How to configure the Workflow Reports Web Part

How to configure the Workflow Reports Web Part

Overview of Workflow Conductor Web Parts

WFCreportsWP top grah.pngThe Workflow Reports Web Part allows you to create reports about workflows run in the current site or site collection. The report is displayed graphically, with a summary list below the chart.
WFCreportsWP bottom chart.png

At run time, you can define reporting periods, filter by workflow status, and print report results using the controls at the top of the web part. See How to use the Workflow Reports Web Part for more information on how to use this web part from the end user perspective.

The Workflow Reports Web Part is available in the Web Part Gallery after Workflow Conductor is installed. Users with the Add and Customize Pages right can add the Web Part to a page. (The Add and Customize Pages right is included by default in the Design and Full Control permissions.)

NOTE: If you don’t see the web part in the gallery, check to make sure the site collection feature shown below is activated in your site collection.

WFC web parts site collection feature.png

Add the web part to a web part page. If you do not know how to add a web part to a page, read the topic How to add a web part to a Web Part page.

To configure the web part once it is on the page, follow these instructions:

Workflows Setting
Workflows: Select the scope of workflows to display. By default, the Web Part will display workflows for the Current Site. You can also select to display workflows in the Site Collection. WFCReportsWP tool pane-top.png
Display Settings:

Enter a fixed Height and Width in pixels for the report.

NOTE: This setting impacts the graph and also the list below the chart.

WFCReportsWP tool pane-displau.png
Page Settings: Select the number of items to display per page and the maximum number of items to include in the list. The more items displayed, the longer the page will take to load. WFCReportsWP tool pane -paging.png
Default Reporting Interval Select a default reporting interval for the Web Part. The default (None) will show the last week of data. The reporting can be changed at run time, if needed. WFCReportsWP tool pane-bottom.png

For tips on how to use this web part, see How to use the Workflow Reports Web Part

Workflow Error Reporting

Workflow Error Reporting

Configuring WF Conductor General Settings

sa08CPGeneralSettingsErrorReporting.jpgSelect the user who will receive an E-mail message when a workflow error occurs.

By default, Report errors to the workflow initiator is checked, so only the workflow initiator will be notified. You can choose to notify the workflow initiator, the workflow designer and/or any user, Active Directory group, or list of E-mail addresses.

Icon-Warning IMPORTANT:

  • Workflow Initiators are the users who start a workflow manually or create/modify an item that may trigger an automatic workflow to start.
  • If the workflow starts automatically, the Workflow Initiator may not be aware of the workflow and may be confused if they receive an email about a workflow error. You may decide to send workflow error emails to the Workflow Designer or specific users instead.

Icon-Tip Use the following syntax tips to enter lists of users:

  • Enter user accounts in the format DOMAINUser
  • Enter group names with square brackets (i.e., [Group Name])
  • Separate multiple entries with a comma.

See Also:

Workflow Deployment

Workflow Deployment

Configuring WF Conductor General Settings

publish menu area in conductor studio.jpgUse this page to define the options that will appear in the Publish menu of the Workflow Conductor Studio.

There are two workflow deployment methods available: Solution Deployment and Simple Publishing. For a detailed explanation of both methods, see About Workflow Deployment Methods. The Workflow Conductor Studio menu screen shot above shows the options available if the Simple Publishing Method is used and all the publishing scope options are checked.

NOTE:

  • Prior to Workflow Conductor release 2.x, Solution Deployment was the only deployment method available. The Simple Publishing method was added in R2.0.
  • If you upgrade Workflow Conductor from version 1.6.x or earlier to 2.0 or higher, the deployment method will be set to Simple Publishing with the Publish to List option checked.

Simple Publishing Method

Wf deployment options.jpg

Simple Publishing is the default selection and often the preferred method. The available publishing scope options are:

  • Publish to List. Allows workflows to be published to a single list. When publishing is complete, the workflow is associated with the list. To use the same workflow in another list, publish the workflow template again to the new list.
  • Publish to Site. When you publish a workflow to a site, it can later be associated with any list in the site. See Associating a site workflow with a specific list for more information. During the publishing process, you can decide to associate the workflow with the current list.

    Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: When publishing to the site, be sure to choose all the start options that other may want to select when associating the workflow to a new list. Start options that are not selected when publishing occurs will not be available when the workflow is later associated with another list.

  • Publish to Site Collection. Publishing to a site collection is similar to publishing to a site, but the scope is larger; the workflow can be associated with any list in any site in the site collection.

    Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: When publishing to the site collection, be sure to choose all the start options that other may want to select when associating the workflow to a new list. Start options that are not selected when publishing occurs will not be available when the workflow is later associated with another list.

  • Publish as Site Workflow. TBD

Solution Deployment Method

A workflow solution is deployed to the current SharePoint web application, activated as a site collection feature, and can be associated with any list in the site collection. You can choose to deploy workflows immediately with this method. However, since workflow solution deployment requires that the application pool be recycled, administrators may want to schedule this activity when fewer users will be impacted. See About Workflow Deployment Methods for more information.

NOTE: In order to use the Solution Deployment Method to deploy workflows using Workflow Conductor on Windows Server 2008, you must disable User Account Control (UAC) Admin Approval Mode or turn off UAC. UAC is a security component that allows an administrator to enter credentials during a non-administrator’s user session to perform occasional administrative tasks. Simple Publishing Method does NOT require a modification to UAC. See Configuring UAC for Workflow Conductor for more information.

To minimize end user impact, select Schedule workflow deployment and configure a deployment frequency, Start Time, End Time, and Deployment Delay to schedule workflows for deployment instead of deploying them immediately.

Wf deployment options-sched.jpg

NOTE: If multiple workflows are scheduled for deployment, the application pool will be recycled after each workflow is deployed. A Deployment Delay of “0” minutes will allow SharePoint to control the solution deployment schedule. To add a mandatory delay between each solution deployment and associated application pool recycle, enter a specific number of minutes. Workflows that were not deployed during the specified Start and End times will be deployed during the next scheduled window.

To view a list of workflows scheduled for deployment or to deploy scheduled workflows manually, go to the Workflow Solution Management section in the Workflow Conductor Control Panel.

Workflow Conductor Log File Archiving

Workflow Conductor Log File Archiving

Configuring WF Conductor General Settings

sa08CPGeneralSettingsArchive.jpgDefine how Workflow Conductor handles log archiving for the Workflow Conductor Studio log files. By default, Workflow Conductor installs a SharePoint timer job that will run weekly and will delete any Conductor Studio log entries in the Conductor database that are older than one month.

If you would like to change this behavior, the following options are available:

  • Archive Location: You can save archived log file data to a location on your server by entering a directory name. The directory you enter must already exist on your system, and the Central Administration application pool user must have permissions to write to the directory.

  • Archive Log Entries Older Than: Select a filter for Conductor to use to delete log file entries from the database. You can delete entries older than 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months. The default is 1 month.

