Ways to Use SharePoint Workflows
SharePoint workflows are a great way to automate tasks and simplify your business processes. SharePoint workflows can be used for anything from tracking employee timesheets to collaborating on documents with team members. Microsoft provides many out-of-the-box SharePoint workflows that you can use, but they also allow you to create custom ones as well! In this article, we will talk about some of the most popular SharePoint workflows and how you can implement them in your own company.
What is a workflow and how do they work?
Workflows automate and streamline business processes by including tasks and approvals. When a workflow is started, it triggers the next step in the process to start automatically. It may include other automated actions such as email notifications or updates to databases along with these steps. If you have an existing SharePoint site that has been configured for workflows already then there will be some pre-defined workflows on your list ready for use! In order to create custom workflows that can implement any number of different tasks throughout your company, however, you’ll need to utilize Visual Studio 2010.
Do I need a developer?
If you are looking into creating a new SharePoint workflow from scratch using Visual Studio 2010, this type of customization does require programming knowledge. However, don’t worry if you’re not familiar with coding! Many developers are happy to share their workflows and there are also many online resources that can help get you started. Additionally, Microsoft offers great training and certification programs for SharePoint which include workflow development.
If you have an existing workflow or process that just needs to be automated in a more efficient way, then it may be possible to find a ready-made solution from the Microsoft library of pre-built workflows.
SharePoint Workflows for Document Management
One of the most common tasks in any business is managing documents. SharePoint workflows make it easy to automate these processes and ensure that everyone involved has access when they need it, while still maintaining security within the system.
Some examples include:
-Managing approvals for expense reports or timecards
-Tracking employee reviews or evaluations over a period of time (or by a manager)
-Creating check lists for company meetings which are then tracked with due dates
-Building an RFP process where you can track all incoming proposals alongside who submitted them and their status throughout the review process
-Automating approval through multiple stages so each step must be completed before moving on to the next one
For example, if Joe needs to send an email to Bob for approval in order to move forward with his project, the workflow will automatically wait until Bob has responded before continuing.
By utilizing SharePoint workflows, you can create a system that not only saves time but also ensures that your company’s data is secure at all times!
SharePoint Workflows for Forms
Another common task for businesses is gathering data from employees or customers. This can be done through the use of forms, which are then processed by SharePoint workflows.
Some examples include:
-Gathering weekly timesheet information from employees
-Collecting customer feedback surveys
-Creating event registration forms with payment processing
All of these types of forms submissions can be easily automated and tracked using SharePoint workflows! You can even set up email notifications to alert you when new form submission has been made. This way, you can quickly and easily keep track of all the data that’s coming in without having to worry about it falling through the cracks.
In addition, you can use workflow rules to automatically process certain form submissions. For example, if someone submits a timesheet on Monday after hours then you can program the workflow to automatically send an email reminder for it at the beginning of Tuesday morning so that no one misses their deadline!
As you can see, SharePoint workflows are not only great for automating tedious tasks but they also have many other uses in your business processes which will save time and money while ensuring accuracy throughout.
SharePoint Workflow to Send Emails as PDFs
Another common business task is sending out notifications and updates to your employees, customers, or colleagues.
This can be done through the use of emails that are sent as PDFs using SharePoint workflows. This way you can ensure that all recipients will always have an up-to-date copy without having to worry about someone forwarding it on to someone else who didn’t originally receive it (and whose version may no longer be accurate).
The workflow sends a new email for every “event” that occurs such as when a new item is added or changed in your system via another automation process. You can then create rules within this workflow so that different people get notified depending on the type of change made within your system. For example, if Bob changes a document, then Jane may get an email notification about it.
This is a great way to keep everyone in the loop without having to manually send out emails or update documents every time there’s a chance. Plus, it ensures that all recipients will have the most recent version of whatever information they’re looking for.
There are many different ways you can use SharePoint workflows to automate your business tasks – these are just a few examples! By taking advantage of what these workflows have to offer, you’ll be able to save time and money while ensuring accuracy throughout your systems. Contact us today if you want help setting up some workflows for your business!