Introduction:

SharePoint 2010 has several features that enable users to enjoy customised flexibility when required. This particular version offers a number of features that allow administrators and developers to easily efficiently create and manage workflows.

New features in SharePoint 2010 workflow:

This version has an array of new features that help increase the number of scenarios that can be automated. Some of them are:

• Parallel branches: This feature allows all functions that have been assigned to the same parallel block to begin simultaneously. The workflow can follow any of the parallel paths and ultimately reaches the end and completes the process.

• Nested steps: It is used to organise actions into sets. This necessitates that a particular set be completed before the next one can begin.

• Impersonation steps: This feature is useful when a step requires the approval of a person at a higher permission level. It also permits the workflow to run using the identity of the author of the workflow rather than of the initiator. This type of process is particularly useful when a site administrator’s tasks need to be automated.

Important features of SharePoint 2010:

In addition to the above features, there are some core features that are an integral part of this version and they include:

• No-code workflows: SharePoint developers can now create workflows without using procedure or object oriented code. The workflows can be developed in XML schemes from predefined events, conditions, actions and conditional logic and is even known as Extensible Application Mark-up Language. Based on this feature, workflows can be of different types such as:

• Library and list workflows

• Reusable workflows

• Site workflows

• Reusable workflows: Workflow development is time consuming even with the No-code feature. SharePoint 2010 enables the creation of workflows that are completely reusable and exportable. They are flexible enough to work with all lists or multiple lists. These workflows can be saved as templates for use when required. They can also be used on Microsoft Visual Studio.

• Workflow editor: It acts as a client interface and possesses several editing capabilities similar to Microsoft Office. It can arrange the workflow in a sequential, hierarchical or linear pattern and break it down into several sets of steps containing many actions and conditions. This process can be used to create the logic of the workflow.

• Error checker: SharePoint developers realize that creating workflows is a complex task and it is difficult to keep track of the exact flow of logic. As a result, there are bound to be some logical errors that occur during the SharePoint development stage. The error checker helps to identify potential errors during the development stage itself rather than detecting them during actual run time.

Visio Premium: It is used to simplify the creation of workflows without specialized resources. It consists of drawing templates including building blocks of workflow that are present in SharePoint 2010. Using these drawings, flowcharts can be created to represent the workflow and can be exported for proper deployment.