Forms Receiver Flow

The Forms Receiver flow is the entry point of the submission workflow, responsible for processing new article submissions from the Microsoft Form and creating structured data in SharePoint.

Purpose

This flow takes responses from the Microsoft form and translates them into SharePoint task items on the Submissions Tracker, ensuring all necessary files are properly organized and stored.

Trigger Conditions

The flow activates when:

• A response is submitted from the OTE Contributor Submission Form

Initial Validation

Before processing, the flow performs critical validation checks:

• ✅ Sender has agreed to terms and conditions
• ✅ Word document is attached
• ❌ Flow stops if either requirement is missing (no empty/unusable responses are documented)

Data Processing Logic

User Information Extraction

• Email and Name: Retrieved automatically from the submitter’s form login
• Benefits:
  • Shortens the form for users
  • Prevents name misspellings
  • Avoids duplicate directories for the same person

File Organization

Article Storage

The flow saves articles using the required newspaper printer file structure:

Location: Content > Content > [FirstName LastName] > [Article Name]

Files Created:

• Original submitted Word document
• Main template document for editor modifications (preserves original)

Photo Management

When photos are submitted, the flow:

Location: [Article Name] > [Photos] > [Photo #]

Process:

1. Saves each photo with sequential numbering (#1, #2, etc.)
2. Creates accompanying caption text files (required by newspaper printer)
3. Assumes submitter is photo author (⚠️ requires review for AI images, historical artwork, etc.)

File Handling Notes

• Article Name Truncation: Limited to 15 characters for folder directory to avoid path length issues
• Multiple File Support: Upload loop supports multiple files, but only one Word document is expected per article
• Template Creation: Main.docx template allows editing without modifying the original submission

Error Handling

Try-Catch Protection

• Main flow logic is wrapped in a Try block
• On Success: Item status updated to Pending Review
• On Failure:
  • Error email sent to OTE@unbc.ca
  • Item status still updated to Pending Review (prevents invisible stuck items)

Safety Measures

• SharePoint list filters out Processing items to prevent work on unfinished submissions
• Status always updated regardless of outcome to prevent stuck items

Output Results

SharePoint Item Creation

• New item added to Submissions Tracker with parsed form information
• Automation Status set to Pending Review
• Item created at the lowest possible point with maximum available information

File Organization

• Properly structured directories for articles and multimedia
• Caption files created for all photos
• Template documents prepared for editing workflow

Important Considerations

Review Requirements ⚠️

• Article Tier: Submitted tier is a guess and requires editorial review
• Multimedia Types: Need verification and proper categorization
• Photo Attribution: Default author assumption may be incorrect

Technical Limitations

• Form Structure Dependency: Changes to Microsoft Form require corresponding flow updates
• Path Length Restrictions: Article names truncated to prevent file system errors
• Single Document Rule: Only one Word document expected per submission

Next Step

After successful processing, items appear in the Submissions Tracker with Pending Review status, ready for editorial review and tier assignment.