How to count items in a SharePoint list using Workflow

How to count items in a SharePoint list using Workflow

If you need a workflow to count items in a list, you can set up the KPI Column to count your items and then your workflow can lookup the count of items for the result. Follow the instructions below to set up KPI Column to count items in a task list.

Step Action Result
1. Edit your list from the settings menu and add the KPI column to your list. KPI.jpg
2. In the Additional Column Settings section, choose the KPI Column that you want to display, the list in which the column resides and the view for the list. Select The number of list items in the view radio button. Count.jpg
3. Show Value – Because you simply want the KPI Column to count up the number of items in the view, you need to display the Column Value. ColValue.jpg
3. Click OK and now in your workflow you can use the value that this KPI Column displays.

Highlights of KPI Column

Highlights of KPI Column

BambooKPIColumn.pngThe KPI Column calculates status based on user-provided progress definitions, and displays the automatically updated results visually. In addition, the included Display Web Part allows you to showcase a number of different indicators from a series of columns, giving you a single location to view the status of different projects and tasks. Each KPI Column can be customized and tailored to report status exactly as you define it, so it’s easy to create your own ranges, terms, and logic, or adjust which values (goals, actual, etc.) are displayed by the column. If a status is dependent on a calculation, the column can even determine and reference the Sum or Average of all items in a list column. With the KPI Column, there’s no need to risk missing a serious issue because the relevant data was lost in a sea of numbers, or wasn’t calculated — let your List do the work, and only present you with the project context you actually care about.

Configuring the Bamboo KPI Column Display Web Part

Configuring the Bamboo KPI Column Display Web Part

To configure the Bamboo KPI Column Display Web Part:

  1. Select the down arrow on the far right-hand side of the Web Part title bar, then select Modify Shared Web Part.
  2. From the tool pane, you can change the name of the Web Part under the Appearance section.
  3. Select a list that contains the KPI Columns. Make sure the Web Part was added to a page that is on the same site as the list with the KPI Columns you want to display.
    HW41J WebPartSetup.jpg

  4. Select the KPI Columns you want to display in the Available KPI Columns box (using Shift/Ctrl + Click), then select the right arrow button to move them to the Selected KPI Column(s) ** box. Click the double right arrow button to move all the available KPI columns to the Selected KPI Column(s) box. Click the Up or Down buttons to order the KPI Columns in the Web Part.

  5. Enter in the column header text you want for each column that displays in the Web Part.
  6. You can choose to show or hide any column by selecting or clearing the Hide check box next to the column header of your choice.
  7. Select a language from the drop-down menu to translate the Web Part user interface and tool pane settings. You can also create your own translation or modify the default files available in the drop-down menu. See Customizing the Language Setting for more information.

NOTE: The translation options for Spanish, French, German and English are currently all still in English. You must customize the files directly to translate the Web Part user interface to the language you require. See Customizing the Language Setting for more information.

  1. Click Apply, then OK.
  2. An example of the Bamboo KPI Column Display Web Part (based on the configuration screenshot above) is as follows:
    HW41J WebPart.jpg

Complementary Products for KPI Column

Complementary Products for KPI Column

sharepointsolutions.pngYou will find many of our products complement each other quite nicely saving you the time and trouble to write custom code. With Bamboo at the heart of your SharePoint investment, you gain access to a huge catalog of enhancements, components, and accessories that add the critical functionality your business requires.

The same components can be easily used in future applications and they all come from a single, trusted vendor, ensuring an easy purchase process and support you can count on. That’s the Bamboo Way!


How to Modify KPI Settings

How to Modify KPI Settings

Some of PM Central’s lists feature the Bamboo KPI Column. This is a custom column type that evaluates the contents of a column in another list (e.g., Sum, Count, etc.), compares the results against a set of criteria, and displays the value and an icon indicating which of three categories the value falls in.

For example, in the project Site, the Project Info section uses Bamboo KPI Columns to indicate the current health of the project. One of these columns, Issue Status, looks at the project’s Issues list and counts the number of items displayed in the Overdue Issues view.

  • If there are no items in that view, a green icon is displayed.
  • If there are between one and five issues, a yellow icon is displayed.
  • If there are more than five issues, a red icon is displayed.
    sa12-2010-kpi.jpg

To modify the settings for the KPI custom columns:

  1. Navigate to the list containing the KPI column you want to update, such as the Project Health List.
  2. From the List Tools tab on the top ribbon, select List.
  3. Select List Settings from the right side of the ribbon.
    sa12-2013-settings1.jpg

  4. Select the column you want to customize under Columns.
    sa12-2010-kpisettings2.jpg

  5. Under Additional Column Settings, modify the settings as desired, such as choosing the list, the view, how the column values are evaluated, what the criteria for the values are, and how the KPI is displayed (type of icon, whether to include values, etc.).
    sa12-2010-kpisettings3.jpg

  6. Click OK.