  • Archive Schedule: Select a schedule for the timer job to run. By default, it will run weekly.

  • Start Day/Time/Minute: Depending on what archival schedule you selected, you may also configure a day, time, and/or minute for the timer job to start.

General Settings

Workflow Conductor General Settings

Workflow Conductor General Settings

To change Workflow Conductor global settings, go to Central Administration > Workflow Conductor Control Panel, and then click General Settings. You should review and update each setting listed here after you install Workflow Conductor.

General Settings

What features need to be activated when deploying WF Conductor to a new web app on my farm?

What features need to be activated when deploying WF Conductor to a new web app on my farm?

A workflow cannot be used until it is deployed to SharePoint. To deploy a workflow, click the Publish menu in the Conductor Studio menu and select a deployment or publishing option. Several things happen when you deploy a workflow:

  • First, Conductor checks to see whether the workflow is fully configured.

  • If there is missing or invalid configuration information, Conductor Studio will display an error message with the details.

  • If there are any unsaved changes to your workflow, Conductor will prompt you to save the workflow as a template. Templates can be modified and redeployed as new or updated workflows later.

  • The workflow is then deployed to SharePoint according to the Workflow Deployment option you selected.

If the workflow is deployed using the Solution Deployment method (Publish > Deploy):

The workflow is compiled and deployed as a farm solution to all Web applications in the farm where Workflow Conductor is installed.
The workflow is added and activated as a site collection feature in the current site collection.
The workflow is associated to the list or library where you launched Conductor Studio, with the Start Options you configured in the workflow.

If the workflow is published using the Simple Publishing method (Publish > Publish to List):

  • Conductor checks to see if an existing workflow with the same name already exists. If so, you will be asked if you want to overwrite the existing workflow. This is the best way to create a new version of a workflow. For more information about overwriting published workflows, see Workflow Versioning.

  • The workflow is published to the SharePoint list and is automatically associated to the list or library where you launched Conductor Studio, with the Start Options you configured in the workflow.

NOTE: Workflows deployed using the Solution Deployment method are farm solutions, so the application pool will be recycled when the workflow is deployed. As a result, sites may be temporarily unavailable. You can control when this deployment and application pool recycle happens by scheduling workflow deployment in the Workflow Deployment settings in Central Administration > Workflow Conductor Control Panel > General Settings.

sa08StartWFfromProps.jpg

sa08StartWFfromItemMenu.jpgThe workflow is now ready to be used, and is displayed with other available workflows under the Workflows option for an item in that list or library.

All the .wsp solutions associated with the WF Conductor are deployed globally (to the 12, 14 or 15 hive), so there is nothing more to do for them when provisioning new web apps.

When you provision a new web app:

  1. Go to the Web Application Features and activate the feature called “Bamboo Workflow Conductor Web.config Modifications Vx.x”. It will make changes to the web.config programmatically. The changes support AJAX/Telerik and workflow publishing.

  2. Go to the site collection(s) where you want to use Conductor, and activate the four features below:

  • Bamboo Workflow Conductor Feature Manager
  • Bamboo Workflow Conductor Studio
  • Bamboo Workflow Conductor Web Parts
  • Bamboo Workflow Conductor Widgets

Using the Workflow Start Feature

Using the Workflow Start Feature

Applies to

  • Workflow Conductor R3.5 or newer
  • SharePoint 2010 and SharePoint 2013

Overview

The Workflow Start Feature allows custom workflow start buttons to be added to the item ribbons within SharePoint lists/libraries. The workflow buttons will display configurable names and launch any desired workflow associated with the current item. Users simply highlight an item in the list and click the button to start the workflow on the selected item.

Configuring the Workflow Start Feature

Step Action
1.

WF Start Feature.jpgOn the site where you wish to use the Workflow Start Feature, navigate to Site Actions > Site Settings > Site Actions: Manage Site Features. On the Features page, locate the Workflow Start Feature (it’s usually at the bottom of the list).

WF Start Feature a.jpg

Click Activate to activate the Workflow Start Feature for the site.

NOTES:

  1. This is a site feature, not a site collection feature.
  2. If you don’t see the Workflow Start Feature listed on the Manage Site Features page, check to make sure that the Bamboo.StartWorkFlow.wsp solution is deployed to your web app and the Bamboo.StartWorkFlow.wsp site collection feature is activated for your site collection.
2.

configurinh WF button.jpg
Activating the site feature creates a new list called Workflow Configuration List in the site. Configure a new item ribbon button by adding an item to this list. Find a description of the columns below:

  • Ribbon Section Name: Enter a name for the section of the ribbon that will contain the workflow button. This is a required field.
  • Workflow Button Name: Enter a name for the button that will be displayed in the ribbon. This is a required field.
  • Tooltip Title: Enter the tooltip title that will appear when the end user hovers the cursor over the button. The Tooltip has a title that appears with bold text and a description that appears with normal text. See the screen shot shown in Step 3 below.
  • Tooltip Description: Enter the text that will appear in a tooltip for the button. A tooltip appears when the end user hovers over the button with the cursor.
  • Associated Workflow: Choose the list and the workflow that will be associated with the button for items in that list.
3.

wf button with tool tip title and description.jpgOnce an item is added to the Workflow Configuration List, a button will appear in the item ribbon for the appropriate list. It will be grayed out unless an item is selected in the list.

The button shown here is the one configured in Step 2 above. Notice the tooltip that appears to end users when they hover over the button; the Tooltip Title and Tooltip Description is displayed.

NOTE: There is no configuration option for the icon that is displayed. It is the same for all workflow buttons.

4. To start the workflow, select an item in the list and click the button.

Specify who can Design Workflows in Conductor Studio

Specify who can Design Workflows in Conductor Studio

sa08_2010CPWorkflowDesigners.jpgTo specify who can design workflows in Conductor Studio, go to Central Administration > Workflow Conductor, and then click Workflow Designers. By default, any user with the SharePoint permission Design on the site and the list may also use Conductor Studio.

To restrict who can design workflows in Conductor Studio, select the option Only the following users and groups and key in a list of SharePoint users and/or groups. Only these users will be able to start Conductor Studio.

NOTE: All workflow designers must have at least the SharePoint permission of Design set for the site and the list where Conductor Studio is started. Any user with Design permission will see the Create or Edit Workflows option in lists and libraries, but only designers listed in the Workflow Designers list will be able to start Conductor Studio.

How to configure the My Workflow Tasks Web Part

How to configure the My Workflow Tasks Web Part

Overview of Workflow Conductor Web Parts

The My Workflow Tasks Web Part displays tasks created by workflows. These tasks typically reside in a list called Workflow Tasks. My Workflow Tasks can display tasks for the current user or for all users, and can display tasks for the site, the Web application, or the entire farm.

my wf tasks wp -cut.png


The My Workflow Tasks Web Part is available in the Web Part Gallery after Workflow Conductor is installed. Users with the Add and Customize Pages right can add the Web Part to a page. (The Add and Customize Pages right is included by default in the Design and Full Control permissions.)

