Inquiry on Flow Designer: Create an approval reminder for range of time

Dao Anh Tu · 3 weeks ago

Is it possible in ServiceNow to create a subflow that performs the following?

Sends approval reminders with a maximum waiting period of 21 days for outstanding approvals
Automatically cancels the Service Request (SR) if the approval is not completed within that time
Adds a user-visible note explaining why the SR was closed
Allows this logic to be modularized and reused across multiple Service Request flows

I struggled to find a clear answer to this. I would appreciate it if anyone could provide a solution to this matter, and I will mark it as the ACCEPTED SOLUTION. Many thanks!

VaishnaviK16371 · 3 weeks ago

Hi @Dao Anh Tu !!

Create Approval (not Ask for Approval) in the main flow
- This creates the approval record without blocking execution.
Call a reusable subflow immediately after
- Pass in:
  - Service Request record
  - Approval sys_id
  - Max wait time (21 days)
  - Reminder interval
Subflow logic
- Use Wait for Condition:
  - Condition: Approval state ≠ Requested
  - Timeout: 21 days
- Send reminder notifications at defined intervals (e.g., day 7, 14, 20)
- If timeout is reached and approval is still pending:
  - Cancel / close the Service Request
  - Add Additional Comments explaining the auto-closure (user-visible)
  - Optionally close the approval
If approval completes before timeout:
- Subflow exits
- Main flow continues normally

Mark this as Helpful if it clarifies the issue.
Accept the solution if this answers your question.

Regards,
Vaishnavi
Associate Technical Consultant

View solution in original post

Ankur Bawiskar · 3 weeks ago

@Dao Anh Tu

yes this is possible

You can create re-usable subflow for this

something like this

💡 If my response helped, please mark it as correct ✅ and close the thread 🔒— this helps future readers find the solution faster! 🙏

Regards,
Ankur
✨ Certified Technical Architect || ✨ 9x ServiceNow MVP || ✨ ServiceNow Community Leader

Ankur Bawiskar · 3 weeks ago

@Dao Anh Tu

Hope you are doing good.

Did my reply answer your question?

💡 If my response helped, please mark it as correct ✅ and close the thread 🔒— this helps future readers find the solution faster! 🙏

Regards,
Ankur
✨ Certified Technical Architect || ✨ 9x ServiceNow MVP || ✨ ServiceNow Community Leader

Dao Anh Tu · 3 weeks ago

Hi @Ankur Bawiskar
Sorry for keep you waiting.
Thanks for the solution you provided. Unfortunately, it pauses at the Ask for Approval step when I configure it by adding an action in the main flow. This means we have to respond to the approval first, and it cannot execute the logic inside the subflow. The logic in this subflow is really good, but I am still stuck on how to generate an approval without waiting and then proceed to the subflow after the Ask for Approval step.
Thanks again.