Find where the request stopped: before submission, at an approval step, during final approval, or after it closed. The request page usually names the requirement that no longer holds.

Do not create a duplicate request until you understand the existing one.

Before you begin

Activity Permission and scope required
Submit a request Submit position requests plus View positions for the affected department
Decide a request Assignment to the active approval step and access to the request
Cancel your request Requester access while the request is active
Act for another approver or override an active request Administer active approval requests plus View positions for the affected department
Change workflow or approver setup Manage organization settings

Submission is blocked

Check:

  1. Every required proposed value is complete.
  2. Effective dates are valid and the position is not active before required information begins.
  3. No conflicting request is active for the position.
  4. Every required step in the selected request-type workflow has an eligible approver other than the requester.
  5. The requester has the Submit position requests and View positions permissions for the affected department.
  6. A new active position has an unreserved paid position place.
  7. Every required named file box contains its own file; an additional file does not satisfy it.
  8. Any blank form offered by a named field is ready to download.
  9. The request type has an available reason group with at least one available choice, a reason is selected, and sensitive justification is present when that workflow requires it.

Correct the named issue, review the request again, and submit.

No eligible approver

The requester cannot decide their own request. If a required step has no other eligible approver, an approval administrator must correct step or approver setup before submission.

Review:

  • The request type and its workflow’s step availability.
  • Department approvers for those exact request-type steps.
  • Active user memberships.
  • Role and department access.
  • Requester’s identity.
  • The workflow’s Workflow defaults, including its Complete through selection.
  • For position change only, any later steps assigned to the changed fields.

Do not grant broad access solely to bypass one request. Configure the intended approver responsibility.

Request is waiting at a step

Open the step detail and confirm:

  • The step is active.
  • At least one selected approver is active.
  • The request appears in My approvals > Ready now for the intended approver.
  • A prior decision did not already move or close it.
  • Notification delivery is not being mistaken for assignment status.

The request remains available in FTE Tree even if an email is delayed.

A file is blocking approval

Approval and an administrative approve override wait until every submitted file passes its safety check. A pending check may finish without any change from the requester. A failed, infected, unsupported, or missing check cannot be bypassed.

Open the request to identify the affected named or additional file within your access. An approval administrator can also find overdue or unavailable checks under Administrative approvals > Needs attention, but that list does not show protected filenames. Denial remains available when the request should end. If a corrected file or other information is needed later, the requester provides it in a new request.

Approver cannot decide

The person may be able to view the request without being assigned to the step that is ready. Only an approver assigned to that step can use the normal decision action.

Also check whether another eligible approver already completed the step, the request closed, or the person is viewing a different organization. One eligible decision resolves the step, so the other active assignments no longer need action.

An approval administrator can record a response for another approver when appropriate and authorized. Use an override only for an exceptional administrative decision.

Submitted FTE changed

At final approval, FTE Tree rechecks lifecycle, recorded and counted FTE, and the FTE change for every submitted effective date. It blocks application when the approved information no longer matches the reviewed package. It also checks assignments, Reports to relationships, departments on action dates, and future capacity. Review newer approved changes and prepare a current request when the original proposal is no longer valid.

The old request is not rewritten for the approver and an override does not bypass the check. Review the visible message, cancel the active request, prepare the proposal from the current approved timeline, and submit a new request. The closed request remains available as the record of what was originally reviewed.

If the request has no approval steps and was waiting for a file check, it remains Pending when the last file passes its safety check but the current FTE figures differ from the submitted figures. An approval administrator finds it under Administrative approvals > Needs attention, opens it, and cancels it with Changes required. FTE Tree does not assign an approver or approve it automatically.

Request was invalidated

An Invalidated request was closed by FTE Tree because information needed to apply it changed. A changed submitted FTE figure instead blocks final approval and requires the active request to be cancelled and resubmitted.

Compare the submitted values in the closed request with the current approved position. If the change is still needed, enter all current values needed for the proposal and create a new request. The invalidated request stays unchanged for history.

Denied or invalidated request cannot be edited

A denied or invalidated request is closed and read-only. Review the denial reason or invalidation explanation, then use the normal position editor and request process when the organization still wants the change. Earlier values, files, decisions, and approvals are not copied.

New-position approval cannot finish

Review:

  • The request still holds its reserved paid position place.
  • Required active-position values remain valid.
  • Department and job code choices are valid for each date.
  • The request is still active.

A request that already reserved a paid position can finish even if a later subscription change puts the organization over its current paid position count.

Get more help

Before asking for help, note:

  • Request number and position number.
  • Current status and step.
  • Exact visible message.
  • Intended action.
  • Approximate time.
  • Whether setup, access, or the position changed after submission.

Share this with the organization’s approval administrator first. Contact Support when the visible request status conflicts with current setup and access.