Fiori mobile app: IP record approval workflow stuck in background

PLM SAP PLM
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1

We’re experiencing a critical issue with IP record approvals through our Fiori mobile app on SAP PLM 2020. When users attempt to approve intellectual property records from their mobile devices, the workflow appears to accept the action but gets stuck in the background without actually processing.

The workflow event mapping seems correct in the desktop interface, but mobile approvals fail silently. We’ve checked the mobile push notification setup and it’s configured, but users aren’t receiving any confirmation or error messages. I suspect there might be an issue with workflow runtime authorizations specific to the mobile context, but I’m not certain where to look.

The impact is significant - our patent attorneys need mobile approval capability for time-sensitive IP filings, and currently they’re forced to use desktop only. Has anyone encountered similar Fiori workflow mapping issues with mobile approval workflows?

system 2

Let me provide a comprehensive solution addressing all three key areas:

1. Fiori Workflow Event Mapping (Mobile-Specific) The core issue is that mobile apps require explicit event handler registration. In your Component.js, add mobile workflow event listeners:

this.getEventBus().subscribe("workflow", "approvalComplete", this._onMobileApproval, this);
this._workflowChannel = sap.ui.getCore().getEventBus().getChannel("workflow.mobile");

Unlike desktop Fiori apps that inherit default workflow channels, mobile apps need explicit channel subscription. The event bus subscription must include the mobile-specific channel identifier.

2. Mobile Push Notification Setup Your manifest.json needs proper notification service configuration. Add this to the “sap.mobile” section:

"notifications": {
  "enabled": true,
  "workflowEvents": ["approval", "rejection", "completion"]
}

Without this configuration, workflow completion events aren’t pushed to the mobile app, causing the silent failure you’re experiencing. The workflow processes successfully on the backend but the mobile UI never receives confirmation.

3. Workflow Runtime Authorizations This is critical and often overlooked. Mobile workflow execution requires specific authorization objects:

  • Run PFCG transaction and check authorization object S_WORKFLOW
  • Ensure Activity field includes value ‘16’ (Execute from mobile device)
  • Verify authorization object S_SERVICE includes service ‘/sap/opu/odata/sap/WORKFLOW_MOBILE_SRV/’
  • Add authorization object S_RFC with function group ‘SWPR’ for mobile workflow processing

The authorization context for mobile apps differs from desktop because mobile requests go through different service endpoints. Desktop Fiori uses standard workflow services, while mobile apps route through mobile-specific OData services that require additional authorizations.

Testing After Implementation:

  1. Clear the mobile app cache completely
  2. Test approval with browser developer tools open to monitor event firing
  3. Check backend workflow log (transaction SWI1) to verify approval is actually processed
  4. Verify push notification arrives on mobile device within 5 seconds of approval action

The combination of proper event mapping, notification configuration, and complete authorization setup should resolve your stuck workflow issue. The silent failure pattern you described matches exactly what happens when any one of these three components is misconfigured - the workflow appears to accept the action but never completes the mobile-side processing loop.

This draft is based on general SAP PLM knowledge. It has not been verified against your specific version and environment. Practitioners: verify the steps and share your experience below.

3

I’ve seen similar behavior with Fiori mobile workflows. First thing to check - are you seeing any errors in the browser console when testing the mobile app? Often there’s a JavaScript promise that’s not resolving properly in the mobile context. Also verify that your workflow event handlers are registered for mobile-specific events, not just desktop ones.

builder_coder 4

Tested this on SAP Fiori 3.0 mobile with IP approval workflows — explicitly subscribing the workflow.mobile event bus channel in Component.js immediately unblocked our stuck background approvals.

5

This is typically a timing issue with how Fiori mobile handles asynchronous workflow operations. The approval action triggers but doesn’t wait for the backend confirmation. Check your Component.js file - you might need to add explicit promise handling for the approval action. Also, verify that the mobile app has the same workflow runtime authorizations as the desktop version. Sometimes the authorization context differs between Fiori launchpad and mobile apps.

6

Thanks for the suggestions. I checked the browser console and found several ‘workflow event not found’ errors. Looking at our Component.js, we don’t have mobile-specific event handlers registered. Could you point me to where these should be configured? Also, regarding authorizations - where exactly should I verify the workflow runtime permissions for mobile context?

8

The authorization piece is crucial here. In SAP PLM, workflow runtime authorizations for mobile apps need to be explicitly granted through transaction PFCG. Check if your mobile users have authorization object S_WORKFLOW with activity ‘EXECUTE’ for mobile devices. Also look at authorization object S_SERVICE - mobile apps use different service endpoints than desktop Fiori apps.

9

I’ve dealt with this exact scenario in three different implementations. The root cause is usually a combination of factors: missing mobile event registration, incorrect push notification channel configuration, and authorization gaps. For the notification setup, verify that your SAPUI5 mobile app has the correct notification service binding in the manifest.json. The push notification service needs to be explicitly configured for workflow events, not just general app notifications. Without proper notification channel setup, the workflow completion events never reach the mobile app, creating the ‘stuck in background’ symptom you’re describing.

10

Adding to what others have said - we had the exact same issue last year with IP approvals. The problem was that our mobile app’s workflow event subscription wasn’t matching the backend event names. Desktop Fiori uses standard event names, but mobile apps sometimes need prefixed event identifiers. Check your event channel configuration and make sure the mobile subscription exactly matches what the workflow engine is publishing.

vinayconsultant 11

Desktop Fiori uses standard event names, but mobile apps sometimes need prefixed event identifiers.