How to build a project request form with automatic approval

Build automated project approvals without the back-and-forth

Every team receives project requests that need to be reviewed, but doing it manually leads to delays. In this guide, you’ll create a project request form with built-in approval logic. Once someone submits a request, the system will auto-approve based on rules (like budget or department) and notify stakeholders instantly.

Perfect for operations, marketing, or IT teams managing internal project submissions.

📘 Learn more: Create your first form, app, or portal in a flash

Step 1 — Create your project request form

Start from your workspace and click + New → Form. You can start from scratch or select a Project Request Form from the Template gallery.

Or use Magic Create, describe what you need (e.g., “A form where users can request new projects, auto-assign to a manager, and approve or reject automatically”).

Why this matters: a clear request form ensures all project details are captured before work begins.
📘 Learn more: How to create a form

Step 2 — Add your project and requester fields

Include all necessary details:

• Requester name and department (prefill from login if internal)
  
  
• Project title and description
  
  
• Deadline or expected delivery date
  
  
• Budget or required resources
  
  
• Priority level (dropdown: Low, Medium, High)
  
  
• Approval decision (hidden or admin-only field, e.g., Pending → Approved → Rejected)
  
  

💡 Tip: use file upload for briefs or mockups.
📘 Learn more: Form editor and field types

Step 3 — Add logic for automatic approvals

Go to Settings → Logic → Advanced logic and define your approval rules.

Example rules:

• If Budget ≤ 1,000 → Automatically set “Approval status = Approved”
  
  
• If Department = Marketing → Assign to Manager A
  
  
• If Priority = High → Notify Operations Lead immediately
  
  

You can combine on-submit or on-update logic to run approvals instantly or after edits.

Why this matters: automating decisions keeps workflows moving without waiting for manual checks.
📘 Learn more: How to create an approval form

Step 4 — Send notifications to the right people

Open Settings → Notify and set up who gets notified when a project is submitted or approved:

• Notify project managers when status = Pending approval.
  
  
• Send an auto-reply to requester when Approved or Rejected.
  
  
• Use conditional emails to customize messages by status or department.
  
  

💡 Pro tip: Include the requester’s project title or deadline in your subject line using @project_title or @deadline.
📘 Learn more: How to send and receive conditional email notifications

Step 5 — Update project status automatically

Use on-update logic so every time a project is reviewed or edited, the form updates its status field or triggers follow-up actions.

Examples:

• When approval = Approved → Set status to “In progress”
  
  
• When approval = Rejected → Send email to requester with notes
  
  

You can even create follow-up forms (e.g., “Project kickoff” or “Completion report”) connected to this one for multi-step tracking.
📘 Learn more: What is on-update logic and how it works

Step 6 — Track approved projects in a dashboard

Go to your Results → Responses page and switch between views:

• Table view for all project details
  
  
• Kanban view grouped by Approval status
  
  
• Chart blocks to track total requests or approval rates
  
  

Why this matters: your team can monitor requests and approvals in real time.
📘 Learn more: How to create a Kanban board

Step 7 — Build a team portal for ongoing project management

Create a portal where managers can view, approve, or edit project requests. Add pages like:

• All project requests (table view)
  
  
• Pending approvals (filtered list)
  
  
• Approved projects (chart or Kanban view)
  
  

Restrict access so only authorized users can change approval fields or update projects.
📘 Learn more: How to create a portal and manage users’ access

Pro tips

• Use linked rows to connect approved projects with follow-up forms (kickoff, deliverables, invoices).
  
  
• Add an AI summary field that auto-summarizes project descriptions for reporting.
  
  
• Duplicate this setup for each department or client workflow.
  📘 Learn more: What are linked rows and how to use them
  
  

Example scenario

Let’s say your IT department uses this setup for internal requests.When an employee submits a new hardware request under $1,000, the form instantly marks it “Approved,” sends an email confirmation, and notifies procurement, no manager review needed. Larger requests are routed for manual approval, keeping the workflow efficient and transparent.
📘 Learn more: Build personalized and time-saving flows with logic, automations, and AI

FAQ

1. Can I include multiple approval levels?
   Yes, add conditional logic to create multi-step approvals (e.g., auto-approve low-budget, send to manager for high-budget).
2. Can I notify different managers by department?
   Absolutely, set conditional emails or logic rules by department field.
3. Can requesters edit their project after submission?
   Yes, enable edit access or use a portal so users can update their own requests securely.
   📘 Learn more: How to let users view and edit their own data in your portal

Your automated approval flow is live

You’ve built a complete, no-code project approval system with smart logic, automated emails, and dashboards. Every request now routes, approves, and updates automatically, saving your team time and keeping projects moving fast.
📘 Learn more: Share your form or app with your team or audience

Last updated October 2025

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