Create an Approval Workflow from Excel
Build an expense-approval workflow from a spreadsheet with policy checks, manager approval, finance review, returns and final outcomes.
An approval matrix becomes a workflow when each approver, decision outcome and return path is an explicit spreadsheet row.
The short version
- A decision row needs both the yes and no route.
- Returned for correction differs from finally rejected.
- The approver lane and amount threshold should be visible in the process data.
Turn approval authority into a route
An Excel approval matrix usually says who may approve an amount. To draw a workflow, add when a request enters, what evidence is checked, who decides, where a rejected or incomplete request goes and what happens after approval. Use separate rows for policy validation, line-manager decision and finance payment rather than one generic Approved column.
The editable expense example below shows a requester, manager and finance path. The source sheet carries decision labels and destination rows, so a returned claim can loop for correction without looking like final rejection. Adapt /templates/expense-approval-process if your thresholds or approvers differ.
The expense approval spreadsheet and resulting flowchart
Open the sheet view to inspect the real expense approval rows behind this editable QueryChart visualization.
Start with the trigger
The request and policy-check rows establish what evidence is needed before an approver is asked to decide.
Add the decision routes
Approval and correction routes are connected separately, preventing a returned claim from being mistaken for a final rejection.
Review the complete process
The full example crosses requester, manager and finance work and ends with either a payable claim or a documented refusal.
How it works
Write the approval trigger
Start with the submitted expense and required receipt or justification. Keep amount and policy category in the working spreadsheet.
Add decisions and return routes
Give the policy check and manager approval separate Decision rows. Put correction, refusal and approval destinations in Line to with matching Line text labels.
Assign and verify owners
Put requester, manager and finance in Vertical lane. Trace a normal payment, a correction loop and a refused claim before publishing.
Mistakes to avoid
One approval status for all outcomes
Approved, needs correction and rejected are operationally different. Give each its own destination and ending.
Edit the expense approval example
Open the source rows, replace the sample steps and verify every path in the rendered chart.
Frequently asked questions
Can a workflow have several approvers?
Yes. Put each review or approval in its own row and owner lane, then connect the decisions in the required order.
How do I show a correction?
Send the Needs correction branch back to the requester or evidence-gathering row; do not send it to final rejection.
Where do amount thresholds go?
Keep the amount in the source record and show each routing threshold as an explicit decision if it changes who approves.