We are facing a very odd issue. Any workflow that we create through the SharePoint designer works initially very well. However, After some unspecific time the workflow itself completely disappear from the SharePoint web interface along with all the workflow association and history, however it still shows in the Designer, the only way we can bring it back is to republish it through the Designer and associate it with the lists, but the history never comes back. we still cannot pin point the reason behind the disappearance of these workflows can someone help.

We are facing a very odd issue. Any workflow that we create through the SharePoint designer works initially very well. However, After some unspecific time the workflow itself completely disappear from the SharePoint web interface along with all the workflow association and history, however it still shows in the Designer, the only way we can bring it back is to republish it through the Designer and associate it with the lists, but the history never comes back. we still cannot pin point the reason behind the disappearance of these workflows can someone help.

• Merged by Clayton Cobb Tuesday, May 10, 2011 2:17 AM Same exact thread from two usernames?

Join the club. We have had this issue for a little while now aswell with the same symptoms as you described. I have a Microsoft Support ticket for this open. If we get a resolution I will post the solution.

Has anyone made progress on a resolution here?  We just started seeing the same behavior after adding Reporting Serivces/PowerPivot.

Hey SyrMichael,

 

yes this was resolved; The issue was that some of the Workflow files were checked in and checked out resulting in the Workflow cleanup job unpublish the Workflow. Open SharePoin Designer on the site where the Workflow physically resides, Click on All Files => _catalogs => wfpub. You will see a folder for each Workflow, open the foeld that relates to your workflow and see which files are checked out and in. Check them all in, republish the Workflow and see what happens.

This fixed our issue and i hope it fixes yours!

 

 

Trent Nesic

• Proposed as answer by Trent Nesic Thursday, September 22, 2011 10:50 PM
• Unproposed as answer by Hemendra AgrawalMVP, Moderator Tuesday, March 12, 2013 12:04 PM

I am experiencing a strange behavior.  At first, when I was in SharePoint Designer 2010 I could not find my custom workflows.  I looked in all the usual places.  Then after having SPD open for 15 minutes or so, they appeared.  I republished them based on Trent's message, but I don't know how to get my previous workflows to complete.  Also, when I look in the _catalogs I don't see a wfpub folder.  Wow, this is frustrating.  The funny thing is the workflows kick off, but never progress, they just stay "in progress" and I see no workflow history.  Is there anyway to recovery the history to try and figure out what is happening?  Also, how do we stop this behavior of the custom workflows disappearing and reappearing.  I think when they disappear that the workflows quit running and now they are all erroring.

• Edited by jriesen1 Thursday, July 26, 2012 9:27 PM
• Proposed as answer by Gianluca Acciarri Wednesday, October 10, 2012 12:11 PM

Didnt help ,,, same problem ,,, when publishing custom workflow ,, it disappear after the workflow complete. In SPD , ALL FILES > Workflows > Exp App Test>  Only one file checked out < Exp App Test.xoml.wfconfig.xml> and when right click > check in : Error : Cannot perform this operation > the file is no longer checked out or has been deleted ...

Any Help?

Hi AnTiiKa,

Did you get this issue resolved? I too am getting the error: Cannot perform this operation. The file is no longer checked out or has been deleted when trying to check in the .xoml.wfconfig.xml file.

I contacted Microsoft for this issue and after about 5 months they were not able to solve it, and I just get rid of 2010 edition and Migrated to 2013 by new clean instillation.