Sending reminders based on created items in list

  • 13 September 2016
  • 8 replies
  • 8 views

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I need to be able to send a link to an InfoPath list form to a group of users prompting them to complete by a specific due date. I want to be able to send a reminder to those who have not filled out a form by a specific due date. How can a I check the list and verify who has completed a form or not? I had thought about using a site workflow to send the initial email to the group of users, but verifying who has created an item in a specific list is where I'm stuck. Thanks!


8 replies

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Hi Beau Landry,

Could you please provide some more information. Where is the list of users stored who have to fill the form? Is it part of the list item?

Is there any check that is being updated once all of them have completed? Are you creating tasks for all the users to update once they fill out the form? This would help in providing you some resolution.

If you can save the list of users in a collection, then you can use collection operation to remove the created by person using the "Remove by Value" operation on the collection. 

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Thank you for your quick response!

The list of users are stored in a SharePoint group. I don't have any checks going on as of yet. I was going to create tasks for the participants filling out the form since we wanted to send a reminder to those who have not filled out a form after a specific period of time (if there's another way, other than creating a task, to do some kind of check if they haven't submitted a form, and then send them a reminder that would be great).

I had planned on programmatically completing the task once they submit their form (the participants are senior managers and we don't want to make them complete a task once they fill out the form because it may never get done if you know what I mean). I hope this helps?

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You can assign the flexi task to the SharePoint group and create individual tasks for the all the users. Here is reference to similar query.

Assign flexi task to group except last approver 

If you don't go the task route, then using site workflow you can query the list where the forms are filled and check who filled the form. You can get the list of users from the sharepoint group in the collection. See this:  

And also compare this with another collection. I hope it gets you started.

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Thanks Kapil. One issue is we have the standard version of Nintex, therefore I'm unable follow the instructions on creating a collection using a SharePoint group.  Here's our scenario again:

1. User A sends email to SP group with a link requesting they create an item (fill out a list form) in List A. They must complete by a specific due date.

2. A couple days before the due date, the User A wants to send a reminder to those who have not created an item in List A (submitted a form).

I don't have to necessarily use a SharePoint group if we don't have the features installed in order to accomplish this. Would it be easier if I had them in a list?

If we use some sort of approval task, I want to be able to programmatically approve the task for the participants once they have submitted the form. Therefore, I would think I should use the "Request Approval" action since it will store the "Action ID" and I can use that to later complete the task based on a condition?

Is that more clear and helpful? I'm new with using Nintex, so I'm still trying to get a grasp on using collections and other actions.

Thanks again!

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Hi,

I have Nintex standard too and it does provide the features for Web Service action and Collection Operations.

I have a different approach, see if that sounds ok.

You can automate this process by sending the requests through workflow. A user, initiates a workflow by providing the due date as input. The workflow reads the list of users that need to create item. It creates each individual item in the list and Updates a column called AssignedTo to the name of the user that needs to complete it and sends them a notification. Create another column called Status with choices, Sent for Completion, Completed, Cancelled. At this time, workflow will update the Status column to "Sent for Completion".

Now create a site workflow, which will repeat everyday. Add Date calculation to add Today + 2days and store this in date variable. Query the list where items are created. Get the ID of the items where Status = Sent for Completion and Due date = DateVariable. For Each ID, Send email notification to Assigned To. This will be your reminder.

Another step/branch in this site workflow would be to update status to Cancelled if Due Date < Today or whatever step you would like to take in that case.

If the users complete the form, you don't have to worry about it because that will be in Completed status. 

Sending approvals through task will be good approach but completing that task after querying the list who has not completed, will be complex process. Hope it helps.

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Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I ended up using a site workflow to manage multiple library workflows and they were fine using the lazy approval option after I "sold" it to them:)

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‌, is it ok to mark your own answer correct then if that is what helped you? That way if anyone else needs to search for a solution similar they will be able to find an answer. Or would you like to choose one of the other solutions provided?

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Yes, what I posted helped me.

Beau Landry

Content Management Application Administrator

Continental Resources, Inc.

20 N. Broadway

OKC, OK 73102

P/F: 405.774.5963

C: 405.435.0584

Beau.landry@clr.com<mailto:Beau.landry@clr.com>

www.clr.com<http://www.clr.com/>

Mailing:

P.O. Box 269000

OKC, OK 73126

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