How to Build a Simple No-Code Approval Workflow

Automate request approvals without writing code. Use Airtable and Zapier to streamline your team's document verification process in under 10 minutes.

1. Configure your Airtable base. Create a new base with a table named Requests. Add fields for: Request Name (Single line text), Status (Single select with options: Pending, Approved, Rejected), and Requester Email (Email). Ensure the Status field defaults to Pending.
2. Initialize the Zapier trigger. Log into Zapier and click Create Zap. Select Airtable as the app and New or Updated Record as the trigger. Connect your account and select the base and table created in Step 1, setting the limit to the Status field.
3. Define the approval trigger. Add a Filter step to the Zap. Set the filter to proceed only if the Status field exactly matches the text Pending. This prevents the workflow from firing on existing or rejected records.
4. Send the notification. Add an Action step to send a message via Slack or Email. Include the request details in the body of the message. Add a link to the specific record in Airtable so the approver can view context.
5. Test and activate the workflow. Click Test trigger to verify Zapier pulls the correct record. Turn the Zap to On. Submit a test form entry to ensure the notification delivers correctly to your designated channel.