Workflow in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server Jessica Gruber Consultant Microsoft Corporation

Agenda Windows Workflow Foundation and Office Demo: A workflow in WSS Workflow authoring scenarios Workflow design and authoring tools Workflow design in SharePoint Designer Demo: Workflow in one minute Workflow design in Visual Studio Demo: Building a workflow in Visual Studio

Windows Workflow Foundation Key Concepts Workflows are a set of activities Activities are the building blocks Workflows run within a Host Process: Any application or server Developers can build their own Custom Activity Libraries Components Base Activity Library: Out-of-box activities and base for custom activities Runtime Engine: Workflow execution and state management Runtime Services: Hosting flexibility and communication Visual Designer: Graphical and code-based construction Host Process Windows Workflow Foundation Runtime Engine A Workflow An Activity Runtime Services Base Activity Library Custom Activity Library Visual Designer

Office Workflow Vision Facilitate human processes by attaching business logic to items and documents in Windows SharePoint Services, while providing context and tracking progress Empower information workers using Office Server with out-of-the-box solutions and self-service tools to support a broad range of routing and tracking scenarios without IT involvement Empower organizations to build a broad range of sophisticated workflow solutions that take advantage of the full functionality of the Windows Workflow Foundation (WinWF) platform and integrate into the SharePoint and Office experiences

Office Workflow Ecosystem SharePoint Services WFWebService HistoryListReporting & Admin SourceListTaskList Initiation and parameter setting Ad-hoc Customization (Forward/Delegate) Task Completion Authoring Apps Browser UI AdministrationReporting/StatusInitiation Parameter setting Ad-hoc Customization (Forward/Delegate) Task Notification and Completion Outlook Task Notification Task Completion SharePoint Designer Wizard-based authoring Forms integration Application deployment Visual Studio Custom workflows Debugging Environment Forms Creation

Who Uses Workflow? Adhoc participation by Knowledge workers Participates in WSS, Office, and Outlook Starts workflows, completes tasks Focus – flexible and familiar Familiar to WSS Administrators Set workflow settings (available workflows, default settings) Manage Site/Box (deployment, activation) Focus – consistent and integrated Powerful tools for Developers Suited development tools VS for professional developers SharePoint Designer for site authors SDK with activities and samples

Starting And Completing Workflows In SharePoint

Workflow Authoring Scenarios Visual Studio and Workflow SDK Out-of-the-Box Solutions (with customization) SharePoint Designer Workflow Routing and Approval Review – Approval Signature collection East Asian workflow Structured Ad Hoc Office Server Features List Moderation Publishing Process Document Expiration Tracking Applications Issue tracking LOB Integration Custom Form Actions Notification Exception Handling Document Processes Spec Review Weekly Status Report Custom Tracking Apps Service Requests Asset Tracking Industry specific processes Purchase orders Product lifecycle mgmt

Workflow Authoring Tools SharePoint Designer (Web Designer) Activities Re-use OOB/deployed activities Forms Auto-generated Forms -ASPX Deployment Workflow authored live against server Runtime compilation Development Model Wizard-based workflow designer Visual Studio (Pro-Dev) Activities Re-use OOB/deployed activities Can author new activities Forms Designed Forms -InfoPath-ASPX Deployment Solutions package generated Box administrator installable Development Model Visual workflow designer

Forms ASPX Forms (Windows SharePoint Services and Office servers) Server only InfoPath Forms (Office servers) Server rendered by Office forms Server Office client integration Write once, run server, and client (same form) Forms are used for: Configuring workflows, starting workflows, and completing tasks

SharePoint Designer Scenarios: Authoring SharePoint apps Document Workflow, e.g. My route for review Web ‘Guided Process’, e.g. New Hire Process Custom Form Action, e.g. on click, send Authoring environment includes Workflow designer based on Rules Wizard experience Building blocks for workflow based SharePoint apps Document workflows Send mail, update list item Custom developed workflows and building blocks Verification and deployment of workflows

Designing Workflows in SharePoint Designer

Visual Studio Workflow Designer The Visual Studio Workflow Designer Provides a project system for developing workflow solutions It lets you quickly define a workflow graphically Drag activities from Toolbox onto design surface Configure activity properties in Properties window Code-beside for business logic (your code) Provides a mechanism for compiling workflows Integrated workflow and code debugging

Sample Business Process

Simplified Business Process

Development Steps  Model workflow in Visual Studio  Create and bind InfoPath forms  Deploy to SharePoint server  Debug the running workflow

Model Workflow In Visual Studio Prerequisites: Windows Workflow Foundation Beta 2 SDK Office 2007 SharePoint Servers Beta 2 Starter Kit Create project of type “SharePoint Sequential Workflow Library” Create the workflow

Association form User adds workflow to a list For setting options on WF Initiation form For manual workflow start Collects workflow parameters Create And Bind InfoPath Forms Types of InfoPath forms in Workflows Task completion form A user to edit a task from WF User edits or enters data Modification form Linked off WF status page Can modify in-flight WF

Deploy To SharePoint Server Generate Metadata files Feature.XML Workflow.XML Create the CAB (WSP) or use install.bat Install/activate the “feature” IISReset Associate workflow to the list/library

Debug The Running Workflow Visual Studio running on server machine Open the workflow in Visual Studio Attach to all of the W3WP Processes Start the workflow

Designing Workflows in Visual Studio

What you’ve seen Windows Workflow Foundation and Office Demo: A workflow in WSS Workflow authoring scenarios Workflow design and development tools Workflow design in SharePoint Designer Demo: Workflow in just a minute Workflow design in Visual Studio Demo: Building a workflow in Visual Studio

For More Information… The erstwhile WindowsWorkflow.net Workflow Development for WSS us/ms aspx Workflows in MOSS us/ms aspx

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