SharePoint Workflow: How to create automations for SharePoint

SharePoint Workflow: an introduction

Microsoft SharePoint is a highly customizable cloud platform for collaboration and content management, designed to allow business teams to work remotely, collaborate effortlessly, and improve productivity.

For over twenty years, it has been facilitating the management of business content (from requests for information to marketing materials to financial data), the creation of corporate websites and intranets to keep users updated, and the development of customized apps to boost the productivity of your team.

But above all, through its integration with Power Automate, SharePoint allows companies to create automated workflows without difficulty, usable on various applications, including Microsoft 365 and third-party solutions. This makes it a powerful tool for process automation. Simplify tedious tasks, automate business processes, and improve operational efficiency.

Have you ever heard of SharePoint Workflows, but aren't quite sure what they are or what they can do for you? In the next sections, we'll see how by automating manual workflow tasks, SharePoint workflows make life easier, save time and increase efficiency.

What is a SharePoint workflow?

The term 'Workflow' has become a buzzword in the business world, but what does it really mean?

A Microsoft SharePoint workflow is an automated flow designed to eliminate much manual work, randomness, and guesswork from your daily work processes.

SharePoint workflows can be thought of as small programs that work within the SharePoint environment to automate business processes. From collecting signatures to monitoring states, workflows are designed to save you time and effort, bringing consistency and efficiency to the activities carried out regularly by your organization.

Like a checklist, workflows include all the steps that need to be completed. However, they differ from the checklists in these fundamental aspects:

1. Defined and ordered steps: a clear sequence of activities to be carried out.
2. Roles: identification of who is responsible for each step.
3. Timeline or schedule: when each task must be completed.
4. Input and Output: the information needed for each step.
5. Decision-making points: moments in which decisions are made that influence the flow of the process.

Finally, a SharePoint workflow includes an additional fundamental element that distinguishes it:

• Automation: integrated automatic steps, such as sending reminders, forwarding documents and generating notifications to move the process forward.
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Five commonly used types of workflows can be configured in SharePoint:

• Approval workflow: This is the most common type of workflow in SharePoint. It allows you to start an approval chain as soon as a document is uploaded to SharePoint.
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• State workflow: State Workflows allow you to automate the status of documents as they are uploaded to SharePoint. Based on the conditions set in the list workflow, the status of the document libraries is automatically updated based on what happens to that document.
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• Notification workflow: When a condition is met within the SharePoint environment, Notification Workflows send a notification (for example, an email) to designated members of the organization, urging them to take a specific action.
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• Automation workflow: Automation Workflows allow you to create a workflow to automate and automatically perform certain actions based on what happens in the SharePoint environment. This type of workflow usually integrates with the others described above.
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• Custom workflows: Once you understand the potential of these workflows for your organization, you'll probably want to combine more than one or use them all together. Custom Workflows allow you to create a tailor-made workflow for SharePoint and configure a real mini-program within the platform.
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These workflows can be used for activities such as collecting signatures from interested personnel or monitoring project statuses. They allow organizations to automate tasks, improve collaboration, and increase overall productivity.

Types of workflows over time

When implementing these automated business processes in SharePoint, Microsoft provided two workflow systems: SharePoint 2010 Workflow and SharePoint 2013 Workflow.

SharePoint 2010 workflows were released together with SharePoint Server 2010 and were hosted and executed using the SharePoint workflow engine. Similarly, SharePoint 2013 workflows were introduced with SharePoint Server 2013.

However, unlike the 2010 workflows, the 2013 workflows were executed through the Workflow Manager, which worked independently of the SharePoint workflow engine, while still being hosted within SharePoint.

What about SharePoint workflows in SharePoint Online? Until the end of 2020, it was possible to choose to create workflows using SharePoint 2010 or SharePoint 2013 Workflow systems. However, in the fall of 2020, Microsoft announced the retirement of SharePoint 2010 Workflow for Microsoft 365 (i.e. SharePoint Online). Although SharePoint 2013 workflows remained available, Microsoft primarily recommended migrating all automated business processes to Power Automate.

Power Automate (formerly known as Microsoft Flow) is Microsoft's solution for workflow orchestration, which allows users to connect all the productivity services available in Microsoft 365 and extend this capability to third-party services.

As of May 2023, Power Automate connects to more than 700 external services, allowing companies to create customized workflows to meet a growing variety of operational automation needs.

SharePoint Workflow: Why does a company need it?

