SharePoint Fest Seattle 2017 Getting started with office365 sharepoint online designer workflows
1 like157 views
This document provides an overview of a presentation on getting started with Office 365/SharePoint Online Designer workflows. The presentation covers architectural changes to workflows in SharePoint Online, enhancements to SharePoint Designer 2013 workflows, differences between SharePoint 2010 and 2013 workflows, limitations of SharePoint Designer workflows, best practices, and the future of workflows. The presentation includes demos and discusses tools for developing workflows like Microsoft Flow.
![#SharePointFest @pgbhoyar
New Workflow Activities & Actions
New Actions & Activities
Microsoft Project Specific
Actions
Assign a Task Get Property from
[Dictionary/DynamicValue]
Create a Project from Current Item
Start a Task Process Count Items in
[Dictionary/DynamicValue]
Set the current project stage status
to this value
Go to This Stage Trim String Set the status field in the idea list
item to this value
Call HTTP Web Service Find Substring in String Wait for Project Event
Start a List Workflow Replace Substring in String Set this field in the project to this
value
Start a Site Workflow Translate Document
Build [Dictionary/DynamicValue] Set Workflow Status](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/20170810spfestseattle2017gettingstartedwithoffice365sharepointonlinedesignerworkflows-170810202119/85/SharePoint-Fest-Seattle-2017-Getting-started-with-office365-sharepoint-online-designer-workflows-30-320.jpg)
SharePoint Fest Seattle 2017 Getting started with office365 sharepoint online designer workflows
- 1. WithumSmith+Brown, PC | BE IN A POSITION OF STRENGTH 1 SM @pgbhoyar#SharePointFest Getting Started with Office365/SharePoint Online Designer Workflows Prashant G Bhoyar SharePoint Fest Seattle 2017 10 August 2017
- 2. WithumSmith+Brown, PC | BE IN A POSITION OF STRENGTH 2 SM @pgbhoyar#SharePointFest Who AM I ? • Born and raised in India • Came to United States of America in 2007 for studies • University of Maryland College Park Alumni • Co-Author of the book “PowerShell for Office 365” • Technical Reviewer of the book “Pro : SharePoint 2013 Administration” • Organizer of SharePoint Saturday Baltimore (SPSBMORE) ➢ Save the Date : August 26th 2017 ➢ http://www.spsevents.org/city/baltimore/baltimoretecc • Organizer of SharePoint Saturday DC ( SPSDC ) • Founder and Organizer of DC-Metro Office 365 User Group ➢ Monthly in person & online event ➢ http://www.meetup.com/DC-Metro-Office-365-User-Group/ • Recipient of Antarctic Service Medal • Microsoft MVP ( Most Valuable Professional) • Senior Consultant at Withum Smith and Brown PC ➢ Focus on Microsoft Solutions and Services ➢ http://www.portalsolutions.net/ Prashant G Bhoyar (PGB)
- 3. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar • 100 Level Session ➢ Contents are applicable for SharePoint 2013 and 2016 On Premise as well • Architectural Changes in SharePoint Online workflows • Enhancements in SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflows • Key Differences between SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint 2010 style workflows • Limitations of SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflows • Best Practices • Future?? • Demos • Key Takeaways • Q&A Agenda Outcome: Familiarity with SharePoint Online Designer Workflows Objective: Getting Started with SharePoint Online Designer Workflows
- 5. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Audience Poll • How many of you are IT pros? • How many of you are Developers? • How many of you are Power Users? • How many of you are Business Users? • How many of you are already using SharePoint Designer 2013? 5
- 7. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 7 How to get Personal Office 365 Development Tenant? ▪ Sign up for Office 365 Developer Program at http://dev.office.com/ ▪ Get 1 year of Office 365 subscription for free ▪ Excellent for personal development use ▪ 1 Month Trial ▪ https://products.office.com/en- us/business/compare-office-365-for- business-plans
- 8. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar • Browser • SharePoint Designer 2013 • Visio 2013 • Visual Studio 2012/2013/2015/2017 • Microsoft Flow • Microsoft Logic Apps • Third Party Tool SharePoint Online Workflow Tools
- 9. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 9 • Free download from Microsoft ➢ https://www.microsoft.com/en- us/download/details.aspx?id=35491 ➢ Supported Operating Systems ▪ Windows 10 , ▪ Windows 7, ▪ Windows 8, ▪ Windows 8.1, ▪ Windows Server 2008 R2, ▪ Windows Server 2012, ▪ Windows Server 2016 How to get SharePoint Designer 2013?
