How Do I Make An Approval Sheet?

Quick Fix Summary

Use Google Forms + Form Approvals add-on to automate approvals in 3 steps: 1) Create the form, 2) Add the "Form Approvals" add-on, 3) Activate the approval workflow. No manual signatures needed.

What’s Happening

An approval sheet is a structured document that lets one party review and authorize a request before it moves forward.

Think of it as a gatekeeper for decisions. These days, approvals are mostly handled digitally using cloud tools like Google Forms paired with approval workflow add-ons. The beauty? No more drowning in paper. Everything happens faster, decisions get made quicker, and everyone stays in the loop. The magic ingredient? Setting up the workflow so approvers get pinged right away—whether that’s through their inbox or the form itself.

How do I make an approval sheet?

Start by creating a Google Form with the right fields, then add an approval workflow using the Form Approvals add-on.

Honestly, this is the simplest way to get a working approval sheet up in minutes. You’ll build the form, configure who can approve requests, and flip the switch to go live. Approvers get notified instantly, and you can track everything in a spreadsheet. No coding, no complicated setups—just straightforward automation.

Create the Approval Form

Head over to Google Forms and click “+ Blank” to start fresh.
Give it a clear title—something like "Travel Request Approval – Q2 2026" works great.
Add fields for the requester’s name, date, purpose, and any dollar amounts. Need supporting files? Use the "File upload" question type to let people attach receipts or proposals.
Hit save. Make sure to copy the form URL—you’ll need it for the next steps.

Install and Configure the Approval Workflow

Open your form. Click the three-dot menu (More) → Get add-ons.
Search for "Form Approvals" (it’s published by Google Workspace Marketplace). Install it.
Grant the permissions it asks for. Once that’s done, a new tab called Approvals will show up in your form editor.
Click Approvals → Configure. Type in the approver emails—say, manager@company.com. You can line them up one after another or have multiple people approve at the same time.
Pick how they respond: simple "Approve/Reject" buttons or a custom message. Keep it clean and easy to follow.

Activate and Share the Workflow

In the Approvals tab, flip the "Enable Approval" switch to ON.
Hit Send to email the form or embed it on your intranet. Either way works.
Approvers get an email with a direct link. They can approve, reject, or ask for changes—all without leaving their inbox.
Every response lands in a linked Google Sheet. You’ll see the status, any comments, and who’s holding things up.

What if the Google Forms method fails?

Try one of these three alternatives to keep your approvals moving.

Don’t panic if Google Forms isn’t cutting it. Here are three solid backups, each with its own strengths:

Alternative 1: Use Microsoft Power Automate — Build a flow that shoots form responses straight to approvers in Teams or email. Perfect for teams already living in Microsoft 365. Microsoft Power Automate even has ready-made approval templates to save you time.
Alternative 2: Try "Approvals" in Microsoft Teams — Open Teams, go to Apps, and search for "Approvals." This built-in tool lets you fire off approval requests from any chat or channel. It logs everything, so you always know where things stand.
Alternative 3: Use a dedicated tool like "Cognito Forms" — It comes with built-in approval workflows and even conditional logic. The free version handles up to 1,000 submissions a month. Plus, it’s HIPAA-compliant and GDPR-ready, which matters if you deal with sensitive data. Cognito Forms is worth a look.

How do I set up approval chains in advance?

Map out who needs to approve requests based on amount, type, or department before anyone even fills out a form.

Think of this as your approval roadmap. Draw a simple flowchart showing who signs off on what. For example:

Small expenses? Team lead approves.
Big projects? Department head and finance both need to chime in.
Sensitive data? Add a compliance officer to the mix.

Update this chart once a year—or whenever your org changes. It keeps approvals consistent and prevents last-minute scrambles.

Can I use templates to speed things up?

Absolutely—save your approval form as a template in Google Forms or Cognito Forms.

Why start from scratch every time? Once you’ve built the perfect approval form, save it as a template. Then, whenever a new request comes in, just duplicate it. You’ll save time, cut down on mistakes, and keep everything looking professional across departments.

What’s the best way to handle notifications?

Make sure approvers get both email and in-app alerts so nothing slips through the cracks.

Delays usually happen because someone missed a notification. To avoid that:

Double-check that approvers’ email addresses are correct.
Turn on in-app alerts if your tool supports them.
Consider sending a quick reminder email if a response is overdue.

It sounds simple, but it makes a huge difference in keeping approvals on track.

How do I track approval status and spot bottlenecks?

Link your approval form to a Google Sheet and review it weekly.

Every approval response should dump into a spreadsheet automatically. That’s your control center. Scan it every week to see:

Which requests are stuck?
Who’s the slowest approver?
Are certain types of requests getting delayed?

Once you spot a bottleneck, follow up directly. A quick nudge usually gets things moving again.

What training do approvers need?

A quick 15-minute session on how to use the tool and leave useful comments.

Most delays aren’t about bad intentions—they’re about confusion. Spend 15 minutes walking approvers through:

How to approve or reject a request.
When to use comments vs. rejection reasons.
Where to find the form if they lose the email link.

You’ll cut down on back-and-forth and make the whole process smoother.

How much does this cost?

Google Forms with the Form Approvals add-on is free for up to 200 responses per month.

For most small teams, that’s more than enough. If you’re handling more than 200 approvals a month, you might need a paid Google Workspace plan to unlock extra features. Other tools like Cognito Forms offer free tiers too, so shop around based on your needs.

What’s the fastest way to get approvals moving?

Start with Google Forms + Form Approvals—it’s the simplest way to automate approvals in under an hour.

No complex setups. No coding. Just a form, a few clicks to configure approvers, and you’re done. Approvers get notified instantly, responses land in a spreadsheet automatically, and you can track everything in real time. For most teams, this is the fastest route to a working approval system.