Send Reminder Emails to Approvers After the Initial Salesforce Approval Process Email

This article explains how to send automatic reminder emails to approvers after the initial Salesforce Approval Process email. Salesforce Approval Processes do not include a native reminder email feature, so you configure the reminder with an email template, a custom Checkbox field, Approval Process field updates, and a scheduled Record-Triggered Flow.

Prerequisites for Approval Process reminder emails

• An email template for the reminder.
• For an existing Approval Process, add the actions on both Approval and Rejection.

Follow the detailed steps below.

Step 1 - Create the reminder email template ### Open Email Templates in Salesforce Classic (Non-Enhanced User Interface)

Click Your Name | Setup | Email | My Templates.

Open Email Templates in Salesforce Classic (Enhanced User Interface)

Click Your Name | My Settings | Email | Email Templates.

Open Email Templates in Lightning Experience

Click Setup | Email | Templates.

Create the template in all user interfaces

1. Select either Text, HTML, Custom or Visualforce.
2. Fill out all fields and then select Available for Use.
3. Populate the 'Name,' 'Subject' and 'Email Body.'
4. Then click Save.

Step 2 - Create a custom Checkbox field

 Open object fields in Salesforce Classic (Non-Enhanced User Interface)

1. Click Your Name | Setup | Customize.
2. Choose an Object.
3. Select 'Fields.'
4. Navigate down to 'Custom Fields.'

Open object fields in Salesforce Classic (Enhanced User Interface)

1. Click Setup | Customize.
2. Choose an Object.
3. Select 'Fields.'
4. Navigate down to 'Custom Fields.'

Open object fields in Lightning Experience

1. Click Setup | Objects and Fields | Object Manager.
2. Choose an Object.
3. Select 'Fields & Relationships.'

Create the Checkbox field in all user interfaces

1. Click the New button.
2. Select Checkbox | Next.
3. Fill in Field Label. The Default Value is Unchecked. Then click Next | Next | Save.
4. Navigate to 'Page layout' and hide the checkbox.

Step 3 - Configure the Approval Process

 Open Approval Processes in Salesforce Classic (Non-Enhanced User Interface)

1. Click Your Name | Setup | Create | Workflow & Approvals.
2. Click Approval Processes.

Open Approval Processes in Salesforce Classic (Enhanced User Interface)

1. Click Setup | Create | Workflow & Approvals.
2. Click Approval Processes.

Open Approval Processes in Lightning Experience

Click Setup | Process Automation | Approval Processes.

Add approvers in all user interfaces

• Note that if you are editing an existing Approval Process, you must deactivate it first.
• Click the name of the Process.
• Look for Approval Steps.
• To add Approvers, click Edit | Next | Next.
• Click Add Row, then assign.
• Then choose either First response or Unanimous.
• Click Save.

Add the field update actions in all user interfaces

1. For the Actions, click "Show Actions."
2. You will see 2 Actions (Approval and Rejection).
3. For Approval Actions, click Add New, then choose Field Update.
4. Put a check mark on Re-evaluate Workflow Rules after Field Change | Next | Choose FALSE.
5. Click SAVE. Do the same process with Rejection Actions.
6. Then click Activate.
7. Look for Initial Submission Actions.
8. Click "Add New" | click "Field Update."
9. Fill in Name. For Field to Update, choose the custom field checkbox.
10. Put a check mark on Re-evaluate Workflow Rules after Field Change | Next | Choose TRUE.
11. Click SAVE.

Step 4 - Create the scheduled Record-Triggered Flow

  Open Flows

1. Go to Flows.
   • Salesforce Classic (Non-Enhanced User Interface): Click Your Name | Setup | Create | Workflow & Approvals | Flows.
   • Salesforce Classic (Enhanced User Interface): Click Setup | Create | Workflow & Approvals | Flows.
   • Lightning Experience: Click Setup | Process Automation | Flows.
2. Choose the Object, then click Next.

Create the flow

1. Click the New Flow button.
2. Choose Record-Trigger Flow, then click the Create button.
3. Choose the Object.
4. Choose A record is created or updated in Configure Trigger.
5. Choose All Conditions Are Met (AND), then Field - Custom Checkbox | Operator - Equals | Value - True in Set Entry Conditions.
6. Choose Only when a record is updated to meet the condition requirements in When to Run the Flow for Updated Records.
7. Choose Actions and Related Records in Optimize the Flow for.
8. Click the Start icon, then click Add Scheduled Paths (Optional).
9. Fill in Path Label and API Name.
10. Set Last Modified Date as Time Source.
11. Set 24 in Offset Number, and Hours After in Offset Options.
12. Click the Add Element icon on your scheduled path.
13. Choose Send Email Alert.
14. Choose your email alert in Action.
15. Fill in Label, API Name and Record ID.
16. Click the Save button.
17. Fill in Flow Label and Flow API Name.
18. Click the Save button.
19. Click Activate.