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Merge Fields for Classic Approval Processes

Approval merge fields include {!ApprovalRequest.fieldName} and {!Approval_Requesting_User.fieldName}. They’re supported in certain email templates and return different values based on the status of the classic approval process instance.

Required Editions

Available in: both Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience
Available in: Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer Editions
Important
Important Try Flow Approval Processes, a modern alternative to Classic Approval Processes. This new feature provides a more flexible, user-friendly flow-based interface, and it can trigger on record changes, supporting Apex extensibility and detailed logging for compliance and audit trails. It supports dynamic routing based on data and business rules, unlike Classic Approval Processes, which are tied to specific objects and offer limited support for processes by using conditions. With Flow Approval Processes, you can monitor submitted records and quickly identify bottlenecks, giving you unprecedented visibility into approval workflows. And, like Classic Approval Processes, Flow Approval Processes don’t consume automation credits or orchestration runs.
Tip
Tip The submitter isn’t always the current user. For custom email templates, use {!Approval_Requesting_User.fieldName} instead of {!User.fieldName}.

Where Are Approval Merge Fields Supported?

You can use classic approval process merge fields in email templates, but not mail merge templates. Except for {!ApprovalRequest.Comments}, approval merge fields named {!ApprovalRequest.field_name} in email templates return values only in approval assignment emails and email alerts for classic approval processes. When used in other emails—including email alerts for workflow rules—the approval merge field returns null.

What Values Does a Merge Field Provide?

The generated value of an ApprovalRequest merge field depends on which step the classic approval process is in.

  • In the approval request email, a merge field returns the submitter’s name and the name of the first step.
  • When the request is approved, the merge field returns the most recent approver’s name and the name of the second step, if applicable.
  • For subsequent actions, a merge field value returns the previous completed step.
  • For an approval step that requires unanimous approval from multiple approvers, {!ApprovalRequest.Comments} returns only the most recently entered comment in emails.

See Also