Question

Form with multiple attachments

Forms Version 9

Updated January 26, 2021

asked on May 9, 2014

Is there a way to get metadata for each individual attachment? For example I have uploaded 3 different documents with one form, and would like to classify them as three different document types.

I can't get this to work as I think it should, is there something I am missing?

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Answer

SELECTED ANSWER

replied on May 12, 2014

It's not possible to do with a collection because Forms does not know how many file upload fields will end up on the form. Keep in mind that users can upload multiple files with one file upload field. The best solution might be to offer a limited number of file upload fields for specific types of files you anticipate, so you can correctly add metadata to the documents by type.

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Replies

replied on October 9, 2014

Hi,

This can be done using workflow. Using Forms alone, as Eric stated, is not possible. We have implemented this for a customer:
On the Forms process modeler, instead of having a Save to Laserfiche task, we have a Start Workflow task and use our workflow:

For the workflow itself:

Add a Retrieve Laserfiche Forms Content activity and select all metadata from your Form.
Add a For Each file activity and choose type "File Collection", then select the collection from the Retrieve Forms Content:
Create an Entry
Attach the Electronic Document to the entry you just created
Add the metadata as you need it based on the Forms content.

Please note that this would only work for the attachments, not the actual Form.

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View 5 previous replies

replied on November 8, 2016

I came across your answer and it seemed like exactly what I was looking for. I have tried with both a Table and a Collection. Both contain a file upload option and a dropdown for file type, which is used in the naming string and as part of the destination to create the entry. I upload one file, set the type, then click Add to get another row to upload the 2nd file and set its type. I can get the workflow to create both entries and attach the files, but its using the File Type of the first upload for both.

Eg. I upload a Permit and an Invoice.

Entry name should be set to %(RetrieveBusinessProcessVariables_Project_Number) - %(RetrieveBusinessProcessVariables_Project_Name) - %(RetrieveBusinessProcessVariables_Table_Files\Document_Type) - %(RetrieveBusinessProcessVariables_Date)

Destination should be set to %(SearchRepository_FirstResult_FullPath)\%(RetrieveBusinessProcessVariables_Table_Files\Document_Type)

When complete, in the repository both files are saved to the Permit folder, and the names are 1040 - Test2 - Permit - 11/8/2016 and 1040 - Test2 - Permit - 11/8/2016 (2)

Any assistance would be helpful, Thanks

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replied on November 8, 2016

It seems typing out my question served to trigger something in my mind that led me to the solution. I needed to use the Token Dialogue option Apply Index for Table_Files\Document_Type and set to The value at index %(ForEachFile_Iteration), now everything is working as needed.

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replied on March 5, 2019

So I am using a collection and if I do one attachment it works great but if I do more than one I get this error when assigning the values through WF:

The data assigned to field 'Qty' is not valid. 9020 [The parameter is out of range or too long. [9020]] [0265-WF10]

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replied on March 6, 2019

What is your 'FIle upload limit' set to?

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replied on March 6, 2019

Pardon me for my ignorance but where would one find that option?

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replied on March 6, 2019 • Show version history

It is when you add the 'File Upload' to a form:

Or in your case, when it is added to a collection. Does that help?

Maybe try setting this field to 5 or 10 and test it.

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replied on March 6, 2019

no that did not work, I put a track tokens element in the WF and whats happening is its trying to write the metadata twice in each field.

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replied on March 7, 2019

I got it to work under the Assign Values area I had to write a "for each iteration" for each field variable.

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replied on May 12, 2014

You can do this. If you are using a Save to Repository service task, you can set the metadata used for each file upload field present on your form. To get different metadata for three different uploads, it'd be easiest to use three file upload fields and use a Save to Repository service task to associate each file upload field with the appropriate metadata.

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replied on May 12, 2014

Thanks for the answer Eric, would it be possible to do this with a collection? So that i wouldn't have to put multiple attachment fields, they could add as many as they needed.

I tried setting it up this way but it just seems to add all of the metadata to each document rather than giving me a way to parse the metadata based on which upload the field was associated with.

I have attached my current interface for a reference to show what I am talking about.

Laserfiche Attachment.png (4.71 KB)

| Download

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SELECTED ANSWER

replied on May 12, 2014

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replied on May 12, 2014

That makes sense, I was just hoping that there was a variable assigned to the individual sections of the collection. I think you are right though that I will just end up including an upload field for each document type I am expecting.

Thanks for your help Eric.

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replied on May 12, 2014

You're welcome!

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replied on January 25, 2018 • Show version history

I have succeeded in using the above method by @████████on a collection in 10.2. I wanted to post this for anyone who comes across it. These original posts were from 2014!!

Additionally, since a user can upload multiple files to one instance of an upload button, I have restricted the number of uploads to 1:

This ensures that there will only be one upload file for one metadata field. Additional uploads need a new collection 'row'.

Hope this helps!

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replied on January 26, 2021

Hey Chris, So you need to use a workflow to get this to work? I have a form for uploads and I want them in a collection because I could have 2 or 20 attachments.

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replied on January 26, 2021

Yes, I believe. You would have to check the Forms interface within the Email task to see if it can handle multiple attachments, but I am pretty sure you'll run into trouble.

The only way I have found to upload up to 20 attachments is with workflow. Here is a link to how I handled up to 10 attachments per email activity, but you can modify it for twenty no problem.

By sheer coincidence I just made a WF yesterday that handled up to 10 attachments for an upload field from within a collection! Below is how I handled it:

For Each Row = the collection field

For Each File = the individual upload field from within the collection

The rest of the WF is what is contained in the link above (up to 10 atachments):

What I did was 'Create entry' in a specific folder in the repository, attach those files and then delete the folder that housed the attachments.

Probably too much info for ya, but I just happened to be working on this very subject matter.

Hope it helps.

Also, take a look at this Answers post where I got some help from Steve Knowlton on figuring out how to use the collections.

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replied on January 26, 2021

Thank you

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replied on May 12, 2014

Have you tried a collection? You can repeat those and include a file-upload as well as hide/show rules to the fields to have it change based on the type of template they choose to assign to the document.

As far as uploading a document and extracting information from it without a human entering in the information, that would not be something LF Forms would be capable of doing on it's own. You would need to use some other products to get that type of information.

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