The instructions below will assist with resolving the error “There is a problem with this approval: Invalid outcome ABSTAINED.” So, the approver can successfully action the invoice.

Audience

• User with the Community Administrator role.

Cause of the Error

This error typically occurs when:

• The original requisition creator's profile is disabled.
• The order has been reassigned to a new user and
• The reassigned user attempts to approve the invoice, causing an invalid “ABSTAINED” outcome.

Steps to Resolve the Error

1. Review the invoice approvals

• Locate the invoice, in Unimarket.
• Click the Approvals tab, to identify who the invoice is currently sitting with.

2. Check the related order

• Click the order number hyperlink, to confirm whether the approver is the original requisition creator.

3. Verify the original creator's profile status

• Go to the Administration module and click Users.
• Locate the original requisition creator's profile, to confirm it is disabled.

4. Temporarily enable the user

• If the user is disabled, change the status to Enabled. This restores the approvers ability, to complete approval actions.

5. Refresh the invoice approval

• Return to the invoice and refresh the approval state, by selecting More Actions > Refresh Approvals. This ensures the approval workflow updates correctly.

6. Approve on behalf of the original requisition creator

• Switch into the original requisition creator's profile.
• Approve the invoice.
• Add a comment: “Approved by administrator on behalf of the user.”

7. Disable the original requisition creator's profile

• Revert the user back to Disabled, to maintain proper user lifecycle control.

Results/Validation

• The invoice approval completes successfully.
• The “Invalid outcome ABSTAINED” error no longer appears.
• Approval audit trail includes the Administrator's comment.