Final Approval Actions are configured on the Approval Process detail page in Setup. You add them after the process and its steps exist. These steps cover a classic Approval Process; Flow-based approvals are configured in Flow Builder instead.
- Open the Approval Process
In Setup, go to Process Automation and then Approval Processes. Pick the object, then click into the approval process you want to edit. Scroll to the Final Approval Actions related list near the bottom of the detail page.
- Set the record lock behavior
Decide whether the record stays locked or unlocks after approval. Edit the record lock setting in Final Approval Actions and choose Keep the record locked or Unlock the record for editing based on whether approved records should remain frozen.
- Add a Field Update
Click Add New, then Field Update. Name it, select the field to change (such as an Approval Status picklist), and set the new value to Approved. Save so the record reflects the final decision after approval.
- Add an Email Alert
Click Add New, then Email Alert. Choose an existing email alert and its template, or build one first. Pick recipients like the submitter or record owner so the right people learn the request was approved.
- Activate and test
Activate the approval process if it is not already active. Submit a test record, approve it through every step, and confirm the field update, email, and lock behavior all fire exactly as configured before relying on it in production.
Changes one or more fields on the approved record, commonly setting a status field to Approved or stamping an approval date.
Sends a pre-configured email using a template to chosen recipients when the record is finally approved.
Creates a follow-up Task related to the record, assigned to a user with a due date, to drive post-approval work.
Sends a SOAP message to an external endpoint to notify a system outside Salesforce that the record was approved.
Determines whether the record stays locked or unlocks for editing once the approval completes.
- Final Approval Actions fire only when there are no further steps left, so do not put end-state logic on the first step of a multi-step process.
- Records are locked by default during approval; if approved records should be editable again, you must explicitly choose to unlock in Final Approval Actions.
- A Field Update here can trigger other Flows or Workflow Rules, so test the full chain to avoid an unintended cascade.
- For new integrations, consider Platform Events or a Flow callout instead of Outbound Messages, which are harder to monitor and retry.