Workflow context properties
Workflow context properties, also known as common properties, are workflow references that represent the properties available to the workflow from the current execution context. For more information about workflow references, see Workflow references.
Unlike other workflow references, Nintex Workflow 2013 retrieves the value of a workflow context property from a variety of both SharePoint and Nintex sources, depending on the workflow context property. For example, the All Approver Comments workflow context property is concatenated by Nintex Workflow 2013 from all responder comments for all workflow tasks in the current workflow instance.
You can create custom workflow context properties, as well, that can be referenced from workflows and managed from Nintex Workflow Management.
Accessing workflow context properties
The following table describes the workflow context properties provided by Nintex Workflow 2013 and the workflow types to which they apply.
| Property name | Applies to | Description |
| All Approver Comments | List, Reusable, Site |
All comments made by all approvers in all workflow tasks that have run in the workflow instance. Each comment is separated by two System.Environment.NewLine characters. Represented by the AllApproverComments class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| All Approver Comments (HTML) | List, Reusable, Site |
All comments made by all approvers in all workflow tasks that have run in the workflow instance, formatted for HTML. Each comment is separated by two HTML line break (<br />) elements. Represented by the AllApproverCommentsHtml class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| Approval URL (via Nintex Live) | List, Reusable |
The absolute URL to the cloud-based task response form for the current workflow task in the workflow instance. |
| Approver Comments | List, Reusable, Site |
The comments of the approvers who responded to the most recently executed workflow task in the workflow instance. Each comment is separated by two System.Environment.NewLine characters. If no comments have been provided for the most recently executed task in the workflow, this property returns an empty string (""). Represented by the LastApproverComments class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| Context Item Display Name | List, Reusable |
If the workflow has a context item, the display name of the list item associated with the workflow instance in the current execution context; otherwise, an empty string (""). |
| Context Item URL | List, Reusable |
If the workflow has a context item, the absolute URL of the list item associated with the workflow instance in the current execution context; otherwise, an empty string (""). |
| Current Date | List, Reusable, Site |
The current local date. |
| Current Time | List, Reusable, Site |
The current local date and time. |
| Document Checked Out User | List, Reusable |
If the document for the current list item in the SharePoint document library is checked out, the SharePoint member ID of the user who checked out the document; otherwise, an empty string (""). |
| Initiator | List, Reusable, Site |
The user name of the user who started the workflow, or caused the event which triggered the workflow. Represented by the Initiator class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| Initiator's Display Name | List, Reusable, Site |
The display name of the user who started the workflow, or caused the event which triggered the workflow. Represented by the InitiatorsDisplayName class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| Is Document Writable | List, Reusable |
False if the document for the current list item in the SharePoint document library does not exist, or if the document is checked out; otherwise, true. |
| Item Display Name | List, Reusable |
The display name of the list item associated with the workflow instance in the current execution context. |
| Item URL | List, Reusable |
The absolute URL of the list item associated with the workflow instance in the current execution context. |
| Last Task Respondent | List, Reusable, Site |
The user name of the user who last registered a response to a workflow task in the workflow instance. Represented by the LastTaskRespondent class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| Last Task Respondent Display Name | List, Reusable, Site |
The display name of the user who last registered a response to a workflow task in the workflow instance. Represented by the LastTaskRespondentDisplayName class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| List ID | List, Reusable |
The SharePoint identifier of the list associated with the workflow instance in the current execution context. |
| List Name | List, Reusable |
The display name of the list associated with the workflow instance in the current execution context. |
| Manager | List, Reusable, Site |
If available from LDAP, the user name of the manager for the user who triggered the workflow; otherwise, an empty string (""). Represented by the Manager class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| Manager's Display Name | List, Reusable, Site |
If available from LDAP, the display name of the manager for the user who triggered the workflow; otherwise, an empty string(""). Represented by the ManagerDisplayName class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| New line | List, Reusable, Site |
A single System.Environment.NewLine character. Tip: This workflow context property is provided as a string concatenation aid. |
| Site collection ID | List, Reusable, Site |
The identifier of the SharePoint site collection in which the workflow instance is running. |
| Site ID | List, Reusable, Site |
The identifier of the SharePoint site in which the workflow instance is running. |
| Site Name | List, Reusable, Site |
The display name of the SharePoint site in which the workflow instance is running. |
| Site Owners | List, Reusable, Site |
A list of user names, delimited by semi-colon (;) characters, that represents the users in the Owners group of the SharePoint site in which the workflow instance is running. Represented by the SiteOwners class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| Start Date | List, Reusable, Site |
The local date on which the running workflow instance was created. |
| Start Time | List, Reusable, Site |
The local date and time at which the running workflow instance was created. |
| Tab | List, Reusable, Site |
A tab character. Tip: This workflow context property is provided as a string concatenation aid. |
| Web URL | List, Reusable, Site |
The absolute URL of the SharePoint site in which the workflow instance is running. |
| Workflow Instance ID | List, Reusable, Site |
The SharePoint identifier of the running workflow instance. |
| Workflow Log URL | List, Reusable, Site |
The relative URL where the status of the workflow instance can be viewed in textual form, relative to the current execution context. Represented by the WorkflowLogUrl class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| Workflow Owner | List, Reusable, Site |
If the user can be retrieved, the user name of the user who published the workflow; otherwise, an empty string (""). |
| Workflow Status URL | List, Reusable, Site |
The relative URL where the status of the workflow instance can be viewed in graphical form, relative to the current execution context. Represented by the WorkflowStatusUrl class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
| Workflow Title | List, Reusable, Site |
If applicable, the title of the running workflow instance; otherwise, an empty string (""). Represented by the WorkflowTitle class, in the Nintex.Workflow.ContextDataItems namespace. |
To support the use of item properties in custom workflow actions, ensure that the appropriate controls are included on the configuration page. Any server control or user control that can display an Insert Reference button can include references to workflow context properties. For example, you can use the ContextDataLookup control to allow the user to explicitly specify a workflow context property as the value of a configuration setting. For more information, see Working with the ContextDataLookup control.
Creating custom workflow context properties
You can create your own custom workflow context properties by developing a class derived from the ContextDataItemBase abstract class, in the Nintex.Workflow namespace. Custom workflow context properties are accessed and managed just like the workflow context properties included with Nintex Workflow 2013.
For more information, see Working with custom workflow context properties.
Managing workflow context properties
You can manage workflow context properties by using the Manage Context Data page in Nintex Workflow Management. This page displays information about each workflow context property, and allows you to interactively edit or add workflow context properties, including custom workflow context properties, for Nintex Workflow 2013.
Note: You must reset Internet Information Services (IIS) if you add or edit a workflow context property using this page.
For more information, see the Nintex Workflow 2013 product documentation.