Part 1 : Sitecore Workflow QuickStart Guide : Part-1
Part 2 : Sitecore Workflow QuickStart Guide : Part-2
Part 3 : Sitecore Workflow QuickStart Guide : Part-3
Workflow in sitecore ensures that items move through a
predefined set of states before they are publishable, usually it’s to
ensure that content is reviewed appropriately before publishing on the live
website.
Important things to consider in workflow are
2) Command
3) Action
- States are building blocks of the workflow. It represents steps in workflow.
- Commands allows users to transition content items from one state to another.
- Actions automate functions in the workflow.
In real scenario content item is created by one user it is then submitted and reviewed by another user, who will approve which will change the state to Approved then finally the publisher will approve and publish the item.
Workflow Item follows ERP Formula.
Editor <-> Reviewer <-> Publisher
Editor creates item. Reviewer Approves item or Reject item.
If Item is rejected by reviewer then it will go back to Editor. If reviewer
approves item it will then be in Approve and Publish state and can be approved
and published by Publisher.
At the end we should have the following workflow implementation
in sitecore:
1) Creating workflow
Create
a workflow using /sitecore/System/Workflows/ and enter the name
Before assigning the initial state to this workflow, we
first have to create the state.
2) Creating Workflow States
For that select workflow definition item and the select Insert from Template command and create the new workflow state
using the /System/Workflow/State template.
Call the first state “Draft”.
Similarly create three more workflow states –Awaiting Approval, Approve and Publish,
Done.
It’s up to the requirement whether you have to create two
levels or three of workflow. Here we will look at three levels of workflow
where in as sitecore item reaches its final state i.e. Done then it will Auto Publish to Web Database.
At the end of this step you should have the following:
Now let’s set the Initial State as a Draft.
3) Creating Workflow Commands
To add command to a workflow
state:
Create commands as shown in below
diagram.
Note: You can give any valid name to commands. Commands will appear to user. For example here
publisher will have access to Approve and Publish State where we have provided Approve and Reject
options, instead you can provide Approve and Publish or Reject.
Now let's set the transition from one state to another with the help of commands.
Click on Submit Command in Draft State and set the Next State to Awaiting Approval State.
Select
Reject in Awaiting Approval State and set the Next State to Draft.
Similarly from Approve and Publish state Approve Command
will point the Next state as Done and
Reject Command will point the Next State
to Awaiting Approval State.
Note: Suppress
Comment: This checkbox defines whether or not users are prompted to enter a comment when a workflow command is executed. If the checkbox is cleared, users
are prompted. If the checkbox is selected, users are not prompted.
4) Creating Workflow Actions
a. Validation Actions
Select Approve
Workflow Command, Right click and select Insert
from Template Command and create the new workflow action using
/System/Workflow/Validation Action template. Call the new command “Validation Action”.
You will get the below screen. Enter the
following information in Fields.
Type Field: Sitecore.Workflows.Simple.ValidatorsAction,Sitecore.Kernel.
Max Result Allowed: Warning
The maximum response from the validator.
The possible values are:
Unknown
Valid
Suggestion
Warning
Error
CriticalError
FatalError
If the value of this field is “Error”, then
items which have errors will pass, but the items which have critical errors
will not pass.
Fill the error results with proper error messages that you want a user to see in case of validation errors.
Similarly add Validation Action at Approve in Approve and Publish State.
b. Auto Publish Action
The data section of this workflow action
contains the following fields:
Type:
The namespace.class, assembly name of the implementation class.
For
Example: Sitecore.Workflows.Simple.PublishAction, Sitecore.Kernel
Parameters:
The deep parameter that specifies whether or not the child items should be
published.
deep=1
--- publish children
deep=0
--- do not publish children
related=1
--- publish children (Sitecore 7.2 onwards)
For more details about parameters please refer: http://www.sitecore.net/en-gb/Community/Technical-Blogs/Reinnovations/Posts/2014/03/Auto-Publish-Workflow-Action-Updates.aspx
5) Defining Workflow Final State
Select the state which is
supposed to be the final state in workflow and select the Final Checkbox
in the Data field:
Only those items which are
approved by publisher in Approve and Publish state will move on to Done State
of workflow and it will be published automatically.
6) Assigning workflow to a Template
It
is always the best practice to assign the workflow to the standard values item
of a template.
Select
the Standard Fields Checkbox.
Leave the Workflow and the State field’s blank, as they will
be filled automatically upon the item creation basing on the workflow settings.
Leave the Lock field as it is.
Save the template and now it is ready to use with workflow
support. First phase of creating a workflow is complete.
Now let’s see how to use workflow for
creating-reviewing-publishing items in Part-2