Creating and Using Workflows

By using workflows to automate your business processes, you can:

• Ensure consistency in how records are handled.
• Ensure consistency in the information that is stored in your organization's Microsoft Dynamics CRM database.
• Allow people in your organization to focus on growing your business instead of performing repetitive tasks.

If you have the System Administrator or System Customizer security role A defined set of privileges. The security role assigned to a user determines which tasks the user can perform and which parts of the user interface the user can view. All users must be assigned at least one security role in order to access the system., you have the necessary permissions to create workflows that can affect records throughout your organization's implementation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. However, even if you do not have one of these security roles, you can still create workflows that affect the records that you own.

Several ways to create workflows

There are several ways that you can add workflows to your implementation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM:

• Create workflows by using the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Web application The version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM that works in Microsoft Internet Explorer..
• Create custom workflows and custom workflow actions by using the information that is available in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Software Development Kit. For more information, refer to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Software Development Kit.
• Purchase custom workflows or custom workflow actions from third-party vendors who develop solutions that are compatible with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. For more information about how to integrate a third-party workflow or workflow action, contact the vendor.

Creating workflows by using the Web application

There are four basic steps to creating a workflow by using the Web application The version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM that works in Microsoft Internet Explorer.:

1. Create an empty workflow or use a workflow template A type of workflow that serves exclusively as the basis for creating other workflows. Workflow templates cannot start workflow jobs. to create the workflow.
2. Specify the workflow properties The basic details of a workflow, including its name and the primary entity that it acts on (such as Lead or Case)..
3. Add conditions Elements of workflow logic that define specific situations and any actions that should be taken when the situations occur. A logical "if-then" statement in a workflow., workflow actions Elements of workflow logic that specify the actions that should be performed by workflow jobs when conditions defined in the workflow have been met., and other elements that define your workflow logic All of the conditions, actions, and other logical elements that define when and how a particular workflow takes action on Microsoft Dynamics CRM records..
4. Activate the workflow.

More information: Workflow Structure

Publishing workflows

Before you can use the workflow you have created, you must publish it. Publishing a workflow changes its status from Draft to Published. Depending on the type of workflow you created, publishing a workflow also makes it available for use in various contexts:

• If you have created an automatic workflow A type of workflow that runs as soon as the conditions defined in the workflow logic are met. No user action is required to start the workflow., the workflow starts to run when the criteria defined in its conditions are met.
• If you have created an on-demand workflow A type of workflow that only runs when a user chooses to apply it to records from a toolbar or menu in Microsoft Dynamics CRM., the workflow becomes available to you and other users from Microsoft Dynamics CRM menus and toolbars.
• If you have created a child workflow A type of workflow that runs only when started by another workflow. It is contained within a parent workflow and cannot be run on its own., the workflow becomes available to be started from within other workflows.

You can make a single workflow available in any combination of these three contexts.

More information: Start an On-Demand Workflow

Using workflows

You use workflows by either applying an on-demand workflow A type of workflow that only runs when a user chooses to apply it to records from a toolbar or menu in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. yourself or by specifying when Microsoft Dynamics CRM should start an automatic workflow A type of workflow that runs as soon as the conditions defined in the workflow logic are met. No user action is required to start the workflow. for you.

More information: Start an On-Demand Workflow