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Add a workflow association (SharePoint Foundation 2010)

  • Article

 

Applies to: SharePoint Foundation 2010

You add a workflow by associating it with a list, document library, site content type, or site.

In this article:

  • Associate a workflow with a list or document library

  • Associate a workflow with a list or library content type

  • Associate a workflow with a site content type

  • Associate a workflow from a feature pack with a site

Before you begin

When you add a workflow association, you assign a task list and history list to use with the selected workflow. You can use the default task list, select another existing task list, or create a new one. Workflow participants can find and view their workflow tasks easily by using the My Tasks view of the Tasks list on the Quick Launch of the site collection.

securitySecurity Note
If the tasks for this workflow might reveal sensitive or confidential data that you want to keep separate from the default tasks list, you should create a new task list.

As SharePoint lists grow, site performance might be adversely affected. If an organization will have many workflows, consider creating a separate task list and history list for each workflow to avoid potential performance problems.

Associate a workflow with a list or document library

Use the following steps to associate a workflow with a list or document library. Note that some workflows, such as the Three-state workflow, require you to create a column in your list in which the workflow can display status. For example, before you add the Three-state workflow to a list, we recommend that you first create a column of the “Choice” type and assign three choices to the column.

To associate a workflow with a list or document library

  1. Verify that you have the following administrative credentials:

    • You must be granted the Full Control permission-level on the list or library that you are configuring.

  2. Browse to the list or library to which you want to add a workflow.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • For a list, on the List Tools tab, click List.

    • In the Settings group, click Workflow Settings, and then click Add a workflow.

    • For a library, on the Library Tools tab, click Library.

    • In the Settings group, click Workflow Settings, and then click Add a workflow.

  4. On the Add a Workflow page, in the Workflow section, select the workflow template that you want to associate with this list or library.

  5. In the Name section, type the name that you want to use to identify this workflow to users of this list or library.

  6. In the Task List section, specify a task list to use with this workflow.

  7. In the History List section, select a history list to use with this workflow.

    The history list displays events that occur during each instance of the workflow.

    Important

    You can use the default history list, select another existing history list, or create a new one. When SharePoint lists grow in size, site performance might be affected. If an organization will have many workflows, consider creating a separate history list for each workflow association to avoid potential performance problems.

  8. In the Start Options section, specify how (automatically or manually), when (item update, creation, or both), or by whom a workflow can be started.

    Note that the available start options are determined by the workflow template and differ from one workflow to another.

    Note

    By default, users who have Edit Item permissions can start a workflow. If you specify that Require Manage List permissions are needed to start the workflow, only users who have Manage List or Web Designer permissions can start an instance of the workflow. Most workflows do not require this restriction. However, you can use this setting for workflows that include tasks, such as deleting documents, which only certain people should be able to perform.

  9. If the workflow that you selected has additional configuration options, click Next to customize settings that are specific to workflows, as necessary. Otherwise, go to the next step.

  10. When you have finished specifying your configuration options, click OK to apply your changes to the workflow association.

Associate a workflow with a list or library content type

Use the following steps to associate a workflow with a list or library content type.

Before you can perform the following steps, the list or library that you are configuring must first be configured to allow the management of content types.

To associate a workflow with a list or library content type

  1. Verify that you have the following administrative credentials:

    • You must be a member of the Site Owners group on the SharePoint site that you are configuring.

  2. Open the list or library that contains the content type to which you want to associate a workflow.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • For a list, on the ListTools tab, click List.

    • In the Settings group of the ribbon, click List Settings.

    • For a library, on the LibraryTools tab, click Library.

    • In the Settings group of the ribbon, click Library Settings.

  4. In the Content Types section, in the Content Type column, click the name of the content type to which you want to associate a workflow.

    Note

    If the list or library is not set up to allow for management of multiple content types, the Content Types section is not displayed. For more information, see Use content types to manage content on a SharePoint site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=184651).

  5. On the List Settings or Document Library Settings page, in the Settings section, click Workflow settings.

  6. On the Workflow Settings page, click Add a workflow.

  7. On the Add a Workflow page, in the Workflow section, select the workflow template that you want to associate with this content type.

  8. In the Name section, type the name that you want to use to identify this workflow to site users.

  9. In the Task List section, specify a task list to use with this workflow.

  10. In the History List section, select a history list to use with this workflow.

    The history list displays all events that occur during each instance of the workflow.

    Important

    You can use the default history list or you can create a new one. As SharePoint lists grow in size, site performance may be affected. If an organization will have many workflows, consider creating a separate history list for each workflow to avoid potential performance problems.

  11. In the Start Options section, specify how (automatically or manually), when (item update, creation, or both), or by whom a workflow can be started.

