Why Automate Document Approvals in Law Firms

From engagement letters to settlement agreements, document approvals drive risk, billing, and client satisfaction. Manual processes—email forwarding, ad hoc comments, uncertain versions—lengthen cycle times and obscure accountability. Power Automate lets you build reliable, repeatable approvals that tie directly to SharePoint, Outlook, and Teams with audit trails and secure access.

• Accelerate turnaround with automated routing and reminders.
• Reduce risk using consistent steps, records, and permissions.
• Improve visibility with dashboards and approval logs.
• Meet compliance expectations with traceable decisions and retention controls.

Best practice: Start with one high-impact use case (e.g., client-facing letters or court filings) and iterate. Keep the first flow simple: one trigger, one approval, clear approve/reject actions.

What Power Automate Approval Templates Offer

Power Automate includes ready-to-use templates you can configure in minutes. These templates reduce build time and enforce approval patterns that work across Microsoft 365 tools like SharePoint, Outlook, and Teams.

These templates use the Approvals service, storing decisions and comments for auditability. You can extend them with conditional routing, deadlines, and automatic file movement.

Blueprint: Map Your Legal Approval Flow

Before you click “Create,” align your legal process with SharePoint metadata and approval steps. This ensures your flow routes correctly and outcomes are consistent across matters.

Matter Owner (Attorney)        Practice Group Lead            Docket/Records
         |                               |                          |
1. Draft uploaded ---------------------->|                          |
         |-- Metadata set: MatterID, Client, DocType, Sensitivity  |
         |                               |                          |
2. Automatic approval request ---------->|                          |
         |                               |-- Approve or Reject ----|
         |                               |                          |
3. If Approved: Move to "Final" library; notify client team        |
4. If Rejected: Return to "Drafts" with comments via email/Teams   |
5. Log decision & timestamps in "Approvals Log" list               |
      

Recommended SharePoint Metadata

Consistent metadata lets your flow make smart decisions (e.g., route sensitive documents for additional review).

Hands-On Tutorial: SharePoint-to-Outlook/Teams Approval Flow

This step-by-step tutorial builds a robust approval using the “Start approval when a new file is added to SharePoint” template. It automatically routes documents, captures approvals, moves files, and sends notifications.

Prerequisites

• Microsoft 365 with SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, and Power Automate enabled.
• A SharePoint site for the matter or practice area with “Drafts,” “Final,” and “Revisions” libraries (or folders) and metadata configured (see above).
• Approvers have access to the library and Teams channel (if used).

Step 1: Prepare Your SharePoint Libraries

1. Create or confirm the “Drafts,” “Final,” and “Revisions” libraries. Enable versioning.
2. Add columns: MatterID (Text), ClientName (Text), DocumentType (Choice), Sensitivity (Choice), MatterOwner (Person).
3. Set unique permissions if needed; approvers should at least read drafts.
4. Optionally create a SharePoint list named “Approvals Log” with columns: Title (Doc Name), MatterID, Approver, Outcome, Comments, StartTime, EndTime, DurationMinutes, LinkToFile.

Step 2: Start from a Power Automate Template

1. Open Power Automate and select Templates.
2. Search for “Start approval when a new file is added to SharePoint.”
3. Choose your SharePoint connection and the Drafts library as the trigger location.
4. Click Create to generate the flow with default steps.

Step 3: Configure the Trigger and Get Metadata

1. In the “When a file is created (properties only)” trigger, confirm Site Address and Library Name = Drafts.
2. Add “Get file metadata” and “Get file properties” actions using the Identifier/ItemId from the trigger to expose MatterID, DocumentType, and Sensitivity values.
3. Optionally add “Get manager (V2)” or read the MatterOwner field to dynamically locate approvers.

Step 4: Add and Customize the Approval

1. Insert “Start and wait for an approval.” Choose Approval type:
   • Approve/Reject – First to respond (fastest) or
   • Approve/Reject – Everyone must approve (parallel consensus)
2. Title: “Approval needed: {{DocumentType}} for {{ClientName}} ({{MatterID}})”
3. Assigned to:
   • Simple: static email(s) of the approvers (e.g., practice lead).
   • Dynamic: “MatterOwner Email” or a column like “ApproverGroup.”
4. Details: Include a summary and a direct link using the file’s Path/Link to Document.
5. Attachment: Enable “Link to item” or add “Get file content” and attach the file if your policy permits.

Step 5: Route Based on Approval Outcome

1. Add a Condition step evaluating the Approval outcome equals “Approve.”
2. If Yes (Approved):
   • Use “Move file” to send the document from Drafts to Final. Preserve metadata.
   • “Update file properties” to set a Status column to Approved; add ApprovedDate = utcNow().
   • “Send an email (V2)” to the author and matter team confirming approval and location.
   • Optionally “Post message in a chat or channel” to the matter’s Teams channel with the link.
   • Create an item in “Approvals Log” with StartTime (trigger time), EndTime (utcNow()), and DurationMinutes (expression: div(sub(ticks(utcNow()), ticks(StartTime)),600000000)).
3. If No (Rejected):
   • “Move file” to Revisions (or keep in Drafts) and set Status = Needs Revision.
   • Email the author with approver comments from the Approval outcome.
   • Log the decision to “Approvals Log.”

