Flow approval processes versus Classic approval processes
Key Takeaway
A classic approval process starts when a user clicks "Submit for Approval". A record-triggered flow approval process starts on its own when a qualifying record is created or updated, based on the trigger conditions in its Start element.
An approval process sends a record to the right people for sign-off and then acts on their decision. Salesforce has two kinds. A classic approval process defines a fixed series of approval steps on one object. A flow approval process is a modern, flow-based alternative built for multistep, conditional, and multisystem reviews. The two kinds differ in how they start, how much logic they support, and how you manage them.
Classic approval processes
A classic approval process sets out each step needed to approve a record. Each step says who to request approval from and what to do at that point.
Classic approval processes work in both Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience. They're available in Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer Editions.
Say a company sets up a classic approval process for a custom Travel Request object. Priya submits a request for $300. The process locks the record and sets Status to Submitted. The process approves requests of $100 or less right away. Priya's request is larger, so the process sends it to her direct manager. A request over $3,000 would also go to the finance director after the manager approved it. When the process finishes, it sets Status to Approved or Rejected and unlocks the record.
Salesforce sets limits on the number of classic approval processes in an org and on the number of steps and actions in each one.