I’ve seen with a recent update the I can Copy the data from a Repeating Section down from the start form and into a task, and the data is editable. This is great for our workflows, but I’ve run into an issue in getting the data to copy between two tasks.
We have two tasks(A and B) after the Start Form in a Branch by Stage action. The Initial/Default Branch flows to task A, that has two options Complete or Send to the Other Brach that has Task B when they click submit. Task B on the Other Branch, has the exact same options so information can flow between A and B until A is satisfied and they choose to Exit and end the workflow.
The issue with the Repeating Section that I'm having is that the data in that only seems to flow one way. Task A can receive the data from the Start form and Task B can receive it from A, but if B sends back to A, A still uses the Start Form’s data.
I got around this with all the other variables by writing them into a workflow variables after the Start Form and making them the default for A and B, then when B Sends back to A it overwrites the variables and A now has updated variables. If A has to send back to B again, B will see the same updated variables A saw.
I tried to work the Repeating Section as I did other variables and write it to a workflow variable as a collection, but the repeating section wouldn’t read the data, so I tried merging them into one collection, and it read it, but the only thing that carries over is the default row count.
Is there something I’m missing will it just not work in this manner? If anyone has some insight I would appreciate it.
Best answer by brandiwoodson
RamonAAC wrote:
I’ve seen with a recent update the I can Copy the data from a Repeating Section down from the start form and into a task, and the data is editable. This is great for our workflows, but I’ve run into an issue in getting the data to copy between two tasks.
We have two tasks(A and B) after the Start Form in a Branch by Stage action. The Initial/Default Branch flows to task A, that has two options Complete or Send to the Other Brach that has Task B when they click submit. Task B on the Other Branch, has the exact same options so information can flow between A and B until A is satisfied and they choose to Exit and end the workflow.
The issue with the Repeating Section that I'm having is that the data in that only seems to flow one way. Task A can receive the data from the Start form and Task B can receive it from A, but if B sends back to A, A still uses the Start Form’s data.
I got around this with all the other variables by writing them into a workflow variables after the Start Form and making them the default for A and B, then when B Sends back to A it overwrites the variables and A now has updated variables. If A has to send back to B again, B will see the same updated variables A saw.
I tried to work the Repeating Section as I did other variables and write it to a workflow variable as a collection, but the repeating section wouldn’t read the data, so I tried merging them into one collection, and it read it, but the only thing that carries over is the default row count.
Is there something I’m missing will it just not work in this manner? If anyone has some insight I would appreciate it.
So I figured it out. The trick is combining the following actions:
Branch by stage
Not required, just using this to bounce back and forth between tasks for demo purposes. I’m sure you can do whatever you want, as long as the below is followed after each task.
Add item to collection
1 collection per control/field on start event form
Merge Collections
Creates one object from several collection to store/maintain multiple fields to represent one index, which is apparently what the getcollectionitem function looks for - collections from objects.
That is why you can’t use the user defined collections from workflow designer in form designer - they are grayed out which is unfortunate.
Clear collection
You will want to use this on your collections you create for each control/field to clear the entire collection out after each task and reset them.
Loop for each & Remove item from collection
Used this one to EMPTY the merged collection object out, apparently you can’t use “clear collections” action on merged collections.
I really think they should just change this action to “Create an object” to avoid confusion. Seriously misleading to me and always has been.
Just update the two variables I have for two different task owners that are passed to my tasks to whatever you want, and it should work for you to test it out!
Note: I’m so glad I figured this out! We are migrating from Nintex Workflow for Office 365 and I was getting worried for one of our invoicing processes with cost breakdown data for invoicing that is sitting in repeating sections. I was going to cry.
I haven’t even tried passing repeating sections between two tasks yet. I did test them from a start event form to a task - one way - for users to edit on the task. I found it un-operational. I followed the instructions also with the rules etc. It didn’t work as expected.
Users cannot delete rows without it auto populating the existing rows back into the repeating section and if you delete the 1st row, you can’t get it back. It’s gone forever….
Can you provide your test workflow? Apart from not getting a deleted row back (which is expected), I do not see the other issues you have advised, like the existing rows auto-populating back. The steps in the Video and Help files have been thoroughly tested and work as expected.
Can you provide your test workflow? Apart from not getting a deleted row back (which is expected), I do not see the other issues you have advised, like the existing rows auto-populating back. The steps in the Video and Help files have been thoroughly tested and work as expected.
I’ve seen with a recent update the I can Copy the data from a Repeating Section down from the start form and into a task, and the data is editable. This is great for our workflows, but I’ve run into an issue in getting the data to copy between two tasks.