Step 6: Add Conditional Routing (Optional)

1. Insert a Switch or nested Conditions based on DocumentType or Sensitivity:
   • If DocumentType = Filing, route to Docket team first, then to Practice Lead.
   • If Sensitivity = Highly Confidential, add a second approval (sequential) from Office of General Counsel.
2. Use the outcome of the first approval to trigger the second using another “Start and wait for an approval.”

Step 7: Test and Validate

1. Upload a test document with all metadata filled.
2. As the approver, action the request via email, Teams, or the Approvals app.
3. Confirm file movement, property updates, and log entries.
4. Review Flow run history for any errors and adjust connections or permissions.

Step 8: Publish and Communicate

1. Rename the flow following your naming convention (e.g., “MAT-Approvals-SharePoint-Drafts-to-Final”).
2. Share the flow (or package as a solution) with appropriate owners for continuity.
3. Document a one-page quick guide for attorneys on where to upload drafts and how to respond to approvals.

Tip: Keep your first release predictable: one Drafts location, one Final location, clear subject lines, and standard notifications. Expand routing complexity only after adoption.

Advanced Enhancements: Parallel Reviews, Redlines, and Escalations

Parallel Consensus for High-Risk Documents

• Set Approval type to “Everyone must approve.”
• List each reviewer (e.g., Partner, Practice Lead, Risk Manager) in Assigned to.
• Use the combined outcome to unlock file movement to Final.

Dynamic Approver Sourcing

• Read approver emails from SharePoint fields (MatterOwner, ApproverGroup).
• For rotating coverage, store approver addresses in a SharePoint list keyed by Practice Area; use “Get items” to retrieve the current on-call approver.

Escalation and Reminders

• Add a “Delay” of 24 or 48 hours, then check Approval status via “Get approval details.”
• If still pending, send a reminder email/Teams message and CC a backup approver or coordinator.
• Use “Configure run after” on a parallel branch to handle timeouts gracefully (e.g., escalate or cancel).

Redline Awareness

• Require a metadata toggle “Contains tracked changes.” If Yes, route to a specific associate or partner for review.
• Upon approval, strip personal markup metadata in Word (document hygiene) before client distribution, using a manual step or scripted action where policy allows.

Governance, Security, and Compliance

Automated approvals must align with your firm’s risk posture. Address these controls before production rollout:

• Environment strategy: Use separate Dev/Test/Prod Power Platform environments. Package flows in Solutions for change tracking.
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Ensure only approved connectors (SharePoint, Office 365 Outlook, Teams, Approvals) are allowed; block personal storage connectors.
• Permissions: Approvers must have SharePoint read access to Drafts. Use SharePoint groups mapped to Teams for cleaner management.
• Sensitivity labels & encryption: Apply Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels to libraries and documents. Flows respect labeled content when configured with appropriate identities.
• Retention & eDiscovery: Use retention policies on Drafts/Final libraries. Approval logs in SharePoint are fully discoverable for audits.
• Audit trails: Approval decisions and comments are tracked in the Approvals service; mirror key details to an “Approvals Log” list for matter-based reporting.
• Connection identity: Prefer service accounts for critical flows to avoid disruptions from staff turnover; manage via connection references.
• Change control: Document flow versions, test plans, and rollback steps. Train staff before enabling advanced routing rules.

Monitoring and Reporting: Track Approval Cycle Times

Visibility drives adoption. Create lightweight metrics that show turnaround times by matter, document type, and approver workload.

Create a SharePoint “Approvals Log” and Build a Simple Dashboard

1. Log each approval outcome from the flow to a SharePoint list (as described in the tutorial).
2. Include columns for StartTime, EndTime, DurationMinutes, DocumentType, Sensitivity, Approver, Outcome, and MatterID.
3. Export to Excel from the list or connect the list directly to Power BI for near-real-time visuals.
4. Key visuals:
   • Average cycle time by DocumentType
   • Pending approvals by approver
   • Approval volume by client/matter
   • Percent approved on first pass

Benchmark: Many firms see a 30–50% reduction in approval cycle time after standardizing triggers, approvers, and notifications—even before adding AI or advanced analytics.

Common Pitfalls and Troubleshooting

Approver Can’t Open the File

• Cause: Missing SharePoint permissions.
• Fix: Grant approvers read access to the Drafts library or use item-level permissions.

Flow Doesn’t Trigger

• Cause: File saved in the wrong location or metadata missing.
• Fix: Verify the trigger points to the correct library and encourage use of required fields. Consider creating a rule that blocks upload without MatterID.

Stuck Approvals

• Cause: Approver on leave or inbox overload.
• Fix: Add escalation after 48 hours and allow delegate approval via a group mailbox or backup approver list.

Inconsistent Routing

• Cause: Free-form metadata values.
• Fix: Use Choice columns for DocumentType and Sensitivity to ensure reliable conditions.

Audit Gaps

• Cause: Decisions only in Approvals service.
• Fix: Write outcomes to a SharePoint “Approvals Log” list with timestamps and links to documents.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Automating document approvals with Power Automate templates brings discipline, speed, and transparency to legal workflows. By aligning SharePoint metadata with clear approval paths, your firm can move drafts to final with confidence, reduce email clutter, and make cycle times visible for continuous improvement. Start small, standardize successes, then extend with parallel approvals and escalations for high-risk documents.

Want expert guidance on bringing Microsoft 365 automation into your firm’s legal workflows? Reach out to A.I. Solutions today for tailored support and training.