SharePoint Online Connector
Use the SharePoint Online Connector node to distribute documents to SharePoint Online, Microsoft’s platform that extends the functionality of existing “on-premises” SharePoint deployments using a cloud-based service. The connector allows you to send documents to SharePoint Online via an automated workflow, or you can access SharePoint Online directly at the MFP panel.
Note: To use the SharePoint Online Connector, you must have a SharePoint Online account.
Configuring the SharePoint Online Connector
To open the node’s configuration window (shown above), add a SharePoint Online Connector distribution node to your workflow and double-click on it. You have the following options:
-
Enabled - To enable this node in the current workflow, select the toggle until “Enabled” displays. The default setting is “Enabled”. If you disable the node:
-
The workflow will ignore the node.
-
The node will not check for logic or error conditions.
Important! If you disable this node, and no other distribution nodes are enabled, it will not cause the workflow to fail validation, but no processed documents will output and they may be lost.
-
-
Name - The name in this field appears below the node’s icon in the workflow. The node’s name defaults, but you can edit it. For example, you can specify a name that indicates the node’s function in the workflow.
-
Description - Enter a description for this node that details its purpose in the workflow, and/or to distinguish it from other nodes in the workflow. If the description is long, you can hover the mouse over the field to read its entire contents.
This field is optional and is for internal use. That is, it appears only in this window and not in the workflow.
Buttons
- Help - Accesses Online Help.
- Metadata - Accesses the Metadata Browser.
- Cancel - Exits the window without saving any changes.
- Save - Preserves your node configuration and exits the window.
Authorization
To use this node in a workflow, you must connect it to a SharePoint Online account. Once you connect to an account and save the node, the account will be available for selection the next time you access the node in the current workflow. To connect to a SharePoint Online account, do the following:
To connect to SharePoint Online, do the following:
-
- Select Add Account. The Microsoft login window appears:
-
Enter the login information for the Microsoft SharePoint account, and then select Sign In.
-
In the window that appears, specify if you want to stay signed in. Select either Yes or No.
Note: You can add only one OneDrive account per session. To add another OneDrive account, you must save the node and reopen it:
-
If multiple accounts are available, select the radio button next to the desired account.
-
To modify the default the number of seconds the system is allowed to attempt to connect with the specified account, enter a value in the Connection Timeout field.
Deleting an Account
To delete an account, select the Delete icon next to the account you want to delete. A window with the following options appears:
-
No - Cancel the delete action and return to the node configuration window.
-
Yes - Delete the account from this node. You can add the account again later.
-
Yes, Permanently - Delete the account from the tenant, including all workflows. You can add the account again later.
Caution! Selecting this option can impact workflow performance.
Document Options
In the Document Options area, you can update certain aspects of documents that pass through the node.
-
Overwrite Document in Library - By checking this box, a document that is uploaded to SharePoint Online with the same name as an existing document will replace the existing document. By default, this box is unchecked, and new documents with the same name will have a unique number added so as to save both versions.
-
Check in Message - Text entered into this field is added to SharePoint Online as a comment along with the uploaded document. Check In messages are used to track edits and versioning within SharePoint Online.
Customizing the SharePoint Online Connector Node
Once connected to a SharePoint Online account, the Folder Browser area populates with a tree-view of your SharePoint Online folders, sub-folders, and files. Browse through your SharePoint Online folder structure and choose a folder in which to store your documents. The Folder Path field automatically updates with the selected folder path.
Sending Documents to a New Folder
To create a new folder in SharePoint Online, select New Folder from the Folder Browser toolbar. The Create New Folder window appears:
Enter the name for the new folder in the Folder Name field, and then select Create. The folder appears in the Folder Browser. Note that this field is compatible with metadata.
Tip: You can also type in a folder path that includes one or more folders that do not currently exist within the SharePoint Online account. The SharePoint Online Connector node will automatically create any new folders and then upload the document(s) to that location.
Keywords
Below the SharePoint Online folder section is an area displaying Keywords, which are metadata tags used within SharePoint Online. Users can configure Keywords in the following ways:
-
During workflow setup
-
At the MFP panel through an Index Form
Pre-Configured Keywords
Users can pre-populate Keyword fields and save the keyword metadata. This will automatically apply those keywords to any documents that pass through the SharePoint Online Connector.
