SharePoint Content Approval resets to “Pending” after Power Automate updates metadata (Level 1 approval workflow)

Question

Hi community, I have a SharePoint document library where I use built‑in Content Approval for compliance review, and I also added a custom metadata column called Business Owner Approval (Pending / Approved / Rejected).

My requirement is:

• Content Approval (built-in) is used only for Compliance (Level 1).
• Business Owner Approval is Level 2 approval.
• When metadata or file changes → Content Approval should reset to Pending (this is correct and expected).
• After Content Approval is manually approved → Power Automate sends an approval request to the Business Owner.
• When Business Owner approves → only Business Owner Approval metadata should change.
• Content Approval should NOT change, because business approval must not affect content approval.

The problem: When the Business Owner approves or rejects, my flow uses Update file properties to update mandatory metadata (e.g., Document Name, Last Review Date, Business Owner Approval). As soon as this action runs:

→ SharePoint automatically resets Content Approval back to Pending

→ Even when the Business Owner approved the item

→ Some mandatory metadata fields also become blank unless I repopulate them

It looks like any metadata update (even writing the same value) forces SharePoint to set Content Approval = Pending again.

What I need help with: How can I prevent SharePoint from automatically resetting Content Approval to Pending when Power Automate updates metadata during Business Owner approval?

Or—if this cannot be prevented—what is the best practice to:

• Update mandatory fields safely
• Update the Business Owner Approval field
• Without breaking Content Approval or causing it to flip back to Pending
• And without manually re‑approving the item each timeHi community, I have a SharePoint document library where I use built‑in Content Approval for compliance review, and I also added a custom metadata column called Business Owner Approval (Pending / Approved / Rejected). My requirement is:
  • Content Approval (built-in) is used only for Compliance (Level 1).
  • Business Owner Approval is Level 2 approval.
  • When metadata or file changes → Content Approval should reset to Pending (this is correct and expected).
  • After Content Approval is manually approved → Power Automate sends an approval request to the Business Owner.
  • When Business Owner approves → only Business Owner Approval metadata should change.
  • Content Approval should NOT change, because business approval must not affect content approval.
  The problem:
  When the Business Owner approves or rejects, my flow uses Update file properties to update mandatory metadata (e.g., Document Name, Last Review Date, Business Owner Approval).
  As soon as this action runs:

  → SharePoint automatically resets Content Approval back to Pending

  → Even when the Business Owner approved the item

  → Some mandatory metadata fields also become blank unless I repopulate them

  It looks like any metadata update (even writing the same value) forces SharePoint to set Content Approval = Pending again. What I need help with:
  How can I prevent SharePoint from automatically resetting Content Approval to Pending when Power Automate updates metadata during Business Owner approval? Or—if this cannot be prevented—what is the best practice to:
  • Update mandatory fields safely
  • Update the Business Owner Approval field
  • Without breaking Content Approval or causing it to flip back to Pending
  • if i reapprove it then flow starts again

Answer 1

Hi @Nittal Kumar, 

Based on your detailed description, it is a common hurdle when utilizing SharePoint’s built-in Content Approval alongside Power Automate. Here is a breakdown of why this occurs and the most practical way to move forward. 

SharePoint Content Approval is designed as a high-security compliance "seal." Once a document reaches the "Approved" state for Level 1, the system is programmed to protect that integrity. 

When a Power Automate flow updates a metadata column for Level 2 approval, SharePoint perceives this as a modification to an approved file. To maintain security, it automatically voids the previous approval and resets the status to Pending. 

There are two primary constraints currently affecting your workflow: 

• Workflow logic: The business requirement for a secondary approval stage (Level 2) is technically at odds with how SharePoint moderates files, as the system treats any metadata change as a reason to re-evaluate the entire document. 
• Automation connector: The standard update file properties action in Power Automate is a big update. It triggers SharePoint's modification logic, which leads to the status reset and can sometimes cause mandatory fields to appear blank if they aren't explicitly repopulated by the flow. 

