Query List

Use the Query List action A tool for building the processes, logic, and direction within workflows. to query items in a specified SharePoint list in the current site. You can add conditions to limit the returned query results.

Query List is used to query lists in the current site only and if you want to query lists in different sites, the Office 365 query list action can be used.

Note: JSON results and OData queries: The Query List action uses Open Data Protocol (OData) query operations on the SharePoint list items in the current site. Data is retrieved in JSON format using the SharePoint REST service. For more information, see OData and SharePoint REST service.

Before you start 

Variables are placeholders that store information that changes each time the workflow runs or even during execution of a single workflow instance.

Each variable has a type that determines what values can be stored in the variable, such as a date, number, file path or a workflow user name. For example, if you want to save the name of an employee in a variable, you have to create a variable of type Text. The workflow can then store a name of the employee, such as "John," in the variable.

  • Text: Text string.
  • Boolean: Yes or No value.
  • Date/Time: Date and time value.
  • GUID: Globally unique identifier, often used to reference a list item in SharePoint.
  • Number: Integer number with decimal value.
  • Integer: Integer number with no decimal value.
  • Choice: A value that requests a selection from a list of allowed values.
  • Person or Group: A value that requests a selection from a user lookup.
  • Hyperlink: A value that requests a hyperlink URL and description.
  • Dictionary: A container that holds a single logical unit of variables. For more information, see Dictionary variables.
  • Collection: An index-based array of values, also known as an ordered list of values. For more information, see Collection variables.

In NintexOffice 365, the different categories of variables that can be used in a workflow are given below:

  • Start Variables: Workflow variables with the initiation option selected. Start Variables are used to get data from users when a workflow manually starts.

    • For more information on manually starting a workflow, see .

You can insert an existing Workflow Variable or Context Variable into the configuration fields of workflow actions A tool for building the processes, logic, and direction within workflows. and you can create user-defined variables for use throughout your workflow.

You can create user-defined variables from the Action configuration window when you are configuring a workflow action or from the toolbar of the designer page.

  1. In the Action configuration window, click in a field that accepts variables.
  2. Do one of the following depending on the method available;
    • On the drop-down list that appears, Click Create New Variable.
    • On the Insert Reference pane that appears, expand the Workflow Variables section and click Create New Variable.
  3. Do the following in the Workflow Variables pane to create the variable:
    1. For Name, type the variable name you want to use.
    2. Select a Type.
    • If you want to display the variable on the start form, select the Show on start form check box.
    1. Click Create.
  1. On the toolbar of the Designer page, click Variables. The Variables dialog box appears.
  2. Click New and fill in the following:
    1. For Name, type the variable name you want to use.
    2. For Type, select a variable type corresponding to the type of data you want to store.
    1. Click Save.

For more information, see User-defined variable types and Initiation options.

The following table describes the variable types available in the Variables dialog box as well as their initiation options, which are available when you select Yes for Initiation. Initiation options control the display and behavior of the variable on the start form that is displayed when a workflow is started manually.

Variable type Description

Initiation Available

 Initiation options
Text

Any text value.

Underlying .NET data type: System.String.

Yes
  • Multiple Lines: When selected, allows multiple text lines in the default value.
  • Description: Text to display under the text box on the start form. Example: "Enter new name".
  • Default value: Default value for variable.
Boolean

Yes or No value.

Underlying .NET data type: System.Boolean.

Yes
  • Description: Text to display under the check box on the start form. Example: "Enable?"
  • Default value: Default value for variable: Yes (true) or No (false).
Date/Time

Date and time value.

Underlying .NET data type: System.DateTime.

Yes
  • Description: Text to display under the text box on the start form. Example: "Select the date needed by".
  • Default value: Default value for variable: None or Today's date.
  • Allow blank values?: When selected, allows the start form to be submitted without specifying a value for the variable.
  • Display format: Display format for variable: Date and time or Date only.
GUID

Globally unique identifier, often used to reference a list item in SharePoint.

Underlying .NET data type: System.Guid.

No

 (n/a)
Number

Numeric with a Decimal value.

Underlying .NET data type: System.Double.

Yes
  • Description: Text to display under the text box on the start form. Example: "Specify quantity".
  • Default value: Default value for variable. Can be selected or entered.
Integer

Numeric without a decimal.

Underlying .NET data type: System.Int32.

No

 (n/a)
Choice

A value that requests a selection from a list of allowed values. The value selected by the workflow initiator is stored in the variable.

Underlying .NET data type: System.String.

