Named Records in Workflow
Our new “Named Records in Workflow” feature allows you access and update Records in workflow by simply referencing the Records by name. Streamline and simplify your workflows by leveraging an easy-to-follow naming system. This feature is part of the 4.18 release scheduled for release in November of 2023.
What Are Named Records
Named Records refers to assigning names to Records in workflow. Then you can use the names to refer to Records to retrieve or update values. There is a workflow action called “Name Record” that allows you to set a Record’s name. You can either name the “active” record by leaving the “Record ID” field blank or you can specify the ID of the Record to name (by number of by variable). This adds the specified Record to an internal list we hold for you during this workflow cycle.
How to Use Named Records in Workflow
When you wish to update a Record you named, you can use a “Record Field Update” or “Record Multi-Value Update” action. In those actions, you can set the option to update the “Named Record”. The workflow engine will find the Record by its name and apply the updates to that Record.
If you wish to get a value from a Named Record, you can use the [NAMEDRECDATA()] variable. The first parameter in the variable is the name of the Record to pull from and the second parameter is the name of the field whose value you wish to retrieve. So, to get the “AMOUNT” value from a Record you named “INVOICE” you would use this format:
[NAMEDRECDATA(Invoice|Amount)]
A simple way to apply that value to another Record is to use the “Record Field Update” action.
Notes
Things to keep in mind:
- The Named Records list is transient. It is only accessible in the current workflow “cycle” then is gone. For instance, when you click a workflow button, that starts a new workflow cycle. As the button actions runs, the Named Records list is available. Once the actions for that button are done, that ends the workflow cycle. At that point the Named Records list is gone. If you wish to use the list again for the next button, you have to add those Records to the list again by naming them.
- A cycle is technically the series of workflow actions from the initiating event (button click) until the workflow stops. So, this could include a trigger’s button actions, then the trigger’s completion actions, and then the next trigger’s assignment actions. Those actions would all be in the same cycle. Once the workflow stops at an assigned trigger (or exits workflow), the cycle is done. The cycle could also be several triggers’ actions if the triggers are automated (i.e., they don’t stop for user interaction).
- The “Named Records” feature is only available in the Enterprise edition so systems running Standard Edition will not have this capability.
- The [NAMEDRECDATA()] variable will work outside of the workflow engine. The first parameter can be left blank to mean the “active” Record. It can also be set to a number to get a Record by its ID.
Related Articles
Workflow Part 1 – Introduction to the Basics
Workflow Part 2 – Intermediate Configuration
Workflow Part 3 – Action Types
Workflow Part 4 – Work Trigger Methods