NOTE: If you don’t see the web part in the gallery, check to make sure the site collection feature shown below is activated in your site collection.

WFC web parts site collection feature.png

Add the web part to a web part page. If you do not know how to add a web part to a page, read the topic How to add a web part to a Web Part page.

To configure the web part once its on the page:

Section Setting
Tasks:

Select the scope of workflows to display. By default, the Web Part will display workflow tasks for the Current Site. You can also select Web Application or Farm.

Select whether to Display tasks for current user or Display tasks for all users.

NOTE: Displaying tasks for all users across the farm will take longer than displaying tasks for just the logged in user.

config my wf tasks - Tasks area.png

Icon-Tip If you decide to display tasks assigned to all users, you may consider changing the name of the web part in the Appearance section of the tool pane. It should no longer be called My Workflow Tasks if it displays tasks for everyone.

Paging Settings: Select the number of items to display per page and the maximum number of items to include in the list. The larger the numbers, the longer the page will take to load. my wf tasks tool pane - paging setting.png
Display Settings

Select Display document titles to display the Title column of the item that triggered the workflow in the Item column of the web part display. The Title column of an item in a SharePoint list or library is a hyperlink to the display form of that item.

Alternatively, you can select Display file names to display the Name column of the file in the Item column of the web part display, when the item that triggered the workflow is a file in a SharePoint document library. The Name column of an file in a SharePoint document library is a hyperlink that opens the file rather than the item display form.

If desired, check options to Display Status column, Display time since task was created, or Display workflow initiator.

The Wrap Text box is checked by default. Uncheck it if you prefer the Web Part zone width to automatically adjust so that all items in this Web Part fit on one line. Uncheck them if you would prefer those columns not to appear in the web part display.

my wf tasks tool pane - display settings.png

NOTE: The workflow tasks displayed in this web part may be associated with items in SharePoint document libraries or other types of lists. If the item that triggers the workflow is not in a document library, the Title column will always be displayed, regardless of the selection in the Display Settings. There is no file name column for items in these types of lists.

Sorting:

Select your preferred default sort column and sort order. You can choose to sort on workflow name or workflow initiator.

NOTE: Users can re-sort the display on the fly, if needed. This setting is just for the sort order for the initial display when the page first loads.

my wf tasks tool pane - sorting.png

For information on how to use the My Workflow Tasks Web Part, see How to use the My Workflow Tasks Web Part.

Manage WF Conductor Templates from Central Admin

Manage WF Conductor Templates from Central Admin

Overview of Workflow Conductor Control Panel

template mgmt.jpgOn the Template Management page of the Workflow Conductor Control Panel in SharePoint Central Administration, globally configure:

Template Managers

select temp mgrs2.jpgTemplate managers have special rights in the Conductor Studio Template Gallery:

  • Template managers can open or delete any template created by any workflow designer using the Manage Templates tab of the Template Gallery, even if the template hasn’t been shared. This tab is only visible to Template Managers.
  • Template managers can remove a template from the list in the Shared Templates tab by deleting it from the Manage Templates tab.
  • Template managers can remove a template from the list in the Featured Templates tab by deleting it from the Manage Templates tab. Adding a template to the Featured Templates list can only be done through the Workflow Conductor Control Panel in Central Administration.

To make a user a Template Manager, follow these steps:

Step Action
1.

sa08_2010_templatemanagers.jpgIn the Select Template Managers section of the Template Management page, enter one or more SharePoint users separated by semi-colons. Use the Lookup (SPNameLookup.jpg) to search for names. When ready, click SPpeopleChecker.jpg to resolve the names and ensure they are entered correctly.

Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: Since templates are managed from within the Conductor Studio, to be a Template Manager, a user must also be a Workflow Designer. See Configuring WF Conductor Workflow Designers for more information.

2. Click OK at the bottom of the page so save your changes.

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Featured templates, like Shared Templates, are available to all Workflow Designers from the Featured Templates tab of the Open Workflow Template dialog in the Conductor Studio. The list of Featured Templates, because it is more tightly controlled, is usually shorter than Shared Templates and therefore may be easier for your end users to use.

To add a workflow template to the Featured Templates area of the template gallery, see Featured workflow templates

Localize Bamboo Applications or Custom Columns

Localize Bamboo Applications or Custom Columns

Overview of the localization process for Bamboo Products

Bamboo applications and custom columns are slightly different than web parts when it comes to localizing/translating. The user interface isn’t confined to a web part, but can exist as site definitions or other custom pages. For example, the configuration of a Bamboo custom column is within the SharePoint list settings area.
The text strings that require translation are located in different files than the strings that appear in a web part.

Changing the language or text for an application or custom column is a multi-step process:

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About the Language Files

Text displayed in a Bamboo application may be included in one or both of the following locations:

  • Provisioning Resources. These resources are located in the 12, 14, or 15 “Hive”, in the Resources folder. The number of the Hive depends on the version of SharePoint you are using (e.g., SP2007 has a 12 Hive, SP2010 has a 14 Hive, and SP2013 has a 15 Hive). 14Hiveresources.jpg

    The Bamboo.*.resx files include text used in site features, site definitions, list definitions, and other provisioning resource elements. Any changes you make in these files will apply to new product instances only.

  • Application/Runtime Resources. These are also located in the 12, 14, or 15 Hive, but in the CONFIGResources folder.The Bamboo.*.resx file in the CONFIG folder is different than the one included in the Resource folder.14HiveCONFIGResources.jpg This one includes text used in application pages, custom site menu actions, navigation elements, and other runtime resources. Any changes you make will apply to new and existing product instances only.

In each location, there may be multiple versions of Bamboo.*.resx files with identical content. The different files are provided for English (en-US), German (de-DE), French (fr-FR), and Spanish (es-ES). The content of all files is in English until you translate it to your language. If your site is configured to use a language that does not have a corresponding Bamboo product .resx file, copy an existing file and rename it to include the culture name for that language pack. For example, create a file for Italian by saving the default file as Bamboo.[Product].it-IT.resx. Make your changes to this new file. If your site is configured to use a specific language but you do not have a culture-specific file, the product will use the default Bamboo.[Product].resx file instead.

Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: If you customize one of the default resource files provided with the product, your changes will be overwritten when you upgrade.

To avoid losing customizations, copy the customized file to a different location (not the same folder) before upgrading. After the upgrade is finished, compare the new file with your customized file to incorporate any new entries. Then copy the merged file to the Resources folder. Culture-specific files created for languages that are not provided with the product will not be overwritten during an upgrade, but you still need to incorporate new resource entries.

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Editing text in resource files

Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: Before making any changes, back up your original file to a different folder.

To change text in a resource file, open it in a text editor and locate the text you want to change. Editable text is usually found between the <value></value> tags, as shown in the screen shot below. Do not modify the data tag. If you want to remove text completely, delete only the text; do not delete the <data> or <value> entries from the file, or the server will display an error message. In the example below, the editable text is highlighted in gray.

