Data and Records - Recent Threads

RE: To calculate cycle time

Harsha Sharma — Fri, 15 May 2026 10:07:34 GMT

Function calworkdays() returns the number of net work days between two datetimes excluding weekends and holidays by default. This is supported in Sync Time custom record field as well. So you can configure an expression like below.

 fn!calworkdays(rv!record[HS Test.fields.startDate'], rv!record[HS Test.fields.endDate'],"IndiaHolidayCalendar")

The last parameter takes in a 'calendar_name' which can be created using 'Process Calendar' in Designer->Objects view. It is an optional parameter. If you don't have a process calendar then system calendar is the default value which is used as 'calendar_name'.

Since sync-time custom record filed dont support constants use the process calendar name as string (e.g. IndiaHolidayCalendar). Hope it helps.

To calculate cycle time

priyadharshinis746840 — Fri, 15 May 2026 02:50:19 GMT

I want to calculate cycle time -difference between received date and closed date in days which includes only business days

Exclude weekends and public holidays

Using recordtype-new custom record field I wanna to achieve as I need to use in process hq reports

Thanks,

Priyadharshini. S

To calculate cycle time

priyadharshinis746840 — Fri, 15 May 2026 02:49:09 GMT

I want to calculate cycle time -difference between received date and closed date in days which includes only business days

Exclude weekends and public holidays

Thanks,

Priyadharshini. S

RE: To calculate cycle time

Shubham Aware — Fri, 15 May 2026 05:03:18 GMT

Duplicate Thread
https://community.appian.com/discussions/f/data/40432/to-calculate-cycle-time

RE: To calculate cycle time

Shubham Aware — Fri, 15 May 2026 05:02:54 GMT

Use networkdays(receivedDate, closedDate, cons!PUBLIC_HOLIDAYS) in a sync-time custom record field - this works cleanly in Process HQ reports.
For dynamic holidays, maintain the constant by periodically syncing it from your holiday table via a scheduled process.

RE: To calculate cycle time

subhankar-Maantic — Fri, 15 May 2026 03:11:32 GMT

Step 1 — Create a Holiday Table in DB

sql

CREATE TABLE PUBLIC_HOLIDAYS (
  holiday_date DATE,
  holiday_name VARCHAR2(100)
);

Step 2 — Create an Expression Rule

Build rule!CALC_BusinessDays(startDate, endDate)

Step 3 — Custom Record Field


rule!CALC_BusinessDays(
  startDate: recordType!YourRecord.fields.receivedDate,
  endDate:   recordType!YourRecord.fields.closedDate
)

RE: Export Data Store to Excel - how to preserve original document's data validations?

Mike Schmitt — Thu, 14 May 2026 17:06:15 GMT

[quote userid="299046" url="~/discussions/f/data/40426/export-data-store-to-excel---how-to-preserve-original-document-s-data-validations/154602"]Run exportDataStoreEntityToExcel smart service on the copy, targeting Sheet 2.
Serve the copy to the user for download[/quote]

though the generated copy still won't have the customized content they're after, since the copy still has everything stripped out after the smart service node is done with it.

Export Data Store to Excel - how to preserve original document's data validations?

kl0001 — Wed, 13 May 2026 20:36:28 GMT

Hi, my use case is I want to provide an excel template for users to download and fill out. Some of the information the user is filling out is dependent on data in a ref table that updates occasionally, so before the user downloads the document, I run Export Data Store Entity to Excel smart service in a process to update the document, so when the user downloads the document, it'll have the most updated ref data.

Here's the issue I'm running into - the excel template has two sheets:

- Sheet 1 is where the user fills out info. This sheet has data validation rules to make it more user friendly, most notably vlookup functions and data validation dropdowns that pull from Sheet 2

- Sheet 2 is where the ref data lives, and what the Export Data Store Entity smart service updates

However, after the smart services runs, the excel template that gets generate has no data validations - no dropdowns or excel functions. I'm imagining even though I'm only having the smart service update Sheet 2, the entire excel document gets impacted and erases all data validations. Below is the code that is being run in the smart service (note: I'm using the smart service's process model version, but for sake of clarity here's the SAIL code version):

[embed:dc8ab71f-3b98-42d9-b0f6-e21e02a0f8e2:bb6d400e-4c31-4015-83eb-e98c8761bf91:type=javascript&text=a%21exportDataStoreEntityToExcel%28%0D%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20documentToUpdate%3A%20cons%21DOC_CREATE_EXCEL_TEMPLATE%2C%0D%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20entity%3A%20cons%21REF_TABLE%2C%0D%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20sheetNumber%3A%202%0D%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%29]

Is this expected behavior or is there another workaround I can consider?

