CDM Data Center | How to resolve a workflow error of invalid user or group name

Summary

When transitioning a page in Comala Document Management, a workflow error may appear stating an "Invalid user or group name." This occurs when a value reference (like a metadata field or parameter) points to a user that the system cannot resolve.

This article covers how to identify the source of the invalid value and how to correct it.

Symptoms

• A workflow error banner appears on the page when attempting to transition to the next state.

• The error message follows this format:

Cause

The error occurs because the workflow attempts to assign an approval to a value reference (e.g., @Product Owner@) that contains a username or group name that either does not exist or is not recognized in the current context. This typically happens if the user was deleted, the name was misspelled, or the reference symbol (@) was omitted.

Where Value references are set

The source of the invalid user or group name may come from any of these three locations:

1. Workflow parameter on the page (type=edit)

The value can be set as a workflow parameter directly on the page using the type=edit parameter. This allows editors to define values at the individual page level.

2. Space workflow parameter

The value can be set for the entire space. To check this:
Space tools > Content Tools > Document Management > Parameters

Note: Space-level parameters take precedence over page-level parameters.

3. Page Properties Macro (on the page)

The value may be defined within a Page Properties macro on the affected page. The workflow then references this via a page property reference.

Steps to resolve

Follow these steps to identify and fix the invalid reference:

1. Check the workflow markup:
   Identify which state is throwing the error and check its {approval} macro.
   Example:

2. Identify the source location:
   Check the following locations in order of precedence:

   • The Space workflow parameter settings.

   • The workflow parameter (edit mode) on the specific page.

   • The Page Properties macro on the page.

3. Correct the user reference:
   Ensure the user is mentioned properly using the @ symbol (e.g., @Farah Test). If the user is being pulled from a metadata field, ensure that field is populated with a valid username.

How to test and debug

You can verify what value is being rendered for a given metadata field using the following methods:

Method 1: Use get-metadata

Type the following macro on the page to see the currently rendered value:

Method 2: Add a temporary pageheader block

Alternatively, temporarily add this code block to the workflow to display the rendered value on the page header:

This will display the resolved value at the top of the page, making it easy to verify that the correct user is referenced.