Common_resxEdit.jpg

When you are finished with your changes, save the file and copy it to the appropriate Resources *folder on *all Web front-end servers in your SharePoint farm. Follow the instructions below to make your changes take effect.

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Applying Language File Updates

To apply changes to Provisioning Resource Files:

If you modified the provisioning resources file, apply your changes by restarting Web services with the following command on all Web front-end servers.

iisreset

NOTE: changes to provisioning resources affect new instances of the Bamboo product only; existing instances of the product are not updated.

To apply changes to Application/Runtime Resource Files:

If you modified the application/runtime resources file, apply your changes by executing the following stsadm command on all Web front-end servers. This command copies the updated resource file to the App_GlobalResources folder of each Web application. Changes apply to existing product instances and any new instances you create.

stsadm -o CopyAppBinContent

NOTE: Changes apply to EXISTING product instances AND any new instances you create.

How to Use the Workflow Start Feature

How to Use the Workflow Start Feature

Workflow Start Feature Overview:

SiteCollectionAdmin.png

The Workflow Start Feature allows custom workflow start buttons to be added to the item ribbons within SharePoint lists/libraries. The workflow buttons will display customizable names and will launch any desired workflow associated with them on the current item. Users simply click the button to start the workflow.

Configuring and Using the Workflow Start Feature:

NOTE: You must be a site collection administrator to conduct this task!

Step Action Result
1. On the site where you wish to use the Workflow Start Feature, navigate to Site Actions > Site Settings > Site Actions > Manage Site Features and activate the Workflow Start Feature. 12669-11.jpg
2.

On the same site, select the newly created Workflow Configuration List and complete the following fields:

  • Ribbon Section Name: Enter a name for the section of the ribbon that will contain the workflow button. This is a required field.
  • Workflow Button Name: Enter a name for the button that will be displayed in the ribbon. This is a required field.
  • Tooltip Title: Enter a title for the workflow that will appear in a tooltip.
  • Tooltip Description: Enter a description for the workflow that appear in a tooltip.
  • Associated Workflow: Choose a list and the workflow that will be associated with the button for items in that list.
12669-12.jpg
3. Navigate to the list and open an item to see the workflow start buttons created for that list.
4. Click on one of the buttons to start the associated workflow on that item.

How to configure the My Workflows Web Part

How to configure the My Workflows Web Part

Overview of Workflow Conductor Web Parts

The My Workflows Web Part displays all the workflows initiated by the current user in the Site, the Web application, or the entire Farm. My Workflows displays the status, workflow name, a link to the item the workflow was triggered by, and additional information that might be relevant depending on the type of workflow.

From this Web Part, the workflow initiator can Cancel a workflow that is Running, Restart a workflow that errored, or Resume a paused workflow. See How to use the My Workflows Web Part for more information.

My workflows WP cut.png

The My Workflow Web Part is available in the Web Part Gallery after Workflow Conductor is installed. Users with the Add and Customize Pages right can add the Web Part to a page. (The Add and Customize Pages right is included by default in the Design and Full Control permissions.)

NOTE: If you don’t see the web part in the gallery, check to make sure the site collection feature shown below is activated in your site collection.

WFC web parts site collection feature.png

Add the web part to a web part page. If you do not know how to add a web part to a page, see How to add a web part to a Web Part page

To configure the web part once it is on the page, follow these steps:

Section Setting
Workflows: Select the scope of workflows to display. By default, the Web Part will display workflows for the Current Site. You can also select Web Application or Farm.

Select which workflow statuses to include in the list. The Web Part will include all workflow statuses by default. The more you choose, the more workflows to display and the longer it will take to load the page.

My WFs configTop.png

Icon-Tip If you have a lot of workflows in your site or site collection, you may consider putting an instance of this web part on several different pages. One page may show Running Workflows and another may showed Errored, Paused, and Cancelled.

Paging Settings: Select the number of items to display per page and the maximum number of items to include in the list. My WFs configPaging.png
Display Settings Select Display document titles to display the Title field of an item, if one is available. Select Display filenames to display the Name field of an item, if one is available.

Uncheck the Wrap Text box if you prefer the Web Part zone width to automatically adjust so that all items in this Web Part fit on one line.

My WFs configdisplay.png
Sorting: Select your preferred sort column and sort order. My WFs configSort.png

How to configure the Workflow Start Feature

How to configure the Workflow Start Feature

Step Action Result
1.

On the site where you wish to use the Workflow Start Feature, navigate to Site Actions > Site Settings > Manage Site Features. On the list displayed, locate the Workflow Start Feature and activate it by clicking Activate.

WF start feature.jpg

NOTE: If you don’t see this feature listed, the farm solution bamboo.startworkflow.wsp may not be deployed to your web application and/or the bamboo.startworkflow.wsp site collection feature may not be activated in your site collection. Check with your System Administrator and/or Site Collection Adminstrator.

A list called Workflow Configuration List will be created on the site.
2.

Select the newly created Workflow Configuration List and create an item; complete the following fields:

  • Ribbon Section Name: Enter a name for the section of the ribbon that will contain the workflow button. This is a required field.
  • Workflow Button Name: Enter a name for the button that will be displayed in the ribbon. This is a required field.
  • Tooltip Title: Enter a title for the workflow that will appear in a tooltip.
  • Tooltip Description: Enter a description for the workflow that appear in a tooltip.
  • Associated Workflow: Choose the list where the button will appear and the workflow that will be associated with the button for items in that list.

wf configuration list.jpg

Create an item for each Workflow Start option you need for any list in the site. You may have several items in this list.
3. Navigate to the list and open an item to see the workflow start buttons created for that list.
Click on one of the buttons to start the associated workflow on that item.

Configuring WF Conductor Workflow Designers

Configuring WF Conductor Workflow Designers

Overview of Workflow Conductor Control Panel

sa08_2010CPWorkflowDesigners.jpgTo specify who can design Conductor Studio workflows in your SharePoint farm, go to Central Administration > Workflow Conductor, and then Workflow Designers.

By default, any user with the SharePoint Design permission for the site and the list/library can use the Conductor Studio. This is the minimum permission needed to successfully create and deploy workflows.

To restrict further who can design workflows in the Conductor Studio, follow these steps:

Step Action
1. Select the option Only the following users and AD groups
2. Enter a list of SharePoint users and/or groups separated by semi-colons. Use the Lookup (SPNameLookup.jpg) if you would rather search for names/groups than enter them directly. When you have the list, click SPpeopleChecker.jpg to resolve the names and make sure they are entered correctly.
3.

Click OK to save the configuration. Only the names/groups entered will be able to launch the Conductor Studio to design and deploy workflows.

Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: All workflow designers must have at least the SharePoint Design permission for the site and the list/library where Conductor Studio is started. Any user with Design permission will see the Workflow Conductor icons in the list/library ribbon, but only designers listed in the Workflow Designers list will be able to start the Conductor Studio. Others will see an access denied message.

