Workflows Stopped In-Process

[Huba H]

Hi Jody,
In my eyes a classical problem of the graphical wf builder. I had these issues tons of times: you change the existing wf by creating a new step (mostly while loop, etc.), and the wf builder does not generate the phisical node id, so the wf won't find anything to step to next, and thinks that this is the end of the flow.
You can verify this by double clicking on the very next step after the one that was last executed (mostly an 'OR', or while, or ...), and if you do not see the yellow band jumping on any step on the upper left window of the step list, then this is the issue. (Also, the wf run-time table has an entry of a weird number (like 99952) for the last step, instead of a valid step number).
Remedy: create a new step before the damaged one, and copy everything one-by-one from after the damaged step below the newly created step. (please check whether the new step - and any neighboring operator as 'OR', 'XOR' - has a valid step number in the above mentioned window of step list).
Hopefully I was clear.
Somebody from SAP: any remedy for this issue in the future ?
Rgrds, happy new year
Huba Horompoly
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Jody Chassereau [mailto:drcakes at hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2002 6:39 PM
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Workflows Stopped In-Process
 
 
Happy New Year - nothing like a new problem to start the year out on for
me...
 
I am seeing some odd behavior in a custom 4.6c template used for MM-IV
invoice approvals that I was hoping someone may have an idea on what to look
for before I involve OSS.  The problem is this: I am starting to see a
number of workflow instances that stay in a Started status even after the
current step is Completed.  The workflow does not proceed to the next step
and basically seems to be stuck somehow.
 
The scenario is this: an invoice is Saved as Completed and the workflow is
triggered.  It is routed to a 'requisitioner' level approver based on a role
that determines the person responsible for the PO involved.  This step is a
User decision that gives the approver the ability to choose Approve or
Reject -- the invoice is displayed based on a Before method for this step.
There is also a Requested End deadline based on the timeframe of 6 days from
the beginning of the workflow.  Any deadline message would be sent to the
WF-Initiator involved.
 
The problems I am seeing are on ones where the approval has been performed
and the work item says Completed.  However, the workflow never continues to
the next step.  It does not show any Error status or anything like role
resolution problems.  The graphical display shows it reaching that step, but
no further.  There are 'Wait for...' branches in the workflow (if the
document is posted, deleted, etc.), but it does not appear to have hit any
of these conditions.
 
This workflow has worked successfully, currently and in the past.  It has
worked fine proceeding after the deadline was passed.  There have been
modifications that have caused new workflow versions, but I have seen this
behavior in the current template version and the previous version.  I have
no clue at this point how it could just freeze like this (without some
apparent reason in the technical display logs) and have not experienced this
in other workflows developed.  I am used to dealing with errors that need
restarting or executing in background to push along problem workflows.
There is nothing in Error here that would allow me to reprocess.  Obviously
users are asking what is happening to these cases where the invoice doesn't
get posted through the w/f.
 
Any suggestions on what to check or why this might occur?  Thanks...
 
Jody Chassereau
drcakes at hotmail.com
 
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