repeating section on task form randomly loses data

C
Badge +9

I'm having an issue with a task form which was modified to look exactly like the list item form.

The list item form has a repeating section that includes a date, few number fields and text fields. I've noticed that the number and text fields show the associated data in the task form. But the date field has been inconsistent with keeping the date in the task form. sometimes it displays one of two dates on two rows of the repeating section, sometimes it doesn't display any. I've checked the version of the form, and the users do submit the dates as they are required fields. The only pattern I can see is that those dates gets lost when the task is assigned to the manager to approve. when they open the task form (that looks like the original form) it may have some missing dates - and they are read only, and they are able to approve. then when the form goes back to the final approval, those dates were lost and asks the user to re-enter, while they were already there in the first version, when the item was created.

Note that: The repeating section columns are not linked. Same for the number/text fields which do come across on the task form with no issues.

Any idea what's happening?!

18 replies

E
Userlevel 5
Badge +14

what's the environment where this happen in?

do managers approve from desktop or from nintex mobile?

recently nintex mobile had a bug that cleared/reset all the dates on form to 1.1.1970

M
Badge +6

If you connect and store the original repeating section data in a List column, you can connect the task form repeating section to the same List column and reference the original repeating section data. You just need to name the fields the same as you named the original form fields . This should ensure that any original data is presented to the Approver.

Cheers,

Mark

C
Badge +9

It is Nintex/Sp 2010. The managers have the option to approve from both desktop and mobile. 

E
Userlevel 5
Badge +14

and do you lose data when they do approve from both?

for an item for which data are missing in form, can you go to list view and grab and examine repeating section's XML whether missing data are there or not?

C
Badge +9

Thanks Mark. Do you connect the repeating section itself, or each column within the repeating section? how does the data gets saved with multiple dates? do you connect them with the same type of list column or a multiple line of text?! I'm also trying to extract the data from that repeating section for some integration points... 

E
Userlevel 5
Badge +14

it is not possible to connect single repeating section controls to list fields.

you have to (should) connect repeating section as a whole connect to list field.

list field has to be of type multiline plain text.

M
Badge +6

Hi Christine,

As Marian has indicated, the whole repeating section needs to be connected to a multiline plain text column. From there you can then connect the column to any task forms that require the contained data - as long as you get the individual repeating section control names correct. You can also extract any specific data out of those controls using the Query XML and even update the data using the Update XML.

Using Query XML, you define the input as the new repeating section column (you can also use the Form Data reference always available from the Item properties) and using your choice of XPATH or XSLT, define the data that you want to extract. Example below pulls out several field inside a loop using an index number aligned with the row count of the repeating section. it can be a bit tricky, but if you paste some sample data into the XML field instead of the reference you can test the outcomes using the "Run Now" feature - very handy. Of course you can't do a straight update of any other columns in your list as the repeating section can have multiple rows - so you need to be aware of that.

209867_pastedImage_1.png

Cheers,

Mark

C
Badge +9

Thanks Marian and Mark. I just checked again and I do have the whole repeating sections connected to multilines text fields.

C
Badge +9

The sections were connected but were not named, so I just gave them names. do you think that would do it?

M
Badge +6

Christine,

I'm not sure what you mean by the "sections not being named". If you are referring to the fields inside the repeating section - they are the names that need to be consistent between any forms or they will not pull in the correct data from the repeating Section column that you added in the list.

The actual names of the repeating section itself does not matter, as it is the field content that you are grabbing from the repeating section list column. You just need to ensure that the repeating section on any form is connected to the list column.

cheers,

Mark

C
Badge +9

OK guys, The form still randomly looses the date data.. and it is so annoying as it is not consistent at all..

Here is what I checked:

- The repeating sections are connected to multiple lines of text fields on the list.

- The repeating sections have names.

- The date field (and all the other fields within the repeating section) have the same names across from the original form to the task form.

- The fields within the repeating sections are not connected.

- All the fields (except the dates) within the repeating section are OK, nicely saved throughout the whole process. It is only the date that gets lost.

- I can see in the versioning of the list item that the date field gets only lost after the approver completes his task. 

- I can see in the version history of the form that the xml does contain the date. 

- The crazy thing is that some forms keep the date throughout the process with no issues, while others just simply loose it for absolutely no reason. it is very random!

Is there a way at all to troubleshoot it or check the logs to see what could possibly be happening? Thanks in advance for any hints and help... 

C
Badge +9

 Here is some screenshots to show the difference in configuration between the repeating section and date field on the original form and the task form: Probably the only difference is the blank default value for the task form, but i think it doesn't matter since the repeating section will be pulling from the repeating section's multiline text field anyway and it is read only. 

I've also noticed that it only happens with certain approvers (not all the time though), with all other approvers, it is working fine. 

Original form: 

First repeating section

Task form: 

First repeating section: 

Original form: Date field

Task form: Date field

Original form: Second repeating section:

Task Form: Second repeating section

Original form: other date

Task form: Other Date

E
Userlevel 5
Badge +14

have you investigated, as I've already suggested above, whether dates are not lost when task is approved from mobile form?

could you add a validation rule on date fields on task form so that form does not validate if date is empty?

C
Badge +9

Hi Marian, the date field and all the dates on the form should be read only. If I put the validation rule and it had already lost its data then they won't be able to fix it. In addition the user who is assigned the task doesn't even know the dates to provide them. The initiator puts in the dates but the managers are the ones who only approve. 

E
Userlevel 5
Badge +14

yes, I understand that.

I meant it to add validation there so that you are alerted immediately when problem happens.

or if that causes you problems in approval process, you can make it just a formatting rule which (eg.) shows big red warning message asking an user to immediately let you know.

C
Badge +9

Oh I see. I'm just hoping we find the actual solution for it, rather than have the end user be red flagged and then contact us to fix it. but thanks anyway. 

E
Userlevel 5
Badge +14

IMHO, in unclear problems like this it's worth of it to get in direct contact with an user who experience the problem and right when he/she experience it.

he/she might give you an info he/she is doing or using something the way you might never thought of it happy.png

aansari
Badge +1

I am having the same issue, what I have identified is that the field should be set to "Auto / Edit" mode not to Display. Using rules you have to disable the field. This should work.

 

In my case, I have exported the same Item Form to Task Form but it doesn't work. It looks like when some fields are set to Display those fields value will not be saved but for others, it will be saved into Xml .

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