Configuring WF Conductor System Settings

Configuring WF Conductor System Settings

Overview of Workflow Conductor Control Panel

To define required database and e-mail server settings for Workflow Conductor, go to Central Administration > Workflow Conductor, and then click System Settings.

Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: You must configure these settings before you use Workflow Conductor..

Settings page of WFC Control Panel

SQL Server. Enter the name of the server and SQL Server instance where the Workflow Conductor Configuration Database was created/installed. Click the green arrow to load the available databases into the selection list for the next item, Workflow Conductor Database.

Enter the SQL Server name and instance in the following format:

  • DBSERVER – The Conductor database is installed on the default SQL Server instance on the server DBSERVER.
  • DBSERVEROFFICESERVERS – The Conductor database is installed on the OFFICESERVERS instance on DBSERVER. This is common for SharePoint 2007 installations that use SQL Server Express.
  • DBSERVERSharePoint – The Conductor database is installed on the SharePoint instance on DBSERVER. This is common for SharePoint 2010 installations that use SQL Server Express.
  • DBSERVERSQLINSTANCE – The Conductor database is installed on the SQLINSTANCE instance on DBSERVER. If the Conductor database is installed on something other than the default instance on the SQL Server, you must specify the instance name.
    Workflow Conductor Database

Workflow Conductor Database. Select the Conductor content database you created when running the Workflow Conductor Configuration Database utility during the Workflow Conductor install.

E-mail Server. Enter the SMTP Server Name that you want to use to send E-mails from Conductor widgets. This is typically the same SMTP server that you use to send SharePoint alerts. Enter the default From and Reply To E-mail addresses as well. If the server has been configured to use SMTP Authentication, check the Use SMTP Secure Authenticated Connection box and enter the secure SMTP port (usually 465) and required login information.

Configuring WF Conductor General Settings

Configuring WF Conductor General Settings

Overview of Workflow Conductor Control Panel

To change global Workflow Conductor general settings, go to Central Administration > Workflow Conductor, and then click General Settings.

sa08_2010CPGeneralSettingsTop.jpg
You should review and update each setting listed here after you install Workflow Conductor.

Configuring WF Conductor E-mail Settings

Configuring WF Conductor E-mail Settings

Overview of Workflow Conductor Control Panel

On the E-mail Settings page of the Workflow Conductor Control Panel, globally configure:

E-mail Templates

To configure global e-mail templates for task e-mails sent by Workflow Conductor, go to Central Administration > Workflow Conductor, and then E-mail Settings. You can configure the default templates used for E-mail messages sent for Request Approval, Request Feedback, and Collect Data From User task notifications, task reassignments, and task change requests. Administrators can also configure E-mail Approval settings from this page of the Workflow Conductor Control Panel.

These e-mail templates are used as the default text for corresponding properties in the Request Approval, Request Feedback, and Collect Data From User widgets. The default text can be customized on a per-widget basis by the workflow designer.

To add references to elements like the list name, the workflow initiator, the workflow title, “Current Task” properties, and other common elements, click the Add Lookup button next to each section and select a lookup to insert. The actual value of the lookup will be filled in when the workflow runs.

NOTE: To add a hyperlink that has a display name different from the URL (e.g., Bamboo instead of http://www.bamboosolutions.com), enter the hyperlink in the following format, including the surrounding brackets ([]):

 [_URL(http://url.com),_Text(Text to display)]

See Using Lookups in Workflow Studio for more information.

To set an e-mail template back to the system default, click the Reset to Default button below the template. To save changes to a template, make sure to click OK at the bottom of the E-mail Settings page.

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E-mail-based Task Approvals

E-mail-based task approvals are available for tasks created from the Request Approval Widget. Prior to using email-based approval the following actions are required:

  1. E-mail needs to be enabled and configured on the Windows Server running SharePoint.

  2. SharePoint needs to be configured to allow incoming email.

  3. For each site where a workflow that requires e-mail-based task approval runs, configure settings that allow users to approve requests via e-mail:

    Step Action
    1.

    Manage Site Features.jpgActivate the site feature Bamboo Workflow Incoming Email for each site where email-based approval will be allowed. This is a site where the workflow runs and the Workflow Tasks list resides.

    Click Site Actions > Site Settings > Site Features. Locate the Bamboo Workflow Incoming Email feature and click Activate to activate it on the site.

    wf incoming email site feature.jpg

    NOTE: This site feature is not activated by default.

    When the site feature is activated, the list Bamboo.Conductor.IncomingEmail will be created.

    2.

    From the List Settings page for the Bamboo.Conductor.IncomingEmail list, configure the Incoming email settings.

    Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: Make sure the E-mail address you choose is unique. No other lists should have the same address.

    incoming email1.png

    3. In the E-mail Settings page of the Workflow Conductor Control Panel in Central Administration, locate the Email-based Approval and Rejection Settings (at the bottom of the page).
    4. email based approvals1.jpgIn the Enable email-based approval section, select Yes from the drop-down menu.
    5.

    email based approvals2.jpgIn the Define Approval Word box, enter the word users should respond with for an approval. In the Define Reject Word box, enter the word users should respond with for a rejection.

    Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: The Approve and Reject words are case sensitive.

    When task assignees receive the e-mail notification message telling them they need to review a task, they can reply to the email, entering either the Approve Word or the Reject Word in the body of the reply. The task will then be automatically approved or rejected with no further action required by the assignee.

    6.

    email based approvals3.jpgThe Limit e-mail approvals to the following users section allows administrators to restrict approval emails to specific users or groups by typing their names in the box.

    Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: When adding more than one user or group, separate names with semi-colons.

    7. When all settings are made, click OK to save your changes.

Configuring WF Conductor Categories

Configuring WF Conductor Categories

Overview of Workflow Conductor Control Panel

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Workflow Conductor Widgets are listed in the Conductor Studio by category so they are easy to find. Beginning with WFC Release 4.0, we offer a search utility so you can search for widgets. Simply start typing the widget name and any corresponding widgets containing your keywords appear in the widget box.Searching.png Categories.jpg
SharePoint 2010 Release 4.0
conductor studio categories.jpg
SharePoint 2013 Release 3.5 and prior releases

By default, each widget appears in a category. (Some widgets appear in more than one category.) The default widget categories are:

  • Frequently Used
  • Workflow Logic
  • User Interaction
  • User and Group Management
  • Site Management
  • Lists and Items
  • External Data

For your organization, you may want to:

Move Widgets between Categories

To move widgets to an existing category:

Step ActionTop
1. Select the category to move the widget(s) to in the Category drop down box.

select category.jpg

2. Choose to show Unassigned Widgets. All the widget currently NOT assigned to the selected category are listed.

show unassigned.jpg

3.

check widgets to assign.jpgCheck the widget(s) you want to include in the selected category.

NOTE: The full list of widgets spans multiple pages. Click the 1, 2, or 3 at the bottom of the widgets table to view other pages.

4.

When ready, click OK to save your changes.

