unable to create sharepoint 2013 designer workflow on list

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  In addition to SharePoint 2013 there are two other components that need to be installed and available to create 2013 workflows using SPD.  First, the Workflow Manager server component (formerly known as "Windows Azure Workflow") needs to be installed either on the SharePoint server or another server in the farm.  Second, you have to install Visio 2013 Professional or better on the workstation where you are running SPD.  The Visio engine is used to display the graphical editing surface used when building 2013 workflows.  If both of these are not installed you won't see the 2013 workflow option when creating workflows in SPD 2013.  The following TechNet articles provide additional details.

  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj219638(v=office.15).aspx 

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  Paul Stork SharePoint Server
  MVP Principal Solutions Architect: BlueChip Consulting Group
  Blog: http://dontpapanic.com/blog
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  • Proposed as answer by Margriet Bruggeman Thursday, January 24, 2013 1:39 PM
  • Marked as answer by Arunasujatha Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:36 AM

  Thursday, January 24, 2013 1:23 PM
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  You'll also need to register the workflow service

  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj658588.aspx#section5

  Thursday, January 24, 2013 4:11 PM
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  Thank you Paul,

  One more question,

  Actually mine is sharepoint 2013 foundation and  I tried to install workflow manager over it, while running few configuration commands i met with few errors.

  I explored and found that SP 2013 foundation won't support Workflow manager.

  Is it true? If not please help me in installing workflow manager to SP 2013 foundation.

  Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:43 AM
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  Thank you Arpit,

  One more question,

  Actually mine is sharepoint 2013 foundation and  I tried to install workflow manager over it, while running few configuration commands i met with few errors.

  I explored and found that SP 2013 foundation won't support Workflow manager.

  Is it true? If not please help me in installing workflow manager to SP 2013 foundation.

  Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:46 AM
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  You are correct.  Workflow Manager and the 2013 SharePoint workflows are not supported in SharePoint Foundation 2013.  For Foundation you need to continue to use the backwards compatible SharePoint 2010 Workflow engine.  So if you are on SharePoint Foundation you won't see SharePoint 2013 workflows in SPD, only 2010 workflows.

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  Paul Stork SharePoint Server
  MVP Principal Solutions Architect: BlueChip Consulting Group
  Blog: http://dontpapanic.com/blog
  Twitter: Follow @pstork
  Please remember to mark your question as "answered" if this solves your problem.

  • Marked as answer by Arunasujatha Friday, February 1, 2013 4:55 AM

  Thursday, January 31, 2013 1:36 PM
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  Thank you Paul,

  But I don't  have any idea of  "backwards compatible SharePoint 2010 Workflow engine". 

  Can  you please explain me about this in detail.

  Friday, February 1, 2013 4:59 AM
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  The underlying architecture for workflow changed in 2013.  In SharePoint Server 2013 workflows are managed by the Workflow Manager which is a separate process which can even be loaded onto a separate server in your network.  It is a much more scalable design.  But that's only available in SharePoint Server, not in Foundation.  Foundation continues to use the same architecture as SharePoint 2010.  So in Foundation you can only create SharePoint 2010 workflows, not 2013.  So to get back to your original question.  The fact that you are on Foundation is why you don't see the SharePoint 2013 Workflow option.

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  Paul Stork SharePoint Server
  MVP Principal Solutions Architect: BlueChip Consulting Group
  Blog: http://dontpapanic.com/blog
  Twitter: Follow @pstork
  Please remember to mark your question as "answered" if this solves your problem.

  Saturday, February 2, 2013 2:14 PM
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  Yes paul, I undersatnd,

  Now we have closed our 2010 sever and we dont have it any more, now we are using SP 2013 foundation, In the designer we have only SP 2010 workflow option, the reason for that is explained by you and I understand the same. Now my question is, I tried to create SP 2010 list workflow in the designer of SP 2013 but ,I am unable to create it, it is not throwing any error,it is fairly accepting the name of the new workflow but after that i am unable see the new workflow created.

  I can't understand what is going wrong please help me.

  Monday, February 4, 2013 4:56 AM
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  Not sure what is causing that problem without some error message to go on.  I haven't run into that problem.

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  Paul Stork SharePoint Server
  MVP Principal Solutions Architect: BlueChip Consulting Group
  Blog: http://dontpapanic.com/blog
  Twitter: Follow @pstork
  Please remember to mark your question as "answered" if this solves your problem.

  Monday, February 4, 2013 1:29 PM
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  Hi Paul,

  Unfortunately, I have the exact problem.

  I am attempting to create a workflow in SharePoint Foundation 2013 and nothing is happening.   When I click on a new workflow icon in SharePoint Designer 2013 (i.e. List Workflow, Reuaseable Workflow or Site Workflow) the "Create Workflow" window appears, I fill it out and when I hit OK nothing happens and no workflow is created and there is no error message.  

  Similarly, if I select a List in SharePoint Foundation and go to "Workflow Settings", "Create a workflow in SharePoint Designer", I receive the "Create Workflow" window and when I enter OK nothing happens and there is no error message.

  I'm not sure if I'm missing something, it's a bug or a configuration issue.  

  Any suggestions on how to figure something like this out?  Is it worth a direct contact with Microsoft?  

  Thanks for sharing your perspective.

  Greg

  Wednesday, February 20, 2013 1:05 AM
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  Hi,

  I had the same issue.  It was resolved by:

  1) Performing a Windows Update on the server,

  2) Removing and reinstalling SP Designer 2013, and

  3) Performing a Windows Update on my PC. 

  I hope this works for you.

  Greg

  • Proposed as answer by gsshea Wednesday, February 20, 2013 7:01 PM

  Wednesday, February 20, 2013 7:01 PM
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  If all workflow manager configuration is completed successfully, check the Workflow Service Application in CA, if its show connected !!

  Step to access application services:

  • Open CA.
  • Click Application Management.
  • from Service Applications, click Manager service applications.
  • Click on Workflow Service Application.
  • From the upper ribbon, click Permissions and give SPD user permission on this service.
  • repeat last step to add Administrators.

  This will fix your problem.

  • Proposed as answer by Alaa Salameh Wednesday, November 27, 2013 2:08 PM

  Wednesday, November 27, 2013 11:23 AM
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  When you create a workflow in SharePoint Server if workflow manager is installed you will see a dropdown offering 2010 Workflow or 2013 Workflow.  The 2013 Workflow requires Workflow Manager.  So in Foundatoin you will only see 2010 Workflow in the dropdown.  It does workflows the same way they were done in 2010.

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  Paul Stork SharePoint Server MVP
  Principal Architect: Blue Chip Consulting Group
  Blog: http://dontpapanic.com/blog
  Twitter: Follow @pstork
  Please remember to mark your question as "answered" if this solves your problem.

  Wednesday, November 27, 2013 12:46 PM