Published at: 2026-09-17

Quick start: create and run your first approval process

Use a simple Approval Process to learn the configuration, publishing, and handling path.

Learning objectives

After you complete this tutorial, you can:
  • Create an Approval Process.
  • Configure trigger conditions and an Approval Node.
  • Publish and enable the process.
  • Create data and automatically trigger approval.
  • View and handle approval tasks in the To-Do Center.

Before you begin

  • You have admin permissions for Approval Process configuration.
  • You have created a business object for testing the Approval Process.
  • You have created user permissions for starting and handling approvals.
  • You have configured business fields on the object for condition evaluation.

Step 1: Create an Approval Process

  1. Go to Setup > Process Customization > Approval Process, and click Create.
  2. On the Configure Basic Info page, enter Approval Process Name. For example, enter Account registration request.
  3. The system automatically generates API Name. You can change it during creation if your enterprise naming rules require it.
  4. In Approval Process Description, enter the process purpose and Applicable Scope.
  5. In Start process as, select the initiator identity. For example, select Data Submitter.
  6. Based on your business needs, select whether to Enable External Approval.

Step 2: Configure trigger conditions

  1. In When to trigger this Approval Process, select an applicable object, such as Account.
  2. Select a trigger timing, such as Create.
  3. Based on your business needs, select When the Approval Process is triggered, lock all child data under this data at the same time.
  4. Based on your business needs, select After approval is completed, unlock all child data under this data.
  5. Select a trigger rule:
    • Always trigger: The object data enters approval after it meets the trigger timing.
    • Trigger when conditions are met: The data enters approval only when it meets entry conditions.
  6. In Email Configuration, select Custom Email or Email Template, and set the language for email content variable values.
  7. In Advanced Configuration, configure Approval Decision notifications, merged handling, Retrieve and re-review, exception reminders, system-triggered initiator, and process deadline as needed.
  8. In Recall Configuration, set whether the data owner, process initiator, or data submitter can Recall Approval.
  9. In Full-Process Event Configuration, add event APL code after task generation as needed.
  10. Click Next to open process configuration.
[!TIP] Configure conditions at the process entry point. This reduces invalid process instances.

Step 3: Add an Approval Node

  1. On the Configure Process page, click + on a process connector, and select Approval Node.
  2. In Node Settings on the right, enter Node Name. For example, enter Regional owner.
  3. Enter Node Description as needed, and select Approval Type.
  4. In Node Assignee, select an approver source, such as Select users, roles, or variables, and add specific approvers.
  5. Configure advanced options as needed, such as Default assignee when node assignee is empty, Jump after resubmission following rejection, and Allow approver to Retrieve and re-review.
  6. In Configure Approval Content and Configure Rejection Content, select No Content, Custom Form, or Process Layout as needed.
  7. In Button Settings, configure button labels and display order for Approve, Reject, Recall, and other buttons as needed.

Step 4: Configure post-node actions

  1. Select the Approval Node. In Post-approval Actions, Post-rejection Actions, and Post-recall Actions, configure follow-up actions for each result.
  2. Click Add on the right, and select an action type. Examples include Field Change, SMS Notification, Initiate Business Process, Email Notifications, External Notification, Execute APL Code, CRM Reminder, Data Lock/Unlock, Data Operation, Change Owner, and Change Team Members.
  3. Based on your business needs, configure corresponding actions for approved, rejected, and recalled results.
  4. Click Save to complete the node and action configuration.

Step 5: Save and enable the process

  1. After you configure process nodes, approvers, and post-node actions, click Save in the upper-right corner.
  2. In the prompt, confirm whether to save and enable the process definition.
  3. Click Save and Enable to make the Approval Process effective immediately.
  4. If you do not want to enable it now, click Save Without Enabling. You can enable it later on the process details page.

Step 6: Create data and start approval

  1. Create account information that matches the trigger conditions for Account registration request.
  2. Confirm that the Approval Process starts automatically.

Step 7: Run and verify

  1. Log in to the CRM system as the regional owner.
  2. Go to To-Do Center > My To-Dos, and switch to the Approval Process tab.
  3. In the account to-do list, open the approval task for the account registration request.
  4. View the process that the task belongs to, related task data, approval content, and approval comments.
  5. Based on the approval result, click Approve, Reject, Change Handler, Pre-assign, or Discuss.
  6. After handling is complete, confirm that the approval status and approval comments are updated.

Next steps

Submit Feedback