If you're wondering if the automation of SharePoint workflows is in line with your company's needs, there are several signs to consider.

Identifying these indicators can help determine if automation is the right solution to optimize processes and improve productivity. Let's see the most important ones in the list below:

1. Repetitive manual activities: If the team spends a significant amount of time on repetitive tasks such as entering data, routing approvals, or reviewing documents, it's a clear sign that automation could simplify these processes.
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2. Inefficient communication: When there are interruptions in communication due to lost emails, lack of notifications or delays in sharing information, the automation of workflows can ensure smooth communication channels and timely notifications.
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3. Difficulty monitoring progress: If you struggle to track the progress of projects or activities across different teams or departments, SharePoint workflow automation can provide real-time visibility into workflow states, bottlenecks, and performance metrics.
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4. Growth and Scalability Challenges: As the company grows, manual processes can become unmanageable and unable to scale efficiently. SharePoint workflow automation can adapt to growing workloads, allowing the company to scale its operations without compromising productivity.
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5. High use of resources: If a significant part of the staff is engaged in administrative activities rather than value-added activities, implementing SharePoint workflow automation can free up resources, allowing them to focus on strategic and innovative initiatives.
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6. Concerns about customer satisfaction: Delays in responding to customer requests, processing orders, or solving problems can lead to dissatisfaction. Automating customer-facing workflows in SharePoint can improve response times and optimize the overall customer experience.

How to create an automation for SharePoint in a few steps

Create a workflow in Microsoft SharePoint is a simple process that can be carried out using different tools, depending on the complexity and requirements of your business process.

From creating a flow to choosing a trigger and adding actions, we'll cover all the steps necessary to start your own automated workflows. Let's see them in more detail below.

1. Create a flow

Creating a flow in Power Automate for SharePoint involves a series of steps:

• Access the Power Automate portal and go to the tab 'My flows'.
• Click on 'New' and let's select “Automated - from scratch” to start creating a custom flow.
• Choose a trigger, for example “When an item is created or modified”, to start the flow.
• Add actions to define what should happen when the trigger occurs, such as sending an email or updating a SharePoint list.
• Configure the settings and parameters for each action according to our needs.
• Test the flow to verify that it works properly and make any necessary changes.
• Save the flow and give it a meaningful name to make it easier to identify and reuse.

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2. Choose a trigger

To select a trigger in Power Automate for SharePoint, all you need to do is:

• Open the Power Automate app in SharePoint.
• Create a new flow or select an existing one.
• In the flow editor, click 'Choose a trigger'.
• A list of available triggers will appear. Choose the one that best suits our needs.
• Configure the trigger settings according to the requirements.
• Once the trigger has been configured, you can proceed to add actions and define the flow logic.
• Once finished, test the flow to make sure it works as expected.
• Save the flow and activate it to start automating tasks in SharePoint.

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3. Add Actions

To effectively add actions in Power Automate for SharePoint, we'll need:

• Create a flow by clicking 'New' and selecting “Automated - from scratch”.
• Choose a trigger, such as “When an item is created or modified”.
• Click on 'Add an Action' to enter the desired action, such as 'Send an email' or 'Create a file'.
• Configure the action by providing the necessary details, such as the email recipients or file parameters.
• Test the flow to make sure it works properly and then save it.
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We try to keep the actions simple and targeted to avoid complex flows and once set in motion, let's make sure to test and monitor them regularly to identify and resolve any problems.

If you want to accelerate the flow development process, you can also decide to take advantage of the models and resources made available by the rich Microsoft community.

SharePoint Workflow Automation: What are the advantages?

The automation of workflows in SharePoint offers numerous advantages for companies that want to optimize their operations and increase productivity. Let's see some of the main ones in the following list.

• Centralized collaboration: SharePoint acts as a centralized platform for collaboration, allowing teams to access, share, and collaborate on documents, tickets, and tasks anywhere, anytime. Thanks to the automation of workflows, processes are seamlessly integrated into SharePoint, facilitating smooth collaboration between different departments and offices.
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• Customizable workflows: SharePoint offers robust functionality for designing and customizing workflows based on specific business needs. Whether it's automating approval processes, routing documents, or assigning tasks, SharePoint allows users to create tailored workflows that align with unique business processes.
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• Optimized processes: Automating repetitive tasks and processes eliminates manual intervention, reducing the likelihood of errors and bottlenecks. The automation of workflows in SharePoint ensures that activities are routed efficiently, that approvals are obtained quickly, and that deadlines are met regularly, leading to smoother and more streamlined processes.
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• Increased visibility and monitoring: With the automation of workflows in SharePoint, companies gain real-time visibility into the status and progress of workflows. Advanced monitoring and reporting capabilities allow stakeholders to observe workflow performance, identify bottlenecks, and make informed decisions to further optimize processes.
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• Increased productivity: By automating routine tasks and reducing manual efforts, the automation of workflows in SharePoint frees up valuable time for employees, who can thus focus on activities with greater added value. This leads to increased productivity, faster response times, and greater overall efficiency within the organization.