NOTE: Clicking OK closes the page and returns you to the Workflow Conductor Control Panel page. To add more widgets to other categories, click Widget Categories. If you change the selected category before clicking OK, your changes to the category will NOT be saved.

To remove widgets from an existing category:

Step ActionTop
1. Select the category to remove the widget(s) from in the Category drop down box.

select category.jpg

2. Choose to show All Widgets. All the available widgets are shown. The widgets currently included in the selected category have a check displayed.

show all widgets.jpg

3.

all wdigets with checks.jpgUncheck the widget(s) you want to remove from the selected category.

NOTE: The full list of widgets spans multiple pages. Click the 1,2, or 3 at the bottom of the widgets table to view other pages.

4.

When ready, click OK to save your changes.

NOTE: Clicking OK closes the page and returns you to the Workflow Conductor Control Panel page. To remove more widgets from other categories, click Widget Categories. If you change the selected category before clicking OK, your changes to the category will NOT be saved.

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Add or Remove Categories

AddRemove Category link.jpgIf the default categories for widgets are not satisfactory for your organization, you can change them. To add or delete categories, click the Add or Remove Categories link at the top of the Widget Categories page.

To add a new category from the Add or Remove Categories page:

Step ActionTop
1. sa08_2010CPWidgetCategories.jpgEnter the name of the new category and if desired, enter a description as well. As you can see from the list of existing categories, the Description value is optional.
2.

Click Save to save the new category. The Add or Remove Categories page will close.

NOTE: The new category will have no widgets at first. To add widgets to your new category, see Add or Remove Widget Categories.

To delete an existing category from the Add or Remove Categories page:

Step ActionTop
1. Click the box next to the categories that you want to delete.

delete categories.jpg

2.

Click Delete to delete the selected categories. The Add or Remove Categories page will close.

NOTE: The widgets that were assigned to the deleted category are not deleted; however, you will no longer see them in the Conductor Studio unless they are assigned to another category.

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Hide Widgets so they cannot be used

There may be some widgets that you don’t want to make available to workflow designers. If this is the case, you can hide them. To hide a widget, remove it from all categories. See Add or Remove Widget Categories for more information.

NOTE: The widgets that were assigned to the category are not deleted, though you will no longer see them in Conductor Studio unless they are assigned to another category.

Configuring WF Conductor Account Settings

Configuring WF Conductor Account Settings

Overview of Workflow Conductor Control Panel

To configure the Workflow Conductor access accounts, go to Central Administration > Workflow Conductor, and then click Account Settings.

Icon-WarningIMPORTANT: You must configure these settings before you use Workflow Conductor.

Settings page of WFC Control Panel

Shared Services Account. The Shared Services Account is used by the Conductor Studio, Conductor widgets, and at runtime as required by workflows, and for some Workflow Conductor settings. This account requires the following permissions:

  • Read, write, and execute permissions to the Conductor_Content database (the db_owner role is recommended).
  • Must be a member of the local server Administrators group on each Web front-end server (WFE) where Workflow Conductor is installed.

Deployment Account. The Deployment Account is used to deploy workflow solutions to your SharePoint farm. This account requires:

  • Read, write, and execute permissions to the Conductor_Content database (the db_owner role is recommended). This account is used to save the .wsp installation package to the database before it is deployed.
  • Must be a member of the local server Administrators group on each Web front-end (WFE) server where Conductor is installed and deployed.
  • Must be a SharePoint Farm Administrator in order to deploy workflow solutions.

Configuring UAC for Workflow Conductor

Configuring UAC for Workflow Conductor

Applies To:

  • Workflow Conductor 2.5.2 and higher
  • Windows Server 2008
  • SharePoint Server 2010
  • SharePoint Foundation 2010

Background

In order to use the Solution Deployment Method to deploy workflows using Workflow Conductor on Windows Server 2008, you must disable User Access Control (UAC) Admin Approval Mode or turn off UAC. Alternatively, when using the Simple Publishing Method, UAC does not need to be modified or turned off.

The procedures for disabling Admin Approval Mode and for turning off UAC are both provided below. You only need to follow the one that best fits your environment. For more information about UAC, see TechNet article: User Account Control Step-by-Step Guide.

To disable Admin Approval Mode:

Step Action
1. While logged into the server as a member of the local Administrators group, click Start > All Programs > Accessories> Run.
2. secpolmsc.jpgType secpol.msc in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.
4. From the Local Security Settings console tree, double-click Local Policies, and then double-click Security Options.
5. Scroll down and double-click User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode.
6. Select the Disabled option, and then click OK.
7. Close the Local Security Settings window.

To turn off UAC:

Step Action
1. While logged into the server as a member of the local Administrators group, click Start > Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, click User Accounts.
3. In the User Accounts window, click User Accounts.
4. In the User Accounts tasks window, click Turn User Account Control on or off.
5. If UAC is currently configured in Admin Approval Mode, the User Account Control message appears. Click Continue.
6. Clear the Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer check box, and then click OK.
7. Click Restart Now to apply the change right away, or click Restart Later and close the User Accounts tasks window.

Configure Approval Process for Publishing Comments

Configure Approval Process for Publishing Comments

Applies To:

  • SharePoint Knowledge Base Solution Accelerator R2.0 or newer
  • Workflow Conductor R1.6 or newer
  • SharePoint Server and Foundation 2010
  • MOSS 2007 and WSS v3.0

Icon-Warning IMPORTANT: Set up the following workflow processes during off hours. Publishing the workflow templates requires the application pool to be recycled.

Icon-Warning LIMITATIONS: To approve workflow tasks, users require the following permissions: Assignee, Initiator, Site Collection Administrator.

NOTE: To complete task forms and to view the Approve, Reject and Submit buttons, users must be able to:

  1. Read the workflow item that the workflow is running on and
  2. Edit items in the Workflow Tasks List that is associated with the workflow.

To create a workflow to approve and publish comments:

  1. Install and configure SharePoint Knowledge Base Solution Accelerator. See the KBSolution Accelerator for more information.
  2. Install and configure Workflow Conductor. See Workflow Conductor for more information.
  3. Configure the approval workflow for publishing comments following the steps below.
Import and publish the workflow template
Step Action Result
1.

From the KB Admin site, go to Site Actions > View All Site Content > Bamboo KB Articles List.

  • Use the ribbon to select the List Settings.
  • Under the Workflow Conductor section of the ribbon, select Create or Edit Workflows.
12669-1.jpg
Workflow Conductor Studio opens.
2. Click Import from the Workflow Conductor Studio menu. 12669-2.jpg
3.

Click Browse and navigate to the SharePoint Knowledge Base Solution Accelerator product extraction folder.

Open the misc folder and select SA05 Article Comment Approval.xoml.txt.

Click Open, then Import.

12669-20.jpg
4.

The workflow template is loaded into Workflow Conductor Studio.

In the workflow diagram pane, click on Submit to KB Comment Approval Team.

