"PreconditionFailed...A record with matching key values already exists. Code: 0x80040237" Flow Approval error

[maryleona05]

I have a SharePoint flow triggered on new item created that uses the 'Start_and_wait_for_an_approval' action. I've recently been getting a "PreconditionFailed...A record with matching key values already exists. Code: 0x80040237" error at the approval step but I have not made any changes to the workflow. I read a blog from August 2019 on the same issue and it was noted as a widespread issue, but was reported as fixed.   

Is this a known recurring issue?

Thanks,

Mary

[v-alzhan-msft]

Hi @maryleona05 ,

Does your issue still exists?

I have made a test on my side and don't have the issue that you mentioned, please have a try again and let me know if your problem still exists.

Best regards,

Alice       

Community Support Team _ Alice Zhang
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[maryleona05]

Now, the workflows do not immediately fail, but they are 'Running'. Some have been running for hours but no email notifications are sent (email notifications are enabled for all of the approvals), and now nothing is showing up in the Approvals page under the Received or Sent tabs, and there is an error displaying for History. When I checked last night, I had at least 10 approval items received, at least 50 in the sent and a long history of items in the History tab. 

[maryleona05]

Additionaly several of my flows have failed that I just tested again.

Yesterday I was receiving the "Precondition Failed..." error.

Today I am getting a BadGateway error.

[maryleona05 · Accepted solution]

UPDATE: Issue resolved by recreating the Approvals step in the flows having issues. I followed the advice in a post where a user was having the same issues and the recommeded solution was as follows:

"It seems that this seems to be a temporary error, please try to update the connection of the corresponding action or re-create the connection, and then re-submit the Flow."

[iivanov1113]

Mary, good day! 
Please tell me, did you manage to defeat this problem?)