What happens if I update information already captured in a list?

  • 21 November 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 5 views
J
Badge +3

Hi All - I'm a new user and still getting my head around the intricacies of Nintex and would love some assistance.

I am making some changes to an existing form/list and I would like to know how it might affect the existing metadata in the list.

Currently, there are two choice columns in the list: Section and Risk Category

These columns contain existing metadata captured from previously completed forms.

The owner now wants to add further detail:

Risk sub-category which would sit below Category

 and

Group which would sit above section

Additionally, some of the existing metadata has been updated/changed.

I have set these up as cascading drop downs, which results in the information coming into the list in single line of text columns.

The key question I have is: am I able to update the information in the list so that the previously existing metadata fits the new metadata, and

what are the implications if I do alter this?

I assume that if I update it in the list, then it will no longer match what is in the form (because if I click on the form for an old item it will refer to that old form)?

Any help appreciated, thank you.

Jacquie

3 replies

P
Userlevel 4
Badge +12

Hello Jacquie,

if you update options in a choice column, all list items that have been submittet before the column update will keep their old information in SharePoint List view.

However if you display the item with a Nintex Form the choice control cannot reidentify the old item and will show you the first Option of the new selection. Also if want to update the item the edit form will show the first new option because it didn't find the old item selected if it has been changed.

If this is your old selection

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

and you change it to

Option 1

Option 2

Option 2.1

All selections of Option 1 and 2 will still be valid after the opdate but because Option 3 is no longer present, all Nintex forms will show "Option 1" for those elements, because it's the first element in the selection. SharePoint list view will still show Option 3 even though it's not present anymore.

This behaviour is misleading so I suggest you update all items that show old values in the SharePoint list view.

Does this answer your question?

Best regards

Enrico

J
Badge +3

Hi Enrico, many thanks for taking the time to reply.

Your comment "...I suggest you update all items that show old values in the SharePoint list view" is essentially what I am after - 

To confirm: I can manually edit the list so that all of the old item metatdata (previously choice columns) is changed to match my new metadata which will be presented in single line of text columns, and do this without causing any issues?

Thanks,

Jacquie

P
Userlevel 4
Badge +12

Hi Jacquie,

I understood that you want to change the column type from choice to single line of text? If so then yes, the previously choosen item will remain as plain text in the column and can be edited afterwards, if you wish to do so.

Best regards,

Enrico

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