SharePoint Online Workflow problem

Question

I have a simple approval workflow created in SharePoint Designer 2013 that only works for users who are in the Site Collection Administrators group.  If the user isn't in the Site Collection Admins then they get an error when trying to Approve or Reject the request.  A user starts the workflow by completing an InfoPath form that then triggers an email notification, the user notified can then approve, reject or reassign the task - only they will get an error saying 'the form cannot be opened in a web browser.  To open this form, use Microsoft InfoPath' - even though the user has InfoPath installed.  If I add the user to the site collection admins group then it works as expected.

Answer 1

Hi 365 Questions,

If I create an approval workflow on a form library, it works. Therefore, to confirm if the issue is related to the users’ permissions or some special settings on the form library, could you create an approval workflow via the following steps to see If the issue persists:

1. Go to the form library and click LIBRARY > Workflow Settings > Add a Workflow.
2. Select a workflow template: Approval – SharePoint 2010 and configure other settings > Next.
3. Approvers: enter the user out of the Site collection admin group into the Assign to box.

4. Save.
5. Add or change a form in the library and check the result.

Regards,

Shirley

Answer 2

Ok, I was able to create a sample workflow and send an email directly to a user.

For the other questions.

1. the user is an approver and gets an email notification with a link to the item in the Tasks list.
2. Yes, the user gets the error message below after clicking a link
3. I think they only get the error when clicking the link in the tasks list and then try to approve.  They can view and fill out a form in the Form Library

Answer 3

Hi 365 Questions,

About the issue, please create a sample workflow and send an email to a user instead of looking up the approvers from a list to check the result.

In addition, to narrow down the issue, could you confirm the following detail?

1. About “then triggers an email notification”, could you share with us a screenshot about the email received?
2. Does the user get the error message saying the form cannot be opened in a web browser when click some link to review the changes?
3. Does the issue occur when the user who is not in the Site Collection Admins group open the form in the SharePoint library with browser?

Regards,

Shirley

Answer 4

Ok, I've attached a screenshot.  The participants are variables used that lookup users from another list - approver1, approver2... are pulled from a different list in SharePoint.

Answer 5

Hi 365 Questions,

To narrow down the issue, could you clarify the following details?

1. Could you share with us a screenshot about the approval workflow? So that we can try to design the workflow as same as you did.

2. Please share with us a screenshot about the recipients when adding triggering an email notification action in the workflow as below:

3. Could you share with the detailed steps to design the workflow with SharePoint Designer client?

Regards,

Shirley