Is there a way to pause a workflow until a manual approval record is created?

[Wayne Richmond]

I am creating a form for travel requests that requires several approval stages. The first approval is the user's line manager (1) which they specify when completing the form so that is fine. However, the process calls for the line manager to approve the request then specify the security focal point (2) who becomes the next approver. They then approve the request and if it is for intentional travel, a third approver (the country director (3)) is required which the security focal point needs to specify. 

I created a workflow which I thought would manage this with several manual approval stages, however, they clearly don't work as I expected. I expected the workflow to pause until an approval record was created, at which point it would move to that stage. Is there a way to achieve this behaviour?

I think I might have to add fields on the form to store the names of the approvers before they are generated. Hopefully there's an easier way.

Thanks

[Ankur Bawiskar]

Hi Wayne,

the flow looks good; the workflow approval activity will pause anyhow till it is either approved/rejected.

What issue you are facing?

Mark Correct if this solves your issue and also mark Helpful if you find my response worthy based on the impact.
Thanks
Ankur

[Wayne Richmond]

After the line manager approves their stage, the workflow continues all the way through to the join, ignoring the manual approvals. Is does not pause.

Here is the form showing the line manager's approved approval record:

Here is the workflow at the join stage having skipped the manual approvals:

[DirkRedeker]

Hi The manual approval workflow activity does never wait. I just takes manual approval user records into account, that exist, when the Activity becomes active. If the line manager will add those, BEFORE he approves, that should work. Each Approval Workflow activity automatically transitions to approved, if there is no approver record available. So does the manual approval workflow activity. But as far as you cannot make sure, the line manager will add the manual approver, before he approves, you can only achieve with another 'Wait for' workflow activity just before the manual approval.... You could wait for a new field for that approver to be filled in, or may be by script to look for open approval records added... If I understood you correctly, I see no other option. Let me know if that solved your problem and mark my answer as correct or helpful. BR Dirk

[Wayne Richmond]

Thanks Dirk, this confirms what I thought about the logic. It looks like I'll need to create fields on the forms to store the names of the approvers and wait for them to be populated before the approval record is created.