Update multiple text columns using a workflow


I have a Nintex Responsive form with 60 + questions each with its own comment field. This form goes through three levels of approvers and each approver has the option to add comments to any one of the questions.

 

When a form is submitted, a workflow will run that will append the Date, Name of Approver, and their comment (if any) to a comment history textbox for that question:

 

‍Ex: {Variable:Current Date}‍ ‍{Current Item:Modified By}‍: ‍{Current Item:Question01Comments}‍

 

‍Each comment submitted by the approver will be appended to the previous comment. This will help the current approver see any comments the previous approver submitted.

 

Since there are so many comment boxes, and they the action to append columns is the same for each textbox, is there a more elegant way to perform this functionality without having to create multiple actions that perform the same steps for each textbox? Is it possible to use a loop to update any comment boxes that have a comment? If so, what is the best way to do this.

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated!


4 replies

Badge +4

If you use a SharePoint list to save your fields (so also comments) do the following:


 


Create an multiple line field (Note).


Can be; Make it plain text


Put on your versioning on the list


Change the following setting op your Note field: Append Changes to Existing Text: Yes


 


SharePoint will add everytime the record will be edit the timestamp and name of user to the field (comment).



 

Thank you for taking the time to respond @DAGiessenburg. I wasn't able to use append changes because I need to display the responses in a Power BI report. Unfortunately, Power BI only show the last comment that was submitted and not the previous comments. :smileyfrustrated:

Badge +4

Getting the other comments is bit tricky, because they are in older versions of the item. You could do that with a webservice but i think the following is easier.


 


What you could do is on edit, run an workflow that copies the comment to another list, and put the id of the Item also in a field, so you can make a relation on it in PowerBI.

Thank you @DAGiessenburg with your solution. If I need the comments to be visible in the form. Would your solution still work even if I am using the new responsive forms?

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