Commit pending changes

This workflow action forces all existing batched operations to be committed. Batched operations are operations performed by workflow actions that do not commit immediately. For example, the "Update list item" action doesn’t actually update an item immediately, it waits until the workflow commits. The workflow commits at a delay action, a task action or the end of the workflow. So when the update list item action runs, it just registers that it needs to update the item, the item actually updates on commit.

The SharePoint workflow engine doesn’t necessarily commit batched operations in the order they are displayed on the designer. For example, if the following actions are in this order:

Set item permissions action (Nintex)Update list item action (Microsoft SharePoint)Set permissions action (Nintex)

These would actually execute in this order:

Set item permissions action (Nintex)
Set item permissions action (Nintex)
Update list item action (Microsoft SharePoint)

It executes it in this order, because there are actually two batches, the Microsoft batch and the Nintex batch (any other third party has their own batch). This is because third parties cannot add operations to the Microsoft batch. In addition, all items in a single batch are executed before actions in another batch. The batch that is executed first depends on the first activity: If the Microsoft SharePoint action was encountered first, then all the Microsoft actions would run before the Nintex actions.

The "Commit pending changes" workflow action: The "Commit pending changes" action is another point where a workflow will execute all its batch operations.

So, modifying the above example:

Set item permissions action (Nintex)
Update list item action (Microsoft SharePoint)
Commit pending changes
Set item permissions action (Nintex)

In this case everything will run in order. The Nintex batch will run first because the Nintex action is first encountered, but in this scenario there is only one action in this batch. The "Update item" action will run. Then the workflow will commit, and the final "Set item permissions" action is in a new batch.

To use the workflow action:

Locate the action in Workflow Actions Toolbox (located on the left hand-side);

Click on the Category listings to reveal the actions; OR
Search for the action using a keyword.

Select the action, drag it onto the design canvas and drop it onto a design pearl.

Alternatively

Left-clicking the pearl, mouse-over Insert Action and then the Categories to reveal the actions, click the required action from the list.

To change the settings used by the action:

On the action’s title click the down arrow to activate a drop-down
Select Configure; OR
Double-click the action's icon.

For more information on the other options in the drop-down, please refer to the Getting started with the Nintex Workflow designer.

Options within the action

This action has no settings to configure.