SharePoint 2016 Site Owners Advanced

Lesson 2 – Adding a Default Workflow

SharePoint 2016

T OPIC A: W ORKFLOWS Any successful organization has business processes that are standardized and supported with robust documentation. These processes depend upon how information flows through various functions each of which is responsible for a particular task. These business processes define and help the workflow within an organization so that a structured work hierarchy is maintained. Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 provides workflows that assist in maintaining the work hierarchy automatically. W ORKFLOWS A workflow is an operational process comprising a sequence of interconnected steps or operations. It can be defined as tasks accomplished by a single individual or a group of people to achieve a specific output. It depicts the flow of work, and helps organize and execute various activities that represent work processes. Similarly, a SharePoint workflow determines the tasks that should be performed, the people who should perform these tasks, and tracks the history of all workflow tasks. Workflows can be used to manage the recruitment process in which there are several stages and tasks to be accomplished. For instance, once the interview with an applicant is complete, the functional head may incorporate his/her feedback and send the document to the HR manager for approval. The HR manager will either select or reject the candidature of the applicant. Based on whether the applicant has been rejected or selected, there will be specific branching of workflow tasks that enable the decision makers to achieve the desired result.

Figure 1 - A Workflow

B ENEFITS OF W ORKFLOWS Workflows help in integrating the business processes within an organization and facilitate streamlined collaboration among team members. The business processes within a workflow depend upon the tasks that need to be completed by individual team members. These tasks could be implemented for approving a contract, or for approving expenses.

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