SDL Tridion 2013 SP1 introduced two new approaches related to workflow functionality. As such the product now provides four types of workflow for implementations:
- Bundle Workflow
- Task Workflow
- Programmatic Workflow
- Classic Editing Workflow
The last type of workflow is also known as legacy workflow these days, having been superseded by the Bundle and Task workflows. I recently did some work using this type of workflow and while getting started, I made my way across the following steps I thought would be useful to keep track of. As interesting and beneficial the Bundle and Task workflows are, perhaps some implementations will decide to retain legacy workflow for a while longer, so here we go.
2. Workflow diagrams are created and edited with Visio. Installing Microsoft Office Visio 2013 is preferred, otherwise Visio 2010 is also supported (although you may need to install updates the first time the client runs)
3. Install Visio Workflow Designer Client from Content Manager\Additional Products\Visio Workflow Designer is necessary as well. This is the extension applied to Visio which enables connectivity between Visio and the Tridion Content Manager. Once this runs, the next time you open Visio, you will notice and recognize several new Tridion icons appear in Visio, under the SDL Tridion Workflow Shapes section.
4. To bring in previos classic workflow processes, you can export Tridion Visio diagrams from 2011 SP1 locally and import them in 2013 SP1 using Visio Tridion functionality
5. When working on step 4 above, if you get this screenshot on the 2013 system, you have not installed the actual legacy pack
"Workflow Script Type with Name 'VBScript' was not found in the configuration file"
Run the installer and make sure the following option is set:
SDLTridion2013SP1CM.exe LEGACY_VISIBLE=TRUE
6. Once all this is in place, proceed to associate the newly imported workflows as needed in Schemas for Components, Structure Groups for Pages or Publications for Templates.
Should some of the concepts need refreshing, review them again, and remember, workflows were meant to introduce simplicity as well as security by making sure that specific users go through steps in a specific order. Always strive to simplify a given workflow and the results will be rewarding.
Since SDL Tridion 2013, I have seen a preference for multi-item workflow for retail and some banking scenarios.
ReplyDeleteIf available through Legacy Pack, I think a good use case for single-item workflow would be on important, infrequently updated items like footer or header schemas. These have few enough components that reviewing and editing each change with workflow might offer that balance between simplicity and security.