Hi

I am a noob and still researching how workflows operate.  My objective for my workflow is to email people to notify them which tasks are due the next day from a specific task list.  I am on an office 365 platform which is a hosted Sharepoint Foundation platform. After some research I came across this: https://mysite.uchicago.edu/personal/bsdad_tdenormandie/Blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?List=686fd16f-3c7f-4bd4-b3d1-fd40ff9b6a89&ID=78

It looks like this was created on 2010 - I am using Designer 2013 - these are my stages:

____

Stage:Check Tasks for completion
    Add 0 months, 0 days, 8 hours, 0 minutes to Technicians:Reminder Date (Output to Variable: 8 am the day before )
    Set Variable: 8 am the day before to Variable: 8 am String
    If Technicians:Completed equals Yes
Transition to stage
    Go to End of Workflow

Stage:No task end date set
    If Variable: 8 am String contains 1899
Transition to stage
    Go to End of Workflow

Stage:Tasks set for within next day
    If Technicians:Reminder Date is less than or equal to Today
Transition to stage
    Go to End of Workflow

Stage:Send email for day before
    Pause until Variable: 8 am the day before
    Email Emilio Candelaria; Gigi; Sudhashen Naicker; ...
Transition to stage
    Go to End of Workflow

______

Questions are as follows:

Referrer on link says that he has set workflow to automatic - which is what I want as I want the lists to be checked regularly for the conditions set.  However when I look at workflow settings, the start option are only 3 options - manually, when item created and when item changes - how do I make this a monitoring workflow?

My design maybe flawed - I am looking at the stages as sequential blocks. If any of the conditions are met in the first few stages, the workflow stops and goes no further - is this correct?

Given what I am trying to accomplish, is there a better way to design/accomplish what I am trying to achieve?

Many thanks in advance.

Apologies - It seems I picked the Sharepoint 2010 thread when supposed to be 2013 - I can't seem to be able to change it!

• Edited by Sudhashen Naicker Thursday, August 15, 2013 6:20 AM wrong thread

Hi,

Base on the description, you want to email people to notify them which tasks are due the next day from a specific task list.

To make the workflow as a monitoring workflow, I suggest as following:

1. Open the task list, create a calculate column named column1, set Format: =[Due Date]-1, the data type returned from this formula is Date and Time.
2. Create a column named column1, the type is Date and Time.
3. Edit the workflow, add the action: Update List Item, set column2 to Current Item:column1.
4. Return the task list, click list setting-> Information management policy settings->Task-> Enable Retention-> Add a retention stage->This stage is based off a day property on the item->Time Period: column2 + 0 days-> Action: Start a workflow-> Select the workflow.

Then when it is the day before the end time of the task, the workflow will be invoked.

In addition, the workflow will be stopped after performing the first stage. If you want to perform other stages, you should add condition to Transition to stage and set to go to other stage.

Best Regards,

Linda Li

• Marked as answer by LindaliMicrosoft contingent staff Friday, August 23, 2013 9:03 AM

Hi Lindali

Thank you for your assistance.  I am following your instructions.  I assume your second step is "create a column named column2"? Assuming this is correct, I edit the workflow.  When I go to list settings, Workflow settings, I can see my workflow listed.  However when I follow your 4th instruction, I get the error attached - "no workflows associated with this task".  I'm kinda stumped. 

S

Hi,

Base on the description, you fail to find a workflow associated with the task.

I suggest as following:

1. Open Designer 2013, create a new workflow associated to workflow Tasks, choose the platform: SharePoint 2010 Workflow.
2. Add action: send an email.
3. Save and Publish.
4. Return the task list, click list setting-> Information management policy settings->Task-> Enable Retention-> Add a retention stage->This stage is based off a day property on the item->Time Period: column2 + 0 days-> Action: Start a workflow-> Select the new workflow.

Best Regards,

Linda Li

• Marked as answer by LindaliMicrosoft contingent staff Friday, August 23, 2013 9:03 AM

This instruction set doesn't make sense.

1. You tell us to create a column named column1. Then you tell us to create another column named column1.
2. You tell us to edit the workflow, but there is no mention of creating the workflow.

Can you please clarify these points?