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Small and medium business | Business Central, N...
Suggested Answer

Workflow User Group – Parallel Approver Remains Open After Another User Approves

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Posted on by 2

Hello Community,

We are configuring a multi-level approval workflow in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central using a Workflow User Group.

Workflow User Group Setup

User     Sequence No.

Raza    1

Ujala   2

Arif       2

Shagufta          3

The required approval flow is:

  1. Raza approves at Sequence 1.
  2. Either Ujala or Arif approves at Sequence 2.
  3. The request then moves to Shagufta at Sequence 3.
  4. Shagufta provides the final approval and the document is released.

Workflow Configuration

The approval request is created using:

  • Approver Type: Workflow User Group
  • Workflow User Group Code: The group containing the above users

For the final approval branch, we have configured the following responses:

  • Approve the approval request for the record.
  • Remove record restriction.
  • Release the document.

Actual Behavior

When Ujala approves at Sequence 2:

  • Ujala’s approval entry becomes Approved.
  • The workflow successfully moves to Shagufta at Sequence 3.
  • Arif’s approval entry at Sequence 2 remains Open.
  • The request continues to appear in Arif’s Requests to Approve page.

After Shagufta provides the final approval:

  • The document is released successfully.
  • Arif’s approval entry still remains Open.

Expected Behavior

Because Ujala and Arif are alternative approvers at the same sequence, approval by either one should move the workflow to Sequence 3.

Once Ujala approves, we expect Arif’s unused approval request to be automatically closed, canceled, or otherwise removed from his Requests to Approve page.

The system should not leave an actionable Open approval request for Arif after the workflow has already moved to Shagufta and the document has been finally approved and released.

 

I have the same question (1)
  • Suggested answer
    TarikJerkovic Profile Picture
    349 on at

    Hi @CU23100348-0 

     

    Your setup appears to be almost correct. In standard Business Central, when two approvers have the same Sequence No. and a higher sequence exists, approval by either user should move the request to the next sequence.

    As a possible correction, please verify whether “Approve the approval request for the record” is included in the “An approval request is approved” branch for Sequence 2, rather than only in the final approval branch.

    However, the exact adjustment depends on the workflow step structure. Could you please share screenshots of the Workflow Steps and Workflow Responses configured for Sequence 2 and the transition to Sequence 3?

     

    Kind regards 

    Tarik Jerkovic

  • Suggested answer
    AndrewThomas81 Profile Picture
    2,327 on at

    Where users have the same sequence number, I believe the other user's approval entry will remain open.  It is not closed by the other user at the same level.

     

    Kind Regards

     

    Andrew Thomas FCCA MCP

    YouTube - Use Business Central

    LinkedIn

  • Suggested answer
    YUN ZHU Profile Picture
    102,670 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

    This is standard behavior; I’ve implemented customizations for this before—automatically closing the open approval entry once the automatic approval is complete.
    You could also submit this idea to Microsoft.

    Missing a feature? Post or vote for ideas on: aka.ms/BCIdeas

     

    Thanks.

    ZHU

  • Suggested answer
    OussamaSabbouh Profile Picture
    18,588 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

    Hello, 
    This behavior is partly standard: because Ujala and Arif share Sequence No. 2 and Shagufta is at a higher sequence, approval by either Ujala or Arif correctly moves the workflow to Sequence 3; however, Microsoft only documents that the second approval is no longer required—it does not state that the unused approval entry is automatically canceled, so Arif’s entry may remain Open and visible in Requests to Approve even after final release. There is no workflow configuration response that reliably closes these sibling entries; if they must be removed, this requires a small AL customization to cancel the remaining open approval entries at the same sequence when one user approves, or a Microsoft support request to confirm whether your specific BC version has a product defect.

    Regards,
    Oussama Sabbouh

  • Gerardo Rentería García Profile Picture
    27,611 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

Under review

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