SharePoint Workflow: examples of automations to be implemented

In the previous sections, we mentioned the five most common types of workflows that can be achieved on SharePoint, but without going too specific.

To the delight of those who want to know what it is possible to do more in concrete terms, in this section we will therefore dedicate ourselves to exploring the potential of workflows in a little more detail, providing some examples of what can be achieved in the list that we propose here.

• Approval of documents: automates the approval process for documents uploaded to a SharePoint library. When a new document is uploaded, send an email notification to the manager to request approval. The manager approves or rejects through an interactive form, the document status is updated (Approved/Rejected) and the user is notified about the result.

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• Expiry notification for a contract: manages the deadlines of contracts or documents. Every day, the flow checks the SharePoint library for documents with an 'Expiration Date' column. If a deadline is near (for example, within 7 days), send an e-mail reminder to interested users and move the expired contracts to an archive folder.
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• Automatic creation of project folders: automates the creation of a folder structure when a new item is added to a SharePoint list. The flow creates a folder in the document library with the name of the project, adds standard subfolders such as' Documentation ',' Contracts', 'Reports' and sets specific permissions for the project team.
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• Synchronizing data between SharePoint lists: keeps two related SharePoint lists up to date. When an item is created or modified in a list, the flow searches the sub-list for a matching item, updates the data and, if necessary, sends a notification for critical updates.
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• Managing support requests: automates the management of support requests through a SharePoint list. When a new item is added to the list, the flow sends a confirmation email to the requester, automatically assigns the request to a team or manager based on the category, and updates the status as the process progresses (In progress, Completed).
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• Automatic document archiving: automates the archiving of obsolete documents. When the “Last modified” column exceeds a certain period (for example, 1 year), the flow moves the document to an archive folder, updates a 'Status' column with the value 'Archived', and sends a notification to responsible users.
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• Integration with Teams: Connect SharePoint to Microsoft Teams to improve collaboration. When a new document is uploaded to a SharePoint library, the flow posts a message to a Teams channel, informing the team of the new document and including a direct link to the file.
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• Automatic report generation: automates the collection and creation of periodic reports. The flow, started weekly or monthly, filters the items in a list (for example, “Completed Requests”), exports the data to an Excel file, saves it in a SharePoint library and sends the report via e-mail to the stakeholders.
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• Collecting feedback on a document: automates the collection and tracking of feedback on a document. When a document is uploaded or updated, the flow sends a Microsoft Forms form to interested users, collects feedback, adds it to a SharePoint list, and notifies the document author with a summary of the feedback received.

Best practices for making the most of SharePoint automations

We have been able to see in the previous sections how SharePoint workflows can be a very useful tool for simplifying and streamlining daily work on the Microsoft collaboration platform.

But as always, learning how to use a tool is much more than just setting it up. Therefore, in this section, we try to provide some suggestions on what are the best practices to make the most of automated SharePoint workflows.

• Start small: It's good to start with simple workflows that have a limited number of steps and are easy to configure and manage. For example, you might start with a flow that sends an email notification when a new document is uploaded to a SharePoint library. This approach allows you to become familiar with Power Automate without risking creating processes that are too complex or difficult to maintain. As you accumulate experience and better understand the needs of your organization, you can design more sophisticated workflows, with conditions, approvals, and integrations with other applications.
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• Engage users: To ensure that workflows are used effectively, it is essential to involve interested users early in the process. It is therefore necessary to clearly communicate the purpose of each workflow and the benefits it will bring to their daily work. Appropriate training could be provided to help them understand how to interact with workflows, such as approving requests, responding to notifications, or consulting automatically managed documents. In addition, it is useful to collect feedback from users to identify any improvements or problems that may arise.

