SharePoint – Back to basics – Designer quick tips – All Items in navigation, Updating List URL

I got a simple requirement for one of my project to update the list URL. Basically this is a simple requirement by using Object model/PowerShell commands. But we don’t have option to use PowerShell commands or coding. Even without them we can update that easily from SharePoint designer. This is simple option I haven’t seen/worked on earlier.

We can update the list URL by navigating to designer All Items -> Lists folder. But unfortunately I can’t find All item option in designer. By default we can’t see that option. To enable that option we have to enable the option in Central Administration as the steps below.

Navigate to SharePoint central administration General Application settings. Click on “Configure SharePoint Designer Settings”

To enable SharePoint designer to a site we have to check “Enable SharePoint Designer ” to see All items option we have to check “Enable Managing of the Web Site URL Structure ” option as shown below.

To change the List URL click on “All Items” in designer. We can see the list of all the contents. Click on Lists folder.

Select the list to change the URL, right click and select Rename option.

Rename the list as per the requirement. By updating the list name URL of the list will be changed. Here before changing the list URL looks like http://SiteURL/Lists/TestCustom/AllItems.aspx . I have updated the name as Testlist. By updating the name URL updated as http://SiteURL /Lists/Testlist/AllItems.aspx .

SharePoint migration – designer workflow runs twice every time

Migrating from SharePoint 2007 to 2013, SharePoint designer 2007 workflows migrated correctly and workflows are working as expected.

We can’t use SharePoint 2007 list template directly to create the list templates. To do that we have to save the list as a template and need to use that template to create the list.

In SharePoint 2007 site we had a workflow that sends email and update the list data depending on the details created/updated. I have attached the SharePoint designer workflow to the list. But after attaching the workflow, whenever list item added/updated to the list, it is firing twice.

After checking that some time and trail and errors I got the fix for the problem. To do that we have to pause some duration in the workflow beginning. We can make this as 1 min because the workflow timer job will take 5 min and by updating the ‘pause for duration’ value we can change the value by using job definitions in Central Administration.

Retrieve user manager and send email in SharePoint designer workflow

Recently I had a simple requirement like leave approval task. Whenever user submits a leave request, an email needs to be send user manager. It is an easy task by providing the manager name in leave request form. But we don’t have manager field here. So according the requirement we have to get the manager assigned to specific user from AD.

We are not allowed to deploy the custom code for the requirement. I thought there is no option to get the user manager assigned in AD from designer WF. I have tried if there is any option to get user manager. Surprisingly I have found the Option in designer workflow to get Manager Details and also it is available from 2007 version. Superb.

We can get the user manager details by using simple command as shown below,

Search for command look up we can get “Find Manger” option as shown below.

Select the User and manager and assign the user to manager variable. Send email to the manager using Send mail command.

Simple. There are plenty of options are available in SharePoint designer instead of going custom development. Hope this helps. 

Add BCC to SharePoint designer workflow

In SharePoint designer 2010, workflow to send emails, we cannot find BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) column. We can see only To and CC (Carbon Copy) options with Subject and Body. 

If we have the requirement to include users in BCC, we can do that by using the steps below,

Complete the Send Mail activity and click on OK. Select Email task in the workflow, click on “Advanced Options” on the top of the ribbon.

We can see “Send an Email Properties” window. In BCC column we can add users to include BCC. Browse users in workflow click on (…) on BCC Column. Add users and click on OK. Click on Ok to close “Send an Email…” window.

Save and publish workflow.