Install and configure SharePoint 2013 Workflow Manager

SharePoint 2013 Workflow Manager is the multi-tenant host that can be used for running and managing Windows Workflow Foundation workflows and supporting high density and high scale execution. After installing SharePoint 2013 in our server, only 2010 workflows are available in SharePoint. To work on SharePoint 2013 workflows, we need to install and configure the workflow manager in the server. There exists a new option while building a workflow for SharePoint Server called Platform Type. The following figure shows the Platform Type option while creating a new workflow using SharePoint Designer 2013.  

Configure SharePoint 2013 Workflow Manager to work with the SharePoint Server farm 

Considering the following key factors before configuring workflow manager to work with the SharePoint server. 

• Is the Workflow manager Installed on a SharePoint Farm server? 

• Will it be HTTP or HTTPS communication between Workflow Manager and SharePoint server? 

There are four factors that translate the scenarios. Each scenario configures a SharePoint server farm to communicate and functions with the workflow manager farm.  

1. The workflow manager is installed on a server that is part of the SharePoint server farm. Communication takes place by using HTTP.
2. The workflow manager is installed on a server that is part of the SharePoint server farm. Communication takes place by using HTTPS.
3. Workflow Manager is installed on a server that is not part of the SharePoint server farm. Communication takes place by using HTTP.
4. Workflow Manager is installed on a server that is not part of the SharePoint server farm. Communication takes place by using HTTPS. 

 Note: Using HTTPS communication is recommended for the production environment  

Step by step guided explanation on how to install and configure SharePoint 2013 Workflow Manager (using the 4th factor) 

Tasks 

1. Download and install Web PI link 
2. Install Workflow Manager  
3. Apply Cumulative Update 3.0 for Workflow Manager 1.0. 
4. Configure the Workflow Manager. 
5. Install the Workflow Manager Client on SharePoint Server. 
6. Register Workflow Proxy for SharePoint Servers. 
7. Verify the Installation. 

Prerequisites  

You need the following things before starting up. It will help you with a smooth installation. 

• Make Sure Hardware and Software Requirement meet for Workflow Manager.  

• On SharePoint farm make sure App Management Service and Site Subscription Service are provisioned. We don’t need fully configured App Management Service. We just need an instance of it. 

Installation  

The steps of installation are as follows: 

1. Install the Microsoft Web Platform Installer 5.0 
2. Installation of Workflow Manager 1.0 CU 2 
3. Apply Cumulative Update 3.0 for Workflow Manager 1.0 
4. Configure the Workflow Manager 
5. Install the Workflow Manager Client on SharePoint Server 
6. Add the Workflow Manager Certificate into SharePoint 
7. Register Workflow Proxy for SharePoint Servers 
8. Verify the Installation. 

Install workflow manager 1.0 CU 2, apply CU 3.0   

Configure the Workflow manager 

Step1: Click on configure Workflow manager with custom settings Step2: Provide the SQL server instance name and test the connection, the database name will automatically populate if the connection succeeds.    Step3: In the configuration step, we must provide the service account credentials and check the Auto-generate certificate checkbox and enter the certificate gen-key and save it safely.    Step4: click on test connection for service bus configuration and check the boxes as you use the same service account and certificate gen key    Step5: Verify the summary of steps and click continue     Step6: verify the configuration process is successful and click finish   Step7: Install the workflow manager client on all the SharePoint server, if you are configuring the WF manager on SharePoint Farm   Step8: Add the workflow manager certificate to the SharePoint server. 

1. Login to the server with the Farm account or install account and open IIS  
2. On expanding Sites, select the workflow manager site 
3. Click on binding on the right side (Action pane) 

  Step9: select the https site and click on edit   Step10: On this page under the SSL certificate, click view certificates  Step11: select details and click on “copy to file”   Step12:  Click Next     Step13:  select “NO, do not export to private key” and click next  Step14: The default option is the first option as shown in the image, click next.   Step15: On File to export select the path where the certificate will be saved and click Next    Step16:  you will get a message, saying the export successful, click Finish Step17: Move the file (Certificate) to the SharePoint server. Open SharePoint central admin page and click on security and select manage trust on the right-side pane.  Step18: On opening manage trust, click new and enter the friendly name and browse the path of the certificate and click on OK.  You will see the certificate added   Step19: Register the workflow service  

• Login to the SharePoint Application server (it could be central admin hosted server), run the command in SharePoint shell  

Register-SPWorkflowService -SPSite “https://sitecollection” -WorkflowHostUri “https://hostname:12290” 

• -SPSite: URL of the Site collection 
• -WorkflowHostURI: Fully qualified hostname of the workflow host 

Step 20: Verify the Workflow Installation, Now go to Application Management > under Service Application > click on Configure Service Application associations > Highlight Workflow Service Application Proxy and click on Manage  On this page, you will see the message ”Workflow is connected  Verify Using SharePoint Designer  

1. Open SharePoint Designer 2013 by selecting it on the Start menu. Click Start icon, click All Programs, click Microsoft Office 2013, and then click SharePoint Designer 2013. 
2. Click Open Site on the SharePoint Designer 2013 start page. 
3. Enter the SharePoint 2013 site that you want to connect to. 
4. Click Open to open the site. 
5. Enter your credentials, if prompted. (If security is not integrated with the computer you signed in on then you are prompted to enter your credentials.) Make sure to use credentials that have access to the SharePoint 2013 site. 
6. In Designer, click on Workflows and from Ribbon. Click on List Workflow and select anyone.
7. On the Create List Workflow dialog box, click on Platform Type drop down and you will see the SharePoint 2013 Workflow.