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• Documenting workflows: Clear documentation is essential to ensure business continuity and facilitate maintenance. Each workflow should be described in detail, including its main purpose, the specific steps it takes, the conditions that trigger the flow, and any customized configuration. Documentation can be useful not only for those who manage workflows, but also for new team members who may need to use or update them in the future. It is recommended that you keep this documentation in a centralized repository that is accessible to all team members.
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• Adopt naming conventions: To maintain order and consistency, it's important to use standard naming conventions for workflows, activities, and documents. For example, they can include the reference department (for example, “hr_Approvals”) or the type of process (for example, “Finance_Invoices”). This approach makes it easier to quickly identify the correct workflow, especially in organizations with many automated processes. Naming conventions are also useful for simplifying the search for activities and associated documents.
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• Review and update regularly: Workflows must be dynamic and adapt to evolving business needs. We recommend planning periodic reviews (for example, every six months) to verify that they are still relevant and that they continue to provide value. During the review, it is necessary to check that the processes are working properly, evaluate their performance and identify any opportunities for optimization. If business needs change or new technologies emerge, workflows should be updated to improve their efficiency. Finally, remember to document all changes made and inform affected users of updates to avoid unforeseen events or misunderstandings.

Conclusions

SharePoint has been one of the leading platforms in business collaboration for over twenty years and is still used today by more than 200,000 companies around the world. And for good reason.

Over the years, Microsoft has chiseled and expanded SharePoint, making it increasingly complete and versatile by adding features and options that still make it, de facto, a very solid tool with immense value for companies of all types and sizes.

Its automated workflows are just one of these features that, since their first introduction, have made the daily work of platform users incredibly easier and faster, allowing them to keep the right concentration on the most important aspects of their work, without getting lost in the tedious minutiae of document management.

And with the arrival of Power Automate, SharePoint workflows have taken a further qualitative leap that leads them to be not only easier to create (also thanks to the considerable quality of predefined templates made available and those created by the community) but also more integrated with the rest of the Microsoft office ecosystem.

In short, it is a feature of indisputable utility and value, especially in a digital landscape such as the contemporary one where “automation” is one of the main keywords and where SharePoint continues to evolve to keep its users up to date with the technological evolutions of modern work.

FAQ on SharePoint workflows

What is a SharePoint workflow?

‍A SharePoint workflow is an automated process that simplifies repetitive tasks and reduces errors in business workflows. It can be used to automate actions such as signature collection, notifications, and status updates, improving efficiency and productivity.

What are the most common types of workflows in SharePoint?

‍Common workflows include approvals, status updates, notifications, and process automations. There are also customized workflows to meet the specific needs of an organization.

Is SharePoint Workflow still supported?

‍SharePoint 2010 workflows are no longer supported on SharePoint Online since 2020. SharePoint 2013 workflows are still available, but Microsoft recommends using Power Automate, a more modern and versatile solution for automation.

How do you create a workflow in SharePoint?

‍A workflow in SharePoint can be created with Power Automate. The process begins by selecting a trigger, such as 'When an item is created', followed by adding actions, such as sending an email or updating a list. Once configured and tested, the flow is saved and activated.

What are the benefits of automating workflows in SharePoint?

‍Automation simplifies business processes, reduces manual errors, provides real-time visibility, and frees up resources for more strategic activities. It also improves collaboration by centralizing information and optimizing workflows.

What's the difference between SharePoint Workflow and Power Automate?

‍SharePoint Workflow was a specific solution for workflows within SharePoint, limited to basic functionality. Power Automate is a modern platform that allows you to create complex flows with integrations to more than 700 services, significantly expanding the possibilities of automation.

Can you create custom workflows in SharePoint?

‍Yes, you can create custom workflows with Power Automate. These flows may include actions and conditions that are tailor-made to meet the unique needs of each company, ensuring more efficient management of processes.

Do I need to know programming to create a workflow in Power Automate?

‍It's not necessary. Power Automate offers an intuitive interface that allows you to create flows by dragging and dropping items. However, technical knowledge can be useful for advanced customizations or complex integrations.

What are the best practices for using SharePoint workflows?

‍Best practices include starting with simple flows to gain experience, accurately documenting processes, engaging users to ensure effectiveness, and regularly reviewing flows to adapt them to changing business needs.

How can I integrate a SharePoint workflow with other Microsoft tools?

‍Power Automate allows you to connect SharePoint with other Microsoft tools such as Teams, Outlook and Planner. For example, you can create a workflow that posts an alert to a Teams channel when a new document is uploaded to a SharePoint library.