1. Notification actions for approval workflows

Notification actions in approval workflows help keep users informed throughout the approval process. When configured, these actions are triggered automatically as a record moves through the approval workflow, including submission and the approver's decision. They allow you to send alerts such as emails, SMS, or push notifications, ensuring timely communication with users.

The notification actions that can be configured in approval workflows are listed below:

1. Send email - Sends an email to specified recipients.
2. Send SMS - Sends a text message to a mobile number.
3. Send push notification - Triggers a push notification to the user.

Notifications can also be personalized by including dynamic values using Zoho variables, system fields, and form fields. The table below lists the Zoho variables and system fields that can be used to assign dynamic values for your notifications in approval workflows.

Including form field values in the notification

You can also include values from your form fields to customize your notification message using the format '${<fieldLinkName>}'. For example, if you have a field name as 'Employee Name' in your form, you can include the variable '${Employee_name}' in the body, and it automatically replaces the actual data entered by the user.

1.1. Send email

Note: To improve email deliverability, we've updated our email handling policy. Public or unauthenticated custom domain email addresses can no longer be used as sender addresses in send-mail actions and tasks. Any existing emails using these addresses will be automatically replaced with our verified domain and re-routed until the respective domains are authenticated.

The Send Email action in approval workflows enables you to automatically send customized email notifications as a record progresses through the approval process. It provides a UI-driven configuration for sending emails, serving as a no-code alternative to the Deluge send mail task. This allows you to easily set up approval-related notifications without writing scripts, ensuring timely and consistent communication throughout the approval cycle.

You can use this action to send reminders, alerts, or updates to submitters, approvers, or other stakeholders based on the outcome of the approval process. An email notification includes fields such as From, To, and Message, and you can dynamically include supported system fields, Zoho variables, and form field values in these fields. The Message field includes a text and HTML editor, allowing you to format content using HTML tags—for example, <strong> to make text bold or <em> to italicize text.

1. Submission: The employee receives an email confirming that their purchase order has been submitted and is pending approval.
2. Approval: Once the department head or finance team approves the request, an email is sent to the employee and relevant stakeholders confirming approval.
3. Rejection: If the request is rejected, the employee receives an email detailing the rejection and any comments from the approver.

This ensures timely communication, keeps all stakeholders informed, and reduces the need for manual follow-ups.

1.1.1. Configure send email action

1. Create an approval workflow and add an approver to open the workflow builder.
   
2. Click Add New Action under the Approve or Reject section of the preferred approver level, or under the Actions to execute on start section of the workflow.

Note: By default action to send mail to the approval requester will be configured in the Approve and Reject section. You can also modify, remove or add new actions to them.

1. To create new action in the existing action block, hover over the action inside an action block and click the + icon that appears.
   

3. Select when to run this action. By default, it is set to Always, which means the action will execute for all records. To run the action only for specific records, choose on condition and define the necessary condition or criteria. Learn more about configuring conditions in a workflow.
   
4. Choose the action type as Notification and select Send email action.
   
5. Configure the send email action in a workflow by specifying the following fields on the Send email page:
   
   1. From: Select the email address from which the message will be sent. You can choose from:
      1. Zoho variables such as the admin's email address or the logged-in user's email address
         
      2. An email field from the form where the workflow is being configured.
         
      3. Approval variables such as submitter, current approver, next approver or all approvers, allowing the email to be sent from their respective addresses.
         
      4. Verified email addresses from your Zoho Creator account's Email Management section 
      5. You can also add and verify a new email address by selecting + Add new email, entering the email address in the popup, and then entering the verification code sent to that address. Once verified, the email will appear in your account's verified email list.
         

Note: If the selected From address is not verified, emails will be sent through Zoho Creator's default domain. Learn more

1. To: Select the email address to which the message will be sent. You can also enter one or more email addresses directly, or use dynamic values such as Zoho variables, system fields, or form fields (for example, the admin's or logged-in user's email address).
   
   1. You can also specify CC, BCC, and Reply-To addresses by clicking the respective links to reveal the fields.
      
2. Subject: Enter the subject line of the email. You can include supported Zoho variables, system fields, and form fields in the subject by selecting Insert fields.
   
3. Message: Enter the message content. Like the subject, you can include supported Zoho variables, system fields, and form fields to personalize the email.
   
4. Content type: Choose the preferred content type:
5. HTML (default) – Displays the message content to the receiver as entered without rendering HTML tags. The tags are shown in the output.
   Example: If you have the message as <p>Hello world</p>, it will be sent as <p>Hello world</p>.
6. Plain Text – Renders the message content to the receiver without showing HTML tags. The tags are hidden, and only the text content appears.

Note: If your message contains HTML tags and you don't want them to render, set the content type to Plain Text.

6. Click Save.
   
7. Click Done in the top right corner of your screen.
   

1.2. Send SMS

The send SMS action in approval workflows allows you to deliver real-time, customized text messages to users whenever a record enters or progresses through the approval process. It offers a UI-driven configuration for setting up SMS notifications, serving as a no-code alternative to the Deluge send SMS task.

SMS messages are sent by integrating Zoho Creator with supported external SMS service providers. You can personalize each message by including supported system fields, Zoho variables, and form field values, ensuring that every notification is relevant and context-aware.

