Approval history and pending approval visibility
Key Takeaway
Use the Approval History related list to follow a record, the Items To Approve related list to see all requests waiting for a user's response, and a custom report type to report on approval history.
When a record goes through a classic approval process, Salesforce keeps a history of each submission and each step: who was asked, who acted, when, and the result. Admins can show this history on records, show approvers the requests waiting for them, and report on the history.
Approval History related list
The Approval History related list shows where a record is in a classic approval process. After you create an approval process, add this related list to the object's page layout so users can follow the record's progress.
Each Approval History entry has one of these statuses:
- Submitted
- Pending: waiting for approval or rejection
- Approved
- Rejected
- Reassigned: sent to a different approver
- Recalled: pulled back from the approval process
Submitters can recall a request only if the approval process allows it. To allow recalls, select "Allow submitters to recall approval requests" under "Initial Submitters".
Approval History separates who was asked from who acted. The "Assigned To" column shows the assigned approver, and the "Actual Approver" column shows the user who actually approved or rejected.
For example, imagine a step assigned to a queue. Assigned To shows the queue name, and Actual Approver shows the user who responded.
In Lightning Experience, when a request has more than one assigned approver, Salesforce creates a ProcessInstanceStep for each one. With "Approval based on first response" enabled, Assigned To shows an approver assigned to the record, and Actual Approver shows the approver who approved it.