SOLVED

Overdue task reminder workflow error

Copper Contributor

Dear All.

First of all, sorry for the long post. :)

I would like to ask for your help regarding SharePoint overdue task reminder.

I’d like to use the build-in task app for assign monthly tasks with important due date.

Requirements:

  • Send a mail to assigned person, 2 days before overdue date.
  • Do not send mail at the moment of the task assign, because we would like to assign monthly tasks for a year ahead and I do not want to send 12 mails within 2 minutes.
  • Do not send the mail at midnight because it could be annoying for clients.

I tried to solve the problem in many various way, but each of them seemed wrong. I do not know where is the problem exactly (in SharePoint Designer Workflow algorithm or SharePoint site settings?)

 

My (wrong) solving method:

 

WORKFLOW

If Current Item:Task Status not equals Completed

              Add -2 days to Current Item:Due Date (Output to Variable:RightDate)

              then Pause until Variable:RightDate

              then Email Carl, Johnson

 

Type: List Workflow

Associated List: Tasks

Platform type: SharePoint 2010 Workflow

Start Options

              Allow this workflow to be manually started

              Start workflow automatically when an item is created

 

SHAREPOINT SITE

Columns: Task Name, Due Date (Date and Time type, Date + Time edition (with hours…)) Assigned To,

Information Management Policy Settings: Enabled Retention with the following settings:

              This stage is based off a date property on the item
              Time Period: Due Date + 0 days

              Action:

              When this stage is triggered, perform the following action:

              Start a workflow

              Start this workflow {Name of the workflow}

 

My overdue reminder workflow does not work in order (vid. requirements).

I would be pleased if somebody could help me.

 

Thank you very much in advance,

Adam

 

5 Replies
best response confirmed by Ádám Lukács (Copper Contributor)
Solution

Your main issue is putting the Pause into the workflow. Try avoiding those whenever possible!

I would recommend going much simpler with the following:

Workflow 'Send Notification'
   Stage 1 : Send Email to [Assigned To]

Information Management Policy:
    Based on Due Date - 2 Days > Initiate Workflow 'Send Notification'

Information Policy Timer Job... {Central Admin}. This is defaulted to running once a week on Friday. You would have to update it to process at least once a day and can select the time it runs, avoiding the middle of the night issue.

You can also use the notification workflow at other times, or manually kicked off

Since it seems you are in SharePoint Online, I would recommend to avoid a SharePoint Designer Workflow and try Flow

Thank you very much for your answer!

 

I have got the following reflection:

- I cannot do that : "Based on Due Date - 2 Days ", because it can handle only positive integers.

- Unfortunately I am only SharePoint Site owner and not SharePoint Administrator, so I don't have access to central admin platform.

 

I am just wondering a 'little-reminder' how could be an so complicated task. :)

 

yes, a simple overdue/coming due notification should be much easier to do than this!

I forgot about not being able to be a negative number, which makes this a slightly messier deal.
The workaround for going negative is a mess on its own, but it goes like this:

- Create a new Site Column using the date/time format, lets call it 'Notify On'
- Add this new column to your list
- Create a workflow called 'Set Notification Date' that runs when created or changed. This workflow calculates the negative value needed for the 'Send Notification' workflow to trigger on.

Workflows can only trigger on Site Columns or on a custom criteria formula. I haven't learned how to do the custom formulas yet!

I agree with Juan, you have this tagged as SharePoint Online, you could do a timer in flow to just check a the date on a daily basis and some kind of flag or something vs. trying to do this on the old school engine.
1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by Ádám Lukács (Copper Contributor)
Solution

Your main issue is putting the Pause into the workflow. Try avoiding those whenever possible!

I would recommend going much simpler with the following:

Workflow 'Send Notification'
   Stage 1 : Send Email to [Assigned To]

Information Management Policy:
    Based on Due Date - 2 Days > Initiate Workflow 'Send Notification'

Information Policy Timer Job... {Central Admin}. This is defaulted to running once a week on Friday. You would have to update it to process at least once a day and can select the time it runs, avoiding the middle of the night issue.

You can also use the notification workflow at other times, or manually kicked off

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