Assign a task to multiple users

Use the Assign a task to multiple users action to assign a task to multiple users at the same time and direct subsequent workflow logic based on the assignees' responses.

When you configure an Assign a task to multiple users action, a Form-based task type is created. The workflow sends the task to the recipients and then pauses until an outcome is decided. Depending on the completion rule you select, the task can be completed by assignees when the rule is satisfied, otherwise the default outcome is used.

Before you start

Configure the Assign a task to multiple users action

Add and configure the Assign a task to multiple users action

Add the Assign a task to multiple users action to the workflow and open the configuration panel.
1. Find the action in the Communication action group in the action toolbox.
1. Drag the Assign a task to multiple users action onto the designer canvas.
2. Click the action to open the configuration.
Enter a Task name.
Enter a Task description.
Configure the form.
1. Click Design form to open the forms designer.
2. Define controls, rules, and styles as required for this task form.
3. Click Apply changes.
Specify the task outcomes.
1. If you want to use task outcomes, enable Multiple outcomes.
2. Type the Outcomes you want.
3. If you want to add more outcomes, click Add outcome.
  
  Each new outcome adds a new branch to the action.
Select a Completion rule.

Note: The Default outcome, Required percentage, and Required outcome fields that are displayed depend on the completion rule you choose.

If you want users to sign in to Nintex Workflow Cloud to access the task form, enable Assignee authentication.
Specify the Assignees.
Select an Assignment behavior.
In the Message section, type the Subject.
Type the Message body of the email.

For more options in the Message body toolbar, click .

For more information on the fields, see Assign a task to multiple users fields, buttons, and settings.

Enable Assignee authentication

With Assignee authentication, you can configure the requirement for the assignees to sign into Nintex Workflow Cloud to access the task form.

Note:

User directory lookup configuration is recommended for assignee authentication. The prerequisite to user directory lookup is to configure Identity federation. For more information, see User Management.
At the moment, you can only connect to Azure Active Directory to assign tasks to users in your directory.

If Assignee authentication is enabled, the assignees will have to sign in to Nintex Workflow Cloud to access the form and complete the task. If disabled, the assignees don't need to sign in to Nintex Workflow Cloud to access the form.

In the Designer page:

Add the Assign a task to multiple users action to the workflow and open the configuration panel.
1. Find the action in the Communication action group in the action toolbox.
1. Drag the Assign a task to multiple users action onto the designer canvas.
2. Click the action to open the configuration.
In the Assignee section, enable Assignee authentication (enabled by default).
Type in the Assignees field to filter and select a user. Only the following users can be selected for assignee:
- Users who are already listed in the User Management page.
- Users from your Azure Active Directory, provided, you have configured User directory lookup. Once an assignee is selected from the Azure Active Directory, the assignee's account will be auto-onboarded into the User Management page.

The selected users will need to sign into Nintex Workflow Cloud to access the task form.

Note: If you're using a variable instead of selecting users, the variable should be in the email address format.

For more information on the fields, see Assign a task to multiple users fields, buttons, and settings.

Add file attachments to the task email

You can configure the Assign a task to multiple users action to retrieve one or more files from previous points in the workflow, and then send the files as attachments with the task email to the assignees.

In the Designer page:

Add the Assign a task to multiple users action to the workflow and open the configuration panel.
1. Find the action in the Communication action group in the action toolbox.
1. Drag the Assign a task to multiple users action onto the designer canvas.
2. Click the action to open the configuration.
In the Message section, click the File attachments field.
Click + Insert.
Click the variables representing the files you want to attach. You can use Collection and File type variables.

Note: If there are no existing variables, you may need to create a variable first before you can insert it.

Click Insert.

For more information on the fields, see Assign a task to multiple users fields, buttons, and settings.

Define the task escalation

You can configure the due date for the task. If the assignees don't respond to the task within the timeframe you set, then the action does one of the following:

Escalates by sending the task to another assignee.
Autocompletes the task with a selected outcome.

In the Designer page:

Add the Assign a task to multiple users action to the workflow and open the configuration panel.
1. Find the action in the Communication action group in the action toolbox.
1. Drag the Assign a task to multiple users action onto the designer canvas.
2. Click the action to open the configuration.
In the Escalation section, enable Escalation, and then do one of the following:
- Use a date variable
  1. Click Use date variable.
  2. For Due date, select a date variable.
- Calculate an amount of time
  1. Click Calculate date.
  2. For Number, type a value or select a variable (decimal or integer type).
  3. For Unit of time, select a time unit.
Select an Activity on due date.