12669-21.jpg
5. In the Widget Properties tab in the settings pane, enter the account(s) for the user(s) who will approve comments. 12669-22.jpg
6.

If desired, modify the other widget properties:

  • Approval Type: The default is All Approvals Required. If desired, change the setting to One Approval Required or Multiple Approvals Required.
  • Days Until Due: Enter the number of days until this workflow task is due.
  • Due Date: Enter a due date for the workflow task.

    NOTE: If the Days Until Due and Due Date fields both have values, the earliest date will be selected as the due date.

  • Allow Reassignment: The default is No. Choose Yes to allow the workflow task to be assigned to another approver.
  • Allow Request Change: The default is No. Choose Yes to allow the approver to enter a comment for the requester to make changes and resubmit for approval.
  • Logging Level: The default is Errors Only. Choose another option to allow more detailed logging, such as Errors and Warnings or Errors, Warnings and Info.
  • Click Apply.

Workflow Conductor updates the diagram.

7. Select Publish > Deploy from the Workflow Conductor Studio menu. 12669-6.jpg
Icon-Warning IMPORTANT: This action will recycle the application pool, and users will receive a 500 error.
8. Click Yes to save the workflow as a template. 12669-7.jpg
The template is saved to the template gallery, and the application pool is recycled.
12669-23.jpg
9. Configure the Workflow Start Feature. You can start a workflow using the out-of-the-box SharePoint button, located in the ribbon, or you can create your own buttons for the KB workflow approval process (available for SharePoint 2010 only). For SharePoint 2007, start a workflow using the out-of-the-box SharePoint button.
12669-10.jpg
10. From the KB Admin site, navigate to Site Actions > Site Settings > Site Actions > Manage Site Features and activate the Workflow Start Feature. 12669-11.jpg
11. Return to the KB Admin site and select the Workflow Configuration List. Complete the following fields.

12669-22.jpg
Make sure to associate the workflow with the correct Bamboo Comments List and workflow template.

  • Ribbon Section Name: Enter a name for the section of the ribbon that will contain the workflow button. This is a required field.
  • Workflow Button Name: Enter a name for the button that will be displayed in the ribbon. This is a required field.
  • Tooltip Title: Enter a title for the workflow that will appear in a tooltip.
  • Tooltip Description: Enter a description for the workflow that appear in a tooltip.
  • Associated Workflow: Choose a list and a workflow that is associated with the button.

    12669-25.jpg
15.

Start a workflow to approve and publish comments:

To begin the workflow, an end user or a Knowledge Base Administrator submits a rating or a comment for an article and clicks Submit.

12669-24.jpg
16. The approver receives an email notification with a link to the comment and a link to the form to Approve or Reject the comment.

12669-26.jpg
When the approver clicks the link, a form appears for approving or rejecting the comment.
12669-27.jpg
If the approver has already rejected or approved the comment, the only available option is Cancel.
17. Return to the article in the KB Client site. The comment is now published.

12669-28.jpg

NOTE: When publishing comments, users with the appropriate level of permission can publish comments using the Publish button through the Approve & Manage Comments link in the KB Admin site instead of using the workflow to publish comments. However, the KB Comment Approval status for that comment will show as In Progress instead of Completed because the comment was not published through the open workflow. This can lead to many open tasks in the Workflow Tasks List.
12669-37.jpg

18. To close out workflow tasks, navigate to All Site Content > Lists > Workflow Tasks List. 12669-38.jpg
19. Approve the desired comments. 12669-39.jpg
The item’s status will change to Completed.
Status.jpg

See Also:

Configure Approval Process for Publishing Articles

Configure Approval Process for Publishing Articles

Applies To:

  • SharePoint Knowledge Base Solution Accelerator R2.0 or newer
  • Workflow Conductor R1.6 or newer
  • SharePoint Server and Foundation 2010
  • MOSS 2007 and WSS v3.0

Icon-Warning IMPORTANT if you are using Workflow Conductor prior to Release2.x: Set up the following workflow processes during off hours. Publishing the workflow templates requires the application pool to be recycled. (Upgrade your WFC product soon so that you won’t need to publish during off hours!)

LIMITATIONS:

To approve workflow tasks, users require the following permissions: Assignee, Initiator, Site Collection Administrator.

NOTE: To complete task forms and to view the Approve, Reject and Submit buttons, users must be able to:

  1. Read the workflow item that the workflow is running on and
  2. Edit items in the Workflow Tasks List that is associated with the workflow.

To create an approval process to publish KB articles:

  1. Install and configure SharePoint Knowledge Base Solution Accelerator. See the KBSolution Accelerator for more information.
  2. Install and configure Workflow Conductor. See Workflow Conductor for more information.
  3. Configure the approval workflow for publishing articles following the steps below.
Import and publish the workflow template
Step Action Result
1.

From the KB Admin site, go to Site Actions > View All Site Content > Bamboo KB Articles List.

  • Use the ribbon to select the List Settings.
  • Under the Workflow Conductor section of the ribbon, select Create or Edit Workflows.
12669-1.jpg
Workflow Conductor Studio opens.
2. Click Import from the Workflow Conductor Studio menu. 12669-2.jpg
3.

Click Browse and navigate to the SharePoint Knowledge Base Solution Accelerator product extraction folder.

Open the misc folder and select SA05 Submit Article for Approval.xoml.txt.

Click Open, then Import.

12669-3.jpg
4.

The workflow template is loaded into Workflow Conductor Studio.

In the workflow diagram pane, click on Submit to KB Approval Team.

12669-4.jpg
5. In the Widget Properties tab in the settings pane, enter the account(s) for the user(s) who will approve KB articles. 12669-5.jpg
6.

If desired, modify the other widget properties:

  • Approval Type: The default is All Approvals Required. If desired, change the setting to One Approval Required or Multiple Approvals Required.
  • Days Until Due: Enter the number of days until this workflow task is due.
  • Due Date: Enter a due date for the workflow task. Note: If the Days Until Due and Due Date fields both have values, the earliest date will be selected as the due date.
  • Allow Reassignment: The default is No. Choose Yes to allow the workflow task to be assigned to another approver.
  • Allow Request Change: The default is No. Choose Yes to allow the approver to enter a comment for the requester to make changes and resubmit for approval.
  • Logging Level: The default is Errors Only. Choose another option to allow more detailed logging, such as Errors and Warnings or Errors, Warnings and Info.
  • Click Apply.

Workflow Conductor updates the diagram.

7. Select Publish > Deploy from the Workflow Conductor Studio menu. 12669-6.jpg
Icon-Warning IMPORTANT: This action will recycle the application pool, and users will receive a 500 error.
8. Click Yes to save the workflow as a template. 12669-7.jpg
The template is saved to the template gallery, and the application pool is recycled.
12669-8.jpg
10. Click Close to close Workflow Conductor Studio. 12669-9.jpg
12. Configure the Workflow Start Feature. You can start a workflow using the out-of-the-box SharePoint button, located in the ribbon, or you can create your own buttons for the KB workflow approval process (available for SharePoint 2010 only). For SharePoint 2007, start a workflow using the out-of-the-box SharePoint button.
12669-10.jpg
13. From the KB Admin site, navigate to Site Actions > Site Settings > Site Actions > Manage Site Features and activate the Workflow Start Feature. 12669-11.jpg
14. Return to the KB Admin site and select the Workflow Configuration List. Complete the following fields.

