Error: Selected Approval Workflow is either marked as inactive or deleted

Short Description You're trying to edit, save, or approve a tactic and Hive9 blocks you with this error. Here's why it happens and how to clear it.

What this article answers

Why the error appears even when your Approval Workflows page looks empty.
How to replace the inactive workflow so you can save your edits.
What to do if no active workflows exist in your instance.

The error message

When you try to edit, save, or re-submit a tactic (or other plan object), you may see:

"Selected Approval Workflow is either marked as inactive or deleted. Please change Approval Workflow to submit/re-submit the [hierarchy-name]."

You may also notice:

The Approve button is hidden on the tactic's Inspection Window and on the My Approvals screen.
A second message reads: "The Approval workflow associated with this [hierarchy-name] is marked as inactive or deleted, hence the [hierarchy-name] cannot be approved further."
The Approval Tracking grid is missing or empty.

Why this happens

Every tactic in Hive9 carries a reference to the Approval Workflow it was created under. When an admin deletes or deactivates that workflow later, the tactic keeps its historical reference — even though the workflow no longer exists.

This is why Settings → Approval Workflows can look empty while individual tactics still show a workflow name in the Inspection Window. The tactic isn't broken; it's pointing at a workflow that's no longer available.

Hive9 will not let you save changes to a tactic in this state. You have to point the tactic at an active workflow first.

How to fix it (3 steps)

Step 1 — Confirm the orphaned reference

Open the tactic that's giving you the error.
Go to the Inspection Window and find the Approval Workflow attribute.
Note the workflow name shown. This is the orphaned reference.

Step 2 — Find an active workflow to replace it

Open Settings → Approval Workflows.
Switch the tab filter from Active to All (or Inactive) so you can see every workflow in the instance.
Look for an active workflow that matches the tactic's team and approval needs.

If you find one, continue to Step 3.

If you don't find one, see "What if no active workflow exists?" below.

Step 3 — Swap the workflow on the tactic

Return to the tactic's Inspection Window.
Click the Approval Workflow attribute.
Select an active workflow from the dropdown.
Save the tactic.
Re-submit the tactic for approval if it was previously in an approval state. The Approval Tracking grid regenerates after re-submission.

Once saved, you can edit other attributes — Business Group, Business Product, dates, costs — as normal.

What if no active workflow exists?

If your instance has no active workflows you can assign, you have three options:

Reactivate the prior workflow. An admin can switch the workflow from Inactive back to Active in Settings → Approval Workflows, save the tactic, then deactivate it again afterward if needed.
Create a new workflow that matches the tactic's approval requirements, then assign it. See: Creating an Approval Workflow (article forthcoming).
Turn off Custom Object / Custom Attribute Group workflows for the instance. Found under Settings → Organizational Setup → Workflow toggles. This is the broadest off-switch and affects every object that uses workflow approvals — only use it if your team has decided to stop requiring approvals.

If none of these options apply, contact Support so we can help you reconnect or release the orphaned reference. Include the tactic ID and the workflow name shown in the Inspection Window.

Common questions

Why doesn't the workflow appear in Settings even though my tactic still references it? Deleting or deactivating a workflow removes it from the Active list but doesn't strip the reference from individual tactics. You'll see the historical name on the tactic until you swap it.

Will my tactic's existing approvals be lost when I change the workflow? The Approval Tracking grid regenerates when you re-submit the tactic against the new workflow. Prior approval history is preserved in the tactic's audit log but the live approval pipeline restarts under the new workflow.

Does this affect only tactics? No. The same behavior applies to any plan object that uses Approval Workflows, including Campaigns, Programs, Line Items, and Purchase Requests where applicable.