If you select Escalate, do the following:

In the Escalation assignee field, type an email address.

Optionally, click Customize email to send a customized message when the task is escalated.
If you select Autocomplete, do the following:

Select an Autocomplete outcome.

Note: You can choose an Autocomplete outcome only when Multiple outcomes is enabled. If Multiple Outcomes is disabled and Express approval is enabled, the Express approval term is selected automatically. If Multiple Outcomes is disabled and Express approval is disabled, the Autocomplete outcome is automatically set to Autocompleted.

For more information on the fields, see Assign a task to multiple users fields, buttons, and settings.

Assign a task to multiple users fields, buttons, and settings

Section

Field

Description

Variable types

(Unlabeled)

Task name

The name of the task. See Tasks.

Text, Decimal, Integer, Boolean, DateTime, Collection

Task description

Description of the task the action sends to the assignee.

Text, Decimal, Integer, Boolean, DateTime, Collection

Task Type

Form

Allows you to design the task form.

Click Design form to open the forms designer.

(n/a)

Express approval

A toggle you can enable if a task does not have outcomes. This is applicable in cases when assignees do not need to select an outcome but are required to acknowledge that they have completed the task.

When the toggle is enabled and Multiple outcomes is disabled, the Outcomes are not displayed and you can specify the Express approval term.

When the toggle is disabled, you can configure the action to allow assignees to select an outcome.

(n/a)

Outcomes

Multiple outcomes

Enable to allow multiple task response options. Each outcome has its own branch in the action.
Disable if a task has a single outcome.

When Multiple outcomes is disabled and Express approval is enabled, the Express approval term field is displayed, which requires assignees to respond with the Express approval term.

Note: Disabling Multiple outcomes deletes all branches and contained actions, and causes any form rule that references the outcomes to error.

(n/a)

Express approval term

The message that you want an assignee to respond with after completing a task.

The Express approval term you specify is displayed in the Footer text of the email that is sent to assignees.

This field is displayed only when Multiple Outcomes is disabled and Express approval is enabled.

Text

Outcomes

The possible responses for completing the task.

The outcomes you define here determine the branches of the action.

By default, the Assign a task to multiple users action creates Reject and Approve outcomes. You can add, edit, and delete outcomes. To edit an outcome name, type in the outcome name field.

If you add a new outcome, another branch is added to the action. The outcomes appear as options in the Required outcome and Default outcome drop-downs.

(n/a)

Add outcome

Click to add task outcomes.

If you add a new outcome, another branch is added to the action.

If you add an outcome while Multiple outcomes is disabled, the Multiple outcomes toggle switches to enabled.

Note: For workflows in engine v2, the maximum you can add is 30.

(n/a)

Deletes an outcome.

The Delete icon is displayed only if you define more than two outcomes.

(n/a)

Completion rule

The rule that determines the overall outcome of the task based on the response from assignees.

Select one of the following options:

All assignees must respond: A task is completed when all assignees respond. The workflow proceeds using the outcome with the majority of responses. For example, if the majority of the assignees respond with Approve, then the workflow will use the Approve outcome.

In the case of a tie, the outcome received with the first response is used. For example, if the outcomes are Approve and Reject and an equal number of three responses are received for both outcomes but the first response received is Reject, then the workflow uses the Reject outcome.
First response completes the task: A task is completed when one assignee responds. Without waiting for more responses, the workflow will proceed using the outcome from the first response. For example, if the first response received is Reject, the workflow proceeds using the Reject outcome immediately.
Wait for a specific response: The task will wait until the required outcome is received. If the required outcome is not received, the default outcome is used. For example, there are three outcomes, Approve, Reject, and Review, and the default outcome is Review. If the required outcome is Approve but all assignees respond with Reject, then the workflow will use the Review outcome.

The Wait for a specific response rule is available only if Multiple outcomes is enabled.
Wait for percentage of a response: The task will wait until the required percentage of the required outcome is achieved. If there are no outcomes, the task will wait until the required percentage of responses is achieved. For example, if you need 60% of assignees to agree on an outcome, and you set the required outcome to Approve, then the task will wait until 60 percent of the assignees respond with Approve outcome.

Note: The Default outcome, Required percentage, and Required outcome fields that are displayed depend on the completion rule you choose.

(n/a)

Default outcome

The outcome to use if the required outcome is not received or if the required percentage of a response is not achieved.

The Default outcome field is displayed only if you select one of the following completion rules:

Wait for a specific response
Wait for a percentage of a response

(n/a)

Required percentage

The percentage of a specific response from assignees that must be achieved.

