After updating the CAPA workflow to add approval steps, we’ve noticed that assigned users are no longer receiving email notifications when tasks are assigned to them. The workflow transitions correctly and tasks appear in user dashboards, but the emails just aren’t being sent.
We’ve checked the workflow step notification settings and email is enabled for the ‘Assign Task’ action. The SMTP configuration was working fine before the workflow update - other modules like Document Control still send notifications properly. It seems specific to the CAPA module after our changes.
The user assignment logic looks correct in the workflow editor - we’re using a combination of role-based assignment and specific user selection. Has anyone experienced notification failures after modifying CAPA workflows? Not sure if this is a configuration issue or something with how the workflow processes user assignments.
First thing to check: in the workflow editor, click on each task assignment step and verify the ‘Send Notification’ checkbox is actually enabled. Sometimes when you copy/modify steps, notification settings don’t carry over. Also check if you’re using dynamic assignment - those sometimes need explicit notification triggers configured separately from static assignments.
Check your SMTP relay settings under System Configuration. Even if other modules work, CAPA might be hitting rate limits or timeouts if you’re generating multiple notifications per workflow instance. We had a case where batch task creation triggered too many simultaneous emails and the SMTP server started rejecting them. Check your email server logs for any rejection messages during the time tasks were assigned.
Also verify that your users have valid email addresses in their profiles and haven’t disabled CAPA notifications in their personal preferences. Go to User Management and spot-check a few users who should have received notifications. Sometimes profile updates or AD sync issues can clear email addresses or notification preferences.
One more thing - if you’re using role-based assignment, check that the notification template has the correct merge fields. If the template references user-specific fields but you’re assigning to a role, it might fail silently. Test by temporarily switching one step to a specific user assignment and see if that person receives the email.
For dynamic assignments in ETQ 2022, you need to add a separate ‘Send Email’ action after the assignment step. The automatic notification only works reliably for direct user assignment. Add an action step, select ‘Send Email’, then set the recipient to the same dynamic logic you used for assignment. Use the email template configured for CAPA task notifications.
I verified all the notification checkboxes are enabled on the task steps. We are using dynamic assignment based on the CAPA owner’s department, so that might be the issue. Where do I configure explicit notification triggers for dynamic assignments?
Based on your description, this is a common issue with ETQ 2022 CAPA workflows involving dynamic assignment. Let me break down the three key areas:
Workflow Step Notification Configuration:
The problem is that ETQ’s built-in ‘Send Notification’ option on workflow steps has limitations with dynamic assignments. Here’s the correct setup:
In Workflow Editor, locate your task assignment step
Instead of relying solely on the step’s notification checkbox, add an explicit ‘Send Notification’ action immediately after the assignment
Configure this action with:
Recipient: Use the same variable/expression as your task assignment (e.g., ${capa_owner_department_manager})
Template: Select ‘CAPA Task Assignment’ template
Trigger: Set to ‘On Entry’ so it fires when the step activates
For role-based assignments, you need to iterate through role members. Add a ‘For Each’ action that loops through the assigned role’s users and sends individual notifications.
SMTP Configuration Validation:
Even though other modules work, verify CAPA-specific email settings:
Navigate to Settings > Email Configuration > Module Settings
Confirm CAPA module has ‘Enable Email Notifications’ checked
Check ‘Email Throttling’ settings - if you’re creating multiple tasks simultaneously, you might be hitting rate limits
Test SMTP specifically for CAPA: Settings > Email Configuration > Test Connection (select CAPA module context)
Review email server logs during task creation. Look for:
Authentication failures
Timeout errors
Rejected recipients
Rate limit responses (450/451 codes)
If Document Control works but CAPA doesn’t, compare the ‘From Address’ configuration - some SMTP servers have module-specific sender restrictions.
User Assignment Logic:
Dynamic assignment can break notification chains if not properly configured:
Variable Scope: Ensure your assignment variables are workflow-scoped, not step-scoped. Check variable definitions in Workflow Properties
Null Handling: Add validation before notification actions:
IF ${assigned_user} IS NOT NULL
THEN Send Notification to ${assigned_user}
ELSE Log Error and Notify Admin
Timing Issues: Dynamic lookups (like department managers) might not resolve before notification fires. Add a 1-second delay action between assignment and notification
Role Expansion: If assigning to roles, ETQ doesn’t automatically expand role members for notifications. Use the ‘Get Role Members’ action first, store in a collection variable, then loop through for notifications
Debugging Steps:
Enable workflow debug logging: Settings > System > Logging > Set CAPA Workflow to DEBUG level
Create a test CAPA and monitor logs in real-time
Check the email queue: Settings > Email Configuration > Email Queue Status
Look for failed/pending emails and error messages
Quick Fix for Testing:
Temporarily replace dynamic assignment with a specific user (yourself) on one workflow step. If you receive the email, the issue is definitely in the dynamic assignment logic, not SMTP. Then systematically rebuild the dynamic assignment with explicit notification actions as described above.
If problems persist after these changes, export your workflow definition and check for orphaned notification references from the previous version that might be conflicting with new settings.