Going with the Flow: Rationalizing the workflow options in SharePoint Online
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This document discusses options for rationalizing workflow in SharePoint Online. It outlines the three main workflow engines - the SharePoint 2010 engine, SharePoint 2013 engine, and Microsoft Flow. It compares the development experiences, architectures, and customization options of each. Key scenarios like elevating permissions and extending workflows are examined. Choosing the right tool depends on factors like maintainability, lifecycle management, and whether the workflow needs to be configured, customized, extended, or fully developed. Microsoft is moving focus to Flow and Logic Apps, so older SharePoint workflows may not receive further investment.
Going with the Flow: Rationalizing the workflow options in SharePoint Online
- 1. An Insight company Rationalizing the Workflow Options in SharePoint Online Going with the Flow
- 2. Agenda • 3 Engines – dev experiences, architectures • Key Scenarios • Elevating Permissions • Extending Workflow • Maintainability and Lifecycle Management • Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
- 3. Customization Continuum Configure Customize Extend Custom Difficult to test outside of production Source control is a challenge Lends itself to full ALM, even continuous integration/deployment Source control is easy Power Users Light Dev Full Dev Full Dev with thanks to Dave Feldman and D’arce Hess Configure Customize Extend Custom
- 4. Microsoft Workflow Engines SharePoint 2010 Engine Workflow Foundation 3.5 SharePoint 2013 Engine Workflow Manager 1.0 Microsoft Flow Azure Logic Apps
- 5. SharePoint 2010 Workflows Configure Customize Extend Custom Configure Customize Extend Custom Configure Customize Extend Custom
- 6. SharePoint 2010 Workflows Windows Workflow Foundation WF Runtime Engine Base Host Providers messaging, notifications, persistence, roles, tracking, transactions SP Workflow Object Model Custom Activities Built-in Triggers and Activities XAML workflow definition
- 7. SharePoint 2013 Workflows Configure Customize Extend Custom Configure Customize Extend Custom
- 8. SharePoint 2013 Workflows Workflow Definition XOML Workflow Manager Workflow Manager Windows Workflow Foundation 4.5 SP Workflow Object Model SQL Custom Activities Built-in Triggers and Activities XAML workflow definition REST services
- 9. Microsoft Flow Configure Customize Extend Custom
- 10. Dynamics 365 Common Application Platform • Common connector model • Common gateway model • Common database shared by Dynamics ERP, CRM, and Office 365 • Driven by PowerApps, Flow, and Power BI
- 11. demo Connectors and Gateways Using Connectors Connecting On-Premises
- 12. demo Workflow Identities Acting as the user Elevating permissions
- 13. What do you do when you hit a brick wall?
- 14. 1. Not all column types supported (e.g. person field) 2. Person field w/multiple selections 3. Multiple lines of text in email 4. Outlook approval email formatting 5. Capturing information from an Approval email 6. Moving a flow (to a new site/list) 7. Deployment requires re-creating the whole Flow http://link.bobg.tv/Flow-7Probs
- 15. demo Extending Workflow Extending SharePoint 2013 workflow with web services Extending Flow with Azure functions
- 16. demo From Flow to Logic Apps
- 17. Workflow Comparison SP2007/2010 SP2013 Flow Logic Apps Out of the box Content linked approvals Rich set of actions within a site Cross-site collection Work outside of SharePoint Act on behalf of initiating user Elevate Permissions Extend with custom actions Complex logic Personal solution Manageable enterprise solution FUTURE
- 18. Reality Check Microsoft is moving to Flow and Logic Apps • Continued investment is likely to fix current issues • No further investment in SP workflows is likely • Old workflows are buried in the modern UI The cloud is a given • Flow and Logic Apps will always run in the cloud • Use On-Premises Data Gateway to reach on premises
- 19. Resources Video Tutorial (Laura Rogers) •http://link.bobg.tv/FlowWebcast (scroll to “Automating your work with Microsoft Flow”) Getting Started with Azure Functions •http://link.bobg.tv/AzFunctions Using Azure Functions with Flow •http://link.bobg.tv/AzFuncFlow On-Premises Data Gateway •http://link.bobg.tv/OnPremGateway Azure Logic Apps •http://link.bobg.tv/AzLogic Azure Logic Apps w/Visual Studio •http://link.bobg.tv/AzLogicVS Get Educated •http://link.bobg.tv/LearnFlow
- 20. An Insight company Thank you.
Editor's Notes
- #2: WF 201 - Going with the Flow: Rationalizing the Workflow Options in SharePoint Online Bob German, MVP - Featured Speaker Microsoft has confused its workflow story by adding two new technologies, Microsoft Flow and Azure Logic Apps, to its existing workflow engines in SharePoint. Which one should you use, and when? This session will clear up all that confusion! We’ll start with an overview of Flow and Logic Apps, along with a brief review of SharePoint’s two workflow engines. Then you’ll learn how to use them, separately or together, to solve real world business problems. Please join in for a comprehensive and practical session on all of SharePoint’s workflow options!
- #15: 1, 2, 3 – could solve w/Azure Functions 4 – work-around is to include a URL in the body; this will force the whole thing into HTML 5 – hoping this is solved w/new Approval action announced 5/16/2017 6, 7 – solve by moving to Logic Apps