The Required percentage field is displayed only when you select Wait for percentage of a response.

Integer

Required outcome

The response that must be received or achieved before a task is completed.

The Required outcome field is displayed only if Multiple outcomes is enabled and options for the required outcome depend on the outcomes you specify.

(n/a)

Assignee

Assignee authentication

Enable (enabled by default): The assignees must sign in to Nintex Workflow Cloud to access the task form.
Disable: The assignees can access the form without signing into Nintex Workflow Cloud.

If Assignee authentication is disabled and Express Approval is enabled, the Verify responder's email address is displayed.

(n/a)

Verify responder's email address

Requires assignees to respond only from their email address. Responses received from other email addresses will not be accepted.

This field is available only if you enable Express Approval and disable Assignee authentication.

Assignees

Recipients of the task.

Type in the Assignees field to filter and select users. Use semicolons to separate multiple email addresses.

Note:

You can search for or select up to 20 users.
Tasks are sent to assignees, depending on the selected assignment behavior.

Tip: If you use a variable for the Assignee field, we recommend using the assignee's email address in a Text format instead of a combination of the user's first name and last name.

Text

Assignment behavior

The order that a task is assigned to users.

Parallel: assign to all users at the same time: Tasks are assigned to all users at the same time.
Sequential: assign to users one at a time: A task is assigned to the next user only after a response is received from the current user.

(n/a)

Message

Sender display name

The From name in the email that the action sends. The sender display name is followed by the default sender.

For example, if your Sender display name is "Marketing Team" and the default sender is nintex@workflowcloud.com, the From field in the email displays as: Marketing Team <nintex@workflowcloud.com>.

If you don't enter a sender display name, then the email shows the default sender in the From field.

Text, Decimal, Integer, Boolean, DateTime, Collection

Subject

Subject of the email message that the action sends.

Text, Decimal, Integer, Boolean, DateTime, Collection

File attachments

Variables representing files to attach to the email that the action sends.

Collection, File

Message body

Body of email message that the action sends.

Toolbar buttons

Button	Tooltip	Description
	Bold	Apply bold formatting to the selected text.
	Italic	Apply italic formatting to the selected text.
	Underline	Apply underline formatting to the selected text.
	Strikethrough	Apply strikethrough formatting to the selected text.
	Subscript	Convert the selected text into a subscript.
	Superscript	Convert the selected text into a superscript.
Open Sans	Font name	Apply a font style to the selected text. The default font name is Open Sans.
Size	Font size	Select the size of the font for the selected text.
	Text color	Change the text color for the selected text.
	Background color	Apply a background color for the selected text.
	Insert/Remove Numbered List	Convert the selected text into one or more numbered list items.
	Insert/Remove Bulleted List	Convert the selected text into one or more bulleted list items.
Styles	Formatting styles	Apply formatting styles from h1 to h6, or Blockquote to the selected text.
	Align left	Align the selected text to the left.
	Center	Center the selected text.
	Align right	Align the selected text to the right.
	Justify	Justify the selected text. The text is distributed evenly between margins when this is selected.
	HTML	View or edit the HTML version of the message body.
	Full Screen	Display the field and toolbar buttons in a larger panel with additional toolbar buttons available.
	Decrease indent	(Displays only in the larger panel that's displayed when Full screen is selected.) Decrease indentation for the selected list items.
	Increase indent	(Displays only in the larger panel that's displayed when Full screen is selected.) Increase indentation for the selected list items.
	Table	(Displays only in the larger panel that's displayed when Full screen is selected.) Opens the Table Properties dialog to add a table.
	Image	(Displays only in the larger panel that's displayed when Full screen is selected.) Opens the Table Properties dialog to add a URL to show an image.
	Link	(Displays only in the larger panel that's displayed when Full screen is selected.) Add a hyperlink to selected text. When you click the Link button, the Message body window presents two additional fields relating to the hyperlink: URL and Text. Type the URL and amend the Text if necessary. Click OK to confirm the hyperlink for the text.
	Unlink	(Displays only in the larger panel that's displayed when Full screen is selected.) Remove a hyperlink. The unlink button becomes available after you click a hyperlink in the message body.