    Note that the available start options are determined by the workflow template and differ from one workflow to another.

    Note

    By default, users who have Edit Item permissions can start a workflow. If you specify that Require Manage List permissions are needed to start the workflow, only users who have Manage List or Web Designer permissions can start an instance of the workflow. Most workflows do not require this restriction. However, you can use this setting for workflows that include tasks, such as deleting documents, which only certain people should be able to perform.

  12. If the workflow that you selected has additional configuration options, click Next to customize settings that are specific to workflows, as necessary. Otherwise, go to the next step.

  13. When you have finished specifying your configuration options, click OK or Save (depending on the workflow) to apply your changes to the workflow association.

Associate a workflow with a site content type

Use the following steps to associate a workflow with a site content type.

To associate a workflow with a site content type

  1. Verify that you have the following administrative credentials:

    • You must be a member of the Site Owners group on the site on which you are performing this procedure.

  2. Browse to the site where you want to associate a workflow with a site content type.

    Note

    Site content types that are inherited from another site, for example, the top-level site of a site collection, must be associated from the site from which they are inherited. In this case, go to the site from which the site content type is inherited to add the workflow association.

  3. On the home page for the site, on the Site Actions menu, click Site Settings.

  4. On the Site Settings page, in the Galleries section, click Site content types.

  5. On the Site Content Types page, in the Site Content Type column, click the content type to which you want to add a workflow association.

  6. On the Site Content Types page, in the Settings section, click Workflow settings.

  7. On the Workflow Settings page, click Add a workflow.

  8. On the Add a Workflow page, in the Workflow section, select the workflow that you want to add.

  9. In the Name section, type the name that you want to use to identify this workflow to site users.

  10. In the Task List section, specify a task list to use with this workflow.

  11. In the History List section, select a history list to use with this workflow.

    The history list displays all events that occur during each instance of the workflow.

    Note

    You can use the default history list or you can create a new one. As SharePoint lists grow in size, site performance might be affected. If an organization will have many workflows, consider creating a separate history list for each workflow to avoid potential performance problems.

  12. In the Start Options section, specify how (automatically or manually), when (item update, creation, or both), or by whom a workflow can be started.

    Note that the available start options are determined by the workflow template and differ from one workflow to another.

    Note

    By default, users who have Edit Item permissions can start a workflow. If you specify that Require Manage List permissions are needed to start the workflow, only users who have Manage List or Web Designer permissions can start an instance of the workflow. Most workflows do not require this restriction. However, you can use this setting for workflows with tasks, such as deleting documents, which only certain people should be able to perform.

  13. If the workflow that you selected has additional configuration options, click Next to customize settings that are specific to workflows, as necessary. Otherwise, go to the next step.

  14. When you have finished specifying your configuration options, click OK to apply your changes to the workflow association.

Associate a workflow from a feature package with a site

Use the following steps to associate a workflow (that is part of a feature package) with a site.

To associate a workflow with a site

  1. Verify that you have the following administrative credentials:

    • You must be a member of the Site Owners group on the site on which you are performing this procedure.

  2. Browse to the site from which you want to add a workflow association.

  3. On the Site Actions menu, click Site Settings.

  4. On the Site Settings page, in the Site Administration section, click Workflow settings.

  5. On the Workflow Settings page, click Add a workflow.

  6. On the Add Workflow page, in the Workflow section, select the workflow template that you want to associate with this site.

  7. In the Name section, type the name that you want to use to identify this workflow to site users.

  8. In the Task List section, specify a task list to use with this workflow.

  9. In the History List section, select a history list to use with this workflow.

    The history list displays all events that occur during each instance of the workflow.

    Note

    You can use the default history list or you can create a new one. As SharePoint lists grow in size, site performance might be affected. If an organization will have many workflows, consider creating a separate history list for each workflow to avoid potential performance problems.

  10. In the Start Options section, specify whether the workflow can be manually started by an authenticated user who has Participate Permissions and whether Manage Permissions are also required to start the workflow.

    Note that the available start options are determined by the workflow template and differ from one workflow to another.

    Note

    By default, users who have the Edit Items Permissions can start a workflow. If you specify that Require Manage permissions are needed to start the workflow, only those who have been granted the at least the Designer level of permissions can start an instance of the workflow. Most workflows do not require this restriction. However, you can use this setting for workflows that have tasks, such as deleting documents, which only certain people should be able to perform.

  11. If the workflow that you selected has additional configuration options, click Next to customize settings that are specific to workflows, as necessary. Otherwise, go to the next step.

  12. When you have finished specifying your configuration options, click OK to apply your changes to the workflow association.