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Modify a workflow association (SharePoint Server 2010)

  • Article

 

Applies to: SharePoint Server 2010

After you associate (add) a workflow to a list, library, content type, or site, you can modify its configuration settings at any time. Configuration settings include the name of the workflow association, the start options, the participants, the task notification messages, the choice of lists to use for tracking workflow history and tasks (default or new), and completion options.

In this article:

  • Modify a workflow associated with a list or library

  • Modify a workflow associated with a list or library content type

  • Modify a workflow associated with a site content type

  • Modify a site workflow

Before you begin

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

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.

Modify a workflow associated with a list or library

Use the following steps to modify the configuration settings for a workflow that is associated with a list or document library. Changes to configuration settings are only applied to workflow instances that start after the workflow association is modified.

To modify a workflow associated with a list or library

  1. Verify that you have the following administrative credentials:

    • You must be a member of the Site Owners group on the list or library that you are configuring.

  2. Browse to the list or document library where the workflow is located.

  3. Do one of the following:

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

    • In the Settings group, click List Settings.

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

    • In the Settings group, click Library Settings.

  4. On the List Settings or Library Settings page, in the Permissions and Management section, click Workflow Settings.

  5. On the Workflow Settings page, in the Workflows section, click the name of the workflow that you want to change.

  6. In the Name section, you can optionally type a new name for the workflow.

    This name will be used to identify the workflow to site users.

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

  8. 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 create a new one. When SharePoint lists grow in size, site performance may be impacted. If an organization will have many workflows, consider creating a separate history list for each workflow association to avoid potential performance problems.

  9. 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.

  10. Click Next to customize settings that are specific to workflows, as necessary.

  11. After you have configured settings that are specific to workflows, click OK or Save (depending on the workflow) to apply changes to the workflow association.

Modify a workflow associated with a list or library content type

Use this procedure to modify a workflow association with a list or library content type.

Note

This procedure assumes that Allow management of content types is set to Yes on the list or library.

To modify a workflow associated 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. Browse to the document library or list on which the workflow is associated.

  3. Do one of the following:

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

    • In the Settings group, click List Settings.

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

    • In the Settings group, click Library Settings.

  4. In the Content Types section, in the Content Type column, click the name of the content type to which the workflow that you want to modify is associated.

    Note

    If the list or library is not set up to allow multiple content types, the Content Types section is not displayed. For more information, see Introduction to content types and content type publishing (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=184649).

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

  6. On the Workflow Settings page, click the name of the workflow that you want to modify.

  7. On the Change a Workflow page, in the Name section, you can optionally type a new name for the workflow.

    This name identifies the 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. When SharePoint lists grow in size, site performance may be impacted. 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 how (automatically or manually), when (item update, creation, or both), or by whom a workflow can be started.

    Note that 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 list administrators (that is, anyone with 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.

  11. Depending on whether custom options are available for a workflow, click Next to configure settings that are specific to a workflow, or click OK to save the changes.

  12. After you have configured settings that are specific to a workflow, if applicable to the workflow you are modifying, click OK to apply the changes to the workflow association.

  13. On the Customize Workflow page, specify changes that you want to make to the workflow, and then click Save.

Modify a workflow associated with a site content type

Use this procedure to modify a workflow association with a site content type. When you modify a workflow that is associated with a site content type, you can choose whether to apply changes to inherited content types.

To modify a workflow associated 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 SharePoint site that you are configuring.

  2. Browse to the site where you want to modify a workflow that is associated with a content type.

    Note

    Site content types that are inherited from another site, for example, the top-level site of a site collection, must be modified on the site from which they are inherited.

  3. On the top-level site of the site collection, 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 Gallery page, in the Site Content Type column, click the content type for which you want to modify a workflow association.

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

  7. On the Workflow Settings page, click the name of the workflow that you want to change.

  8. On the Change a Workflow page, in the Name section, you can optionally type a new name for the workflow.

    This name will be used to identify the 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.

    Note

    You can use the default history list or create a new one. When SharePoint lists grow in size, site performance may be impacted. If an organization will have numerous workflows, consider creating a separate history list for each workflow association 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 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 list administrators (that is, anyone with 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.

  12. In the Update List and Site Content Types section, specify whether you want to add this workflow to all content types that inherit from this content type.

  13. Depending on whether custom options are available for a workflow, click Next to configure settings that are specific to a workflow. After you have configured settings that are specific to a workflow, if applicable to the workflow that you are modifying, click OK or Save (depending on the workflow) to apply your changes to the workflow association.

Modify a site workflow

Use this procedure to modify a workflow association with a site content type. When you modify a workflow that is associated with a site content type, you can choose whether to apply changes to inherited content types.

To modify a site workflow

  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. Browse to the site where you want to modify a site workflow.

    Note

    Site workflows that are inherited from another site, for example, the top-level site of a site collection, must be modified on the site from which they are inherited.

  3. On the top-level site of the site collection, 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 the workflow that you want to modify.

  6. On the Change a Workflow page, in the Name section, you can optionally type a new name for the workflow.

    This name identifies the workflow to site users.

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

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

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

    Note

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

  9. 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 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 select Require Manage List permissions to start the workflow, only list administrators (that is, anyone with 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.

  10. Depending on whether custom options are available for your workflow, click Next to configure settings that are specific to a workflow. After you have configured settings that are specific to a workflow, if applicable to the workflow that you are modifying, click OK or Finish (depending on the workflow) to apply your changes to the workflow association.