Text, Decimal, Integer, Boolean, DateTime, Collection

Footer text

When you enable Footer text, the email the action sends includes one or a combination of the following information in the footer of the email:

Task name: The task name is a link that opens the form. For example, if the Task name is "Feedback Form," then the following message will be displayed in the footer, wherein Feedback form is a link to the form:

“Complete this form: Feedback Form”
Outcome: The outcomes of the action are provided as options for assignees to choose as their response. For example, if the outcomes are Approve and Reject, then the following message will be displayed in the footer:

"Reply to this email with Accept or Reject to complete the task."
Express approval term: The Express approval term is a message that assignees can send as alternative response if they don't want to use the task name. For example, if the Express approval term is "Proceed," then the following message will be displayed in the footer:

"You may complete this form: Feedback Form, or you may reply to this email with: 'Proceed'"

When you do not enable Footer text, the email the action sends does not include text after the message body. You should add your own Task form links using variables so your assignees can access the forms and respond appropriately.

(n/a)

Reminders

When you enable Reminders, the action sends reminders to the assignees at intervals you specify.

When you do not enable Reminders, reminders are not sent to the assignees.

Example: If you enable Reminders, set Number to 1 and Unit of time to Hour(s), a reminder will be sent 1 hour from the start of the task assignment.

(n/a)

Number

Displays when you enable Reminders.

The quantity of Unit of time before the action sends the first email reminder to the assignees.

Decimal, Integer

Unit of time

Displays when you enable Reminders.

Time unit used with the Number field for the first email reminder.

(n/a)

Customize email

Displays when you enable Reminders.

Presents the Custom email section and fields for reminder emails the action sends. See the Subject, Message body and Footer text information above.

Text, Decimal, Integer, Boolean, DateTime, Collection

Subsequent reminders

When you enable Subsequent reminders, the configuration panel presents additional Number and Unit of time fields. The action sends subsequent reminder emails for the task to the assignees as frequently as you define in the Number and Unit of time fields until the task is completed.

When you do not enable Subsequent reminders, the action does not send additional reminders for a task.

Example: If you enable Subsequent reminders, set Number to 2 and Unit of time to Hour(s), subsequent reminders will be sent for every 2 hours after the first reminder.

(n/a)

Number

Displays when you enable Subsequent reminders.

The quantity of Unit of time before the action sends subsequent email reminders to the assignees.

Decimal

Unit of time

Displays when you enable Subsequent reminders.

Time unit used with the Number field for the subsequent email reminders.

(n/a)

Escalation

When you enable Escalation, the configuration panel presents additional fields. The action escalates and sends the task to the recipient you specify, or completes the task with the selected Autocomplete outcome.

By default, Use date variable is selected, which presents Due date and Escalation assignee fields.

When you do not enable Escalation, the action does not escalate nor autocomplete.

(n/a)

Use date variable / Calculate date

Select to either use a date variable from your workflow or a set amount of time after the task is first created to escalate the task.

This is selected, by default.

(n/a)

Due date

Displays when you select Use date variable.

The date the action escalates or autocompletes the task.

DateTime

Number

Displays when you select Calculate date.

The quantity of Unit of time before the action escalates or auto-completes the task.

Example: If you enable Escalation with Calculate date, set Number to 2 and Unit of time to Hours(s), an escalation email will be sent 2 hours after the start of the Assign a task to multiple users action.

Decimal

Unit of time

Displays when you select Calculate date.

Time unit used with the Number field for the escalation email that is sent to the assignees.

(n/a)

Activity on due date

Defines the activity that occurs when an assignee fails to respond to a task by the due date. Select one of the following:

Escalate: Escalates and sends the task to the Escalation assignee.
Autocomplete: Applies the Autocomplete outcome to the task on the due date.

(n/a)

Escalation assignee

The recipient of the task escalation.

This field is displayed only when Activity on due date is set to Escalate.

Text

Customize email

Presents the Custom email section and fields for escalation. See the Subject, Message body and Footer text information in the Message section above.

This field is displayed only when Activity on due date is set to Escalate.

(n/a)

Autocomplete outcome

The outcome that is applied automatically when an assignee fails to respond to a task.

These are the options for the Autocomplete outcome:

If Multiple Outcomes is enabled, you can choose the Autocomplete outcome from the list of outcomes that are identified in the Multiple outcomes section.
If Multiple Outcomes is disabled and Express approval is enabled, the Express approval term is selected automatically as the Autocomplete outcome.
If Multiple Outcomes is disabled and Express approval is disabled, the Autocomplete outcome is automatically set to Autocompleted.

This field is displayed only when Multiple Outcomes is enabled, Escalation is enabled, and Activity on due date is set to Autocomplete.

When a task is autocompleted, the status of the task in the Tasks page is displayed as Autocompleted.

(n/a)