12669-12.jpg
Make sure to associate the workflow with the correct Bamboo KB Articles List and workflow template.

  • Ribbon Section Name: Enter a name for the section of the ribbon that will contain the workflow button. This is a required field.
  • Workflow Button Name: Enter a name for the button that will be displayed in the ribbon. This is a required field.
  • Tooltip Title: Enter a title for the workflow that will appear in a tooltip.
  • Tooltip Description: Enter a description for the workflow that appear in a tooltip.
  • Associated Workflow: Choose a list and a workflow that is associated with the button.
15.

Start a workflow to approve and publish articles: ◦From the KB Admin site, select Article Control > Manage Articles.

Locate the desired draft article for which you want to start the workflow. The New button is located in the ribbon.

12669-13.jpg
To view the New button, view the draft article in view form, or navigate to the Bamboo KB Articles List, select the desired article, and use the ribbon to select List > Items and click the button.
12669-14.jpg
16. Click Submit for Publishing Approval. Workflow Conductor will open. Click Start Workflow. 12669-15.jpg
17. Return to the article. The article now has a new field, Article Status, with the value Under Review. 12669-16.jpg
18. The approver will receive an e-mail notification with a link to the article and a link to the approval form. 12669-17.jpg
20. The approver can either Approve or Reject the article. If the article has already been approved or rejected, the form only displays the Cancel button. 12669-18.jpg
21. Once the article has been approved, the status changes from Draft to Publish, and the article is available to end users in the KB Client site. 12669-19.jpg

See Also:

Active Directory Settings

Active Directory Settings

Configuring WF Conductor General Settings

sa08CPGeneralSettingsAD.jpgConfigure available LDAP paths for managing Active Directory users with Workflow Conductor widgets and set default account options for new Active Directory accounts.

NOTE: If you don’t plan to use the AD widgets, you don’t need to configure this. See xxx for more information about hiding the AD widgets from Studio users.

LDAP Paths: Click the Add New LDAP Path button to enter a new Active Directory LDAP path. Active Directory users and groups in this path can be managed by Active Directory widgets in Conductor Studio.

  1. LDAP Path: Enter a valid LDAP connection string using RFC 4516 format: ldap://host:port/DN?attributes?scope?filter?extensions

    • Example 1: ldap://ldap.example.org/dc=example,dc=org

    • Example 2: ldap://ldap.example.org/ou=ChildOU,ou=ParentOU,dc=example,dc=org

    • Example3: ldap://ldapserver/ou=ChildOU,ou=ParentOU,dc=example,dc=org

  2. LDAP Display Name: Enter the display name for the LDAP path in Active Directory widgets.

  3. User Name/Password: Enter the account information for an account with permission to modify objects in this LDAP path. Active Directory widgets will run with the permission of this user.
  4. Users and groups: Enter a list of users and groups who will be able to see this LDAP path in Active Directory widgets. Separate multiple entries with a semicolon (;). Users must be entered in the format DOMAINuser. Groups must be entered in the format [Group] (including the surrounding brackets).
  5. Allow custom LDAP paths in widgets: Select this option to allow Conductor Studio designers to enter custom LDAP paths in Active Directory widgets.

General Settings

Active Directory Account Options

Active Directory Account Options

Configuring WF Conductor General Settings

Define the default account options for all new accounts created with Active Directory (AD) widgets.

sa08_CPGeneralSettingsADOptions.jpg

When using the Create AD Account widget, the choices for this widget are as follows:

  • Cannot change password – the end user cannot change his own password so only the administrator can.

  • Password never expires – the user’s password remains active at all times without any expiration time.

  • Change password at next login – the user must change his password the next time he logs in.

  • Disable account – this option disables the user’s account.

General Settings

About Workflow Publishing Scopes

About Workflow Publishing Scopes

About Workflow Publishing Scopes

There are four different workflow scopes available for the Simple Publishing method, depending on your SharePoint version. You can allow any or all of the following scopes for workflow designers:

Scope Description
Publish to List When you publish a workflow to a list, the workflow is only associated to the list where the workflow was created. It is not reusable and cannot be associated to other lists. If you want to use the same workflow on another list, you can publish the workflow template again to the new list.
Publish to Site

When you publish a workflow to the site, it can be associated to any list or library in the site where the workflow was created. It is reusable. To associate a workflow to another list after it is published, use the Workflow Settings option in the List/Library ribbon or Settings page.

NOTES:

  1. Publishing a workflow to a site is not the same as publishing a site workflow, which is a workflow that is associated to a site instead of a list.
  2. This scope is available in Workflow Conductor for SharePoint 2010 or 2013 only.
Publish to Site Collection

When you publish a workflow to the site collection, it can be associated to any list or library in any site in the site collection where the workflow was created. It is reusable. To associate a workflow to another list after it is published, use the Workflow Settings option in the List/Library ribbon or Settings page.

NOTES:

  1. To publish a workflow to a site collection, Conductor Studio must be started from a list or library in the top-level/root site of the site collection. If you are on another site, the Publish to Site Collection option will be disabled.
  2. This scope is available in Workflow Conductor for SharePoint 2010 or 2013 only.
Publish as Site Workflow

When you publish a workflow as a site workflow, it is associated to the site where the workflow was created. It is not reusable and cannot be associated to other sites. If you want to use the same workflow on another site, you can publish the workflow template again to the new site.

NOTES:

  1. Site workflows cannot use Current Item or Current List lookups, since they are not associated to a list and are not started on items. However, most other widget and workflow functionality can be used in a site workflow.
  2. This scope is available in Workflow Conductor for SharePoint 2010 or 2013 only.

See an example of a site collection workflow using the Collect Data From User widget.

About Workflow Conductor

About Workflow Conductor

Overview of Workflow Conductor Control Panel

To determine the release of Workflow Conductor that you have installed on your SharePoint farm, check either of these locations:

NOTE: The information from each location is slightly different. If you are having an issue with Workflow Conductor and a Bamboo Support Engineer asks you for the release information of your Workflow Conductor, send the information from both pages.

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From the Workflow Conductor Control Panel

Step Action
1. In SharePoint Central Administration, click the Workflow Conductor link to go to the Workflow Conductor Control Panel.
2. In the Workflow Conductor Control Panel page, click About Workflow Conductor. The version information will be displayed.

About WFC.jpg

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From the Workflow Conductor Studio

Step Action
1. In the Workflow Conductor Studio ribbon click About.

About option in Conductor Studio ribbon.jpg

2. The Workflow Conductor release information will be displayed.
About WFC from ConductorStudio.jpg