Yes
  • Description: Text to display under the drop-down list on the start form. Example: "Select the product"
  • Choices: Choices available in the variable. Enter each choice on a separate line.
  • Default value: Default value for variable. Enter one of the specified choices.
Person or Group

A value that requests a selection from a user lookup. The item selected by the workflow initiator is stored in the variable.

Underlying .NET data type: System.String.

Yes
  • Description: Text to display under the text box on the start form. Example: "Select your manager"
  • Allow selection of: Scope of allowed selection: People Only or People and Groups.
  • Choose from: Source of selection: All Users or SharePoint Group. Use the drop-down list to select a SharePoint group.
  • Allow blank values?: When selected, allows the start form to be submitted without specifying a value for the variable.
  • Allow multiple values?: When selected, allows entry of multiple values.
Hyperlink

A value that requests a hyperlink URL and description.

Two text boxes are provided: 

  • Type the Web address
  • Type the description

The values entered by the workflow initiator are stored in the variable.

Underlying .NET data type: System.String.

Yes
  • Description: Text to display under the "Type the description" text box on the start form. Example: "Enter a display value for the URL"
  • Allow blank value?: When selected, allows the start form to be submitted without specifying a value for the variable.
Dictionary

A container that holds a single logical unit of variables. For more information, see Dictionary variables.

Underlying .NET data type: Microsoft.Activities.DynamicValue.

No

 (n/a)

Collection

An index-based array of values, also known as an ordered list of values. For more information, see Collection variables.

No

(n/a)

You can insert a Workflow Variable, Reference A workflow reference which is used to construct content containing information specific to the list or library item and to the current instance of the workflow. or a Context Variable into the configuration fields of workflow actions A tool for building the processes, logic, and direction within workflows..

Each field that accepts variables accepts one or more methods for inserting variables. The method available differs depending on the field.

Available methods are given below:

  • Click on the field and select an existing variable from the drop-down list for the field.

  • Click on the field, click Create New Variable, and fill the following fields in the Workflow Variable pane that appears:
    1. For Name, type the variable name you want to use.
    2. Select the Show on start form check box if you want to display the variable on the start form.
    3. Click Create.
  • Click on the field, select Workflow Variables or Workflow Context, and select a variable from the corresponding drop-down list.

  • Click Advanced Lookup, select Workflow Variables or Workflow Context from the drop-down list that appears, and then select a variable from the corresponding drop down and click Insert.

  • Click on the field that accept references and from the Insert Reference pane that appears on the right, double-click on a reference to select. Available sections and lookup values depend on the options available for the workflow action.
    Section Description
    Item Properties

    Metadata columns for the item the workflow is associated with. Available only for list workflows.
    Workflow Context

    Context variables that represent data related to the current workflow instance, such as current item or site URL and workflow name.

    • Current item URL: The URL of the item the workflow is associated item. Available only for list workflow actions.
    • Current site URL: The URL of the site the workflow is associated site.
    • Initiator login name: The login name of the person who started the workflow instance.
    • Initiator display name: The display name of the person who started the workflow instance.
    • Initiator email address: The email address of the person who started the workflow instance.
    • Instance ID: The unique identifier of the workflow instance.
    • List ID: The unique identifier of the list the workflow is associated with. Available only for list workflow actions.
    • List Name: The name of the list the workflow is associated with. Available only for list workflow actions.
    • Manager login name: The login name of the manager of the initiator (the person who started the workflow instance).
    • Manager display name: The display name of the manager of the initiator (the person who started the workflow instance).
    • Manager email address: The email address of the manager of the initiator (the person who started the workflow instance).
    • Publish user: The person who published the workflow.
    • Workflow name: The name of the executing workflow.
    Workflow Variables Workflow variables configured for the workflow.

You can configure variables to collect data when a workflow is manually started. These variables will be shown on a start form used to initiate the workflow and allows users to specify a value for the workflow variable before the workflow starts, basically passing values into the workflow before it starts.

Variables displayed on a start form are also known as the "start data" of the workflow and represent data that must be collected when the workflow is started.

Note:  If the workflow starts automatically, then default values are used for start data.

To learn how to manually start a workflow, see Start a workflow manually.

Configure a variable to show on a workflow start form:

  1. Open the required workflow. The workflow designer opens.

  2. On the toolbar, click Variables. The Variables window opens.

  3. To edit an existing variable, click the required variable. The row becomes editable.

    or

    4. To create a variable, click New on the Variables window toolbar, enter a Name, and select the Type for the variable.

  4. Select the Initiation check box for the required variable.
  1. Click Save to commit changes.

Add and configure Query List action

In the Designer:

  1. Click the Libraries and Lists action group in the action toolbox.

    2. or

    Type the action name or function in the Search field at the top of the action toolbox.

