Final Rejection Actions
Final Rejection Actions in Salesforce are the actions that fire automatically when a record completes an Approval Process with a rejection outcome.
Definition
Final Rejection Actions in Salesforce are the actions that fire automatically when a record completes an Approval Process with a rejection outcome. The Approval Process configuration defines what happens at the moment any approver rejects: update fields (Status = Rejected, mark the record for resubmission), send Email Alerts to the submitter and other stakeholders, create follow-up Tasks (review feedback, revise and resubmit), send Outbound Messages to external systems. Final Rejection Actions are the rejection-side counterpart to Final Approval Actions; together they cover the two terminal outcomes of any approval.
Final Rejection Actions matter because rejection is rarely the end of the story. Most rejected approvals lead to revisions and resubmissions; the Final Rejection Actions kick off that next cycle. Common patterns: unlock the record so the submitter can edit, set a Status field back to Draft, send an email explaining the rejection, create a Task to address feedback. The platform makes the rejection-handling explicit through these actions.
How Final Rejection Actions work
When Final Rejection Actions fire
Any approver rejecting at any step ends the Approval Process with a rejection outcome. The Final Rejection Actions fire at that moment, regardless of which step rejected. If a 3-step approval is rejected at step 1, Final Rejection Actions fire immediately; the remaining steps do not run.
Action types available
Same as Final Approval Actions: Field Update, Email Alert, Task, Outbound Message. The action types are reused; only the trigger moment differs. Configure rejection-specific values: a different status, different email recipients, different Task subjects than the approval case.
Unlocking the record on rejection
Approval Processes lock records during the approval. On Final Rejection, the platform automatically unlocks unless you override. This lets the submitter edit and resubmit. Most orgs rely on the default behavior; configuration is only needed for unusual workflows.
Email Alerts for rejection feedback
Email Alerts in Final Rejection Actions typically notify the submitter and sometimes the approval chain. Common message: Your request was rejected by [Approver]. Reason: [Comment]. Please review and resubmit. Embed the rejection comment in the email template for context.
Field Updates and resubmission state
Field Updates can prepare the record for resubmission: set Status to Needs Revision, flag the record for review, clear approval-specific fields. These updates make resubmission cleaner and visible to the submitter and managers.
Tasks for rejection follow-up
Tasks created in Final Rejection Actions ensure the rejection is addressed. Common pattern: create a Task assigned to the submitter with Subject Review rejection comments and revise, Due Date a few days out. The Task becomes the action item that drives the next cycle.
Outbound Messages for external rejection notification
External systems that need to know about rejected approvals can receive Outbound Messages: a vendor portal that should re-prompt the customer, a finance system that should clear the pending entry, a CRM workflow that should update the deal stage. Modern integrations use Platform Events instead.
How to configure Final Rejection Actions
Configuring Final Rejection Actions follows the same pattern as Final Approval Actions: open the Approval Process, navigate to the Rejection section, add actions. Plan rejection differently from approval: rejection often needs to set up resubmission while approval needs to finalize and lock.
- Open the Approval Process
Setup, then Approval Processes, then the target process. Scroll to Final Rejection Actions.
- Add Field Updates for rejection state
Common pattern: set Status to Rejected, set RejectionDate to TODAY, capture the rejecter''s comment in a custom field, set a Resubmit_Allowed flag if appropriate.
- Add Email Alert to submitter
Create or pick an Email Alert that notifies the submitter. Use a template that includes the rejection comment as a merge field so the submitter knows the reason.
- Add Task for resubmission
Create a Task with Subject Review and revise the rejected request, assigned to the submitter, due in 3-5 days. This drives the next cycle.
- Test the rejection path
Submit a test record and reject it. Verify the Final Rejection Actions fire correctly: fields updated, email sent, Task created. Confirm the submitter can edit and resubmit.
- Document the rejection workflow
Write down what happens on rejection so the next admin understands the design. Approval Processes can be intricate; documentation prevents accidental changes that break the rejection path.
Modify record fields on rejection. Status, rejection date, capture comments.
Send rejection notification to submitter and stakeholders.
Create follow-up Task for resubmission or review.
Legacy SOAP notification to external system on rejection.
- Any step rejection triggers Final Rejection Actions, not just the last step. Plan for early-step rejections to handle the full rejection workflow.
- Unlocking on rejection is automatic but configurable. If the record should stay locked after rejection, override with a Field Update or explicit lock.
- Rejection comments are captured in ProcessInstanceStep.Comments. Use merge fields in Email Alerts to surface the comment to recipients.
- Final Rejection Actions and Final Approval Actions are configured separately. Updating one does not automatically update the other; keep them in sync where the same logic applies (locking, status fields).
Trust & references
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Final Rejection Actions.
- Approval Process ActionsSalesforce Help
Hands-on resources to go deeper on Final Rejection 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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