Creating a multi-approver approval process

Question

Does anyone know of a way of creating a multi-step approval process? I.e. When one approver approves it, case is sent to the next approver ( approver 2) then when approver 2 approves it, it goes to the last approver .

1. Records enters entry criteria
2. Approver 1 approves then
3. Approver 2 approves after approver 1 has approved then
4. Approver 3 approves after approver 2 has approved.
5. Finalize.

Is this possible to be done with the standard approval process?

Thanks.

Answer 1

This is all definitely possible inside Salesforce's approval process. It utilizes approval steps. This would utilize a 3 step approach.

Here is a Youtube demonstration of a scenario of requiring two approvers. Here is another Youtube video from a Dreamforce session that goes more into depth on workflow and approval process.

Finally, here are some more examples of approval process to help you along.

Answer 2

Each Serial Approver in an Approval Process is an individual Approval Step, as long as each's entry criteria is met along that serial process.

If you need 3 Serial Approvers then you have 3 Approval Steps, but ensure the 3 step have a same entry criteria.

The reason this is not understood well, is because there is nothing in the UI that indicates one step moves to the next, only if it meets the criteria does it do this. Step 1 is approved Step 2 is attempted (assuming criteria is meet.

If they don't have the same criteria some will happen and some wont, but of course the Approval actions can set fields and this can facilitate which steps are processed (but this is not required).