A Power Automate approval workflow in Teams, at a fixed price
Short answer: a Power Automate approval flow starts when someone adds or changes an item in a SharePoint list, sends an Approve or Reject card to the right person in Teams or Outlook, and writes the answer back to the list. I build these as part of a fixed-price tracker: one tracker is $5,000 in 2 weeks, with no hourly billing.
At a glance
Swipe sideways to see all columns.
| Item | Number | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Approval wait limit | 30 days | I add a reminder before Microsoft times it out. |
| Flow with no trigger | 90 days | You get a warning 30 days before it turns off. |
| Actions in one flow | 500 | Big flows get slow to edit, so I split them into child flows. |
| Loop size | 5,000 items on Microsoft 365 plans | I filter the list before the loop. |
How an approval flow works
- Someone adds a request to a SharePoint list, or changes its status.
- Power Automate sees the change and starts an approval.
- The approver can answer from a Teams card, an Outlook email, or the Power Automate action center.
- The answer goes back to the list. The status changes, and the person who asked is told.
- The list keeps the record: who asked, who decided, and when.
Pick the right approval type
Microsoft lists these approval types:
Swipe sideways to see all columns.
| Type | What happens |
|---|---|
| Approve/Reject, everyone must approve | Each approver must answer. One rejection ends it. |
| Approve/Reject, first to respond | The first answer from any approver decides. |
| Custom responses, wait for all | You set the choices. Everyone must answer. |
| Custom responses, wait for one | You set the choices. One answer decides. |
| Sequential | Approvers answer one at a time, in order. |
Most ops approvals are "first to respond" (one of three managers can sign off) or "sequential" (manager, then finance).
A real one: rate card approvals
I built this for a parcel logistics client, as part of a client onboarding tracker. Rate card approvals go to one approver as a Teams card. Approve or Reject, and the customer record updates. It is shown with made-up data on the portfolio page.
Where approval flows break
- Waiting too long. A flow run can last 30 days. After that, any pending approval times out. Plan a reminder, and a path for requests nobody answers.
- Quiet flows get switched off. Microsoft may turn off a flow that is not triggered for 90 days, unless the owner has a premium license. Owners get a warning 30 days before.
- One person owns the flow. If it runs under one person's account and that person leaves, the flow can stop. Use a shared owner or a service account.
- Guests who never accepted. A guest approver who did not accept the invitation to your Microsoft 365 is removed from the approval.
- Government clouds. The Teams Approvals app is not yet released for GCC High and DoD.
What it costs
The approvals connector is a standard connector. Microsoft says Office 365 licenses cover standard connectors, so most teams pay no extra license fee for a basic approval flow.
To have one built by me:
Swipe sideways to see all columns.
| Package | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| One Tracker | $5,000 | 2 weeks |
| Two Trackers (best fit for most teams) | $8,500 | 3 weeks |
| Three Trackers, plus a weekly report | $11,500 | 4 weeks |
| Add a tracker later | $3,500 for the second, $3,000 each after | About 1 week each |
| Keep Building | $6,000 a month | For teams with a first build |
Every tracker includes reminders and late alerts that go out automatically. The price is fixed, with no hourly billing.
How we start
- A free 45-minute call. Walk me through one approval, from the request to the final yes, and show me where it stalls. No sales pitch.
- Within 3 to 5 days you get a free preview: images of how the tracker and the approval would look. You tell me if it is on target or needs changes.
- If you say yes, I build it. The clock for the weeks starts that day.
I am Al Davies, and 250 High Street LLC is mine. I work from Berkeley Heights, NJ, and serve teams of 20 to 300 people remotely. Few clients at a time means you deal with me directly, never a junior.
Or write to al@250highstreet.com or call (862) 205-4844. One sentence on the approval that is still manual is enough.
FAQ
Updated 2026-10-27.
Can approvals show up in Microsoft Teams?
Yes. Approvers can answer from a Teams card, an Outlook email, or the Power Automate action center.
Do I need a Power Automate license for approvals?
Usually not a new one. The approvals connector is a standard connector, and Microsoft says Office 365 licenses cover standard connectors.
Can an approval go to several people in order?
Yes. Use the sequential type. Each approver answers before it moves to the next.
What happens if nobody answers?
A flow run lasts up to 30 days. After that, the pending approval times out. Build in a reminder and a fallback.
What does it cost to have an approval workflow built?
I build it as part of a fixed-price tracker. One tracker is $5,000 in 2 weeks. The call and the preview are free.
Sources
- Microsoft Learn, Get started with Power Automate approvals (approval types; Teams, Outlook, action center; standard connector; Office 365 licenses; guest users): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/get-started-approvals
- Microsoft Learn, Limits of automated, scheduled, and instant flows (30-day run duration incl. approvals; 90-day inactive flows): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/limits-and-config
- Microsoft Learn, Manage the Approvals app in Microsoft Teams (not released for GCCH and DoD): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/approval-admin
- 250 High Street portfolio (rate card approvals as a Teams card): https://250highstreet.com/portfolio/
- 250highstreet.com home page (packages, steps, prices)