See the following illustration for an example:
Supported Keywords
Below is a comprehensive list of the user-generated keywords that the SharePoint Online Connector supports:
| Column Property Name | Description | Supported? |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Name of the column property | Yes. Shows as the label on the field |
| Description | The user-facing description of the column | Yes. Shows as help text on the field |
| Required | Whether the field is required to have a value | Yes |
| Default Value | A value to prefill the field with | Yes |
| Calculated Value | Whether the field uses other values to calculate its value | No |
| Max Length | The maximum number of characters allowed in this field | Yes |
| Enforce Unique Values | Whether the field is required to have unique values among all files in the list | Yes |
| Column Validation Formula | Custom validation formulas validated by Sharepoint | Partial. Configured, Managed, and Enforced by Sharepoint, not DP |
| Show Linked Columns | For multipart columns (such as Location), show parts of the value (such as City or Street) as other columns | Partial. Configured and managed by Sharepoint. Not shown in DP |
| Min/Max Value | The minimum/maximum number allowed in this field | Yes |
| Include Time | Whether to include time in a date field, making it a date/time field | Yes |
| Friendly Format | Formats the date in a friendlier way | No |
| Add Values Manually | Whether the user can add new values to a Choice drop-down menu | No |
| Dropdown vs Radio | Whether the Choice will appear as a dropdown or radio buttons | No |
| Currency Format | How to format currency values | No |
| Multiselect | Whether drop-down fields allow for multiple selections | Yes. Renders in the node window as a list of checkboxes |
| Data Property Name | Description | Supported? |
|---|---|---|
| Text Single Line | This column stores a single line of text | Yes |
| Text Multi Line | This column stores multiple lines of text | Partial. Shows as single line text input |
| Choice | This column stores data from a list of choices | Yes |
| Number | This column store a number | Yes |
| Currency | This column stores a currency value | Yes |
| Date/Time | This column stores a date or a date/time | Yes |
| Lookup | This column’s data is looked up from another source in the site | No |
| Yes/No | This column stores a yes/no (boolean) value | Yes. Shows as a checkbox |
| Person or Group | This column stores Person or Group values | No |
| Hyperlink or Picture | This column stores a URL | No |
| Calculated | This column shows a calculated value based on other columns | No |
| Image | This column stores an uploaded image file | No |
| Task Outcome | This column shows a task outcome value | No |
| External Data | This column shows data from an external data source | No |
| Managed Metadata | This column shows one or more terms set up in the Term Store Management Tool in Sharepoint | No |
| Location | This column shows address information | No |
Notes:
-
The SharePoint Online Connector does not support keyword indexing for the three SharePoint-controlled columns:
-
Name
-
Modified
-
Modified By
-
-
The Currency keyword does not support minimum/maximum constraints.
File and Folder Name Restrictions
The following restrictions apply to file and/or folder names:
-
File names cannot start with a space or end with a space
-
Folder names cannot end with a period (.)
-
Non-printable characters cannot be included in a file name (tabs, newlines, etc.)
-
Do not use any of the following characters:
~ " # % & * : < > ? / \ { | }
Notes:
-
Folder names cannot only be a tilde (~). However, a tilde can be used in a folder name along with other characters.
-
The metadata key
{workflow:modified}cannot be used in the folder path, because the resolved value contains a colon (:).
View Options
The toolbar in the Folder Browser area provides the following view options for your SharePoint Online folders:
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
 |
Show/Hide Files | Click this button to show or hide files stored in SharePoint Online folders. When you have selected to Hide Files, you will only see folders. Note: Files do not display in the Tree view even if this option is selected. |
 |
Refresh | Click this button to refresh the current view with the most up-to-date folders/files. |
 |
Change View | Click this button to change from list view to grid view and back. |
Accessing SharePoint Online at the MFP
At the MFP, take the following steps:
-
Select your workflow - If only one workflow is currently running, that workflow appears. However, if multiple workflows are running, the Selection screen appears and you must select a workflow.
-
Scan your document - Use the MFP to scan your document. Options available are dependent upon the options selected in the MFP Capture node. If a Form Selector node has been configured, continue to step 3. Otherwise, skip to step 6.
-
Enter your login credentials - If a SharePoint Online account has not already been selected during node setup, you will need to tap the Add Account button to add your SharePoint Online account before entering your login credentials.
-
Select your File Destination - When you are logged in, you can use the folder navigation to select the destination for your file upload. The Folder Path field displays the current folder path of the destination folder.
-
After selecting a folder, the available Keywords for that folder will appear. You may enter any necessary Keyword information.
-
Select the “Scan” button - This will send the scanned document to the selected SharePoint Online account and folder.