Error approving a workflow through email notifications for Microsoft Dynamics GP: "Request Error - The server encountered an error processing the request. See server logs for more details."

We have many customers using Workflow functionality in Microsoft Dynamics GP, and more and more are looking to have approvers be able to take action (Approve, Reject, Delegate) those workflows through email notifications sent to the workflow approvers, so those users don't need to login to the Microsoft Dynamics GP application.

In doing so, many are running into the following error in a browser window when they click on the action links in the workflow approval emails:

"Request Error / The server encountered an error processing the request. See server logs for more details."

Normally, when we see this type of error, the first thing we want to do is verify whether Web Services for Microsoft Dynamics GP is installed and working correctly, as well as whether Web Services is installed on that specific company database.

The action links in the Workflow approval emails is making a call to the /Dynamics/GPService URL, which is the native endpoint for Web Services.

To troubleshoot this error, we'd look at the following:

>>Go through the following KB article to verify that Web Services for Dynamics GP is installed and working correctly:
 
       https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/950844/how-to-verify-if-microsoft-dynamics-gp-web-services-is-functioning-cor  

>>Against your DYNAMICS/system database for Dynamics GP, run the following script:
 
                      Select * from WSInstallStatus
 
    In this table, you should see 5 loader records for the DYNAMICS/system database that Web Services is installed onto and 4 loader records for each company database that has Web Services installed.
 
    All records should show the same major and minor version values, to match that of what version of Dynamics GP you're currently upgraded to. For example, 18.3.1175 which is the Web Services version for Dynamics GP 18.3, as well as a Status of 0 (zero), meaning that the loader was installed successfully.
 
    If you do not see the company database(s) that you’re using Workflow in, then you’ll need to run the Web Services Configuration Wizard to install Web Services onto it, otherwise you won’t be able to approve workflows through email for that company database.
 
    As well, if Web Services for Dynamics GP hasn't been installed/upgraded to the same version of Dynamics GP you upgraded to, that will need to be done before using it with Workflow.

>>Make sure all approvers can successfully access the native endpoint URL that Web Services would be using in the action links for the Workflow approval emails:

           http://ServerName:48620/Dynamics/GPService

    Replace ServerName with the actual server name that Web Services is installed onto).
 
    If the approvers cannot access this endpoint URL in a browser window, we need to identify why, otherwise the workflow email links won’t work. 

>>Within Dynamics GP application, browse to the Workflow Setup window (Administration > Setup > System > Workflow Setup) and in the bottom part of the window, under 'Enable E-Mail Actions', verify the server name shows the correct server name that Web Services is installed onto, the port number by default should be 48620 and the option for SSL should not be marked, again, by default.

***NOTE: The 'Test E-mail Actions' button in this window just tests for the presence of Web Services, it doesn't verify whether Web Services is actually installed and working correctly.

Some additional notes regarding this error message and email approval functionality:

1. Approvers must be logged onto the machine where they’re accessing the workflow email notifications as the specific Windows user account that the workflow is assigned to and/or passing those credentials through the email application, otherwise they won’t have the option to approve, reject or delegate the workflows whether in the Dynamics GP application or through emails.
 
     In other words, if the workflow is pending approval from Contoso\JohnDoe, the approver must be logged onto the server or machine they’re accessing their workflow emails on or passing those credentials, as Contoso\JohnDoe, then, if after they click the approval links it prompts them again for user credentials, they’ll also want to enter the same user credentials of the account the workflow is assigned to and pending approval from.

2. Web Services uses HTTP by default, users clicking the approval links in the emails for Workflow MUST be logged onto the same domain/network as Web Services and Dynamics GP are installed onto.

     External users would need to VPN into the network or have Web Services configured to use https/SSL certificate, for which we have a blog on that we also just updated:

      ***Updated***Web Services: Steps to change Web Services address from http to https in Microsoft Dynamics GP - Microsoft Dynamics GP Community

3. If you've upgraded Microsoft Dynamics GP to the 18.3 version, you MUST use the MDGPFALL2020_DVD media to install/upgrade Web Services, as there were changes made to Web Services that require this media and this also has the required KB4527536 patch for Web Services already in it.

    Issues you may see if you don't use this media is the functional currency test in the Web Services Configuration Wizard fail with a blue question mark, followed by no company databases present to install/upgrade Web Services on.

    Another issue is the Microsoft Dynamics GP Service Host service, for Web Services, will not start and remain running.

Hopefully this will help get past this error message when users attempt to approve workflows through email notifications for Microsoft Dynamics GP and give some additional information to look at if the issue does arise.

Thank you!!