Workfow support for External Lists?

Question

Hi,

Will there be Workflow support added to External Lists post beta?

Thanks,
Chaks

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Regards,
Chakkaradeep
SharePoint Developer - MCTS SharePoint Dev, WSS Dev

Intergen: http://www.intergen.co.nz
Twitter: http://twitter.com/chakkaradeep
Blog: http://www.chakkaradeep.com

Answer 1

It is now, and will

The only issue now is to how write the "Application Model File" to be used as as source of External List :)
I can't find any information regarding this topic.

Just small introduction how it works.

1) To create the External List you need to add the Enterprise Entity as data source. But all Enterprice Entity are stored in the Catalog
2) Enterprise Entities are represented by Business Data Types in Catalog, so you need to create the BDT
3) Activate Business Data Catalog Service Application and link BDC to your Web Application
4) In properties on BD Catalog you need to import your "Application Model File" that contains external source description

The problem is I can't find the document describing the format of "applicaton model file" and how to create new one.
After you create the library, you just create the Workflow (I usually use Visio 2010) and there you can link you data source to the activity (in Visio go to "Data" tab and choose "Link Data To Shares" - > SharePoint List, and type the url to External List")

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Answer 2

Hi Michael,

>>1) To create the External List you need to add the Enterprise Entity as data source. But all Enterprice Entity are stored in the Catalog
>>2) Enterprise Entities are represented by Business Data Types in Catalog, so you need to create the BDT
>>3) Activate Business Data Catalog Service Application and link BDC to your Web Application
>>4) In properties on BD Catalog you need to import your "Application Model File" that contains external source description

These steps are for exporting/importing BDC model, which is fine. I dont see anything associated with workflows here.

>>After you create the library, you just create the Workflow (I usually use Visio 2010) and there you can link you data source to the activity (in Visio go to "Data" tab and >>choose "Link Data To Shares" - > SharePoint List, and type the url to External List")

I tried this and when I type in the external list URL and click OK, I get this error:



The site exists and if you just type the site url (http://demo2010a) and click Next , it does give me the full list of SharePoint Lists in the site except the external lists.

Would be happy if you can explain the steps on how you associated a workflow to an external list.

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Regards,
Chakkaradeep
SharePoint Developer - MCTS SharePoint Dev, WSS Dev

Intergen: http://www.intergen.co.nz
Twitter: http://twitter.com/chakkaradeep
Blog: http://www.chakkaradeep.com

Answer 3

You can associate a workflow as a custom action for your External List in SPD.  You probably (and I'll have to double check but I'm 99% sure) can't have a workflow fire by default against an external list since the workflow engine won't see things changing in the backend system.

Now, workflow is pluggable in 2010 so you might be able to plug in your own event provider into our workflow engine and watch the backend yourself.  I haven't tried to do that yet so I don't know if it's feasible but it's something to take a look at if you want automatic workflow start but definitely clicking a button on the ribbon on an external list and triggering a workflow is supported.

Rather than creating an external list, you may want to instead create a SharePoint list with external columns so you get more SharePoint native features.

Hope this helps.

Tom

Answer 4

Thanks Tom :)

>>You can associate a workflow as a custom action for your External List in SPD

Can you provide more info on what kinda of workflows can be associated as custom actions? I have few reusable workflows &  globally reusable workflows (and also list workflows), but when I create a new custom action and choose to associate a workflow, I dont get any workflows to choose from.

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Regards,
Chakkaradeep
SharePoint Developer - MCTS SharePoint Dev, WSS Dev

Intergen: http://www.intergen.co.nz
Twitter: http://twitter.com/chakkaradeep
Blog: http://www.chakkaradeep.com

Answer 5

I am having the same problem... no workflows available to associate to a custom action on an external list.  Tom, can you please elaborate?  Thank you!

Answer 6

Please Is there any exmaple to do this?

thanks.

Answer 7

Moderator Edit:  Frank, STOP advertising your products.  Answer questions directly with your knowledge, not with your products.

Answer 8

Tom,

I have to same problem. Is there an example how to associate a workflow as custome action for external list.  My list is also empty.

Thanks.