Workflow circular

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Posted on by Hun33

Hello!

I would like to create a workflow, which has a feedback loop in it.

I have a conditional decision. If the condition is false, I want to return to a previous task in my workflow, but i get the error "A sequence flow is invalid because it points to a previous workflow element. You cannot create a circular workflow". How can I solve this?

Thank you for your help in advance.

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André Arnaud de Cal... 299,704 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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RE: Workflow circular

Hi Hun,

This is not possible. It should be a flow from start to end. You can only have conditions or parallel tasks, but it is not allowed to refer back to a previous element. This to prevent an endless loop.

Can you describe the situation where you would like to have this? I'm curious.

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Jonathan Halland 11,310 on at

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RE: Workflow circular

Hi Hun.

As per Andre's request, can you post the scenario that you are looking to solve. We have had a similar looping requirement in the past with regards to multiple approval levels that I was able to create a workaround for. E.G. Each person in a chain of responsibility must approve a record until a person with the correct limits also approves.

Kind regards

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Hun33 on at

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RE: Workflow circular

Thanks for the reply. My employer wants me to create a workflow, with the following situation: You have a document (let's say a vendor invoice with an attachment). When you submit your invoice, you need other people to approve. If they don't approve, you need to make changes in the attachment, and try again. I said resubmitting a simple workflow would solve this, but he insisted, that workflows like this were available in SAP, and i should try to find a solution.

(Here is a picture about the workflow I need to create: www.dropbox.com/.../wf.png)

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André Arnaud de Cal... 299,704 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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RE: Workflow circular

This is not how AX workflow works. If a person returns the workflow, you can make changes and resubmit. So AX is not SAP. When the approval is pending, you are usually not allowed to make any changes in AX.

But what is the difference? If it worked in SAP, someone had to tell the workflow to retry when finished changing the attachment. Now it is a button called Resubmit in AX...

So in fact it is supported, but "he" should have bought SAP now if "he" does not like this AX workflow.

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Verified answer

Jonathan Halland 11,310 on at

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RE: Workflow circular

Hi Hun.

The scenario you describe is exactly what the return / resubmit cycle does in AX. What exactly does your employer not like about this?

I suspect it may simply be about the terminology that the users are encountering e.g. "Return" / "Reject" or "Resubmit". If this is the case you can simply change the labels for the action buttons to read something that reflects what they are doing better e.g. "Request change", "Continue" etc....

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Hun33 on at

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RE: Workflow circular

Hello,

Thank you both for your help!

Kind regards

Hun

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Geert G on at

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RE: Workflow circular

Dear,

I have a simmilar issue. I have a workflow on vendor invoices. There the need to review the matching discrepancies. I would like that the workflow only continous when the invoice has no matching discrepacnies left.

I tried to add a task and work with an occasional decission when the review task was finished he checks that there are no more matching discrepancies left. At this time I have the error "circular workflow".

How can I prevent the workflow to go to the next step when they click accept but there are still matching discrepancies ?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Kind regards

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Jonathan Halland 11,310 on at

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RE: Workflow circular

Hi Geert.

You can add additional checks in the code behind on the "complete" menu-item for your review task. In this code you can prevent the user from "Completing" the step until all descrepencies have been resolved.

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Geert G on at

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RE: Workflow circular

Hi Thanks for your answer however I try to find a standard solution.

Kind regards

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Mohamed-Amine HAMDAOUI 72 on at

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RE: Workflow circular

Hi,

I dont realy understand why standard doesn't allow creating a go back to a previsous worflow element? Any one from that can explain, why this restriction is implemented?

For example I have a workflow composed of 2 Task and next 2 approval : Task1->Approval1 -> Task2 -> Approval2 I want to set workflow :

go back to the Task2 if the Approval2 is rejected.

No one takes Task2 within the time, go back to Task1

As a developer, I forced the worklow to accept the version that contain the loop (conditional decision) and Enable it. And It works fine!

Best regards,

Mohamed Amine

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