannot approve multiple levels

Amber Peck

We have a list of approvers that is the same in multiple approval processes within one sheet. I am trying to see if there is a way to restrict the approval so that if I approve one level, I cannot also approve the next level.

Is there a way to do that?

Genevieve P.

Hi @Amber Peck

How are you selecting the Approvers for each stage, are these separate Approval columns?

We could set up a Flag symbol column to raise a red flag (and trigger either alerts or Conditional Formatting) when the same contact is selected more than once in the same row.

For example:

=IF(OR(AND([Approver 1]@row = [Approver 2]@row, [Approver 1]@row <> "", [Approver 2]@row <> ""), AND([Approver 1]@row = [Approver 3]@row, [Approver 1]@row <> "", [Approver 3]@row <> ""), AND([Approver 2]@row = [Approver 3]@row, [Approver 3]@row <> "", [Approver 2]@row <> "")), 1, 0)

Would something like this work for you?

Cheers,

Genevieve

Amber Peck

Our auditors would like for it to be a hard stop instead of a flag.

Also, most of the time approver 1 and approver 2 would / could be the same person, however approver 2 and approver 3 can't be the same person. Does that make sense?

Genevieve P.

Hi @Amber Peck

There currently isn't a way to limit dropdown options based on a previous selection in a different column.

How many approvers do you have, and are there any combinations that won't appear together?

The reason I ask is, what about having 1 multi-select Contact column for both Approver 1 and Approver 2? You can only select a contact once in the same column. However then in your Workflow you would need to have Conditions blocks to split up the 2nd approver and 3rd.

Cheers,

Genevieve