"Cannot execute step because the prior workflow step is not completed"

Update:  We confirmed that the dependency was because the "Prior Step"  workflow had certain entities marked in its "Entity Assignment" , which caused the error in the other workflow when that workflow had data for those entities.  Because of that, and also because we are using workflow channels on one of the UD's, there doesn't seem to be a way to remove the dependency.   Accordingly, we are pursuing a solution whereby the upstream/prior workflow does not get left in a partially completed state by the daily script which was causing this.