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Requesting workflow initiated datetime


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I've been working on a NWC form and workflow this week that has lots of submissions. We found an issue where we run into queing for the actions to complete with lots of submissions.

We wanted to capture the datetime the form was submitted but are not able to.

 

The datetime for a when a workflow is initiated is not available in the workflow designer.

 

Consider this: if I have a form which has a date control for date and time called 'formdate'.

That has a default value of datenow(). This records the datetime when the form is opened.

I cannot use a form rule or submit rule to update this control on submit.

 

In the workflow designer when I insert a variable I have the 'formdate' in the 'start event' variable category. 

'Context' gives current date/time and as well as workflow instance ID, etc.
'Start event context' supplies workflow initiator (if  an authenticated form).

 

As actions can be delayed (ie use of context: current datetime on an action) it would be great to have the datetime for when the workflow was initiated as a start event context. This would be the most accurate approximation of the submit time of the form. 

 

In instances in the dashboard and a workflow instance has the date initiated visible this is just making that datetimestamp available for use in the workflow.

 

I've added this as a uservoice suggestion to request the feature.

https://nintex.uservoice.com/forums/430063-5-nintex-workflow-cloud/suggestions/40313524-workflow-initiated-datetime-in-start-event-context

 

Thanks,

Gavin

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Best answer by Gavin-Adams 4 May 2020, 00:45

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Userlevel 5
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@Gavin-Adams as a potential work around could you do something like the following:


 



  • Create a workflow variable with the type of Date/Time.

  • First action in the workflow set the variable to the 'Context' of 'Current Date and Time'




  • You can then use this variable else in the workflow designer or on any task forms that you might be using within the workflow as well.




 


Not sure if that will meet your exact needs, but thought I'd put it out there!


 

Userlevel 4
Badge +12

Cheers @butlerj ,


Yes had thought about the set variable option and it is an appropriate work around.


 


My post was more for the feature request to get access to something that is inheriently known about the workflow.


Also start date/time is a workflow context that has been around in Nintex workflow for Sharepoint on-prem for a very long time. So its a value I would expect to see in the cloud product.


 


I know I've put in a few user voice suggestion over the past couple of weeks for NWC. I'm hoping that these are not big changes, just small ones that add to the maturity of the NWC product.

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