How to Create and Manage Approval Requests in Microsoft Teams for Team Sign-Offs

In modern collaborative work environments, project workflows frequently require formal managerial approval—whether signing off on quarterly marketing budgets, approving employee annual leave, authorising client deliverables, or validating technical architecture changes. Managing these requests over disjointed email threads or informal chat messages inevitably causes lost documentation, lack of audit trails, and missed deadlines.

To centralize organizational governance directly within chat conversations and channels, Microsoft incorporates the native Approvals app in Microsoft Teams. Integrated tightly with Microsoft Power Automate and Microsoft 365, the Approvals app allows users to create standard or bespoke sign-off requests, attach supporting files from OneDrive or SharePoint, require sequential or parallel approvals, and track status in real time. This comprehensive guide walks you through setting up the Approvals app, creating custom sign-off workflows, configuring e-signatures, and managing incoming requests.

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Key Capabilities of Teams Approvals

• In-Context Chat Approvals: Initiate an approval request directly from any 1-on-1 direct message, group chat, or channel conversation.
• Centralised Hub: The dedicated Approvals app dashboard provides a consolidated overview of all requests sent, received, cancelled, and completed.
• Custom Responses: Replace standard binary choices (“Approve” / “Reject”) with bespoke outcomes (such as “Proceed with Phase 1”, “Requires Revisions”, or “Escalate to Finance”).
• Audit Trails: Records timestamped activity logs detailing who submitted, reviewed, and finalized each request, supporting compliance and auditing requirements.
• E-Signatures Integration: Supports legally binding digital signature workflows through native integrations with Adobe Acrobat Sign and DocuSign.

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Step 1: Accessing and Pinning the Approvals App in Teams

To ensure easy daily access to your approvals dashboard:

1. Open the Microsoft Teams desktop client or web application.
2. On the left-hand navigation app bar, click the View more apps (…) three-dot icon.
3. In the search box, type Approvals.
4. Click on the Approvals app icon (depicted with a checkmark badge).
5. Right-click the Approvals app icon on your navigation bar and select Pin to permanently anchor it to your sidebar.

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Step 2: Creating an Approval Request in a Chat or Channel

To submit a sign-off request directly within an ongoing conversation:

1. Navigate to the specific 1-on-1 chat, group chat, or team channel where the discussion is taking place.
2. Beneath the message composition box, locate and click the Approvals icon (a circular badge with a checkmark). If not immediately visible, click the Messaging extensions (+) icon and select Approvals.
3. The New approval request modal window opens:
   • Name of request: Enter a clear, concise title (e.g., Q3 Cloud Infrastructure Budget Approval).
   • Approvers: Enter the names or email addresses of the colleagues who must sign off. You can designate single or multiple approvers.
   • Require response from all approvers: Toggle this option On if everyone on the list must approve, or leave it Off if approval from any single recipient suffices (first-to-respond logic).
   • Additional details: Provide background context, budget sums, project deadlines, or justification.
   • Add attachment: Click to upload supporting PDF proposals, Excel financial models, or documents from OneDrive or your local PC.
4. Click Send.

Teams posts an interactive Approval card directly into the chat stream. Approvers receive an immediate desktop banner notification and an activity feed badge.

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Step 3: Creating Custom Response Outcomes

Standard “Approve” and “Reject” buttons may not fit workflows that require nuanced decisions:

1. In the New approval request creation window, scroll to the bottom.
2. Toggle the switch labelled Custom responses to On.
3. Two customizable outcome fields will appear:
   • Field 1 (e.g., Approved for Staging)
   • Field 2 (e.g., Requires Security Review)
4. Click Add option to include additional choices (e.g., Rejected – Budget Exceeded).
5. Click Send.

The interactive approval card will display your bespoke buttons instead of the default choices.

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Step 4: Reviewing and Responding to Incoming Approvals

When you are assigned as an approver on a request, you can act immediately from multiple entry points:

Method A: Directly Inside the Chat Card

1. Locate the interactive approval card in your chat or channel.
2. Review the attached documentation and background comments.
3. Optionally add a comment (e.g., “Approved subject to Q4 budget cap.”).
4. Click Approve, Reject, or your chosen custom response button.

Method B: Via the Dedicated Approvals Dashboard

1. Click the Approvals app on your left navigation bar.
2. The Received tab lists all pending sign-offs assigned to you across the entire organization.
3. Click on any request to view its complete audit history, inspect attachments, and submit your decision.

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Step 5: Managing Templates for Standardized Approvals

If your team frequently submits recurring requests—such as overtime approvals, travel expense authorizations, or software license procurement—administrators and team owners can build standardized templates:

1. Open the Approvals app from the left-hand navigation sidebar.
2. In the upper-right corner of the dashboard, click the Manage templates (…) button and select Manage templates.
3. Click New template.
4. Select your template scope: Organization-wide (Admin only), Specific people, or Team-wide.
5. Choose a category (e.g., Finance, Human Resources, or Facilities).
6. Define required input fields (such as text boxes, dropdown choice lists, date pickers, or numerical currency inputs).
7. Specify default approvers and click Save.

Team members can now select this template from the Approvals dropdown to fill out structured forms with pre-assigned approvers.

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Approvals Lifecycle Reference Table

Status Badge	Operational State	Permitted Actions
Requested	Sign-off request is pending reviewer action.	Approvers can approve/reject; Requester can cancel.
Approved	All required approvers have confirmed the request.	Finalized; recorded in audit history.
Rejected	An approver has declined the request.	Finalized; reviewer comments viewable by all.
Canceled	The original submitter withdrew the request.	Archived; cannot be reopened.

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Troubleshooting Teams Approvals

Issue	Root Cause	Resolution
“Approvals app is blocked” error	Disabled by Teams Admin app permission policy	Contact your IT administrator to allow the Approvals app in the Teams admin center under Teams apps > Permission policies.
Approver does not receive notifications	Muted activity feed or external guest account	Ensure the approver is an internal tenant user or licensed guest. Check that Notifications > Approvals is enabled in Teams Settings.
Attachments fail to open	SharePoint file permission conflict	Verify that the approver possesses read access to the underlying SharePoint document library or OneDrive folder.