Flexi Task Form - Where are the List Columns?


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A recent triumph (For me anyhow!) enabled me to use a Nintex form to add extra details into a list via a flexi task.

When building the form i was able to see "list columns" in the form designer page like this:

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I am doing a completely new form but list columns is missing from my page so i cannot add in what i need to:

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Any ideas as to what i am doing wrong?

Pete


32 replies

Badge +16

When you say you are doing a completely new form - what do you mean?  Are you editing a flexi task form inside a workflow or editing the list form with Nintex Forms?

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Hiya

The successful approval form was in a totally different list - totally different process/form (PGM-A15)

I am working on the scrap/heel/other process which is an existing list with some existing workflows - all of which i am trying to update.

So unlike the PGM-A15 workflow when i come to try to add an approval form into the scrap/heel/other workflow via a flexitask using a nintex form i cant see any of the list parameters that i could see when i built the PGM-A15 workflow

Which means i cant add in the update sections that i want

Its puzzling that's for sure!

Pete

Badge +8

Hey have a look at this thread Missing List Columns from Workflow Task Edit Form, might give a view of a similar issue.

Badge +16

Can you just put some screenshots of how you are getting to Nintex Forms designer - want to check you are actually editing the list form.

Badge +6

Right - here are the screen shots from the one that doesn't work:

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So as you can see i dont have visibility of "List Columns"

Do you need to see the other one that i have that works OK?

Pete

Badge +16

is this workflow a "site workflow" or does it belong to a list?

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ooh - good question

not sure how i would check?

Badge +16

OK go to site settings > workflow gallery (under nintex heading)

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in there you will see all your workflows and there is a column called "Parent".  it will either show the name of the list or library the workflow is on, or it will show "Site workflow"

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this bit?

200249_pastedImage_1.png

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yeah that's the one - which workflow in that list is the one you are working on?

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the bottom 4

the parent is "washcoat Scrap/Heel Form"

Badge +16

and to clarify then there is a list on your site called "washcoat Scrap/Heel Form"?

so you have a list workflow with a flexi task, and when you edit the task form you are missing the list columns?

Badge +6

Hiya

The list is called Washcoat Scrap/heeling form:

200250_pastedImage_1.png

& yes to your second question. Remember i have 3 conditions with a workflow for each. To add a separate complication i have a 4th workflow but that is not too important right now as that will be started when other conditions are met (I hope!!)

the 4 workflows are called

Condition 1 Other

Condition 2 HEEL

Condition 3 SCRAP

Condition 4 Incident CIS Details

and the parent of all of these workflows is the "Washcoat Scrap/Heeling Form"

Pete

Badge +16

following on from the tests you have done I would say you need to contact support.  that is odd.

when you create a brand new list and workflow (and edit the task form) you have those list columns in the designer.

so it is odd that you don't have them now in this list.

please let us know how you get on with support?

Userlevel 5
Badge +12

Hello,

Have you tried recreating the task?  Just want to make sure it wasn't some one time glitch.

Thanks,

Mike

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Hi Mike

Yes - several times. Cass thinks this might be a problem with the actual list. As it stands i might have to re-build everything on a new list & start afresh- which would be a real pain in the butt!

I guess these are the things that happen when you try to modify a list with a multitude of errors in it!

As a matter of interest....this is everything that is currently on my site (subsite)

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So as you can see there is quite a lot. My problem list is three from the bottom & on the surface of it at least it looks to be the same type of list as my successful one - PGM-A15

So there is no obvious reason as to why my Washcoat Scrap/Heeling Form isnt behaving in the same way as PGM-A15

How can i establish the EXACT differences between the two lists?

Pete

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Also as a matter of interest. I have created a brand new custom list on a whole new page on my sub site:

200268_pastedImage_1.png 

I went to great pains to make sure all of the columns had the same settings as the original list and are in the same order.

Interestingly this new list will also NOT let me add a Nintex form into a FlexiTask. 

Bearing in mind when i created a test page earlier it worked fine - though this only had one column. I find this inconsistency very strange. 

Does this offer any clues? For example is it the number of columns in my list that is affecting it?

Userlevel 4
Badge +11

Hi Peter,

do you have any custom columns (meaning, do you have any additional type of columns installed in your SharePoint, other than the standard ones?)

Badge +6

Not that i am aware of. This is a list of everything in the list:

200269_pastedImage_1.png

Could it be that the list is just too long? Not every column in the list is being used could this have a bearing?

Userlevel 4
Badge +11

I've seen longer list of columns..and they all looks like standard columns..

Because you have built a new list with the same settings, could you save it as a template (without content) and, based on the new list template you'll have, create a new list and try to remove fields one by one and check if list columns tab appears..I know it's a long way to try to solve it and find why it doesn't work as expected..

Badge +16

‌ just wrote an interesting blog post ‌ and now looking at your column list I am wondering if that is the issue.  If you remove all special characters (i.e. £) does it work?

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OMG!!!

Yep - thats the one

What a ruddy pain in the wotsit!

I deleted all mentions of £ signs - that didnt work

Then i deleted EVERY SINGLE non letter character -+ *  . - / % " " ' you name it - i deleted it

& it worked!

Well that one solution REALLY jumped out didnt it!

Fantastic spot Cassy - ta ever so

I will update support too - i think this one is something of a schoolboy error. Though i never knew this was even a consideration so wouldnt have even looked for it.

Cheersloads

Pete

Userlevel 5
Badge +12

Great find, Cassy Freeman‌.  Giacomo's post got me to thinking about special characters yesterday, and having noticed £, but it seemed innocuous enough (although my advice is to always try and avoid any special characters other than underscore as I've seen far too many strange things happen if you don't).  Peter - does the instance where it works contain this special character in any of its columns?

Userlevel 5
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Nice!  Yes, special characters are a huge pain.  They can also cause processing errors on actions within your workflows if they aren't treated carefully.   

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No - i deleted EVERYTHING (Including _) 

The solution to this was always going to be a no brainer - but i have to say - Special Characters - REALLY!!!

What i might try is to add in a couple of special characters to see which one(s) it is that stops this function - if i find anything out i will update the post

Thanks to everyone for their help with this. I would NEVER have worked this out &/or understood that special characters cause so many issues

Pete

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