creating sharepoint 2013 workflows
DESCRIPTION
In this demo rich session, Penny will demonstrate will introduce some of the new workflow features of SPD 2013: concentrating on loops, the new dictionary variable and calling web services, as well as the new SharePoint 2013 Promoted Links list app.TRANSCRIPT
SHAREPOINT AND PROJECT CONFERENCE ADRIATICS 2013
ZAGREB, NOVEMBER 27-28 2013
Creating SharePoint 2013 WorkflowsPENNY COVENTRY, PPP CONSULTING LTD
sponsors
Speaker Bio• Independent Consultant• Microsoft MVP SharePoint Server• MCSE: SharePoint 2013• Author/Co-author of 10+ SharePoint Books• Trainer• Worked with SharePoint since 2001• Based in UK, work in Europe & US
• Blogs/Web Site• http://www.sharepointdesignerstepbystep.com/
• Twitter: @pjcov
Agenda
Understanding the SharePoint 2013 Workflow
Platform
REST / Dictionary /
Loops
New Building Blocks
What’s Missing
Agenda
Understanding the SharePoint 2013 Workflow
Platform
REST / Dictionary /
Loops
New Building Blocks
What’s Missing
SharePoint 2013 Has Two Workflow PlatformsSharePoint Workflow Host
• a.k.a. “Legacy”• SharePoint 2010 Workflow• WF 3.5• Workflows run inside
SharePoint
Workflow Manager
• a.k.a. “New”• SharePoint 2013 Workflow• WF 4.5• Workflows run outside in
remote service
Goals and Challenges2010
• On-Premises focus• Full-trust extensions• Limited scale• Limited robustness
2013
• Cloud ≈ On-Premises• CSOM/REST/OAuth• Flexible scale• More robust
Tools for Building Workflows• Tools from Microsoft• SharePoint Designer 2013• Visual Studio 2012
• Both can target 2010 and 2013 workflows
Agenda
Understanding the SharePoint 2013 Workflow
Platform
REST / Dictionary /
Loops
New Building Blocks
What's Missing
Design surfaces - Views• Text Based Designer• Visual Designer• New design surface in SharePoint Designer 2013• Creating and editing SharePoint 2013 workflows• Based off the Visio design surface• Requires Visio Professional 2013• Click & drag experience for creating/editing workflows
• Fully integrated experience between Business Analyst and Workflow Developer• SPD and Visio both use the same VSDX file • Stage View for flow-level view
What is new – Visual designer
Stages• Break workflow into logical blocks• Navigate between blocks based on conditions
Control Actions• Start a List Workflow• Start a Site Workflow• Go to Stage• Wait for Event in List Item• Call HTTP Web Service
What is new – Actions
Loops & App-Only Steps• Loop• Loop n times• Loop with Condition
• App-Only Step• Actions (activities) run as App ID permission• Not restricted to permissions of initiator
• Parallel Block• ‘CompletionCondition’ for short-circuit of exit
Copy & Paste• Workflow logics can be copied and pasted• Pasted into Word & Notepad
What is new – Supporting feature
Packaging• Not only reusable workflow but also list/site workflow
can be packaged
What is new – Supporting feature
SharePoint 2013 Workflow: Project Server
• Demand Management• PWA Sites• Stages• Actions
BUILDING A SHAREPOINT 2013 WORKFLOW:SHAREPOINT DESIGNER 2013 : INTRODUCING THE NEW WORKFLOW BUILDING BLOCKS
Agenda
Understanding the SharePoint 2013 Workflow
Platform
REST / Dictionary /
Loops
Building Blocks
What’s Missing
ConditionsCONDITION CATEGORY
CONDITIONS THAT CAN BE USED IN BOTH SHAREPOINT 2013 AND SHAREPOINT 2010 WORKFLOWS
SHAREPOINT 2010 ONLY CONDITIONS
Common If Any Value Equals Value If Current Item Field Equals Value
Other Created By A Specific Person
Created In A Specific Date Span
Modified By A Specific Person
Modified in A Specific Date Span
Person Is A Valid SharePoint User
Title Field Contains Keywords
Check List Item Permission Levels (only available within an Impersonation Step)
Check List Item Permissions (only available within an Impersonation Step)
The File Size In A Specific Range Kilobytes
The File Is A Specific Type
Missing from 2013 Workflows:Task Actions
• Assign a Form to a Group• Assign a To-Do Item• Collect Data from a User
Missing from 2013 Workflows:Advanced Task Actions*
• Based on the approval workflows• Start Approval Process• Start Feedback Process• Start Custom Task Process (build your own)
• Modify in SharePoint Designer• Included as Sub Process (within your workflow)• Your workflow pauses until Task Action Completes*SharePoint Server only
21
SharePoint 2013 Workflow - Equivalence
• Task and Approval Actions• Assign a Task• Start a Task Process
Missing from 2013 Workflows:Document Set-Related Actions
• Capture a version of the Document Set• Send Document Set to Repository• Set Content Approval Status for the Document Set• Start Document Set Approval Process
Missing from 2013 Workflows: Permission-Related Actions
• Add List Item Permissions• Inherit List Item Parent Permissions• Remove List Item Permissions• Replace List Item Permissions
Missing from 2013 Workflows: Visio Visualization
• Not available for WF 4.5
Missing from 2013 Workflows: Miscellaneous
• Reusable workflows on content types• Workflow templates• Lookup Manager of a User• Declare Record• Set Content Approval Status• Wait for Field Change in Current Item• Impersonation Step (Block)• InfoPath support• Excel Workflow Reports
Mitigate the Feature Gap• SharePoint Designer 2013• Become very familiar with the REST API• Call SharePoint 2010 workflows as sub workflows
• Use Visual Studio 2013• Declarative Workflows• Custom Activities• Workflow Object Model• SharePoint Apps
BUILDING A SHAREPOINT 2013 WORKFLOW:STARTING SHAREPOINT 2010 WORKFLOWS
Agenda
Understanding the SharePoint 2013 Workflow
Platform
REST / Dictionary /
Loops
New Building Blocks
What’s Missing
New Variable Type: Dictionary• Container• A Collection of other Variables
• Actions• Build Dictionary• Count Items In A Dictionary• Get An Item From A Dictionary
• Critical when using Call HTTP Web Services
BUILDING A SHAREPOINT 2013 WORKFLOW:WEB SERVICE, LOOPS AND DICTIONARY SUPPORT
Useful Links• Workflows in SharePoint 2013
• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/jj556245.aspx• http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj163986.aspx
• SharePoint 2013 workflows in Visio• http://blogs.office.com/b/visio/archive/2012/11/12/sharepoint-2013-workflows-in-visio.aspx
• How to create a SharePoint Designer 2013 workflow with app step
• http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sharepointdesigner/archive/2012/11/22/example-workflow-with-app-step-usage.aspx
• Demand Management, Now with SharePoint Designer
• http://blogs.office.com/b/project/archive/2012/09/18/demand-management-sharepoint-designer-project-server.aspx
• What’s new in Microsoft Office Developer Tools for Visual Studio 2012, from a workflow development perspective• http://www.sharepoint-reference.com/Blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=28
• Getting started developing Project Server 2013 workflows• http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ee767694.aspx
questions?
WWW.SHAREPOINTDESIGNERSTEPBYSTEP.COM/BLOG
@PJCOV
thank you.
SHAREPOINT AND PROJECT CONFERENCE ADRIATICS 2013
ZAGREB, NOVEMBER 27-28 2013