Behavior of Invalid records in RDM Approval workflow
Dear Community,
I have query regarding RDM approval workflow. In our project we have stages Initiator → Review → Publish .
It has been noticed that when a record is invalid, its status is displayed as 'INVALID,' yet it progresses in the workflow for review. The reviewer has the option to accept this invalid record, and it moves to the Publish section. However, when the approver attempts to publish the record, an error occurs, stating that the record is invalid and cannot be published.
The client is now requesting clarification on why an INVALID record is allowed to progress through these stages in the first place. They propose that it should not be permitted to move to the review state initially.
Anyone faced this scenario before? Can we do something in approval workflow configuration that record should not move to review state if it is Invalid.
Any help regarding this will be really helpful.
Best regards,
Ojaswini
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Hi Ojaswini.
You’re absolutely right that an invalid record cannot be published, even if it has been approved in a workflow.
I also agree that in your case, it makes sense to not allow an invalid record to enter a workflow.
However, workflows are not just for approval, but also for data entry, too. This means that it’s entirely possible (and often desirable) for a workflow to change the status of a record from invalid to valid.
As an example: Imagine we have a table with columns A and B. Both must be present for a record to be valid. We have a workflow with a step for another business unit to fill in column B.
When we create a record with only column A filled, it will be invalid. We then send to publish, and enter the workflow step to get the attention of the other business unit. Within the workflow, they fill column B. The record is now valid and able to be published.
If we were to change the product such that invalid records could not enter a workflow, this common design pattern would not be possible.
However, I appreciate your point, and I have passed on your suggestion to the team :)
Best,
Oliver
Hi Oliver,
Really appreciate your explanation. I will try to convince the client with the example you just gave above.
At the same time, I was just thinking if we can do something in below configuration and restrict this progress. If you know please suggest.
Best regards,
Ojaswini
HI Ojaswini.
Unfortunately there is no way to prevent invalid records from entering the workflow/publish stages.
The example you pictured would simply cause an “approve” workflow task to always appear. It’s good practice and I would always suggest its inclusion at the end of a workflow, but you would still have the issue of it being bypassable when invalid.
However, you could use the second Condition (not with the arrow but in the Statements table). This condition prevents exiting a stage of the workflow unless a certain condition is met. (It is functionally different to the arrowed condition, which places a condition on entering the stage of a workflow). If the table validations are simple, you could replicate them in this box and achieve your desired functionality.
