---
schema_version: "1"
id: e01424582250da5c1e4f3d25b29efca5cdce73c25cdbb2f950e6054801051933
title: Approval Submissions and Orchestration Runs
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/automate_automated_approvals_approval_submission.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_automated_approvals_approval_submission.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 8ada86b9b88573dd7a8309177ed6c71219430fe1080d99b3cf3a78cb161064c8
description: Salesforce creates an approval submission when a record is submitted for approval by using a flow approval process. Each approval submission has an associated orchestration run.
products:
  - Flow Builder
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# Approval Submissions and Orchestration Runs

Salesforce creates an approval submission when a record is submitted for approval by using a flow approval process. Each approval submission has an associated orchestration run.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col style="width:100%"></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_automated_approvals_about_supported_editions.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Review the supported products and editions for Flow Approval Processes.">View supported editions for Flow Approval Processes.</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

A flow approval process is an application that defines the actions to take when a record is submitted for approval. See [Flow Approval Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_automated_approvals_concept_approval_orchestrations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "A flow approval process contains stages, steps, and decisions to organize complex approval sequences. Create flow approval processes by using the Flow Approval Process tiles in the New Automation window. Create autolaunched flow approval processes in the Approval app. Build flow approval processes in Flow Builder.").

## Approval Submission

An approval submission record is created each time a person submits a record for approval using Flow Approval Processes. The actions taken for the approval submission are defined by the associated flow approval process. Each approval submission record has an associated orchestration run record.

Approval Submission Statuses  
| Status | Description |
| --- | --- |
| In Progress | The approval submission started. |
| Approved | The approval submission was approved. |
| Rejected | The approval submission was rejected. |
| Canceled | The approval submission was manually canceled. |
| Recalled | The approval submission was manually recalled. |
| Error | The orchestration run associated with the parent approval submission failed. |

To delete an approval submission record, see [Delete Approval Submission Records](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_automated_approvals_manage_delete_approval_submission_record.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Delete approval submission records to fulfill GDPR and other data deletion requests. Deleting a parent record also deletes its related terminal-state approval submissions. Salesforce cancels related in-progress approval submissions so that you can delete them later.").

## Approval Submission and Approval Work Item Comments

Users can add comments at different points during an approval process. Where Salesforce stores a comment depends on when someone makes it.

 
| Someone Makes a Comment When They | It’s Stored in the Comments field of |
| --- | --- |
| Submit an approval request | The approval submission record |
| Review an approval work item | The approval work item record |
| Cancel or recall an approval request | The approval submission detail record |

## Orchestration Run

An orchestration run is a run-time instance of an active flow approval process. It's associated with the approval submission that's created when a flow approval process is launched.

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small " summary="Orchestration Run Statuses">
        <caption>Orchestration Run Statuses</caption>
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d114738e254">Status</th>
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d114738e257">Description</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Status" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d114738e254 ">In Progress</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d114738e257 ">The parent approval submission of the orchestration run started.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Status" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d114738e254 ">Completed</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d114738e257 ">The parent approval submission of the orchestration run was approved or
              rejected.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Status" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d114738e254 ">Canceled</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d114738e257 ">
              <ul>
                <li>The parent approval submission of the orchestration run was manually
                  canceled.</li>

                <li>The parent approval submission of the orchestration run was manually
                  recalled.</li>

              </ul>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Status" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d114738e254 ">Error</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d114738e257 ">
              <ul>
                <li>The orchestration run associated with the parent approval submission
                  encountered an error.</li>

                <li>A stage within the orchestration run associated with the parent approval
                  submission encountered an error.</li>

                <li>A step within the orchestration run associated with the parent approval
                  submission encountered an error.</li>

                <li>The screen flow or autolaunched flow referenced by a step within the
                  orchestration run associated with the parent approval submission encountered an
                  error.</li>

              </ul>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

## Record Refresh

When a flow approval process references a record variable or a record collection variable, those variables are refreshed with their latest record values each time the orchestration run associated with a parent approval submission based on that flow approval process resumes. For approval submissions based on an autolaunched flow approval process, all referenced records are refreshed. For approval submissions based on a record-triggered flow approval process, all referenced records except $Record\_Prior are refreshed.