Workflow Create Job preset does not update Metadata

I have a Create Job task and the preset includes a sort by record field.

It does this and the following Create Output task creates the pdf file in the correct order.

But the Metadata after the Create Job task remains unsorted and in the original order.

Why? What have I missed?

I can add a Metadata Sorter task with the same sort by field but this feels like a kludge.
(I need the Metadata in the same order as the print records after the Create Job so that I can construct the control file for our envelope inserting system).

Joanne Elizabeth

Job Presets do not modify Workflow’s metadata. Your “kludge” is actually the proper way of handling this.

Phil, I profoundly disagree with this decision. Workflow Metadata should be in sync with Connect operations. Grouping, sorting, page counts, etc. Is OL ever going to address this long-standing discrepancy? A lot of users have invested a lot of time constructing solutions around Metadata, and for OL to simply say “too bad” seems, well, unfriendly. My feelings are hurt. :slight_smile:

It is not a “decision”, it is a statement of fact. I agree that this issue should be addressed at some point, (we do have an internal IR ticket for it), but Joanne’s question was about obtaining a workaround.

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thanks @Phil , whilst I agree with @TDGreer it’s unwelcome behaviour, I can now stop looking for what I’ve done wrong!

I have to say that if the documentation had mentioned this, I could have saved a lot of time.

It’s also an issue with professional services providers. When I review/quote an upgrade from PP7 to Connect, which can already be challenging (there is no migration path, templates need to be re-developed from the ground up), I have to take a look at the Workflow Processes. If there are a lot of metadata-based operations, that all goes out the window as they also have to be re-engineered. This drives up the cost considerably and can cause challenges getting customers to adopt Connect.

And when I say “decision”, I mean… at some point, someone decided to release Connect without addressing the Metadata situation, and also keeps deciding to kick this can down the road.

Please consider this an urgent request to address this soon.