- 11. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Types of Workflows Sequential State Machine • Activities occur in sequence • On rejection , begin from start • Simple Business Processes example, Leave Request • Activities are not sequential • Can by pass activities based on business logic • Complex business processes example, Financial Aid
- 13. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Typical SharePoint Workflow Life Cycle Initiation • When the workflow is started on list/library item Running • User Interaction via tasks ( optional) • Status page reflects the status of the workflows Termination • End of workflow instance Association • When the workflow is associated with List/Library
- 14. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar ▪ With SharePoint 2013 Microsoft released a new product called “Workflow Manager” ▪ SharePoint 2013 style Workflows are built using Workflow Foundation 4.5 and run out of SharePoint ▪ There is separate server Product called Workflow manager and is not part of SharePoint Infrastructure ▪ Communication between Workflow manager and client (SharePoint) occurs using REST API and Oauth ▪ SharePoint 2013 style Workflows are fully Declarative ▪ SP2013 workflows are no longer compiled into .NET assemblies instead XAML files defines workflow and their execution ▪ No more custom code 14 SharePoint Online Workflows Architecture
- 15. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar High Level Architecture of Workflow Infrastructure 15
- 16. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar How does the workflow run in SharePoint Online? Workflow Instance Starts SP2010 Style Workflow? Use SP2010 Workflow Engine Use New Workflow Manager Workflow Instance Executes Workflow Instance Ends Workflow Instance Executes Yes No
- 17. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 17 How to identify SP2010 style and SP2013 style workflows? ▪ List Settings -> Workflow Settings ▪ Site Workflows -> Site Administration ->Workflow Settings ▪ SharePoint Designer 2013 -> Workflows -> Platform Type
- 19. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar DEMO How to identify SP2010 style and SP2013 style workflows?
- 20. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar How to check if Workflow Manager is installed and configured in SharePoint On Premise 2013 and 2016?
- 21. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 21 Major Enhancements in SharePoint 2013 Style Workflows ▪ Workflows are Fully Declarative ▪ SP2013 style workflows can call SP2010 style workflows ▪ SP2010 workflows created using SPD 2010 will continue to work in SharePoint Online but will not be upgraded to SP2013 style workflows ▪ Option of manual upgrade
- 22. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 22 SharePoint 2013 Workflows Associations ▪ List/Libraries ▪ No Content Types ▪ Solution : Check the content type column and then initiate the workflow ▪ Sites ▪ SPD 2013 Workflows ▪ Visual Studio Workflows
- 23. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 23 SharePoint Online OOTB Workflows ▪ No new additions ▪ Approval - SharePoint 2010 ▪ Collect Feedback - SharePoint 2010 ▪ Collect Signatures - SharePoint 2010 ▪ Disposition Approval ▪ Three-State Note: Uses SharePoint 2010 Workflow Host
- 24. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 24 Major Enhancements in SharePoint 2013 Designer Workflows ▪ A visual Workflow development experience that uses Visio 2013 ▪ New Actions for creating a task and starting a task ▪ A new Dictionary data type for working with complex data type ▪ New workflow building blocks such as Stage, Loop, and App Step ▪ A new action that enables no-code web service calls from within a workflow
- 25. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 25 Improved Workflow Logic & Control SharePoint 2013 Designer ▪ Stages – Can create State Machine workflows using Stages ▪ Loop : Repeat one or more actions a specified number of times ▪ SP2010 Workflow Re-Use: SPD2013 enables starting an existing SP2010 workflow, including passing initiation parameters.
