How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

BrandonKelly — Tue, 20 May 2025 05:16:36 GMT

You can retrieve approval records based on milestones using a filtered query on the request table, applying a where clause that targets the milestone value. It’s important to keep data structure clean for this to work efficiently. This type of data filtering reminds me of https://truowl.com/, where precision and organization are key to academic success. Clean logic and structured queries lead to better results—just like a well-organized essay or study plan.

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

Peter Lewis — Wed, 07 May 2025 21:23:23 GMT

Ahhhh I see what you mean. One approach could be to try and create two separate record types (one for user approvals and one for group approvals with a source filter on each) and then use those relationships. You're right - I forgot that you can't set a custom record field as a user or group type (although it is something that is in consideration!) so probably the separate record types is your best bet.

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

adithyay811 — Wed, 07 May 2025 18:11:56 GMT

I managed to segregate the data, but I'm unable to define the toUser function during real-time evaluation or sync-time evaluation. Additionally, the value is being defined as text and not as a user , and the custom field is not appearing on the security summary.

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

Peter Lewis — Wed, 07 May 2025 17:46:21 GMT

Can you create a custom field that splits out the user or group into separate columns and use each of those columns to determine the security?

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

adithyay811 — Wed, 07 May 2025 17:44:17 GMT

We are currently storing user and Group in the same field with a separate column in DB to identify whether the approval is assigned to User or Group. In this case, appian is not enabling the field as Appian detects the field as text and we cannot update the type to User or Group.

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

Peter Lewis — Wed, 07 May 2025 17:32:58 GMT

Can you use the users found in fields option?

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

adithyay811 — Wed, 07 May 2025 17:26:46 GMT

HI Peter,
looks like the issue we are still unable to solve the issue as we need to match the logged in User with the value in the field. But I don't see a way to configure that.

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

Peter Lewis — Mon, 05 May 2025 21:16:38 GMT

Just create security rules for each of the scenarios you would like. You can set up rules with multiple groups and define conditions based on your data (i.e. only give visibility if the approval is done)

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

adithyay811 — Mon, 05 May 2025 16:49:37 GMT

Thanks Peter. How would you handle if same user is part of multiple Groups? And these tasks should be displayed to the next approver only after the prior approval is done.

RE: How to retrieve approval records based on request milestone in request table?

Peter Lewis — Mon, 05 May 2025 16:12:48 GMT

This seems to me like a pretty commonly supported scenario for synced records. You can model each of the tables as a record type, create relationships between them, and apply record-level security to the approval table (to ensure users can only see requests assigned to themselves, except for managers that can see tasks in their groups as well).

I'd certainly recommend giving it a shot and letting us know if you run into any issues!