Thanks in advance

RE: Export Data Store to Excel - how to preserve original document's data validations?

Mike Schmitt — Thu, 14 May 2026 16:00:20 GMT

The export DSE to excel smart service truly is terrible for anything other than dumping raw data into an otherwise completely bare Excel file. I've been complaining from day 1 that they removed the ability (as seen in the older Excel Tools plug-in smart services) to accept a base template, but have never gotten any traction on this.

RE: Export Data Store to Excel - how to preserve original document's data validations?

Shubham Aware — Thu, 14 May 2026 09:45:43 GMT

This is expected behavior. exportDataStoreEntityToExcel regenerates the sheet from scratch, which overwrites the targeted sheet entirely, breaking any cross-sheet formulas or data validations that depend on it.
Use a two-document approach:
Keep your master template (with Sheet 1 validations/vlookups intact) - never touch this file.
At download time, run the process in this order:
Use Copy Document smart service to copy the master template -> creates a fresh copy.
Run exportDataStoreEntityToExcel smart service on the copy, targeting Sheet 2.
Serve the copy to the user for download.

RE: Export Data Store to Excel - how to preserve original document's data validations?

Harsha Sharma — Thu, 14 May 2026 02:21:30 GMT

We had similar requirements and the way I implemented is

1. Have an excel template with all validations.

2. The occasional data change in ref table was driven by admin actions so whenever data was modified by admin the same process would update the excel template’s ref data sheet in the template
3. Users always download the latest excel template’s ref data as step 2 updates the version of old template document instead of creating a new one.

Even with data changes the validations were untouched. Ensure that the smart service in process model updates the exact cell column/row which is used in excel data validation column. Also pass the old template as existing template to the smart service so it doesnt overwrite anything on sheet 1.
There can be more smaller delicate configurations that might be impacting the outcome but this is a perfectly solvable problem. Let me know if you need more help on this

RE: Generate documents from dynamic user inputs template and map values from multiple sources

iswaryan3520 — Fri, 08 May 2026 13:47:01 GMT

I have tried the above creating a ref table for variables for the tag its almost working and I m facing some issue in populating value in the dropdown .I want show the dropdown values from each associated column for variables , so I have added a refcolum column for each variables in the ref table. But the data is not populating in the dropdown . all the ruleiputs are converted map for to avoid index mismatch yet its not working.

local!variablesInContent: regexallmatches("\[(.*?)\]", ri!content),
  {
    a!boxLayout(
      label: ri!title,
      contents: {
        a!columnsLayout(
          columns: {
            a!columnLayout(
              contents: {
                a!styledTextEditorField(
                  readOnly: true(),
                  label: "Content",
                  value: striphtml(ri!content),
                  sizeLimit: 8000
                )
              }
            ),
            a!columnLayout(
              contents: {
                if(
                  a!isNotNullOrEmpty(local!variablesInContent),
                  a!forEach(
                    items: local!variablesInContent,
                    expression: a!localVariables(
                      local!data1,
                      local!variableName: fv!item,
                      local!variableDetails: index(
                        ri!variableRegistryDetails,
                        wherecontains(
                          local!variableName,
                          tostring(
                            index(ri!variableRegistryDetails, "Name", {})
                          )
                        ),
                        null
                      ),
                      local!index:index(
                        local!variableDetails,
                        "clientRefColumn",
                        null
                      ),
                      local!data: if(
                        /* Check if the details were found and if it's a user-selected field */
                        or(
                          a!isNullOrEmpty(local!variableDetails),
                          tostring(
                            index(
                              local!variableDetails,
                              "valueCategory",
                              {}
                            )
                          ) <> tostring("User Input")
                        ),
                        null,
                        if(
                          tostring(
                            index(local!variableDetails, "ListName", {})
                          ) = tostring("FDR Client"),
                          ri!fdrClientData,
                          if(
                            tostring(
                              index(local!variableDetails, "ListName", {})
                            ) = tostring("ML Legal Disclosure"),
                            ri!legalDisclosureData,
                            if(
                              tostring(
                                index(local!variableDetails, "ListName", {})
                              ) = tostring("Credit Bureau"),
                              ri!creditBureauData,
                              {}
                            )
                          )
                        )
                      ),
                      if(
                        a!isNullOrEmpty(local!data),
                        {},
                        /* If not a user input field or no data, show nothing */
                        a!dropdownField(
                          label: local!variableName,
                          placeholder: "--- Select a Value ---",
                          /* Apply consistent logic for choiceLabels */
                          choiceLabels: {
                            index(
                              local!data,
                              local!index,
                              null
                            )
                          },
                          choiceValues: {
                            index(
                              local!data,
                             local!index,
                              null
                            )
                          },
                          value: local!data1,
                          saveInto: {
                            local!data1,
                            a!save(
                              ri!fieldValues,
                              append(ri!fieldValues, local!data1)
                            )
                          }
                        )
                      )
                    )
                  ),
                  a!richTextDisplayField(
                    value: "No dynamic fields found in this section."
                  )
                )
              }
            )
          }
        )
      }
    )
  }

