​This workflow action assigns a task to a specified user. To complete the task, the user must provide a value for each data item specified in the action configuration. The workflow will wait for the task to be completed before continuing the execution. Once the task is completed, the data that the user entered is available within the workflow.

To use the workflow action:

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

Ribbon Option: Action

Collect data from

The user or group to retrieve data from. This task can only be assigned to a single user or group. If it is assigned to a group, the first group member to respond will act on behalf of the entire group.  

Note: Although the People Picker field will allow multiple users to be added, the first person added will be the only person notified and the only person who can approve the task. If a group is added, all will receive the notification, but only one person will be able to respond. This is because the workflow action will only create a single task, and only one user will be able to respond to the task. Also, once one person responds to the task, the task will be completed and the other user will not be able to provide input.

Select People and Groups

To search for users, click on the address book icon on the right.

The configuration dialog allows the workflow designer to search for and/or add users to the Assignees list by one or more of the following methods:

• Internal Search: Entering a partial display name, email or user account name and clicking on the magnifying glass will provide a list of matching users and groups from SharePoint as well as Active Directory.
• External email address: Enter an external email address manually. Where possible Nintex Workflow will resolve this to an actual user account.
• Lookup: Provides the option of adding a dynamic reference as an approver. e.g. Workflow variable, list field.

Click the title bar to expand or collapse each option. 

Content type

When the action runs, it creates a task for the user to complete. Each data item is created as a field in a task content type, and this content type is used when creating a task.

An existing content type can be used, or a new content type constructed. The list of existing content types will show all content types that inherit from the 'Workflow Task' content type. The new content type will also inherit from this parent. See the SharePoint documentation for more information on content types.

If an existing content type is chosen, the option will appear to make changes to the content type. This can include removing, adding or modifying existing fields. This option should be used with caution, as changes may affect other workflows or applications that use the content type.

A content type is only created or modified when the workflow is published, not when it is saved. If you define a new content type, then save the workflow, your changes will be lost when you next edit the workflow.

Field list

In this panel the data items to request from the user are defined. Each represents a field in the selected Content Type.

Each field has the option to store the value in a workflow variable. This will enable the value to be used directly in the workflow without it having to be looked up manually with a Set Variable action.

Further options for each field can be set from the SharePoint Content Type settings page.

The content type is only updated when the workflow is published.

Publish task edit form

When the workflow is published, it will generate a form for the task. This form is associated with the task content type and will overwrite an existing form if it exists. This option allows the designer to specify whether to publish the form or not when the content type already exists. If other applications use the form, or the form has been customised, the designer may not want to republish it so the changes are not lost.

Only show fields with variables assigned

When this option is selected, only data fields that have a variable selected for 'Store Result In' will have a visible input field on the published form. If this option is not selected, all the data items displayed in the field list will have input fields on the form.

The generated form is a standard list item edit page and can be customized in SharePoint Designer. The form is stored in the Workflows/NintexWorkflows/workflowname folder and will be named the same as the content type.

Note that the form is only published when the workflow is published.

Display link to workflow item on the task form

When this option is selected, the published task form will have a field called 'Link' containing a hyperlink back to the item that the workflow is running on. This is used to provide context about the workflow item for the user responding to the task.

Display the item properties panel on the task form

When this option is selected, the default SharePoint task form will display a panel with the field names and values of the item that the workflow is running on. This option does not affect the task form published by Nintex.

Allow attachments

When this option is selected, the published task form will display a link to add attachments to the task item. The task respondent will then have the opportunity to optionally attach one or more files to the form.

Store attachment URLs in

This option allows the selection of a collection workflow variable in which to store the URL of each attachment that the task respondent added to the task. This option is only available if Allow attachments is enabled, or if Publish task form is disabled.

Task description

On the default task edit page, this text will appear at the top of the page before the input controls. It is stored in the task's description field.

Allow delegation

When this option is selected, the user whom the task was assigned to will have the option to reassign it to another user.

Enable responses by email using LazyApproval

When this option is selected, the user can complete the task by replying to the notification email. The email will contain a basic form, providing a location for the user to enter each requested value. By default, the form is appended to the message body. To control the location of the form, use the following token in the Input Required message:

{LAZY_APPROVAL_DATA_FORM}

Note: the email form only shows fields that have variables assigned.

For more information see the About LazyApproval help topic.

Task name

The title that will be assigned to the task.

Priority 

Specifies the value that should be assigned to the priority flag for the task. 

Due Date

Set a date for the task to be completed by.

Store action ID in

Action IDs are used to link a task action to other actions in the workflow that are task related, such as the Task Reminder. Select an Action ID workflow variable to link this task to another action.

Store task ID in

This will store the SharePoint list item ID of the created task into an integer workflow variable. This value can then be used to reference the task list item directly in workflow lookups.

Item Permissions

Set user permissions to: Sets the user permission on the item.

When task is complete, set user permissions to: Sets the user permission on the item after the task has been completed.

Note: Setting the item permissions could be useful when the task is delegated, this will give the delegated user the necessary permissions to view the item.

Form type

Select the Default form or an InfoPath form.

Ribbon Option: Task Notification