- 26. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar SharePoint 2010 & 2013 style workflows Designer 2013 2010
- 27. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar SharePoint 2013 style workflows Visual Designer
- 28. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar SharePoint 2013 style workflows Stages
- 29. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar SharePoint 2013 style workflows Loops
- 30. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar New Workflow Activities & Actions New Actions & Activities Microsoft Project Specific Actions Assign a Task Get Property from [Dictionary/DynamicValue] Create a Project from Current Item Start a Task Process Count Items in [Dictionary/DynamicValue] Set the current project stage status to this value Go to This Stage Trim String Set the status field in the idea list item to this value Call HTTP Web Service Find Substring in String Wait for Project Event Start a List Workflow Replace Substring in String Set this field in the project to this value Start a Site Workflow Translate Document Build [Dictionary/DynamicValue] Set Workflow Status
- 31. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Example of fairly advanced workflow http://sharepoint-videos.com/pull-info-from-a-blogs-rss-feed-using-sharepoint-designer-2013-workflow/ Example of using: • Stage • Loop • Web service • Workflow variables • Dictionary variable • XML to JSON • Calculation • Creating items
- 32. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Visualization Option is remove in SharePoint 2013 Designer workflows • Only available in OOTB Workflows
- 33. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Copying a workflow to another List or Site • Save as workflow template • Export to Visio • Copy / Paste stages
- 34. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Packaging a workflow • SharePoint Designer 2010: • Only reusable workflows can be packaged • SharePoint Designer 2013: • List workflows, Reusable workflows and Site workflows can all be packaged as a wsp
- 36. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Key Differences between SP2013 & SP2010 Style Workflows SharePoint 2010 Style Workflows SharePoint 2013 Style Workflows • Uses SharePoint 2010 Workflow Host • Impersonation Step • OOTB Visualization of Workflows • No loops, stages in Designer WFs • Custom task forms are InfoPath forms • Can capture Approval comments OOTB • Uses Workflow Manager • App Step • Need to create custom solution • Looping, stages are present • Custom task forms are .aspx pages • Need to implement custom solution
- 39. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 39 • Naming Convention for Custom Workflows ➢ Use the naming convention that works best for you and your organization ➢ For example, “List or Library + List or Library Name + Purpose” • Use logging- ➢ “Log to History List” • Create new tasks list and history lists for each workflows and try to avoid using the OOTB history list and workflow tasks list ➢ To create the new tasks list and history list, we can use ▪ Workflow Settings page ▪ SharePoint UI Best Practices
- 40. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 40 • Use SharePoint groups to assign the tasks/send emails instead of individual users • Don’t create the variable if you don’t have to ➢ 50 is the limit • Do not modify the OOTB global workflows ➢ Create copy and then modify • A lot more during tomorrow’s WF202 session..☺ Best Practices
- 41. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar 41 Limitations of SharePoint 2013 Designer Workflows ▪ We can not start workflows on delete event ▪ 50 variable limit ▪ No source control for SPD workflows ▪ String functions are limited ▪ Can not deploy workflows as SharePoint Apps ▪ For advance implementations you may need to involve developers/architects
- 43. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Recent Announcements • There will NOT be SharePoint Designer 2016 ➢ http://sharepoint-community.net/forum/topics/what-s-happening-to-sharepoint-designer-in- sharepoint-2016-is-it ➢ SharePoint 2013 Designer will be supported till 2026 • Microsoft Flow ➢ https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/introducing-microsoft-flow-and-announcing-the- public-preview-of-powerapps/ 43
- 44. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar What does this mean? • SharePoint Workflows most probably will have same fate as InfoPath forms services ➢ Microsoft will continue to support ➢ No future enhancements • Time to explore other options ➢ Microsoft Flow ▪ https://flow.microsoft.com ➢ Logic Apps ▪ https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/logic-apps/ ➢ Visual Studio Workflows ▪ Can deploy them only as “App” ➢ Other Third Party Products 44
- 46. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Which one to use? • I recommend ➢ Flow ➢ SharePoint 2013 Style Workflows ➢ SharePoint 2010 Style Workflows 46
- 48. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Recap • Architectural Changes in SharePoint Online workflows • Enhancements in SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflows • Key Differences between SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint 2010 style workflows • Limitations of SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflows • Best Practices • Future 48
- 49. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Other SPFest Seattle 2017 Workflow Sessions • WF 104 - Transition Your SharePoint Designer Workflows to Microsoft Flow • WF 201 - Best practices for automating business processes in SharePoint • WF 202 - Future Proofing Your Workflow Investment: How to develop maintainable custom workflows in Office 365/SharePoint Online • WF 203 - Advanced SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflows • WF 204 - Business Process Automation: Advanced Workflow Solutions 49
- 50. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Key Takeaways • Hopefully the contents we covered today made you to explore SharePoint Designer 2013 workflows and you will go home and play with it ☺ • Sign up for Developer Program using https://dev.office.com/ • Keep track of new features getting added to Microsoft Flow ➢ https://flow.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/
- 52. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar References Appendix/Resources MSDN/TechNet: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/jj163181(v=office.15).aspx https://dev.office.com/sharepoint/docs/general-development/sharepoint-workflow- fundamentals https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj227177.aspx https://flow.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/ Training Videos (Paid): http://www.Pluralsight.com
- 53. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Surveys Feedback Please! Session Surveys via Event App Select “Schedule” -> Select Session -> Scroll to “Session Survey” Learn from the Top SharePoint Experts WWW.SHAREPOINTFEST.COM
- 54. #SharePointFest @pgbhoyar Questions? Feedback? Contact me: ▪ Twitter: @PGBhoyar ▪ Blog: http://pgbhoyar.com ▪ Email: pgbhoyar@gmail.com ▪ Slides: https://www.slideshare.net/pgbhoyar ▪ Feedback : Please provide feedback ▪ Session Evaluation – Event App ▪ Email or ▪ Anonymous Suggestions: https://www.suggestionox.com/r/pgb Thank You Organizers, Sponsors and You for Making this Possible.