Online Conference

 June 17th and 18th 2015

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SharePoint Designer WorkflowsNuts, Bolts and Examples

June 17th 12-1 p.m.

Drew MadelungConcurrency, Inc.

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Drew MadelungConcurrency, Inc.

Email : dmadelung@concurrency.com

Twitter : @dmadelungLinkedIn : /in/dmadelung

SharePoint and Office 365 consultant specializing in business-oriented content management solutions.

Avid Wisconsin sports fan and golfer.

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What are we going to talk about?A look back through the years

How do I start?

Not your basic workflow info

Let’s see some examples!

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Evolution of SharePoint Designer• SP Designer 2007

– Will work with 2003 & 2007

• SP Designer 2010– Only 2010

• SP Designer 2013– Only 2013 and SP Online (Office 365)

• SP Designer 2016?– Not being created -> announced at Microsoft Ignite

It’s a free download!

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Upgrading from 2010 Workflows• There is no in-place workflow upgrade• 2010 workflows will run in 2013 on-premises and Office 365

1. Migrate 2010 workflows and continue to use them in 2010 mode

2. Rebuild workflows using new 2013 actions3. Rebuild workflows using ISV (Nintex, K2)

Options

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Deprecated features – 2010 to 2013• Design View• Content type association with reusable workflows• Association columns• Impersonation steps• User Profile lookup as a data source• Workflow visualization• Multiple workflow actions

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New features – 2010 to 2013

• Ability to define stages and jump between them• Stage level loops• Dictionary variable• App steps• Ability to call SP 2010 workflows• Task processes• Multiple workflow actions

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Workflow in SharePoint 2013• Brings the workflow

engine off SharePoint

• Allows execution of SharePoint 2010 workflows

• Powered by Windows Workflow Foundation 4

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Workflow actions

• Different workflow actions are available depending on…– Version of workflow– Type of workflow– Location of action in a workflow

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Workflow actions – 2010 to 2013New in 2013• Assign a Task• Start a Task Process• Go to This Stage• Call HTTP Web Service• Start a List Workflow• Start a Site Workflow• Build Dictionary• Get Property from Dictionary• Count Items in Dictionary• Trim String• Find Substring in String• Translate Document• Set Workflow Status• Create a Project from Current Item (MS Project)• Set the current Project stage status to this value

(MS Project)• Wait for Project Event (MS Project)• Set this field in the Project to this value (MS

Project)

Deprecated in 2013• Add List Item Permissions• Assign a Form to a Group• Assign a To-do Item• Capture a version of the Document Set• Collect Data from a User• Copy List Item• Declare Record• Inherit List Item Parent Permissions• Lookup Manager of a User• Remove List Item Permissions• Replace List Item Permissions• Send Document Set to Repository• Set Content Approval Status• Set Content Approval Status for the Document

Set• Set Workflow Status• Start Approval Process• Start Custom Task Process• Start Document Set Approval Process• Start Feedback Process• Undeclare Record

Call HTTP Web Service 

• lets you specify any of several request methods, including GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE. This lets you tell the web services, specifically RESTful services, what to do on the service that you’ve specified with the URI property on the activity.

Start a List Workflow

• Starts a List workflow based on the SharePoint 2010 Workflow platform.

Start a Task Process

• Creates tasks on multiple users and enables the tasks to be taken through a customized process.

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Office 365 – SharePoint Online

• Runs 2010 and 2013 workflows• You connect just line on-premises farms

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SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflows• Built at Site level (not site collection)• List/Library, Reusable, or Site Workflows• Can be created using Visio• Can be saved as a template• Ran on a timer job

These are all true for SharePoint Online!

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Creating a SharePoint 2013 WorkflowOpen Designer and connect to your site

• Click one of the New workflow options in the ribbon

• Click Workflows in the Site Objects navigation to view all current workflows

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Creating a SharePoint 2013 Workflow• Enter a Name and Description

• Pick the 2013 platform type for your new workflow

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Creating a SharePoint 2013 Workflow

Add new conditions

Add new actions Add new loops

Create variables

Add new steps

Add new stages

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What cool things can I do?

