Create approval workflow in SharePoint designer 2010 step by step

This SharePoint 2010 tutorial explains how to create an approval workflow using SharePoint designer 2010 in SharePoint 2010. Learn step by step how to create approval workflow in SharePoint 2010 using SharePoint designer.

I am using SharePoint foundation 2010 and there is no option for Approval workflow as a SharePoint foundation 2010. So here we create the Approval workflow using “Collect data from a user” action instead of “Start approval process” action to complete the approval task for SharePoint foundation 2010. For this follow these steps:

1. Open the SharePoint Designer 2010 and connect to your SharePoint 2010 site.

2. Click Workflows and select the workflow type you need, for this, I am using reusable workflow with All content types as my scope.

3. From the workflow ribbon select Actions “collect Data from user”. See in fig

4. This will show you the Action in the workflow editor. See in fig

5. Now Clicking on data will allow you to create the custom task by starting the task wizard, open the wizard and click Next.

6. You will need to specify a Task name, and you can specify a description. For now, let’s call the task “Review Task”. And click Next. See in fig

7. Now you can specify the custom field by clicking add and select the field type, I will specify two field: Approved as a choice with Yes/No and Comment as a text area.

8. Now it should be looking like this, with both fields listed. See in fig

9. After finishing creating the Task, getting the user as an Approver, Click on this user and select the People/Groups. See in fig

10. Now add a condition (if any value equals value) from workflow ribbon.

11. Click the first value, and then click Fx, there goes to a pop-up window, enter as below see in fig

12. Set another value to “Yes”.

13. Now add the action “set workflow status”, Set it to approval.

14. Add an If-Else branch, set the workflow status to reject.

15. Now see the whole workflow. See in fig

16. Publish the workflow, and use it for the approval purpose.

17. Now when you associate with a list and add the item in the list the workflow status is in progress. See in fig.

18. Now when app-rover approve with select the value Yes (See in fig) workflow status is Approved and if select the value No than workflow status is Reject. See in fig.

You may like following SharePoint 2010 workflow tutorials:

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• SharePoint online Send email in visual studio 2015 workflow using Email Workflow Activity
• SharePoint 2013 designer workflow Add edit task form URL inside an email

Hope this article will help to create SharePoint approval workflow 2010 using SharePoint designer 2010.