Why I Built a New Approvals Experience
Approvals sit at the centre of every business process. Whether it’s reviewing a purchase order, validating a leave request, approving a purchase agreement, or signing off on a financial document every decision needs to flow quickly, smoothly, and confidently.
Microsoft already provides a standard Approvals app. However, after working across numerous Dynamics 365 HR, Finance, and Supply Chain implementations, I repeatedly saw the same limitations. These challenges are what inspired me to build the Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App, a modern, mobile-first, fully extensible approval experience built on Dataverse and powered by virtual entities.
The Gaps in Microsoft’s Standard Approvals App
1. You Can’t Extend the Standard App
2. The UI Is Too Basic for Business Users
3. Difficult to Understand for Non–Power Apps Users
Why I Created This App
Businesses needed an approval app that:
- Works across all Dynamics 365 modules
- Can be extended and customized
- Offers a modern, unified user experience
- Is easy to understand and manage
- Removes the limitations of the standard Microsoft app
The Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App delivers exactly that.
Built for Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O) users, it provides a seamless, powerful, mobile-first experience for approving:
Purchase Orders (PO)
Purchase Requisitions (PR)
Purchase Agreements (PA)
And more based on your business needs.
Because the app leverages Dataverse and virtual entities, it integrates directly with the D365 security and workflow framework, ensuring secure and compliant access at every stage.
Key Capabilities
Empower your approvers with instant visibility and quick action:
Approve / Reject / Delegate / Request Change
View Comments, Attachments & Workflow Timeline
Real-Time Notifications for Pending Approvals
Search, Filter & Sort Workflow Items
Full Compatibility with D365FO Security Roles
Support for PO, PR & PA Workflow Types
Scope of the App
The app supports end-to-end approval management across multiple purchasing workflows:
Purchase Requisition Approvals
Review PR details
Verify lines and amounts
Approve or request changes with comments
Purchase Order Approvals
Validate PO header and line details
View attachments and approval history
Approve on the go
Purchase Agreement Approvals
Review terms, amounts, and validity
Approve or reject instantly
Leave requests(Coming soon)
App Screens Overview
The Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App provides a clear, modern interface that helps approvers review and take action quickly. Both header and line-level details are displayed in an intuitive layout, ensuring full visibility before making a decision.
Purchase order for Approval
The header screen gives users a quick, high-level summary of the workflow request, including:
Purchase order number
Vendor account and Vendor name
Total amount with currency
- Approve – Direct approve the purchase order
- Reject – Reject the purchase order
- History – View the workflow history
- Attachment – Display total numbers of attachment and view all attachments
Purchase order details
The details screen gives users a quick, high-level summary of the workflow request, including:
Purchase order number in header
- Total amount in header
Item number and Item description
- Requested receipt date in dd/mm/yyyy format
Line amount with currency
- Quantity/ Unit Price and Unit.
- Approve – Direct approve the purchase order
- Reject – Reject the purchase order
- History – View the workflow history
- Attachment – Display total numbers of attachment and view all attachments
Features That Make a Difference
One-Click Approval
Streamlined actions allow fast decision-making with a single tap.
Instant Alerts & Push Notifications
Stay notified the moment a workflow hits your queue.
Cross-Platform Compatibility
Fully optimized for iPhone, Android, and tablets.
Advanced Search & Filtering
Quickly locate workflow items—even during high-volume cycles.
Compliance & Security
Built using Microsoft’s recommended architecture and D365 security model.
Modern, Intuitive User Interface
A user-friendly design that greatly improves adoption and satisfaction.
Benefits for Your Organization
Faster approval cycles
Reduced bottlenecks in procurement
Improved mobility and productivity
Full visibility into approval details, comments, and attachments
Better user experiences with a clean, modern UI
No need to wait until you’re at your desk, approve from anywhere
Learn more ?
If you want to know more about this app or see it in action, simply drop a message in the comment section. I’ll be happy to share additional details, demos, or answer your questions.
Adam
Hi Parag,
Great work on your recent blog post about the Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App. The approach and clarity you’ve shared are exactly what I was hoping to see from Microsoft solutions and you’ve done an excellent job explaining it.
We currently have a custom workflow implementation for our customers, and your app looks very promising. I wanted to ask whether it’s possible to display or integrate custom workflows within the app, particularly for workflow approvals.
If you’re able to share any guidance or best practices on how custom workflows can be surfaced or handled in the app, that would be extremely helpful.
Thanks again for sharing such valuable insights.
Best regards,
Adam
Daniel Thompson
Great work, Parag. The custom workflow approval app looks very well designed. Can standard Dynamics 365 workflows also be used with this app, and what setup is required? A short demo or overview video would be very helpful.
Rahul kumar
Can you tell me what are steps you did to create this app?
yuv
Can you provide steps which we need create this app or link ?