Generate documents from dynamic user inputs template and map values from multiple sources

iswaryan3520 — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:33:59 GMT

I have a document generation use case in Appian where I maintain a Request table and a separate Letter table that supports multiple versions of documents per request. For each letter version, I store selected template components such as header and footer (single selection) and multiple paragraphs, which are mapped through a separate association table to maintain order. These templates are stored in reference tables and contain placeholders in the format [placeholderName], which can appear anywhere within the text. In the first task, users select the required header, footer, paragraphs, and optional sections like privacy policy or guarantee content, and those selections are saved against the letter record. In the second task, based on the selected template content, I combine all the text and for each placeholder I need to fetch values from different data sources (for example, customer name from a customer table, address from another table, sender details from a user table, etc.), present those values in dropdowns for user selection, and use the selected values to populate a preview as well as generate the final document. Additionally, the system must support multilingual functionality where both predefined template content and generated documents should be available in different languages (currently French and Spanish), based on user choice, while maintaining the same placeholder structure across languages.

I am confused by how to extract and map the placeholder with values from correct source tables and find and replace them in the document. Can anyone help? I'm thinking maintaining separate table or add a one more column in the reference table for placeholder if the sentences contains palce holder that can be added in separate column. But still finding the place holder and replaceing it will actually values for user to update and replaceing it in documents I need some idea or help

Fetching Data from external source (Oracle SQL Developer software)

srinivaast629400 — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:45:34 GMT

Hi,

I am using Query database smart service in the Process model to get the data from the external data source which is in DataMart. Due to some access restriction, we were not able access external database. So, we have added the source in the admin console, and we are using it in smart service. I am getting 1000 rows of data, and I am storing it in a Process variable which is of CDT type. I want to fetch all the rows like I have more than 4000 rows of data. But I am able to fetch only 1000 rows. Is there any way to fetch all the rows. This is my current configuration. We need to display the data in an interface grid which will be viewed in Site

RE: Fetching Data from external source (Oracle SQL Developer software)

VarunTejaGurrapu — Thu, 07 May 2026 09:14:09 GMT

Hi srinivaast629400 ,

The Query Database Smart Service is not designed to load huge datasets into process variables for UI consumption.

By default:

It fetches limited rows (commonly 1000 depending on config/query)
Storing 4000+ rows in PV is a bad design ( upto 1000 is maximum).
If you absolutely must use Query Database Smart Service. Then implement:
- batching
- pagination loop

Question: Why are you not using the Integration call to get the data into Appian?

RE: Fetching Data from external source (Oracle SQL Developer software)

Harsha Sharma — Wed, 06 May 2026 15:00:09 GMT

As per documentation, the default limit is 1000 rows for a select query when Query Database smart service is used but it can be updated. Check this documentation to get the limit updated as per need

RE: Fetching Data from external source (Oracle SQL Developer software)

Shubham Aware — Wed, 06 May 2026 13:17:52 GMT

Query Database smart service has a 1000-row hard limit. Use a loop in your process model with LIMIT 1000 OFFSET ac!offsetValue, starting at 0 and incrementing by 1000 each iteration. Stop the loop when returned rows < 1000 and append each batch to your CDT list PV.
Pass ac!offsetValue as an input node in the Data tab of the smart service, starting at 0 and dynamically passing the updated offset after each iteration.

