You may get this error on any transaction type in FocalPoint which uses NLevel approval and on which the Approval Stage has either a Pre or Post Stage Rule which references itself.
The error itself should give you the Approval Stage name (n) and the pre or post stage Rule name (x).
What you then need to do is check this further within FocalPoint Administrator
Log in to FocalPoint Administrator as an administrator user
Then Navigate to the Transaction Type setup menu
**for instance if this was a Purchase Request causing the error you would:
Click System Options, Purchasing, Purchase Requests Setup
Select the specific Record Type and then click Edit
Click on the Approval tab
Now you should see the Approval Stage which was included in the Error's Short Description
Click on the Approval Stage and then click Edit
Click on Pre Stage Rules tab to see if the Rule name as per the Error's Short Description is under this tab. **IF not, then click on Post Stage Rules tab**
Once you've located the pre or post stage Rule there will be a True Action and a False Action
This is the action which is taken based on the outcome of the Expression being only one of two outcomes (True or False)
Either Action cannot reference itself or the Approval Stage it is under either.
Take the corrective action to update the True Action and/or False Action and then click on OK to save the changes.
Keep clicking OK until you have closed the Transaction Type setup window for that record type.
Now go back to FocalPoint and continue with submitting the transaction for approval.