Question

Field variables inside or under task names in the inbox

Forms

Updated January 26, 2016

asked on January 25, 2016 • Show version history

Forms 9.2.1

Users' Inbox currently looks like this:

We're trying to replace the "Instance ID: XXXX" with a field variable, such as a PO Number. That way, users can quickly identify which PO they will work on and finish.

Is this possible?

We placed the PO Number field variable inside the instance name in Process Modeler settings, but that didn't help:

We were able to show the variable inside the Process Information section, but that's too hidden.

I read some other posts about this issue but couldn't find any definitive answers.

Below is a "photoshopped" version of what I'm looking for. Variables don't have to appear as a new line, but it would help.

P.S. I'm also trying to understand why, in my first screenshot, the first task has the instance ID in parentheses while the second task doesn't.

0 0

Answer

SELECTED ANSWER

replied on January 26, 2016

Hi Ege,

"Workflow calculates it and inserts it into the cf_bpdata table for that submission_id"

are you modifying the form database table directly? Why not use Workflow service task with Set Business Process Variable?

0 0

Replies

replied on January 26, 2016 • Show version history

It seems the reason is value for "PO_Number_3" is empty when the instance started. Do you have a message start event with a form as the start event? When fill that form, is field for PO_Number_3 filled with value? If the token used in instance name are parsed as empty, then it will give it an default name which is (Instance ID:{instance id))(that's why the first task has instance ID in parentheses). The instance name is generated when instance is started and can't be updated.

1 0

replied on January 26, 2016 • Show version history

Yes, the PO number is initially empty when the instance is started. After the form is submitted, Workflow calculates it and inserts it into the cf_bpdata table for that submission_id (we figured out its attribute_id). See the "Generate PO Number WF" activity below:

We tested this and it works fine. When the user opens the form in the "Saved PO" step, it displays the PO number. We just need it to also display under the task name in the inbox. How do we change the instance name dynamically? Can we also update a value in the database?

0 0

replied on January 26, 2016

OK, figured it out. It's the title column on the bp_main_instances table. We're able to have Workflow update that too when it generates the PO number. See the topmost task below:

I hope this becomes a built-in feature soon. Maybe 10.1?

0 0

View 3 previous replies

SELECTED ANSWER

replied on January 26, 2016

Hi Ege,

"Workflow calculates it and inserts it into the cf_bpdata table for that submission_id"

are you modifying the form database table directly? Why not use Workflow service task with Set Business Process Variable?

0 0

replied on January 26, 2016

We are still on version 9.2.1 and the performance issues in version 10 have caused the client to shy away from upgrading for the time being.

Does that activity do anything other than update that database value (except via the Forms API I would assume)?

0 0

replied on January 26, 2016

Hi Ege,

There're lots of things happen when variable value is submitted in Forms application. The reason instance title is not updated is due to you manually modify the database table, which will cause lots of data inconsistency issues besides the instance title, because it does not count as a data submission.

The performance issue has been fixed in 10 hotfix, which is available in Support Site. Let me know if you experience any performance issue with the hotfix version.

0 0

replied on January 26, 2016

Hi Abby,

The instance title was not updating because the PO Number field was blank at the time of submission. See Xiuhong Xiang's answer above. The way we are getting around that is to have workflow insert the value into the bp_data table, which works fine based on our testing so far.

As for the performance issue, we used the install package that was released after the Forms 10 Update 1, but the issue remains. Navigating around forms inbox/reports/manage pages, as well as the process modeler and form designer... all noticeably slower. The only thing that hasn't changed performance-wise is the forms themselves.

0 0

replied on January 26, 2016 • Show version history

Instance title will be updated if you use Workflow Service Task in 10 to output the variable back to the process before the Saved PO user task. So it's not some new features needed, it already works.

1 0

replied on January 26, 2016 • Show version history

OK, understood. I'll mark your earlier post as the answer since that's the officially supported way. Hopefully we can upgrade to version 10 soon.

0 0

You are not allowed to follow up in this post.

Question

Question

Field variables inside or under task names in the inbox

Answer

Replies

Sign in to reply to this post.