Final Approval Actions
A Final Approval Action is an automated action in a Salesforce Approval Process that fires when a record is approved and there are no further approval steps left to complete.
Definition
A Final Approval Action is an automated action in a Salesforce Approval Process that fires when a record is approved and there are no further approval steps left to complete. In other words, it runs at the moment all required approvals have been obtained. You configure these actions on the Approval Process detail page in Setup, in a section called Final Approval Actions.
Final Approval Actions are how an approval tells the rest of Salesforce that the decision is final and positive. They typically set a status field to Approved, decide whether the locked record stays locked or unlocks for editing, and send notifications. They are separate from per-step actions (which fire at each step) and from Final Rejection Actions (which fire when the request is rejected).
How Final Approval Actions fit into the approval lifecycle
When Final Approval Actions actually fire
Final Approval Actions run only when a record is approved and no further approval steps remain. Salesforce documentation states this plainly: they occur when all required approvals are obtained. In a single-step process, that is the moment the lone approver clicks Approve. In a multi-step process, it is when the last required step approves and the record exits the process in an approved state. If a step rejects the record, the process moves to its rejection path instead, and Final Rejection Actions run rather than these. This timing matters because it gives you one reliable place to put end-state behavior. You do not want to set Status to Approved on the first step of a three-step process, because the record is not approved yet. You want that on Final Approval Actions, where it reflects the true outcome. Think of these actions as the closing handler for a successful approval. Everything that should be true only after a full sign-off belongs here: the approved status, the lock decision, the congratulations email, the handoff to finance or fulfillment. Per-step actions handle the in-between moments, and Final Approval Actions handle the finish line.
The action types you can configure
A classic Approval Process supports four automated action types, and Final Approval Actions can use any of them. A Field Update changes one or more fields on the record, for example setting an Approval Status picklist to Approved or stamping an approval date. An Email Alert sends a pre-built email using an email template to recipients you choose, such as the submitter, the record owner, or a finance distribution list. A Task creates a follow-up Task related to the record, assigned to a user with a due date, which is handy when an approval should trigger human work like preparing a contract. An Outbound Message sends a SOAP message to an external endpoint, used to notify systems outside Salesforce that a record was approved. These are the same reusable action types that Workflow Rules use, so an Email Alert or Field Update you already built can be attached here without rebuilding it. In Flow-based approval orchestration, you can also run a Flow as part of the approval, which extends what is possible beyond the four classic types.
The record lock decision at final approval
Approval Processes lock records by default. When a record is submitted, the Initial Submission Actions lock it so that no one except approvers and administrators can edit it while it sits pending. Final Approval Actions then decide what happens to that lock once approval completes. You choose one of two record lock settings: keep the record locked, or unlock the record for editing. Keeping it locked is the right call when an approved record should be frozen, like a signed contract or a finalized quote that nobody should change after the fact. Unlocking is the right call when the record needs normal edits again after approval, like an opportunity that the owner keeps working. The discount approval example in Trailhead sets the record lock to unlock the record for editing on final approval, so the opportunity owner regains control once the discount is approved. This lock setting is a built-in part of the Final Approval Actions configuration, not a separate field update, although you can also use Apex methods like Approval.lock and Approval.unlock for programmatic control.
A worked example: a discount approval
Picture a discount approval on the Opportunity object. A sales rep requests a 25 percent discount, which exceeds the threshold that managers can grant alone, so it routes through a two-step approval. On submission, Initial Submission Actions lock the opportunity. Step one goes to the sales manager, step two to the regional director. When the director approves, the process reaches its approved end state and Final Approval Actions fire. Here you configure three things. A Field Update sets Approval Status to Approved so reports and page layouts reflect the decision. An Email Alert sends a Discount Approved template to the opportunity owner so the rep knows the discount is live. The record lock setting unlocks the opportunity for editing so the rep can continue closing the deal. Contrast this with the rejection path: if either approver rejects, Final Rejection Actions run instead, setting Approval Status to Not Approved and clearing the requested discount. The same process holds both outcomes, and the Final Approval Actions section only ever runs on the positive one. This split keeps your automation honest about what really happened.
Final Approval versus per-step and rejection actions
An Approval Process has several places where automation can run, and it helps to keep them straight. Initial Submission Actions fire once when the record enters the process, usually to lock it and stamp a submitted status. Each approval step can have its own Approval Actions and Rejection Actions that fire when that specific step approves or rejects. Final Approval Actions fire once, only when the whole process completes in an approved state. Final Rejection Actions fire once, only when the process ends in rejection. Recall Actions fire if the submitter withdraws a pending request. A three-step approval therefore has up to three sets of per-step actions plus one set of Final Approval Actions, and you should not duplicate end-state logic across both. Put intermediate notifications on per-step actions, for example telling a requester that step two cleared and the request now waits on step three. Reserve Final Approval Actions for things that are only true at the end, like the approved status and the unlock decision. Mixing these up is a common source of premature status changes and confusing email noise.
Notifications, integrations, and downstream automation
Final Approval Actions are a natural trigger point for telling people and systems that something was approved. Email Alerts handle the people side: notify the submitter that the request cleared, tell the next owner they now hold the record, or alert a finance queue that an expense is approved and ready to process. For system integration, Outbound Messages can push a SOAP message to an external endpoint, such as an ERP that needs to know an order is approved or a contract system that should generate the signed document. Outbound Messages still work and remain supported, but for new integrations many teams now prefer Platform Events or REST callouts invoked from a Flow or Apex, because they are easier to monitor and retry. Be aware that a Field Update in Final Approval Actions can also set off other automation. Changing a status field might fire a record-triggered Flow or an older Workflow Rule, which can in turn update more fields. That chaining is powerful, but test it end to end so an approval does not quietly start a cascade you did not intend.
How to configure Final Approval Actions
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.
Trust & references
Cross-checked against the following references.
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Final Approval Actions.
Hands-on resources to go deeper on Final Approval Actions.
About the Author
Dipojjal Chakrabarti is a B2C Solution Architect with 29 Salesforce certifications and over 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem. He runs salesforcedictionary.com to help admins, developers, architects, and cert/interview candidates sharpen their fundamentals. More about Dipojjal.
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