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How Do You Streamline a Manual, Email-Driven Approval Process?

The timesheet approval process at a regional hospital was completely manual and dependent on a single point of contact.

To fix this, I developed a workflow automation that automated approval requests, streamlined tracking, and eliminated manual follow-ups - eliminating the need for that point of contact and faster approvals and better visibility across teams

Product
OpenClose
Type of Project
OpenClose
Role/Team
OpenClose

Challenge

A healthcare management company relied on a email-driven process for locum provider timesheet approvals. The timesheet approval process was completely manual and dependent on a single point of contact.

Each week, physicians submitted timesheets via email to this contact, who then had to:

  • Manually review the submission for accuracy
  • Determine and forward it to the correct supervisor for approval
  • Track responses, send follow-ups, and handle revisions if feedback was needed.
  • Manually route approvals to finance for payroll processing

With no automated tracking or reminders, this created significant inefficiencies:

  • Delays in approvals due to scattered email threads
  • No tracking system for pending approvals, leading to confusion
  • Billing and payroll delays because the finance team lacked visibility into approved timesheets

The company needed an automated solution to eliminate manual intervention, improve tracking, and ensure timely approvals.

Workflow Process & Implementation

Implementation Process

I was trusted to lead this project independently, working directly with the company’s primary point of contact to gather requirements, evaluate & propose vendors for the automation tool, design & develop out the system, and test, refine, and ultimately deploy the solution.

This was a proof-of-concept implementation, designed to show how automation could streamline operations and reduce administrative burden.

1
Understanding the Existing Workflow
2
Selecting the Automation Tool
3
Developing the Automated Workflow
4
Testing, Refining & Presenting the System
1. Understanding the Existing Workflow

I first mapped out the manual approval process, identifying where delays and inefficiencies occurred.

Key findings included:

  • All approvals were managed through email, requiring constant follow-ups
  • Supervisors had no reminders and often forgot to approve timesheets
  • Billing teams had no structured way to track which timesheets had been approved
2. Selecting the Right Automation Tool

I evaluated several workflow automation platforms, including:

  • Zoho Flow - Had automation capabilities but lacked seamless Microsoft integration
  • HubSpot Workflows - More suited for marketing, not operations.
  • Power Automate (Previously Microsoft Flow) – The best fit due to:
    • Seamless integration with Microsoft tools already in use (Outlook, SharePoint)
    • Lower cost compared to third-party automation tools
    • Scalability for automating other workflows beyond timesheets

After discussions with the company and providing my recommendations, Power Automate was selected as the automation tool

3. Designing & Building the Automated Workflow

I developed a custom Power Automate flow that eliminated manual intervention by digitizing the process:

Timesheet Submission via Email

  • Providers submit their timesheets via email attachment
  • Power Automate monitors a designated inbox for new submissions, checking to see if email has the appropriate subject line and an attachment

Email Filtering & Provider Verification

  • The system cross-references the sender’s email and Unique Provider ID against the provider database in Excel.
  • If the email format is incorrect or the provider ID does not match, the system:
    • Sends an automated response notifying the sender of the issue.
    • Terminates the workflow to prevent unverified timesheets from entering the approval process.
  • This ensures only properly formatted and verified submissions move forward, reducing errors and manual intervention.

Automated Approval Request Routing

  • Once a timesheet is received, Power Automate extracts key details and sends an approval request to the assigned supervisor.
  • The supervisor receives an Outlook email with action buttons to:
    • Approved: The system logs the approval and moves the timesheet forward
    • Approved (w/Comments): The provider is notified of any further changes or comments
    • Rejected (w/Comments): The timesheet is flagged as declined with the supervisor’s comments

Escalation and Automated Reminders

  • If the supervisor does not approve or reject within 24 hours, Power Automate sends a follow-up reminder.
  • If the request remains pending after 48 hours, it is escalated to senior management for resolution.
4. Testing & Refining the System
  • Conducted iterative testing to ensure the workflow functioned as expected
  • Trained point-of-contact on UAT testing 
  • Ensured all actions were logged for compliance and future audits

Project Impact

📌 Eliminated Single-Person Dependency

  • The point of contact no longer has to manually track and route approvals - the system does it automatically
  • Supervisors receive timesheets directly without waiting for manual forwarding

🕰️ Reduced Approval Turnaround Time

  • Supervisors receive automated approval requests with built-in action buttons
  • Reminders and escalations ensure approvals aren’t forgotten or delayed

Love what you see?

Please feel free to reach out!

linkedin.com/in/dagoye
deborahagoye@gmail.com