# Approval processes from submission to final action

*Platform Administrator Study Guide · Automation · Last updated September 26, 2026 · https://certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-administrator/automation/approval-processes*

How a classic approval process is built and behaves: entry criteria, allowed submitters and recall, record locking and editability, approval steps with step criteria and approver options, rejection behavior, the four action types, activation rules, and where Flow Approval Processes fit.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform Administrator
- Exam section: Automation
- Study guide: https://certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-administrator

**Official exam objective:**

> Describe capabilities, use cases, and configuration for the approval process (criteria for approvers, rejections, approvals).

## What the exam expects

- Configure who can enter an approval process: entry criteria, allowed submitters, and whether submitters can recall their own requests.
- Explain record locking and choose the record editability option that fits.
- Build approval steps: step criteria, what happens when they aren't met, and the approver options.
- Configure rejection behavior per step and the action groups (initial submission, step, final approval, final rejection, recall) and know which four action types are allowed.
- Know activation and deletion rules, where approval progress is visible, and when to hand off to Flow.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Permission to build | Customize Application | [Approval Wizard](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_creating_approval_processes.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Default approver option | Let the submitter choose manually | [Assigned Approvers](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_step_approver.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Approvers per step | Up to 25 users, queues or related users | [Assigned Approvers](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_step_approver.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Multiple approvers | First response, or unanimous approval | [Assigned Approvers](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_step_approver.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Default record editability | Administrators ONLY | [Record Editability](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_create_recordeditability.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Approval admins | Modify All Data, or Modify All Records on the object | [Managing Approval Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.approvals_considerations_manage.htm&type=5) |
| Recall off | Only admins can recall requests | [Approval Submitters](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_create_submitters.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| "reject record" for unmatched step criteria | First step only | [Approval Step Criteria](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.approvals_step_entrycriteria.htm&type=5) |
| Action types | Task, Email Alert, Field Update, Outbound Message | [Approval Actions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_automated_actions.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Action groups | Initial submission, step, final approval, final rejection, recall | [Approval Actions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_automated_actions.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Adding steps | Only while the process is inactive | [Managing Approval Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.approvals_considerations_manage.htm&type=5) |
| Deleting a process | Must be inactive first | [Managing Approval Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.approvals_considerations_manage.htm&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't a rep edit an opportunity right after submitting it, and which record editability option is the default? → Submission locks the record; Administrators ONLY is the default, and the other option adds the currently assigned approver ([Record Editability](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_create_recordeditability.htm&language=en_US&type=5))
- Which three choices do you have for records that don't meet an approval step's criteria, and which one is limited to the first step? → Approve record, reject record, or go to next step; reject record is first step only ([Approval Step Criteria](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.approvals_step_entrycriteria.htm&type=5))
- When would you use one step with unanimous approval instead of a queue? → When every one of several approvers must approve; in a queue any single member's response decides ([Assigned Approvers](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_step_approver.htm&language=en_US&type=5))
- Which four action types can a classic approval process run, and how do you get Flow logic to run after final approval? → Task, Email Alert, Field Update and Outbound Message; a final approval field update triggers a record-triggered flow ([Approval Actions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_automated_actions.htm&language=en_US&type=5))
- What can't you change in an approval process after it has been activated once? → You can't add, delete or reorder steps or change reject or skip behavior, even after deactivating it ([Managing Approval Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.approvals_considerations_manage.htm&type=5))

## Sources

- [Create a Classic Approval Process with the Standard Wizard](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_creating_approval_processes.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Identify Assigned Approvers for an Approval Step in a Classic Approval Process](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_step_approver.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Control Which Records Apply to an Approval Step in a Classic Approval Process](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.approvals_step_entrycriteria.htm&type=5)
- [Specify Rejection Behavior for an Approval Step in a Classic Approval Process](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.approvals_step_rejection.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Specify Who Can Edit Locked Records in a Classic Approval Process](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_create_recordeditability.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Specify Who Can Submit Records to a Classic Approval Process](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_create_submitters.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Add Automated Actions to a Classic Approval Process](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_automated_actions.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Considerations for Managing Classic Approval Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.approvals_considerations_manage.htm&type=5)
- [Considerations for Setting Approvers in Classic Approval Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.approvals_considerations_approver.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Classic Approval Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=sf.what_are_approvals.htm&type=5)
- [Build a Flow Approval Process](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.automate_automated_approvals_build.htm&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 11 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform Administrator pack (USD $19): https://certifyforce.com/practice-exams