How To Assign Task To User And Send Approval Using Workflow In SharePoint Online

Prashant Kumar
Dec 27, 2016
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Today I am writing about how to assign tasks to users and send approval using workflow in SharePoint.

We have pre-requested to do this

We need to create a document Library on SharePoint site
Once library is created we need to upload or add some data on that library
We need SP designer application to configure the same

To do the same, we have to follow the below steps with screen shots

Login to the site and create Library document, we need to select Setting gear box on the top of the page and select Add an App.
On the Site contents>Your Apps click on Document Library and Enter the Name we want mentioned
Once we have assigned the name, click on create option as above, we will get page like below
Now open the create Document file and add or upload documents here. If you wish to upload created docs just click on Upload button or Drag or Drop to the Library. If you wish to create new documents from available features on Office 365, we need to select New and select word file, excel or other available option.
Now document has been created here so we move to create workflow from this particular list. To do the same we need to select workflow from library ribbon.
Here just click on drop down arrow and select “Create a workflow in SharePoint designer”

Note

Make sure SP designer has been installed on your system.

If wish to install SPD 2013, download from link and install to the local system or accessed server

SharePoint Designer 2013 is the tool of choice for fast development of SharePoint applications.

We will have two types of SP designers; 32 bit and 64 bit. Select the appropriate version of SharePoint application and download it.

Now move to the next one, once we click on it will ask permission to use it and allow SP designer, here click on allow and click on yes.
It will take some time to retrieve data and fetch from SharePoint site. If you are doing this for the first time it will ask user name and password.
Assign user name and password and click on Login, after Login it will prompt Create List workflow for selecting List
After assigning Name, enter description and select the platform to build your workflow, here I am using SP 2013 workflow and click on ok.
Now we are on the page to create action to complete this task, I am adding all required actions and user emails we need to send for approval.
Here we need to log the message for workflow, on the next page we need to add an action called assign to user where you want to send task title or other available details (make sure the document has selected field name) and click on ok.
On the Transition to stage page we need to end workflow.
Now we're all set, we need to check for any error on the top of page, and publish this workflow, it will take bit of time to publish the workflow.

Note

We can modify this workflow as per our requirement, like if you want this workflow to run if any new item is added or edited.
To do the above we have to select, Go back to workflow, create home page, and tick mark on start option for the below options:

Start workflow automatically when an item is created

Start workflow automatically when an item is changed
Again publish the same.
Come back to site library page and start workflow to get result. On the Library of the document, select document and select Workflow from File ribbon page.
Now we will get a workflow page and here we need to start the workflow by clicking on the workflow showing here. I have highlighted the workflow where we need to click for stating the workflow.
Now workflow will start, we can see on the workflow
Now select the document or check the email and select on linked document
Approve here or reject if it is not suitable
If approved, it will take us to list page and will show the task completed