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Power Apps Approvals In-app vs Power Automate Approvals

Approve or reject from the canvas app or Power Automate Approvals?




In any organization, you're bound to encounter at least one business process requiring approval. Whether simple or complex, the steps involved typically boil down to "request" and "approve." The Power Platform provides two main paths for managing approvals: In-App Approvals and Power Automate Approvals. While both methods achieve the same goal, they cater to different organizational needs, much like choosing a pair of shoes that fit your style and requirements.


In-App Approvals

In-App Approvals are integrated directly within a canvas PowerApp. For example, imagine your organization has a process for requesting IT equipment. When an employee submits a request, PowerApps checks if the cost exceeds $500. If it does, an email notification is sent to the employee's supervisor with the request details and a link to the PowerApp. Once the supervisor opens the link, they can easily approve or reject the request without leaving the application.

Benefits of In-App Approvals:

  • Customization: Organizations can tailor the approval experience, including visually tracking where a request is in the approval chain.

  • Reduced Email Clutter: By centralizing the approval process within the app, the number of emails sent to stakeholders is minimized.

  • Seamless Experience: Users can make decisions without navigating away from the application, enhancing efficiency.


Power Automate Portal Approvals

Power Automate, on the other hand, is a robust workflow application that supports more complex approval scenarios. When an approval workflow is triggered, recipients receive an email notification containing the request details and a link to the Power Automate approvals page. Here, they can view all pending approvals and, depending on the setup, may even approve or reject requests directly from their email.

Key Features of Power Automate Approvals:

  • Versatile Approval Logic: Organizations can implement various approval types, including:

    • Everyone Must Approve: All recipients must provide approval.

    • First to Respond: Approval is granted based on the first person to reply.

    • Custom Responses: All recipients must respond with specified custom options.

  • Multi-Channel Notifications: Notifications are also sent to recipients’ Microsoft Teams feeds, allowing for approvals from multiple platforms.

Setting up these functionalities in Power Automate is straightforward, whereas recreating similar logic for In-App approvals might require the expertise of a "Citizen Developer" or IT support.


Making the Right Choice

Both In-App and Power Automate approvals rely on email notifications and application links, so organizations must implement processes to ensure important emails don’t get overlooked. Ultimately, the choice between In-App and Power Automate approvals depends on your organizational preferences:

  • In-App Approvals: Opt for this method if you seek a customized experience with fewer email notifications.

  • Power Automate Approvals: Choose this for complex approval workflows that benefit from multi-channel notifications and varied approval logic.

 

In conclusion, both options can effectively facilitate approval processes, so long as your approvers can make their decisions with ease. Just remember that some configurations may require staff with more advanced IT skills or citizen developer experience.

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