We have two tasks(A and B) after the Start Form in a Branch by Stage action. The Initial/Default Branch flows to task A, that has two options Complete or Send to the Other Brach that has Task B when they click submit. Task B on the Other Branch, has the exact same options so information can flow between A and B until A is satisfied and they choose to Exit and end the workflow.
The issue with the Repeating Section that I'm having is that the data in that only seems to flow one way. Task A can receive the data from the Start form and Task B can receive it from A, but if B sends back to A, A still uses the Start Form’s data.
I got around this with all the other variables by writing them into a workflow variables after the Start Form and making them the default for A and B, then when B Sends back to A it overwrites the variables and A now has updated variables. If A has to send back to B again, B will see the same updated variables A saw.
I tried to work the Repeating Section as I did other variables and write it to a workflow variable as a collection, but the repeating section wouldn’t read the data, so I tried merging them into one collection, and it read it, but the only thing that carries over is the default row count.
Is there something I’m missing will it just not work in this manner? If anyone has some insight I would appreciate it.
So I figured it out. The trick is combining the following actions:
Branch by stage
Not required, just using this to bounce back and forth between tasks for demo purposes. I’m sure you can do whatever you want, as long as the below is followed after each task.
Add item to collection
1 collection per control/field on start event form
Merge Collections
Creates one object from several collection to store/maintain multiple fields to represent one index, which is apparently what the getcollectionitem function looks for - collections from objects.
That is why you can’t use the user defined collections from workflow designer in form designer - they are grayed out which is unfortunate.
Clear collection
You will want to use this on your collections you create for each control/field to clear the entire collection out after each task and reset them.
Loop for each & Remove item from collection
Used this one to EMPTY the merged collection object out, apparently you can’t use “clear collections” action on merged collections.
I really think they should just change this action to “Create an object” to avoid confusion. Seriously misleading to me and always has been.
Just update the two variables I have for two different task owners that are passed to my tasks to whatever you want, and it should work for you to test it out!
Note: I’m so glad I figured this out! We are migrating from Nintex Workflow for Office 365 and I was getting worried for one of our invoicing processes with cost breakdown data for invoicing that is sitting in repeating sections. I was going to cry.
I’ve seen with a recent update the I can Copy the data from a Repeating Section down from the start form and into a task, and the data is editable. This is great for our workflows, but I’ve run into an issue in getting the data to copy between two tasks.
We have two tasks(A and B) after the Start Form in a Branch by Stage action. The Initial/Default Branch flows to task A, that has two options Complete or Send to the Other Brach that has Task B when they click submit. Task B on the Other Branch, has the exact same options so information can flow between A and B until A is satisfied and they choose to Exit and end the workflow.
The issue with the Repeating Section that I'm having is that the data in that only seems to flow one way. Task A can receive the data from the Start form and Task B can receive it from A, but if B sends back to A, A still uses the Start Form’s data.
I got around this with all the other variables by writing them into a workflow variables after the Start Form and making them the default for A and B, then when B Sends back to A it overwrites the variables and A now has updated variables. If A has to send back to B again, B will see the same updated variables A saw.
I tried to work the Repeating Section as I did other variables and write it to a workflow variable as a collection, but the repeating section wouldn’t read the data, so I tried merging them into one collection, and it read it, but the only thing that carries over is the default row count.
Is there something I’m missing will it just not work in this manner? If anyone has some insight I would appreciate it.
So I figured it out. The trick is combining the following actions:
Branch by stage
Not required, just using this to bounce back and forth between tasks for demo purposes. I’m sure you can do whatever you want, as long as the below is followed after each task.
Add item to collection
1 collection per control/field on start event form
Merge Collections
Creates one object from several collection to store/maintain multiple fields to represent one index, which is apparently what the getcollectionitem function looks for - collections from objects.
That is why you can’t use the user defined collections from workflow designer in form designer - they are grayed out which is unfortunate.
Clear collection
You will want to use this on your collections you create for each control/field to clear the entire collection out after each task and reset them.
Loop for each & Remove item from collection
Used this one to EMPTY the merged collection object out, apparently you can’t use “clear collections” action on merged collections.
I really think they should just change this action to “Create an object” to avoid confusion. Seriously misleading to me and always has been.
Just update the two variables I have for two different task owners that are passed to my tasks to whatever you want, and it should work for you to test it out!
Note: I’m so glad I figured this out! We are migrating from Nintex Workflow for Office 365 and I was getting worried for one of our invoicing processes with cost breakdown data for invoicing that is sitting in repeating sections. I was going to cry.
Sadly the workflow key had expired by the time I tired to use it. The steps listed are ones I have tried before but I end up with the task form’s fields being blank and not populating the data.
I found my issue by looking at brandiwoodson’s workflow. I think my issue was using a count from the start event repeating table instead of the merged collection. That seemed to be the only thing I didn’t do.
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