Custom Actions

Workflow Stages

App Steps

Utilize REST Services

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Custom Actions• 5 different actions available

– Dictate where they appear• List Item Menu• Display Form Ribbon• Edit Form Ribbon• New Form Ribbon• View Ribbon

• Configured on library or a list

• Available in SharePoint 2010, 2013 and SharePoint Online

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Custom Actions - Continued

• Actions can do 1 of 3 things1.  Navigate to form 2. Initiate a workflow3.  Navigate to URL

• You can add images to the actions

• You can set the Rights Mask– Security

• When to use them?

Adding a link for a print function Link to supporting list that

contains related data Start an approval or review

workflow Link to a custom edit form that

shows more fields for the item Link to an upload or insert item

on a related list Start a workflow to create an

item

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Workflow Stages• Eases ability to build more

advanced logical workflows• Uses IF/Else statements to

transition between stages

2010 -> Just steps

2013 -> Steps in Stages

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App Steps

– No more impersonation step from 2010

• 3 steps to configure1. Allow workflow to use app permissions

• Done via activation of Site Feature “Workflows can use app permissions”

2. Grant full control permission to workflow• Multiple step process to set trust for the Workflow app• Detailed steps here

3. Develop the workflow to wrap actions inside an App Step• App step will now be available in SP Designer ribbon

• Allows the ability to run a workflow that requires elevated permissions

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REST Service• REST allows ability to remotely interact with

SharePoint objects

• To access a specific site collection, use the following construction:

• http://server/site/_api/site• To access a specific site, use the following construction:

• http://server/site/_api/web

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REST Service - Continued• Call HTTP Web Service &

Dictionary actions1. Build Dictionary(s)

2. Call REST service • GET, POST, PUT, DELETE

3. Get Items in Dictionary (If necessary)

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REST Service - Continued• Can be used to…• Manage content across site collections• Create content (items, lists, sites, etc…)• Retrieve content to be looped through• Retrieve user profile information• And lots more!

• Use Postman or Advanced REST client Chrome extension

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Any other tips?

Advanced Properties

SharePoint Designer Cache

Copy & Paste

Debugging

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Advanced Properties• Certain settings are only visible in action

Properties• Right click on action -> click Properties…

• Important in Task Process actions• Can set BCC for Send Email actions

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Clearing SharePoint Designer Cache

1. Close SPD

2. Use File Explorer to navigate to:– %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\

WebsiteCache

3. Delete everything in this folder

4. Use File Explorer to navigate to:– %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Web Server Extensions\

Cache

5. Delete everything in this folder

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Copy & Paste• You can copy & paste within the text-based designer

in 2013– Use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V or use Right-click functionality

• Actions can copy but conditions and steps don’t always work

• Copying between workflows can cause crashes• No support for Undo• Cannot copy content between workflow versionsMake sure you check all variables/lookups after

copying!

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Debugging• Log to history list

– Review workflow history list - /Lists/Workflow%20History/AllItems.aspx– Send an email action for Dictionary variables due to large size

• Add a comment• If/Else checks on major milestones & error

handling• Hidden column to track data points• Fiddler (On-Premises)

Debugging isn’t just for when the workflow application is created, but includes all issues

that arise at a later time.

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This all sounds cool, but what should I build?

Let’s look at some examples

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Good starting workflow ideas

More complex workflow ideas

• Vacation approval

• Equipment

Reservation

• IT request task

creation

• New project site creation

• New employee

onboarding

• Finance invoice approval

This one sounds fun!

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Do you like demos?

I like demos

Let’s do a demo

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Super Helpful links• SharePoint Community• SharePoint Designer 2013 Download• What’s changed in SharePoint Designer 2013• Workflow actions quick reference – SharePoint 2013• Workflow actions quick reference – SharePoint 2010• Get started with workflows in SharePoint 2013• Create a workflow with elevated permissions (app step setup)• Get to know the SharePoint REST service• Advanced REST Client Chrome Extension• Calling the SharePoint 2013 REST API from a SharePoint Designer Workflow• SharePoint 2013 workflow recursion prevention• Install and configure workflow for SharePoint 2013• Workflow Manager Farms for SharePoint 2013 – harbar.net• SharePoint Designer Custom Actions

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Any follow up questions?

Reach out anytime!

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Please fill in my session feedback form available from the ‘Session Resources’ tab

on my session window.