To use this action, you must have an account with one of the supported SMS service providers listed below:

1. Twilio
2. Clickatell
3. Screen Magic
4. ClockWorkSMS
5. Hoiio

1.2.1. Configure send SMS action

1. Create an approval workflow and add an approver to open the workflow builder.
   
2. Click Add New Action under the Approve or Reject section of the preferred approver level, or under the Actions to execute on start section of the workflow.
   
   1. To create new action in the existing action block, hover over the action inside an action block and click the + icon that appears.
      
3. Select when to run this action. By default, it is set to Always, which means the action will execute for all records. To run the action only for specific records, choose on condition and define the necessary condition or criteria. Learn more about configuring conditions in a workflow.
   
4. Choose the action type as Notification and select Send SMS action.
   
5. Select the preferred connection to connect with the SMS services if you have already created a connection with the supported services.
   
   

Note: If no SMS-based connection is configured in your account, you must add one. Click the Add Connection link to create a new connection.

6. Click add icon ( + ) to create and authorize a new connection for the SMS service.
   
7. Select the preferred SMS service from the add connection pop-up.
   
8. Create and authorize the connection.
    

Note: If the selected connection is not authorized, click the Authorize button that appears below the connection field to authorize it.

9. Select the phone number or number field present in the form for the 'To' field dropdown to send the SMS.
   
10. Enter the message that needs to be sent in the Message field.
    
11. Click the Insert Fields option to add supported form fields, system fields and Zoho variables to the message content.
    
12. Click Save.
    
13. Click Done in the top right corner of your screen.
    

1.3. Send push notification

Notifications help ensure that users stay informed and responsive throughout the approval process. You can configure approval workflows to automatically trigger push notifications whenever a record moves through different approval stages, such as when it is submitted for approval, or when it is approved or rejected by an approver. This provides a no-code alternative to the Deluge send push notification task, allowing notifications to be configured directly through the UI without scripting.

When setting up a push notification in an approval workflow, you can define the recipient, title, message, and the report that the user will be directed to upon clicking the notification. You can also include supported system fields, Zoho variables, and form field values dynamically in the title and message fields, making notifications more personalized and context-aware.

Notifications are delivered across both web and mobile platforms:

1. Web users can view them from the Notifications pane, accessible via the bell icon ().
2. Mobile users receive push notifications even if the app is not open, running in the background, or when the device is locked.

Access Requirements for Receiving Notifications

To ensure recipients receive notifications triggered by workflows, they must have access to the target record. The following conditions must be met:

1. No access to the report: The user must have access to the report associated with the notification. This can be configured via User Permissions in the Application Settings tab in your application.
2. Target record not shown in filtered report: If a report has filters applied, only records that meet the criteria will be visible. The target record must appear in the report for the user to receive related notifications.
3. No access to the target record: Users added to the application will only have access to the records added by default and receive its related notifications.
   1. If role hierarchy is enabled, the recipients will receive notifications for the records they have access to, based on the hierarchy and the assigned record owner.
   2. If you want them to get notifications regarding all records added by everyone, the user needs to be assigned with the View all permission in the Application Settings tab.

Note: By default, developers in the application (when environments is disabled) and admins will have access to the application, report, and records.

1. Apps added to the environment: While developers can't get notifications from the production environment, they or the admin can be configured to receive notifications while testing the application in the development and stage environments. By doing so, you can avoid unnecessary spam notifications being sent to the preconfigured recipient in those actions. This can be configured from the development and stage environment settings.

1.3.1. Configure send push notification action

1. Create an approval workflow and add an approver to open the workflow builder.
   
2. Click Add New Action under the Approve or Reject section of the preferred approver level, or under the Actions to execute on start section of the workflow.
   
   1. To create new action in the existing action block, hover over the action inside an action block and click the + icon that appears.
      
3. Select when to run this action. By default, it is set to Always, which means the action will execute for all records. To run the action only for specific records, choose on condition and define the necessary condition or criteria. Learn more about configuring conditions in a workflow.

4. Choose the action type as Notification and select Send notification action.
   
5. Configure the send notification action in a workflow by specifying the following fields on the Send notifications page:
   
   1. Select users based on: Choose how recipients should be selected for sending notification.
      1. User list: Sends the notification to users selected from the list of all users in your Zoho Creator account. This option lets you choose one or multiple users as recipients.
      2. Users Fields: Sends the notification to the user stored in the selected user field of the form. You can choose from user fields configured in the form, as well as system fields such as Admin User, Login User, Added User, or Last Modified User. 
         
   2. To: Based on your previous selection, this field lets you choose the users or the form fields that contain user information to whom the notification will be sent.
      1. In the screenshot below, the User fields option is selected previously, so the user fields available in the form are listed. When you select a user field, the push notification will be sent to the user stored in that field.
         If you've selected User list previously, all users in your Zoho Creator account will be displayed, and you can choose one or multiple users to receive the notification.
         
   3. Tiltle: Enter the notification title. You can personalize it by inserting supported Zoho variables, system fields, or form fields by clicking Insert Fields.

Note: The title can have a maximum limit of 200 characters

1. Message: Enter the message content. Like the title, you can also include supported Zoho variables, system fields, and form fields to personalize the notification.

Note: The message can have a maximum limit of 500 characters.

1. View: Select the report associated with the notification. The selected report will open when the user clicks the notification.
   

6. Click Save.

7. Click Done in the top right corner of your screen.

2. Related topics

1. Configure data access actions for approval workflows
2. Configure integrations for approval workflows
3. Configure Deluge script for approval workflows