In the previous articles, I showcased how the Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App streamlines approvals for standard workflows such as Purchase Requisitions, Purchase Orders, and Purchase Agreements in Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (D365 F&O).
A common question I’ve been asked is:
“Can this app support custom workflows developed by an ISV, not just standard D365 workflows?”
This article answers that question by walking through a real-world example: Store Requisitions a custom workflow type integrated with Dynamics 365 ISRM (Integrated Supply & Requisition Management).
Why Store Requisition Approvals Matter
In many organizations, store requisitions are a critical part of daily operations. They cover everything from:
- Spare parts
- Consumables
- Materials for maintenance jobs
- Operational supplies
Without a structured and automated approval process, store requisitions can quickly become bottlenecks, resulting in:
- Delays in maintenance and operations
- Poor cost control
- Limited visibility into inventory usage
- Manual follow-ups and email-based approvals
To address these challenges, I built a custom workflow approval solution with a dedicated Store Requisition workflow type, fully supported by the Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App.
What Is a Store Requisition?
A Store Requisition is a formal request raised by an employee or department to issue goods from internal inventory rather than purchasing from an external vendor.
Store requisitions are commonly used in industries such as manufacturing, asset management, utilities, and maritime logistics, where inventory is centrally managed and issued against jobs or cost centers.
Each store requisition typically includes:
- Required date
- Department or cost code
- Unit cost and total cost
- Quantity required
- Maintenance job card or work order numbers
- Part numbers and part descriptions
This information ensures:
- Transparency in inventory consumption
- Accurate cost allocation
- Traceability for audit and operational reporting
Store Requisition Workflow – Custom ISV Implementation
Unlike Purchase Orders or Purchase Requisitions, Store Requisition workflows are not standard D365 F&O workflows.
They are implemented as a custom ISV solution, integrated with Dynamics 365 ISRM (Integrated Supply & Requisition Management).
This raised a key design challenge:
How can a custom workflow be surfaced in the same approval app alongside standard D365 workflows?
The answer is a configurable, extensible workflow architecture built into the Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App.
Workflow Approval for Store Requisitions
Despite being custom, the Store Requisition workflow follows the same approval principles as standard workflows.
Typical Store Requisition workflow stages
- Submission
- Review and Approval
- Approval Actions
- Completion
- Workflow History Tracking
How the Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App Supports Custom Workflows
The Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App is not limited to out-of-the-box D365 workflows.
It is designed to support custom workflow types, including ISV-developed workflows like Store Requisitions.
Key design principles:
- Workflow-agnostic approval engine
- Configurable workflow metadata
- Reusable approval actions
- Standardized UI across all workflow types
This allows Store Requisitions to appear side-by-side with Purchase Orders, Purchase Agreements, and Purchase Requisitions in the same app.
Store Requisition Header Screen
The header screen provides approvers with a high-level overview of the Store Requisition, enabling quick decisions without navigating into ISRM screens.
From the header screen, approvers can review:
- Requisition number and status
- Requester and department
- Required date
- Total quantity and total cost
For most operational requisitions, this overview is sufficient to approve or reject quickly.
Available Actions (Same Across All Workflow Types)
One of the key strengths of the app is consistent actions, regardless of whether the workflow is standard or custom.
Both the header and details screens provide:
- Approve – Confirm and move the workflow forward
- Reject – Reject with comments
- Request Change – Send back for updates
- Delegate – Assign approval to another user
- View Workflow History – Full audit trail
- Attachments – Access supporting documents
This consistency ensures high user adoption, even for custom workflows.
Store Requisition Details (Line) Screen
The details screen is where approvers validate operational accuracy.
Approvers can review:
- Part numbers and descriptions
- Quantities requested
- Unit cost and line totals
- Maintenance job card numbers
- Cost codes and financial dimensions
- Line-level comments and attachments
This is especially important for maintenance-driven requisitions, where incorrect parts or quantities can cause operational delays.
Workflow history & Attachments
Despite being custom, the Store Requisition workflow follows the same workflow history & attachments as standard workflows.
Why This Matters: Custom Workflows Without Compromise
Many organizations assume that custom ISV workflows must live outside standard approval experiences. This often results in:
- Separate apps
- Email-based approvals
- Poor visibility
- Inconsistent user experience
This solution proves that custom workflows can be first-class citizens within a unified approval app.
The result:
- One approval app for all workflows
- Faster operational approvals
- Better visibility and governance
- Higher adoption across business users
Extending Custom Store Requisition Approvals Using Power Platform
The Power Platform plays a key role in enabling this flexibility.
Why Power Platform is ideal for custom workflows:
- Rapid UI development
- Mobile-friendly approvals
- Microsoft Teams integration
- Executive dashboards
- Secure access to D365 data
Using Dataverse virtual entities, Store Requisition data from ISRM and D365 F&O is surfaced in Power Apps without data duplication.
Conclusion
Store Requisitions are operationally critical, and delays at this stage directly impact maintenance, production, and service delivery.
This article demonstrates that the Dynamics 365 Workflow Approvals App is not limited to standard D365 workflows. It can seamlessly support custom ISV workflows, such as Store Requisitions integrated with Dynamics 365 ISRM, while maintaining a consistent and modern approval experience.
Together, this delivers:
- Robust workflow logic in D365 and ISRM
- A unified, modern approval interface via Power Platform
What’s Next
With standard and custom workflows now covered, the same approach can be extended to:
- Additional ISV workflows
- Industry-specific approval processes
- Cross-system approval scenarios
In the next article, I’ll continue exploring how this architecture supports even more complex, real-world business workflows.
