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Nintex Workflow 2010 > Workflow Actions
Assign To-Do Task

This workflow action will assign a SharePoint task to one or more users.

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 this action


Ribbon Option: Action 

Assignees

The Assignees list contains all users or groups that will be assigned the task when the workflow is runs. 

Users can be:  

  • Entered directly using their username, email address or full name and will be resolved where possible against the SharePoint user list or Active Directory.
  • Search for users, click on the address book icon on the right.  

 
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.

Create individual tasks for all group members

In the case when a group is assigned the task and Create individual tasks for all group members checkbox is:
  • not selected, all users in that group will receive the task notification. The first respondent will represent the entire group.
  • selected, an individual task will be assigned to every member of the group. 
Groups will only be expanded to one level. Groups within groups will not be expanded.
Users can be entered directly using their username, email address or full name and will be resolved where possible against the SharePoint user list or Active Directory.   

Allow delegation

When this option is selected, if the assignee field of the task is changed, Nintex Workflow will record the change as a task delegation and the new assignee will receive the Response Required Notification. If this option is not selected, Nintex Workflow will not track the change to the assignee and Nintex Workflow reports and web parts will not reflect the new assignee. 

Task description

Allows entry of dynamic text that will display on the task response form. This can be used to communicate additional information about the task to the responding user. References can also be inserted using the Inserting reference fields feature.   

Task options

There are two behavioural alternatives in this action to instruct Nintex Workflow how to handle tasks with multiple assignees. These are:

  • All must respond: All assignees must complete the task before the workflow will continue.
  • First response applies: After the first response is received, all other tasks will be set to 'not required'. 

Content type

Choose to use an existing, or instruct Nintex Workflow to create a new content type.

If using an existing content type, select any content type that inherits from 'Workflow Task' but does not inherit from 'Nintex Workflow Task'. The 'Nintex Workflow Task' content type is reserved for request approval and request review actions. Also if selecting an existing content type, specify the value to assign to each field when the task is created.

Due Date

Set a date for the task to be completed by.

Store task Ids in

When the workflow runs, the ID given to each task that is created will be stored into the selected collection variable.

Ribbon Option: Task Notification

Sent when the task is assigned to a user, also used when the task is delegated by one user to another.


 
Edit settings for
Changing this setting from the default All Assignees, allows the configuration of unique notification options for each Assignee in the list.
Unless specifically configured, assignees will use the All Assignees settings. To override settings for a specific Assignee, select their name from the drop down list.
Changes to All Assignees will not affect users who are given custom settings.

Delegate task when 'Assigned To' changes

When this option is selected, if the assignee field of the task is changed, Nintex Workflow will record the change as a task delegation and the new assignee will receive the Response Required Notification. If this option is not selected, Nintex Workflow will not track the change to the assignee and Nintex Workflow reports and web parts will not reflect the new assignee. 

Delivery type

Delivery type is the method of delivering the notification to the recipients.

Available delivery options; None, Email, User preference or Instant Message (if enable on the server). For information on User preference, please refer to the Configuring user preferences.

Please note: Nintex does not provide support for troubleshooting email, SMS or LCS systems.

CC

The CC field sets read only users who will receive the notification.  CC recipients are not able to respond to the tasks.

To set the CC field click on to open the Select People and Groups configuration dialog.

BCC

The BCC field sets read only users who will receive the email. BCC recipitants are not able to respond to the tasks. Other users addressed in the email via the To, CC and BCC fields will not be able to see any addresses in the BCC field. To set the BCC field, enter the account name, or alternatively, select the address book icon for additional options.

From

The From field sets the user or domain group that will appear as the sender of the message. This setting applies to emails only. If no From user or domain group is specified, the From address configured in Global Settings will be used. 

Importance

The priority of the notification. This is only applicable when using email notifications.

Subject

The Subject is the title of the notification being sent. If an OCS/LCS message is being sent it will be pre-pended to the body of the notification. 

Added manually or by clicking on , to use Insert reference fields from within the runtime instance of the workflow.

Attachments

Allows file attachments to be added to the notification. You can specify multiple URLs by separating each URL with a semicolon. You can also specify multiple URLs by referencing a collection variable.

Files will not be received by a user when SMS or IM is selected as the delivery method.  For information on User preference, please refer to the Configuring user preferences.

Format

This sets the format of the email.

Selecting: 

  • Rich Text enables italicize, bold, underline and indent information within the email using simple HTML styles provided by the SharePoint rich text tool bar
  • Plain Text is simply the text without any stylized formatting.

Notification body

The body of the notification will adapt depending on whether the Rich Text or Plain Text format is selected. Within the space provided enter the content for the notification as straight text, also available are Insert reference fields from within the workflow.

Ribbon Option: Not Required Notification

Sent when the user no longer needs to respond to the task. This can occur when: 

  • A task is assigned to multiple users but only one is required to respond.
  • The workflow is terminated prior to the task being processed.
  • An error occurs in the workflow at runtime.


See above Ribbon Option: Task Notification above for field descriptions. 

Ribbon Option: Reminders

Optional notification Reminders can be configured to be sent to each assignee who has not yet completed the task.

Number of reminders

The number of reminders to be sent.

Time between reminders

The delay before sending each reminder in days, hours and minutes.

The total time is calculated by summing all fields, regardless of the Time calculation option selected. For example, 4 days and 4 minutes will be calculated as 96 (24x4) hours and 4 minutes.

Time calculation

Specifies whether or not hours outside the work week should be included when counting down to send a reminder.  

During business days only 

The During business days only option will specify that weekends or holidays are not included in the count down, but after hours on a business day are.   

Example:  

  • The task is assigned Friday morning and is configured to wait 1 day before sending a reminder (the work week is defined as Monday to Friday)
    • A reminder will be sent Monday morning, weekends are not included in the count down. 

During business hours only

The During business hours only option specifies that only business hours are used in the count down.  

Example:  

  • The task is assigned Wednesday at 4pm and is configured to wait 4 hours before sending a reminder (the work day is defined as Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm).
    • A reminder will be sent at 11am on Thursday, after business hours are not included in the count down.  

Neither option

If neither option is selected, all hours will be included in the count down.  

Examples:   

  • The task is assigned Friday morning and is configured to wait 1 day before sending a reminder.
    • A reminder will be sent Saturday morning, weekends are included in the count down. 
  • The task is assigned Wednesday at 4pm and is configured to wait 4 hours before sending a reminder.
    • A reminder will be sent at 8pm on Wednesday, after business hours are included in the count down.  

Public holidays and any other special occasions are set using the "Site Settings > Nintex Workflow > Manage Holidays" page.
See Ribbon Option: Task Notification above for additional field descriptions. 

Ribbon Option: Escalation

Escalation is optional, there are two possible escalation paths: 

  • Delegate task will re-assign all pending tasks to the nominated user after the specified time.
  • Complete task will auto-respond to all pending tasks and set the overall outcome of the action to the indicated outcome after the specified time.

  • The specified outcome does not have to be one of the configured possible Outcomes set in the Action.

Escalation occurs after all reminders have been sent and the specified "Time to escalation" has elapsed.


 
See Ribbon Option: Reminders above for additional field descriptions.