Remote teams live and die by clear processes. If you’re tired of chasing approvals via email, or watching projects stall out because someone “didn’t see the form,” you’re not alone. Approval workflows can kill momentum fast—or, if set up right, they can keep things moving so nobody gets stuck waiting on someone's OK.
This guide is for anyone trying to get reliable approvals from a team that’s spread out. I’ll walk you through how to do it using Formstack, and I won’t gloss over the annoyances or limitations you’re likely to hit. By the end, you’ll have a real system—not just a form—so you can get back to actual work.
Why Even Bother With Approval Workflows?
Let’s be honest: most “approval” systems just add friction. But when teams go remote, you need a way to track who said “yes,” when, and what got changed along the way. Otherwise, you get finger-pointing, lost requests, and a lot of “I thought you handled that.”
Done right, approval workflows:
- Make it clear who’s supposed to approve what
- Keep a record of decisions (for audits, or just memory)
- Speed up routine requests (no more “did you see my email?”)
- Let you automate boring handoffs, so you’re not the bottleneck
But they only work if everyone actually uses them—and that means keeping it simple and clear.
Step 1: Map Out Your Real-World Approval Flow
Before you touch Formstack, sketch out how approvals actually work in your team. Ignore what the org chart says—what happens in real life?
Ask yourself: - Who needs to approve these requests? (Not just who “could.”) - In what order? Is it one after another, or all at once? - Does anyone just need to be notified, not approve? - What happens if someone’s out of office? - What’s the minimum info you need to make a decision?
Write it down, even if it’s just bullets or a napkin sketch. If your process is a mess, don’t expect software to fix that for you.
Pro tip: If you can’t explain your approval flow to a new hire in under a minute, it’s too complicated.
Step 2: Build Your Form in Formstack
Once you know what you need, log in to Formstack and start a new form. This is where you capture the request details.
Must-haves: - Clear, specific fields (avoid “Other” unless you want junk data) - Instructions for what to fill out and what not to - Validation on dates, numbers, or required fields
Nice-to-haves: - File upload for receipts or docs - Conditional logic (show/hide fields based on answers) - Section headers to break up long forms
What to skip: Don’t make people create accounts unless you absolutely have to. Friction kills completion rates.
Honest take: Formstack’s form builder is solid, but not magical. If you need tons of custom UI or super-complex logic, you’ll hit limits. For most approval requests, though, it’s enough.
Step 3: Set Up Approvals in Formstack
Here’s where the magic (or the headache) happens. Formstack lets you add one or more “Approval” steps to your form’s workflow.
Basic Setup
- Go to your form’s Settings.
- Find the Approvals section.
- Click Add Approval and choose who should approve (by email, user, or role).
- Define what triggers this approval—usually, a new submission.
- Set up what happens after approval or rejection (send to next approver, notify someone, etc.).
Serial vs. Parallel Approvals
- Serial: One after another. Use this if approvals need to happen in order.
- Parallel: Everyone gets the request at once. Faster, but can create confusion if nobody owns the “final say.”
Real-world advice: Start with serial if you’re not sure—parallel sounds great but often leads to “I thought someone else would do it.”
Handling Out-of-Office
Formstack isn’t great at dynamic “backup” approvers. If your process can’t wait, create a shared mailbox or set rules in your email to forward approvals when someone’s out. Not elegant, but it works.
Custom Notifications
Set up clear, concise emails for each step. Use plain language (“You have a PTO request to approve”) and include a link directly to the approval page. Skip the fluff.
Step 4: Test Your Workflow (Break It On Purpose)
Don’t trust that your setup works—try to break it. Run through:
- Submitting as a user, then as an approver
- Approving, rejecting, or ignoring a request
- What happens if someone doesn’t respond?
- How do you track the approval status?
Get feedback from someone who didn’t help build it. If they’re confused, your actual users will be, too.
Pro tip: Set up a “dummy” version of your form for testing. Use fake data and real emails so you see exactly what your team will get.
Step 5: Roll Out to the Team—Without the Eye Rolls
Announce your workflow in plain English. No “robust new solutions.” Just say:
- Here’s why we have this new process
- What’s in it for you (faster responses, less confusion)
- Where to find the form, and who to bug for help
Offer a quick walkthrough or screenshare if people want it. Expect a little grumbling—most folks hate new systems until they save time.
Step 6: Keep It Alive (and Actually Useful)
Workflows die if they’re ignored. Make it easy for people to find the form—bookmark it, pin it in Slack, whatever. Check in after a month:
- Are approvals getting stuck?
- Is anyone bypassing the system (and why)?
- Are you collecting too much info, or not enough?
Tweak the form and workflow, but don’t go overboard. Most of the time, simpler is better.
What Works—and What Kinda Sucks
Works well: - Tracking who approved what, and when - Email notifications that actually prompt action - Avoiding lost requests
Frustrations: - Limited backup/alternate approver options - Custom logic is only so flexible - More complex than Google Forms, but not as customizable as building your own tool - Occasional email delays—test with your IT setup
Ignore: - Fancy form themes. Nobody cares. - Over-engineering with conditional logic unless it really saves time. - “Gamifying” approvals. You’re not running a contest.
Quick Tips for Remote Teams
- Keep your approval process as short as possible. Every extra step is another chance to stall.
- Make sure your approvers know they’re on the hook—and have a backup plan for when they’re out.
- Automate notifications, but don’t spam people daily.
- If it’s not working, fix the process—not just the tool.
Wrapping Up
Don’t let workflow software run your team—use it to get approvals out of email and into a place you can see and track. Start simple, get feedback, and don’t be afraid to change things up if people are frustrated. In the end, the best workflow is the one your team actually uses (and doesn’t complain about too much).
Keep it simple, keep improving, and get back to the stuff that matters.