Create, modify, and promote UDAs

This topic describes how to create, modify, promote, and delete User Defined Actions (UDAs).

UDAs provide the ability to string together a predefined set of multiple workflow actions for workflow designers to use when creating a workflow. For example, you can facilitate workflow design by saving a frequently used web request workflow action as a pre-configured UDA. Workflow designers can then drag and drop this UDA into their workflow without having to configure any of the settings within the web request workflow action. In addition to that, an input parameter can be defined for a user to provide their credentials for the web request and the output parameter for any values that might be returned by the web request.

While similar to workflow snippets (see Work with snippets), UDAs also allow for input and output parameters to be defined, which can then be used as a single action within a workflow. See Add, modify, and delete User Defined Action (UDA) parameters.

You can promote UDAs from site level to site collection level (administrative privileges for site collection are required). Promotions cannot be undone.

Workflows must be republished to use updated (modified) UDAs. See Update UDAs in published workflows.

Note: Only site administrators, site collection administrators, and farm administrators can manage UDAs.

To create a User Defined Action (UDA)

1. Access the User Defined Actions (UDAs) page for the current site: From the Workflow Gallery, click the Nintex Workflow options drop down, and select User Defined Actions (UDAs)
2. Click Create to open the Nintex Workflow designer.

3. Design the User Defined Action (UDA) in the same manner you would design a Nintex workflow.

   For instructions on creating workflows, see Create a workflow.

4. On the Nintex Workflow designer ribbon, click User Defined Action (UDA) Settings to configure the User Defined Action (UDA)'s title, toolbox group, icon, and related settings.

   For more information, see User Defined Action Settings dialog box.

5. (Optional.) Add User Defined Action (UDA) parameters to obtain and supply information when using the UDA in workflows.

   For instructions, see Add, modify, and delete User Defined Action (UDA) parameters.

6. Click Save to save the User Defined Action (UDA).
7. To publish the User Defined Action (UDA) so that it is available for use when designing workflows, click Publish.

8. To make the User Defined Action (UDA) available on a site collection, access the User Defined Actions (UDAs) page from the site and then click Promote to promote the User Defined Action (UDA).

9. To make the User Defined Action (UDA) available across all sites in the farm, do the following.
   1. Access the User Defined Actions (UDAs) page again and then click Export to export the User Defined Action (UDA)
   2. Access the Manage User Defined Actions page from Central Administration, and then click Import to import the User Defined Action (UDA).

To modify a User Defined Action (UDA) (site or site collection level only)

Note: To modify a farm-level User Defined Action (UDA), export and import the UDA at the site or site collection level from another farm, update as desired, and then import to the current farm at the farm level. This procedure allows you to overwrite the ID of the existing farm-level UDA.

1. Access UDAs for the site or site collection: From the Workflow Gallery, click the Nintex Workflow options drop down, and select User Defined Actions (UDAs) If needed, click Switch to site collection level settings.

2. To view UDAs for the site collection, click Switch to site collection level settings.

3. Do one of the following.

   • Click the User Defined Action (UDA) name.
   • Select the row containing the User Defined Action (UDA) and then click Modify.

   The User Defined Action (UDA) appears in the Nintex Workflow designer.

4. Update the User Defined Action (UDA) design and settings as desired and then click Save.
5. To publish the User Defined Action (UDA) and update all instances of the UDA in published workflows, follow the instructions here: Update UDAs in published workflows.
6. To publish the User Defined Action (UDA) so that it is available for use when designing workflows, without updating instances in published workflows, click Publish.

To promote a User Defined Action (UDA) (from site level to site collection level only; requires site collection administrator privileges)

1. Access UDAs for the site: From the Workflow Gallery, click the Nintex Workflow options drop down, and select User Defined Actions (UDAs) If needed, click Switch to site collection level settings.

2. Select the User Defined Action (UDA) and then click Promote.

To delete a User Defined Action (UDA)

1. Access UDAs for the desired level.

   1. To access UDAs for the site or site collection: From the Workflow Gallery, click the Nintex Workflow options drop down, and select User Defined Actions (UDAs) If needed, click Switch to site collection level settings.

   2. To access UDAs for the farm: On the Central Administration Home page, click Nintex Administration and then click User Defined Actions (UDAs) under Workflow environment.
2. Select the row containing the User Defined Action (UDA) and then click Delete.

Related information

Working with UDAs