How to Trigger Additional Zaps Using Human in the Loop Approvals and Responses

A practical field guide from Automation Ace.

What the New Approval Requested trigger does

Human in the Loop by Zapier includes an instant trigger called New Approval Requested. It fires when a specific Human in the Loop step runs in another Zap. That means every approval or data request can start a second Zap, which can send the request to any app, create a task, open a ticket, or record an audit entry.

Built-in notifications cover email and Slack. The trigger covers everything else: Microsoft Teams, SMS, a project management tool, a CRM task, or a custom internal system via webhooks. For an overview of the whole app, start with Zapier Human in the Loop explained.

The two-Zap pattern

Zap A (main workflow)
  Trigger → steps → Human in the Loop: Request Approval / Collect Data (pauses)
                                  │
                                  ▼
Zap B (notification / side workflow)
  Trigger: Human in the Loop — New Approval Requested (Zap A's step)
  → send message in any app, create task, log request

Zap A owns the business process and waits for the decision. Zap B reacts the moment the request is created. Zap A still resumes from its own Human in the Loop step once the reviewer responds, so Zap B does not need to pass anything back.

Step-by-step: set up the trigger

1. Build Zap A first and add its Human in the Loop step. Test it so a sample request exists.
2. Create Zap B and choose Human in the Loop → New Approval Requested as the trigger.
3. Select the specific Human in the Loop step in Zap A that should fire this trigger.
4. Test the trigger to pull in sample request data, then look at the fields available for mapping, including the request details and a link the reviewer can use to respond.
5. Add actions to deliver the request where your reviewer works: a Teams message, an SMS, an Asana or monday.com task, a help desk note, or a row in a run log table.
6. Label both Zaps so the relationship is obvious later. See how to label Zaps and automation documentation.
7. Turn on Zap B before Zap A so no request is missed.

Seven useful Zaps to trigger from approval requests

1. Notify in any chat or SMS app. Send the review link to Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, or a text message for field teams. See notification best practices for message design.
2. Create a task in the reviewer's to-do system. An Asana, ClickUp, or monday.com task with a due date that matches the timeout makes approvals visible in normal work planning. See monday.com automation.
3. Route to the right reviewer. Use Paths or a lookup table in Zap B to notify a different person by region, amount, or client.
4. Log every request for audit. Write the request, time, and source to a table or Airtable base to track volume and response time.
5. Escalate slow approvals. Add a Delay in Zap B, then check your log and send a reminder or notify a manager if the request is still open.
6. Notify a client or external approver. Send a branded email with context and the review link when the approver is outside your team.
7. Update the source record. Set a status like “Awaiting approval” in your CRM or help desk so everyone can see why the record is on hold.

Acting on the reviewer's response

The New Approval Requested trigger fires when a request is created. To act on the response, work from the Human in the Loop step in Zap A, which returns the decision and any edited or collected values once the reviewer responds:

• Branch on the decision with Paths: approved continues the main process, declined runs a notification or cleanup branch.
• Hand off to another Zap by calling a Sub-Zap or posting to a Catch Hook with the decision and data. This keeps long follow-up processes out of the main Zap. See how to chain Zaps with webhooks and passing data between Zaps.
• Close the loop in Zap B's outputs. Update the task, log row, or status you created when the request was sent, so the audit trail shows both request and outcome.

Keep the ID of the source record in every request and handoff. It is the key that links the request, the response, and the downstream work, and it prevents duplicate processing if a step retries.

Design tips and pitfalls

• One trigger per step. The trigger watches a specific Human in the Loop step. If Zap A has several review steps, decide which need custom notifications.
• Watch task usage. Every request now runs two Zaps. For high-volume flows, see how to reduce task usage.
• Plan for failure. If Zap B fails, the request still exists but nobody hears about it. Add error handling and keep a fallback email or Slack notification on the Human in the Loop step.
• Avoid loops. Do not let Zap B start Zap A again. See why a Zap gets stuck in a loop.
• Document the pair. Two linked Zaps are one system. Note the relationship so future edits do not break it. See Zapier points of failure.

For real-world scenarios to connect this way, browse 10 practical Human in the Loop use cases or read how to add human approval steps to AI workflows. Set up your first trigger in Zapier Human in the Loop.

Frequently asked questions

What does the New Approval Requested trigger do in Zapier?

New Approval Requested is an instant Human in the Loop trigger that fires when a specific Human in the Loop step runs in another Zap. Use it to send custom notifications or start follow-up workflows in any app.

Can Human in the Loop send approval requests outside email and Slack?

Yes. Build a second Zap with the New Approval Requested trigger and add actions for any app, such as Microsoft Teams, SMS, or a task manager, to deliver the request.

How do I trigger another Zap after an approval is approved or declined?

Use the output of the Human in the Loop step in the original Zap. Branch with Paths on the decision, then call a Sub-Zap or send a webhook to another Zap with the decision and data.

Does using the New Approval Requested trigger use more tasks?

The trigger starts a separate Zap, so the actions in that Zap count toward your task usage like any other Zap. Plan for this in high-volume approval workflows.