Using HarePoint Workflow Extensions, you need to consider in what version of SharePoint you will use the created Workflows. There are two releases of SharePoint – Foundation and SharePoint Server. In turn, the SharePoint server permits only the functionality covered by the Standard license, or the Enterprise extended functionality. One of the SharePoint Server Enterprise distinctions is the availability of additional services. For this reason, several activities are not available in the Workflow construction in the SharePoint Foundation and Standard.
First of all, there are no Excel Services in SharePoint Foundation and SharePoint Server Standard does not allow you to access the contents of tables in the Microsoft Excel format. For this reason, when building workflows, you will not be able to use the following activities related to reading and editing XLS and XLSX files:
- Get Excel Cell Value workflow action is used to get cell value at a Microsoft Excel document at the SharePoint server.
- Set Excel Cell Value workflow action is used to set cell value at a Microsoft Excel document at the SharePoint server.
Secondly, the absence of Word Automation Services in SharePoint Foundation does not allow you to convert from various formats to the DOC, DOCX, PDF and XPS files. This limitation makes it impossible to use a number of activities from the Document Conversion group.
- Convert Document workflow action is used to convert specified document to different formats and store the output file in the same document library.
- Convert Folder at URL workflow action is used to convert all documents from the document library specified by URL. Output files may be stored in the same or at another document library.
- Convert Library workflow action is used to convert all documents from the document library. Output files may be stored in the same or at another document library.
Please keep these limitations in mind when creating workflows in SharePoint Foundation and SharePoint Standard. If you still have questions about the use of HarePoint Workflow Extensions in different editions of SharePoint, our technical support team is here to answer all your questions.
Other activities offered by HarePoint Workflow Extensions are fully functional in all three editions of Microsoft SharePoint: Foundation, Standard, Enterprise.