Advanced workflow user approval

[rbertram]

I am trying to create a user approval task using an advanced script and it is generating system errors. The user I am trying to set as the approver is the group manager. The group is set based on a lookup select box variable on a SC requested item form.

This is my script:

var group = new GlideRecord('sys_user_group');
group.addQuery('sys_id',current.variables.workgroup);
group.query();
while (group.next()) {
   var groupMgr = group.manager;
   gs.log('Group manager sys_id: ' + groupMgr.sys_id.toString());
   answer.push(groupMgr.sys_id.toString());
}

I added a log statement to verify that the sys_id is valid on the sys_user table.

This is the warning that is generated in the system log:

org.mozilla.javascript.EcmaError: Cannot convert null to an object.
Caused by error in Script Include: 'WFActivityHandler' at line 110

107:
108: // start with answer as null so we can tell if the script changes it
109: workflow.setVariable("answer", null);
==> 110: var retVal = workflow.eval(script);
111: var answer = workflow.getVariable("answer");
112: if (answer === null)
113: answer = retVal; // legacy support for returning a value from the script

[Jim Coyne]

The

var groupMgr = group.manager

bit is assigning the sys_id of the manager to your variable, which you do not really need.

Just use

answer.push(group.manager.toString());

instead as group.manager will be the sys_id.

[rbertram]

Removing the sys_id from the push statement did not work and still is generating the same "cannot convert null to an object" error. I had originally tried it that way, but added the sys_id to the statement based on the example on the wiki (https://wiki.servicenow.com/index.php?title=Case_Study_-_Advanced_Approval_Workflow_(Part_2)).

[Jim Coyne]

I think the problem is you are not setting "answer" as an array at the beginning (first line):

answer = [];
var group = new GlideRecord('sys_user_group');
group.addQuery('sys_id',current.variables.workgroup);
group.query();
while (group.next()) {
   answer.push(group.manager.toString());
}

But, there is actually a simpler way of doing it instead of querying the group table. 1 line instead of 7:

answer = current.variables.workgroup.manager.toString();

Because this is running on the server, you can dot-walk any catalog reference variable (not JavaScript variables).

[rbertram · Accepted solution]

It is now working. Thanks for your help. I took it a step further and created a Run Script action to save the group's manger to the workflow scratchpad so I could reference it in an If activity so if the group's manager is the person submitting the request it is automatically approved.

Run Script:

getGroupManager();

function getGroupManager() {
   var group = new GlideRecord('sys_user_group');
   group.addQuery('sys_id',current.variables.workgroup);
   group.query();
   while (group.next()) {
      var group_manager = group.manager;
  workflow.scratchpad.groupMgr = group_manager.sys_id;
   }
}

If activity:

answer = ifScript();
function ifScript () {
   if (workflow.scratchpad.groupMgr == current.opened_by.sys_id) {
  return 'yes';
   }
   return 'no';
}

Approval - User:

answer = [];
answer.push(workflow.scratchpad.groupMgr.toString());