Advanced list lookup upgrade

Lookup options are available in some Nintex Workflow for SharePoint On-Premises workflow action configuration fields to allow you to reference variables, values, or a property of an item and set values for run time.

The Action Set and SharePoint Online - Query a list actions are used to replace advanced list lookups when workflows are upgraded to Nintex Workflow. Each list lookup is changed to a Query a list action, and all Query a list actions are grouped together inside an Action set action.

Below is a step-by-step example of an advanced lookup configuration in an upgraded workflow:

  1. An Action set action is inserted before the core action that uses the lookup in the configuration.

  2. In the workflow, the Action set that replaces the lookup is named Set up 'core action display name' lookups.

    The 'core action display name' is the display name used for the action in the Nintex Workflow for SharePoint On-Premises workflow. For example, if the lookup is used in the Send an email action, the core action display name used is Send an email and the Action set is named Set up 'Send an email' lookups.

  1. A Query a list action is inserted inside the Action set for each lookup that's in the core action. If a lookup is used within another lookup, two Query a list actions are inserted inside the Action set. For example, if a list lookup is used for the To field in the Send an email action and another lookup is used to specify the value of the first lookup, two Query a list actions are inserted. In case there is a third level lookup, a third Query a list action is inserted.

    The naming convention for the Query a list action is as follows:

    • The Query a list action that replaces the first level (or single level) of lookup is named Get 'field' for 'parameter' parameter. (The 'field' is the field name selected in the Nintex Workflow for SharePoint On-Premises lookup. It is the property that's been looked up in the selected source. The ‘parameter’ is the field in the core action configuration that uses the lookup.)

    • The Query a list action that replaces the second level lookup is named Get 'field' to support 'field from level 1'. (‘Field from level 1’ is the field name used in the first level lookup.)

    • The Query a list action that replaces the third level lookup is titled Get 'field' to support 'field from level 2'.

    For example, a two-level lookup used in the To field of the Send an email action will be changed to two Query a list actions inside an Action set. In this example, the first-level lookup used is ID, and the second-level lookup is Created By.

  2. If two or more parameters are used in a lookup and more than four lookup query actions are required in the workflow, nested Action set actions are used to group the Query a list actions by parameter. The nested action sets are named with the following naming convention: Lookups for 'parameter name' parameter.

    For example, a two-level lookup is used in the To and Message Body configuration fields of the Send an email action.

    In this image, lookups are used in the To and Message body configuration fields in the Send an email action. One Action set is used for the To field and another for the Message body.