What is an 'Approval Workflow' in Smartsheet?

An 'Approval Workflow' in Smartsheet is effectively defined as a series of steps that require user approval before proceeding to the next stage in a process. This functionality is crucial in many organizational processes where decisions need to be approved by stakeholders or team members before actions can be taken.

With this workflow, users can create a streamlined process to ensure that only verified actions move forward, thereby maintaining quality control and accountability. Users can set up these workflows to notify the relevant people when their input is needed, track the status of approvals, and view past decisions, making it a vital component in project management and operational processes.

While feedback collection is important, it does not encapsulate the structured decision-making process that an approval workflow entails. Tracking project expenses and automating data entry are separate functionalities that serve different purposes within Smartsheet and do not specifically align with the concept of approval workflows, which focus on progress through consent rather than data management or financial tracking.