Basically, I want the user to be able to select 'Preparing for Submission' or 'Ready to Submit', but I only want the approval process to be able to select 'Step 1', 'Step 2', 'Step 3', 'Approved'. Is this possible?

Thanks!

Attribution to: jackerman09

Possible Suggestion/Solution #1

Yes, it is, with Record Types (see https://na1.salesforce.com/help/doc/en/editing_picklists_for_record_types_and_business_processes.htm for details.) You could have one Record Type "In Approval" with all of the options with a different one for the users. Workflows or triggers could automatically switch the Record Type as necessary.

Attribution to: Mike Chale

Possible Suggestion/Solution #2

If you did not want to bother with changing record types, you could use a validation rule which prevents the user from picking those values even though he can see them.

Have a hidden checkbox field Pending_Approval__c The validation rule would prevent the user selecting any others picklist values except the three you intend for them to

AND(
NOT(Pending_Approval__c),
OR(
ISPICKVAL(Field__c, 'Step 1'),
ISPICKVAL(Field__c, 'Step 2'),
ISPICKVAL(Field__c, 'Step 3'),
ISPICKVAL(Field__c, 'Approved')
)

)

As the initial submission action of the Approval Process, set Pending_Approval__c = true That will the let the Approval Process update to any of the picklist values Then as the Final Approval and Rejection actions, use a Field Update to set Pending_Approval__c back to false.

Attribution to: techtrekker
This content is remixed from stackoverflow or stackexchange. Please visit https://salesforce.stackexchange.com/questions/3341