Therefore, to help resolve this without creating infinite loops or losing data, please consider these steps: 

1/ Reach out to your IT admin.

To resolve this seamlessly, I recommend using the SharePoint REST API with the ValidateUpdateListItem action. This advanced method allows the flow to update specific metadata without triggering a new version or resetting the approval status. Since this requires specific 'system-level' permissions, your IT team is best positioned to assist. Furthermore, you can request that your IT administrator open a support ticket to receive specialized guidance from an experienced SharePoint agent. For guidance on how to request support in the admin center, please refer to: Get support - Microsoft 365 admin.  

2/ Engage with the Power Automate forum.

For the specific JSON schema required for the ValidateUpdateListItem action, the Official Microsoft Power Automate Forum is an invaluable resource. This dedicated community is a hub for automation experts. As you refine your workflow, participating in this forum is an excellent opportunity to develop your technical skills and learn from MVPs who solve these exact scenarios daily. 

The goal is to ensure your multi-level approval process is both compliant and automated without manual intervention. 

I hope this information is helpful. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to reach out.

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Answer 2

As I’m still learning, it’s difficult for me to implement the suggested solutions on my own. It would be really helpful if someone could provide step‑by‑step guidance or even a flowchart showing what needs to be done in Power Automate

Answer 3

SharePoint content approval is designed to reset the Approval Status to Pending whenever an item that requires content approval is edited. This includes edits made by Power Automate using Update file properties. That behavior cannot be turned off per-field; it is how content approval works when “Require content approval for submitted items?” is enabled.

To implement a two‑level approval without breaking Level 1 content approval, use the content‑approval–aware pattern in Power Automate instead of a plain Update file properties:

1. Use built‑in content approval for Level 1 only
   • In the library, keep Require content approval for submitted items = Yes.
   • When users upload or edit documents, SharePoint correctly sets Approval Status to Draft or Pending.
2. Automate Level 1 approval with Power Automate
   • Trigger: “When a file is created” (or modified) in the library.
   • Get the file metadata to retrieve the ETag.
   • Use an Approval action for Compliance approvers.
   • After Compliance approves, use Set content approval status (SharePoint connector) instead of Update file properties to set:
     • Content approval status = Approved
     • ETag = value from Get file metadata
   • This writes the official content approval result without causing the workflow recursion issues described for classic workflows.
3. Start Level 2 (Business Owner) approval after Level 1 is Approved
   • After the Set content approval status step completes with Approved, start a second approval for the Business Owner.
   • Do not change the content approval status in this Level 2 branch.
4. Update Business Owner metadata without fighting content approval
   • When the Business Owner approves or rejects, avoid a generic Update file properties that ignores content approval.
   • Instead, use Set content approval status again, but:
     • Keep the content approval status aligned with the current state (for example, still Approved if Level 1 was approved).
     • Supply the Identifier, Comments, and ETag from earlier actions as documented.
   • In the same flow, update the Business Owner Approval and other mandatory metadata fields in a controlled way, ensuring all required fields are populated so they do not become blank.
5. Avoid classic SharePoint 2010/2013 approval workflows for this scenario
   • Classic approval workflows have known interactions with content approval and item status, including post‑completion status updates and automatic status changes that can revert items to Pending or cause recursion when “start on change” is enabled.
   • Use Power Automate with the Set content approval status action instead of SharePoint 2010/2013 workflows.

In summary, content approval will reset to Pending on edits by design. The supported pattern is to:

• Let edits (including Power Automate metadata updates) reset to Pending when appropriate.
• Use Set content approval status in Power Automate, with the correct ETag, to explicitly set the final content approval state after each approval stage, while updating mandatory metadata and the Business Owner Approval field in the same controlled flow.

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References:

• Require approval of documents in SharePoint using Power Automate
• Set content approval status action
• Plan document versioning, content approval, and check-out controls in SharePoint
• SharePoint Online item that requires content approval reverts to "Pending" status
• Approval workflow does not update the approval status of items