SELECT SOURCE_ID, ADD_COMMENT, MAX_INVOICE_DATE, AMOUNT
FROM AHN_EXCEPTIONS_BY_SALES_VW
ORDER BY SOURCE_ID
OFFSET ac!offsetValue ROWS FETCH NEXT 1000 ROWS ONLY

RE: Fetching Data from external source (Oracle SQL Developer software)

srinivaast629400 — Wed, 06 May 2026 11:19:58 GMT

We have some grant restrictions to access the table. We are unable to create a record. We have configured the data source in the admin console and pulling the data through Query database smart service. But it doesn't support select * query in the setup configuration. We need all the data to be queried. Is there any other method ?

RE: Fetching Data from external source (Oracle SQL Developer software)

Harsha Sharma — Wed, 06 May 2026 11:14:10 GMT

Did you try setting up a record type to work with external data source? What challenges did you face

Editing because I cant reply to this thread any longer, and am getting a warning. srinivaast629400 Please see below my latest reply

As per documentation, the default limit is 1000 rows for a select query when Query Database smart service is used but it can be updated. Check this documentation to get the limit updated as per need

RE: User filter-Records

Shubham Aware — Tue, 05 May 2026 05:17:22 GMT

You cannot directly refresh record user filter data on demand; set a Refresh Interval on the record list( Record Type -> List tab -> find Refresh Interval dropdown) or refresh the page/list manually.

User filter-Records

priyadharshinis746840 — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 03:44:41 GMT

I am creating a user filter,for completed by we have stored the value in userId ,while showing in record list using user function ,I need to sort the filter options.Is there anny possible way can someone help me

For the below example let's say,I want to sort the usernames in alphabetical order.

a!localVariables(
local!acctExecs: getdistinctusers(cons!ACCOUNT_OWNERS),
a!recordFilterList(
name: "Account Executives",
options: a!forEach(
items: local!acctExecs,
expression: a!recordFilterListOption(
id: fv!index,
name: user(fv!item, "firstName") & " " & user(fv!item, "lastName"),
filter: a!queryFilter(
field: recordType!Customer.fields.AccountOwner,
operator: "=",
value: fv!item
)
)
)
)
)

RE: User filter-Records

priyadharshinis746840 — Tue, 05 May 2026 01:51:43 GMT

Hi Shubham Aware ,

I face challenge here when I filter records and after that let's say a new case is created with grid refresh I cant see the new case in that filtered records,

When I refresh the browser and again filtering the record it works.

Could you please help me with this issue.

RE: Issue in exporting links in excel from record grid

Shubham Aware — Mon, 04 May 2026 11:53:34 GMT

The issue seems to be is your uri logic, Some docImage values are not becoming one valid hyperlink, so Excel exports only the label or leaves the cell blank.
Validate the failing rows first and check whether docImage contains a proper external URL or a valid Doc Id, because a!safeLink() needs one valid URI per cell and Excel supports only one hyperlink per cell.

Issue in exporting links in excel from record grid

rohinip20 — Fri, 01 May 2026 13:32:12 GMT

I have a requirement to show the hyperlink when exported to excel from record grid . The associated DB column has a either a DOC Id or a url .

By exporting ,few fields are shown as desired (both label name with hyperlink), few are just shown with with label and no hyperlink and few are entirely skipped to show the excel.

I have the following sample code.. Is something wrong here?

a!gridColumn(
label: "File Name",
value: a!linkField(

links:a!safeLink(
label: fv!row['recordType!record.fieldname],
uri:
if(
left(
fv!row['recordType!record.docImage],
10
) = "[Document:",
document(
todocument(fv!row['recordType!record.docImage]),
"url"
),
fv!row['recordType!record.docImage]
)),
showWhen:a!isNotNullOrEmpty(
fv!row['recordType!record.docImage]),

showwhen:false
exportWhen: true,
align: "START"
),

Thanks

RE: Issue in exporting links in excel from record grid

rohinip20 — Sat, 02 May 2026 15:02:38 GMT

showwhen: false is not a duplicate . This parameter is being used to hide the column in the UI and I am only exporting it.

The doc Image value is not empty but its still not showing in the export