Error: "Shape input Alert (NUMBER) may not have been initialized, all inputs must be initialized"

Stephanie_Price · 2024-05-08T20:10:26+00:00

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What does this workflow error mean: "Shape input Alert (NUMBER) may not have been initialized, all inputs must be initialized prior to use?"

I am trying to create a workflow that will automatically send a report to individuals when it is Business Day 5 of the current month. I created an alert that changes from 0 to 1 when it is BD5 to try to connect to a workflow but I'm having trouble setting this up.

This error message is coming from a conditional gateway. I created a rule for when "alert"=0 then end; when alert=1 then send the report to given individuals.

I have never successfully deployed a workflow before. I've dug through a ton of stuff on the internet and I only see the same people over and over explaining what workflows DOES but never how to use it, step by step. It certainly is not as intuitive as they make it seem at all.

I've attached a picture of what my current workflow looks like along with the error message.

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Accepted answers

JasonAltenburg

@Stephanie_Price

I had this happen to me as well before. Dan is referring to this area where I put the arrow for clarity.

I'm also noticing it looks like a lot of things in the flow aren't mapped, this might be correct for your use case, but I'm wondering if it's why your dataflow won't publish. After you map the flow, you'll see them pop up in the 'Data List' on the left, here's an example of what that looks like.

Then as you click these variables, they'll highlight in which workflow steps they are being utilized.

Hopefully this is helpful, just wanted to share this info as I've been heavily utilizing Workflows lately, incredibly powerful tool @Zoolander! Happy to provide clarification where I can.

All comments

DanHendriksen

The message is because you don’t have a step prior to that which casts a value to the variable. You need a step that sets an output to the variable you’re wanting to evaluate.

Does that make sense? I’m sorry you’re having a difficult time. We’ve got some step by step training content that is being edited now.

Stephanie_Price

@Zoolander which function will allow me to set the values?

DanHendriksen

Any function that provides an output. You want a function that determines if it’s the 5th of the month or not, right?

You could do this a couple of ways. You could set an alert that fires on the 5th of every month and have that alert start your workflow. You could write a function that returns true or false based on if it’s the 5th of the month or not, or a function that returns the day of the month. If you’re unfamiliar, ChatGPT could immediately write these for you in either JavaScript or Python.

Stephanie_Price

@Zoolander I already have an alert that detects that. I have a card with a summary number that changes to 1 when the current date is equal to BD5. I don't know what you mean though by "casting a value to the variable." are you referring to a step prior to the conditional gateway that queries a particular dataset? Thanks

DanHendriksen

If that’s the case, then there’s a few things.

1 - you don’t want a timer start. You want a message start.
2 - you shouldn’t need your conditional gateway, but if you wanted to you could setup your workflow with a required start parameter and have the alert pass the number value to that required start parameter. Then it would have a value set and you could evaluate it.

Does that make sense? Sorry if brief - replying on my phone during a cross country flight with spotty WiFi.

DanHendriksen

You don’t need a variable for card ID, either. Variables are used if you want data fed in from somewhere and stored to be used later in the workflow.

I think you can flip your workflow to a message start, have the only function be to send the scheduled report and then end.

Then create your alert and have the action be to start the workflow. You shouldn’t need the conditional gateway or any variables.

Stephanie_Price

@Zoolander thank you so much!! Will definitely try this. Thanks for responding on the road!

DanHendriksen

https://community-forums.domo.com/main/discussion/comment/95675#Comment_95675

I’m here to help. I don’t know why my name is Zoolander, either. Ha ha. This is Dan Hendriksen. I think we’ve met before.

Stephanie_Price

@Zoolander I took your advice - I am getting through the workflow with 0 errors when I validate. I removed the conditional pathways and changed my initial trigger to a message start that will deploy when the parameter (BD5) =1. However, when I actually try to deploy the workflow, I get the following error message.

Stephanie_Price

@Zoolander yes we have met!! I signed up for your workflows breakout session at domopalooza! Then we had a brief chat at some other point. Can't believe you remembered! lol

DanHendriksen

You need to map the output to a variable. On the output from your function, in the drop down hit create variable and map.

JasonAltenburg

@Stephanie_Price

I had this happen to me as well before. Dan is referring to this area where I put the arrow for clarity.

Then as you click these variables, they'll highlight in which workflow steps they are being utilized.

Hopefully this is helpful, just wanted to share this info as I've been heavily utilizing Workflows lately, incredibly powerful tool @Zoolander! Happy to provide clarification where I can.