2544336 - Custom MDF workflow and its behavior depending on Pending Data = Yes/ No.

• Workflow approver cannot update/see the "Update" button in workflow request.
• Unapproved data in custom MDF object getting saved/visible before the approval from Approver.
• The effect of object level field Pending Data = Yes/ No on the workflow behavior.

"Image/data in this KBA is from SAP internal systems, sample data, or demo systems. Any resemblance to real data is purely coincidental."

• SAP SuccessFactors HCM Suite
• Metadata Framework (MDF)
• SAP SuccessFactors HCM Core

Here are options and its results depending of configuration set.

1. Create data for custom MDF object and click Save, which will generate approval process.
2. Click Confirm.
3. Proxy as the Approver and see the requests pending for your approval.
4. No "Update" button on the approval screen. Only "Approve" and "Send Back" or "Approve" and "Decline" buttons are there. Fields in the request are not editable to approver.
   
   

There can be two configurations, which can result to this behavior:

1. "Edit transaction" set to "No Edit" in the workflow attached to the object.
   To check this Go to Admin Center -> Manage Organization, Pay and Job Structures -> Select "Workflow" from left drop-down -> Select the desired workflow
   
   
   
   
2. "Pending Data" set to "No" in the object definition.
   To check this Go to Admin Center -> Configure Object Definition -> Select "Object Definition" from the left drop down -> Select the desired object.
   
   

1. "Edit transaction" should be set to either "Edit with Route Change" or "Edit without Route Change" in the workflow attached to the object.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. "Pending Data" should be set to "Yes" in the object definition.
   
   
   Note: If you are facing the error "Changes are not allowed in object definition and pending data for xxx because incomplete workflow request(s) exist(s) for the concerned object" is needed removing pending workflows on Manage Workflow Requests page before submitting this change.
   
   
3. Then the approver will have option to Update and edit the fields in the request.
   

Please note:

• If you set the Pending Data = No, it means that data will be saved without the approval from the Approver. Approver will not have the "Update" button, and they won't be able to make any changes in the data in the request. Whatever decision approver takes (Decline or Approve) will not have any impact on the data.
  • Buttons available to approver = "Approve" and "Decline"
• If you set the Pending data = Yes, it means that data does not get saved until the workflow request is approved. No more records can be created for the same object until the already pending request is approved. If the approver approves, then the data will get saved, otherwise if he/she Send back the request, data will be removed from the system and then new request can be created.
  • Buttons available to approver = "Approve", "Update" and "Send Back" (by default) or "Decline" - as of the 2H 2025 Release, for MDF objects with Pending Data set to Yes, you can select either the Show Decline Option or the Show Send Back Option in the Workflow Approval Behavior field, for the corresponding actions to appear on the Workflow Details page. For more details, refer to Decline Option Supported for Workflow Requests of MDF Objects with Pending Data.
  • After the first request got approved, the user will be able to submit multiple requests with different Effective Start Dates - see KBA 2583967 for more info.
• The data which is pending for approval, will only be visible through History (in the legacy profile) and there will be no option to edit that. 
• For data which is pending for approval, with the New Full Employee Profile, the pending record is no longer visible using history. Instead there are 2 new permissions on the secured object permissions "View Pending Approvals" and "Review Pending Approvals"
  > With the permission "View Pending Approvals" > you will see a triangle in the top left of the card which if you click on will show there is pending data (it will not show you the pending record).
  > With the permission "Review Pending Approvals" > you will have a link within that triangle that will direct the user to the pending workflow to see the details of the record pending.
• Please ensure that there are no workflows in 'Sent Back' or 'Pending' status before attempting to change the pending status
  
  
  
  
  
• Additionally, a message "You cannot make any more changes to the record until your pending workflow requests have been approved or rejected. Reach out to the workflow approver to take appropriate action." will appear on the data that is pending for the approval.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Admin has to either approve the already pending request or manually cancel it, if new data needs to be created for same externalCode/User;
• The setting "Pending Data" in object definition cannot be changed while there are workflow request still pending.
• If "Edit Transaction" has been set as "Edit with route change", a new workflow request will be re-triggered after the approver updates the original workflow request.
• If "Edit Transaction" has been set as "Edit without route change", the current step will be skipped after the approver updates the original workflow request.

• KBA 2768151 - Triggering workflows on MDF objects using business rule
• KBA 2080181 - Respect Permission Functionality in Workflow Configurations - EC
• KBA 2080108 - Workflow Role Types - Employee Central
• KBA 2224090 - Workflow does not respect CC user’s Role Based Permissions 
• KBA 2583967 - Custom MDF: Unable to edit or insert new record when there is an approval pending
• KBA 2791120 - Error When Changing Pending Data for Work Order Object to yes
• KBA 2583967 - Unable to edit or insert new record in a custom MDF Object when there is an approval pending
• Implementing and Configuring Workflows in Employee Central
• Decline Option Supported for Workflow Requests of MDF Objects with Pending Data
• Additional Object Configurations

Custom MDF, Workflow, Pending Data, Approval, Edit, custom MDF, workflow routing,  non-actionable, Edit transaction, Edit without Route Change, workflow, Update, Send Back, Approve, Decline, Approve , KBA , LOD-SF-MDF-WFL , Custom Object based Workflows , LOD-SF-EC-WFL , Workflows - Configuration, Tools, Objects & Rules , LOD-SF-MDF-OBJ , Object Definition & Field Related Issues , Problem