How to see the document approval progress in SharePoint library.

[Anonymous]

We are using the MS workflow to approve the documents in the sharepoint library.

But it is difficult to see the progress of approval, pending at which approver.

We want to see the progress in the library directly instead of checking the flow running history.

Thank you

[Mira_Ghaly]

@Anonymous 

Can you check the below article for checking approvals

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/approve-reject-requests

[Anonymous]

Hi Mira,

Thank you very much for your reply.

Your reply mentioned that how can the approvers see how manage tasks they have received.

My question is:

If the flow triggered by a guy,how the guy can see the approval progress in the library.

I know to see the history of the Flow can also see this,but it is complicated and only the owners of the flow can see the progress.

Thank you

[yashkamdar · Accepted solution]

Hello Team,

Here is an idea.

Create a custom column of type Multiline text called Approval History in your SP List or Library (wherever the Approval is running).

Then use the below logic-

Before the Approval action, use the Update item or update file properties action and populate it with something like Awaiting approval.

So immidiately once the item gets created or file gets created, the Custom column will show Awaiting approval as below.

Then once the Approval runs on its success or failure use another update item or update file properties action and add the status of approval along with the name of approval as below-

So now when the Approval status changes then the item gets updated again.

If this reply has answered your question or solved your issue, please mark this question as answered. Answered questions helps users in the future who may have the same issue or question quickly find a resolution via search. If you liked my response, please consider giving it a thumbs up. THANKS!

[Anonymous]

Hi Yashkamdar,

Thank you for your reply.

But if the approvers are multiple. could you please show the solution in the approval status can show: waiting for Yashkamdar approval or other person to approval.

These we can know the progress of the approval flow very obviously in the library.

[PhilD]

I'm surprised there is not a better solution for this really. I suppose one could have a column that contains the people whose approval was requested and then something along the lines of what was suggested above to catch those that approve but this is quite primitive and doesn't really provide a very god feel for the overall process outcome, especially for the technically challenged who have trouble understanding how these flows work (which apparently is everyone I work with).

Honestly, these approval flows may be good for "rubber stamping" things but when you have a real collaborative process that requires not just a rubber stamp, but actual input of various types from various approvers, I have never had much success getting a group to use them.

[asssssssssssss]

MS has lot of work need to be done for the Power Automate because it is not powerful at all, kind of useless for real business use.

[JamesT]

Hi there, just found your post on here - very useful. I'm struggling with the last step. I've created a flow to create the request in the Approvals app in Teams when a new item is created in my List. What I now want to show in the List is the ongoing status of the Approval for that item dynamically (eg who's approved it and who hasn't, and when it is fully approved), and cant work out how to do it in Power Automate. Have you got any advice?