How to clear a multiline textbox using workflow?

[kjhawkins]

We have a parent workflow that spawns several child workflows in our approval and release document process.  The users want to be able to view the workflow progress from the profile form.  Easy enough to do by appending to a multi-line text field from various points in the workflow.

After the child and parent workflows have completed I would like to "reset" the text box by clearing out the entries for tracking the next run of the process.  I have tried setting the item value to an empty variable of the same type, i.e., vEmpty_mtxt, with no success.

Is there some "trick" to this?  Surely someone has needed to delete the contents of a multi-line text field before.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Ken

[cassymfreeman]

when you say it doesn't work - what do you mean?  the update doesn't do anything or it errors?

[kjhawkins]

Sorry.  The update doesn't change the contents of the field.  No error messages either.

Ken

[cassymfreeman]

can you add some screenshots and I will try to replicate?

[kjhawkins]

The list workflow is simple, as shown.  The Set Field Value action is used to reset the wfLog (multi-line text) to "empty".  The variable, "vEmpty_mtxt" is also a multi-line text type with a default of "".  I have used this approach with single line text fields and it works well.

Thanks for taking a look at this problem.

Ken

Texbox with content:

[cassymfreeman]

can you try update item instead?  I will have a play now.

[cassymfreeman]

Works for me with Update item. 

[cassymfreeman]

ahhh hold on - does it have append changes?  not sure it's possible with that!

[kjhawkins]

Initially I used Update Item, then switched to Set Field thinking the SharePoint gods were a vengeful and mischievous bunch.  Same results. 

[cassymfreeman · Accepted solution]

my test didn't work with append changes - it's all related to versioning.