OOTB Approval Workflow Task "Requested By" is Invalid when Workflow Starts via incomming email to document library

Question

When SharePoint starts the OOTB Approval workflow for a new document in a library that was received via email, the requested by user is SHAREPOINT\System. This prevent users from being able to Approve/Reject/Request Change or Reassign the task due to the Requested By field not appearing as a valid SharePoint account in the task window.

Note, when attempting to use Outlook 2010 Open The Task, the interface does allow for approval/rejection. When Editing the task from Outlook 2007 or directly via the Share Point website, then the error occurs.

When the OOTB approval workflow is started manually, or by uploading a document via the SharePoint interface then process works fine.

This is not a security issue as I am a SharePoint admin and Site Collection Admin. It's also interesting to note that when you view the Created BY in the document library, it does evaluate to "System Account", not "SHAREPOINT\System". And you can even browse to the user information for SHAREPOINT\System. However the task window will NOT resolve it.  

Is there a way to change the default requested by for the OOTB approval forms that are submitted by the incoming email capabilities within a document library. Or how do we resolve this?

Answer 1

Did you find a solution for this problem? 
I'm also having this issue. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

Answer 2

Figured out a work around. 

Edit the Task approval form in InfoPath.

1.  Delete the "Requested By" control from the form.  You can not delete the field from the form.

2. Go to Data (tab) -->Default Values   and uncheck "Requested by" from both queryFields and dataFields secion. 

Republish. I'm now able to approve the task over a web browser as the end user. 



Answer 3

Thanks, this fixed it for me on SharePoint Online. I am using a retention policy that automatically kicks off a workflow and users couldn't complete the workflow task due to SHAREPOINT\System being an invalid user in the requested by field.