I'll this question here as I didn't get any love in the MSDN forums.
Try to create a custom workflow activity that accepts a security role as an input parameter - setting this up as a System Administrator.
When setting up the input parameters for the workflow I can successfully add a security role that is part of the top level business unit (regardless if it is an OOB or custom role). If I try and add any role that is linked to a child business unit I receive a Dependency Calculation error when attempting to save and close the input properties form.
Error detail:
The dependent component Role (Id=0aa8198a-d418-41fe-8f27-083f86356f78) does not exist. Failure trying to associate it with Workflow (Id=992daaea-d2ce-4af0-a746-658d66436b64) as a dependency. Missing dependency lookup type = PrimaryKeyLookup.
This would appear to indicate my security role doesn't exist (despite picking it from a lookup) and/or somehow cannot be associated with my workflow.
I could understand such an error if I had set the value and subsequently deleted it - but I'm not sure what to make of this.
I'm sure I could work around this by sending the GUID of the role but I'd rather have it available using a lookup like the top level business unit roles.
If anyone has any insight I'd be grateful.