> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.notionapps.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.notionapps.com/automation/create-your-first-approval-workflow.md).

# Create your first approval workflow

This guide walks through one complete approval workflow from a normal data page to a working reviewer experience.

## Fastest path: Automation Home

If you only need the first working approval:

1. Open **Automation** Home.
2. Click **Create your first automation: Get an approval**.
3. Confirm the form trigger and submitted status.
4. Create or repair the approval workflow.
5. Create a test request.
6. Confirm the request appears in Approval Inbox.
7. Open Approval Inbox as the approver persona.

Use the longer steps below when you are building a customer-ready purchase approval desk from a data page, Decision screen, and Work Queue.

## Example

An employee creates a purchase request, clicks Submit, a reviewer sees the request on a Decision / Approval Inbox screen, the reviewer approves or rejects it, and the requester can see the final status.

## Before you start

You need one data page with enough fields for a reviewer to make a decision: request title, requester, department, vendor, amount, reason, needed by, reviewer, status, and decision notes.

## Step 1: Confirm the user can create a request

Open the request page and make sure users can add a new item. The user should know what to fill out, which fields are required, and what happens after Submit.

## Step 2: Add the submit behavior

The submit action should:

1. Save the request.
2. Mark the request as **Submitted** or **Waiting for review**.

Write down the exact status value. If the workflow listens for one value and the app writes another, the workflow will not start.

## Step 3: Start from Automation Home or the approval wizard

1. Open **Automation**.
2. Prefer **Get an approval** on Home for the guided first win.
3. Or open the Approval workflow setup panel and set **When this happens** to the real submit action.
4. Choose the submitted status value the app actually writes.
5. Create or repair the approval workflow.
6. Confirm Approval Inbox / Decision screens and reviewer visibility.
7. Save / validate.

## Step 4: Create the approval inbox

Create from **Screens → New Screen → Automation → Work Queue** (or Decision, depending on your desk).

Make it visible to the reviewer role and add it to reviewer navigation.

## Step 5: Create the Decision screen

Create from **Screens → New Screen → Automation → Decision**. Bind it to the same workflow. Confirm Approve / Reject / Request changes actions.

## Step 6: Connect screens to the workflow

In Automation → Workflows, confirm the workflow and screens share the same binding.

## Step 7: Validate after the screens exist

Run Validate only after the workflow and approval screens exist. Treat blockers as publish blockers.

## Step 8: Run a live test as both people

1. Preview as requester → create → Submit.
2. Preview as reviewer → open Approval Inbox → open the request → Approve.
3. Confirm requester status updates.
4. Open Activity and Exception Resolution.
5. Repeat with Reject and Request changes.

Home’s **Create test request** path is complete only when `Request appears in Approval Inbox`.

## Definition of done

The first approval workflow is done when the requester can submit from the app, the reviewer can decide from a Decision / Approval Inbox screen, the requester sees the result, validation is clean, and the maker can explain the whole flow from visible screens.