  1. Drag the Query List action to the point in the workflow when you want to query a list.
  2. Open the Action Configuration window. For steps on how to open the Action configuration window, see Action configuration window
  3. Select a List item.
  4. Define the Maximum number of rows.
  5. Select an Output variable.
  6. Click Save.

For more information on the fields and buttons see, Query List fields, buttons and settings

Section

Field

Description

(unlabeled)

List The SharePoint list to query.

Filter

Editor mode

Defines conditions for the filter.

Editor mode

 

 Query builder

Build a filter query. You can select all the list items or query them according to conditions.

  • Select all list items: Shows all list items in the selected list or library.

  • Select items only when the following is true: Conditional statements to use for the query. Shows only the items that match the filter rule defined under Show the items when column

    • To add a filter rule, click Add filter rule and then define the rule under Show the items when column.

    And / Or: Specify how to group sequential filters.

    To remove a condition, click .

Show the items when column steps

Complete the following fields:

  1. Select the column (field) from the selected list or document library. Accepts a selection from the drop-down list.
  2. Select an operator to apply to the item selected. Accepts a selection from the drop-down list.
  3. The value you are looking for in the column (field) specified in the 1st step. Accepts a selection from the drop-down list or an inserted variable. Accepted variable types correspond to the data type of the selected list or library.

Filter

OData filter editor

Build, edit, or view a filter query using Open Data Protocol (OData).

  • Columns: Use the SharePoint internal column names in OData.
    1. Open the SharePoint list.
    2. From the top ribbon, click Settings and select List settings.
    3. In the columns section, click the name of the column you want to get the internal name of.
    4. The internal name appears in the URL of the Edit Column page that opens.

      5. For example the URL for Created By edit column page is: https://abc.sharepoint.com/sites/test/_layouts/15/FldEditEx.aspx?List=%7B8849257A-4C41-4138-BD00-2E59C3E9BE15%7D&Field=Author

      The internal name appears at the end of the URL after Field=

      In this example URL the internal name is Author.

  • Properties:Use a forward slash (/) between the column and its property in OData. For example, use "Author/LastName" for the Created By column and Last Name property.

  • Operators: Use lower case for query operators in OData. For example, use "eq" for "is equal to." For information about using operators, see Use OData query operations in SharePoint REST requests.

    Operator

    OData format
    equal to eq
    not equal to ne
    greater than gt
    less than lt
    greater than or equal to ge
    less than or equal to le

    is null

    eq null

    not null

    ne null

    begins with

    startswith(FieldInternalName, '(stringstartswith)')

    contains

    substringof('(StringToSearch)',FieldInternalName)

Lets say we want to filter a Customer Name column with name "Bob".

The breakdown of the syntax is: InternalName followed by the OData format of operator and 'filter string'. The value that we want to filter on should be wrapped in single quotes (' ').

The OData query to provide for this example is: CustomerName eq 'Bob'.

More filter examples are provided below:

Description

OData Filter
All hotels with a base rate less than $200 that are rated at or above 4 baseRate lt 200.0 and rating ge 4
all hotels that are Luxury or include parking and have a rating of 5 (category eq 'Luxury' or parkingIncluded eq true) and rating eq 5
leave status is approved and the leave code property of the leave type is equal to "ST." LeaveStatus eq 'Approved' and LeaveType/LeaveCode eq 'ST'

Filter

Sort

Sorts the items based on a column.

First sort by column: Select a column for sorting.

Sort options: Select to sort in ascending or descending order.

Add sort rule: Add another sort rule.

(unlabeled)

Maximum number of rows

Maximum number of rows to return in the query. Accepts either typed text or an inserted variable. Default value: 100.

(unlabeled)

Output Type

Single output: Outputs all selected columns to a single collection variable.

Separate output per column: Outputs each selected column to its own collection variable. Use this option if you want to read the data as an array.

(unlabeled)

Columns to select

Select a column from the filtered results.

Add column to select: Add another selected column.
 Columns to select With property (Displayed when a column with properties is selected): Select a property of the column to retrieve.
Output

(Displayed when Separate output per column is selected for Output type)

Collection variable to store the results for this selected column.

 

Output

(displayed when Separate output per column is selected as the Output type).

Variable to store the results for the column selected in Column to select field.

(unlabeled)

Output

(Displayed when Single output is selected as the Output type).

Collection variable to store the results for all selected columns.

(unlabeled)

Result count

Variable to store the number of results returned from the query.

For more information about how to use Lookups in configuration fields, see Lookups in action configuration fields.