UCM workflow has this peculiar design where the first step is not the first step! Before the first step is the "contribution step" which cannot be modified or controlled. It exists as a sort of pre-workflow, or zero step where an author can edit continuously and then choose to proceed through the workflow. Unfortunately it's also a place where rejected revisions get trapped - these items cannot leave the contribution step until they have been re-edited by their author. Contribution Folders also fall victim to this problem - when a file is dropped into the folder it does not need further editing, it should proceed straight to workflow, but it is trapped here instead. The contribution step is a bit of a nuisance. To avoid the trap there are two things to set up.
To avoid folder items getting trapped, you need to set this config variable:
AutoContributorAdvancesOnUnlock=trueThis pushes the item straight into the workflow, no additional checkin required.
To avoid rejections getting trapped in the contribution step, have a first step that is a "Review/Edit Revision" step that requires zero approvals. Content simply passes through to the second step where it can wait for approval or rejection. Normally when a rejection occurs it sends the workflow back to the previous step and its entry code is not triggered because the rejection email is sent instead. But in this scenario, the workflow rejection goes back, then immediately gets passed forward to the second step again. The second step's entry code is executed and the rejection email is not sent, so you should then trigger an email notification if the workflow action was a reject.
If you want to keep using the contribution step instead, use this config variable:
AutoContributorAllowsReview=trueThis allows an item in the contribution step to be approved without having to edit it again.
One final note. Items in the contribution step cannot be rejected but the Content Server and SiteStudio interfaces include a reject option, which does absolutely nothing. It should be ignored... simply delete the revision if you don't want it.
Awesome!
ReplyDeleteNice and useful post. May be you have an idea how to skip contribution stage on Basic workflow also? Im looking for the way how to send item directly to the 1rst step visible in Workflow manager when Basic Workflow is created. Initially items is trapped to contribution, that leads to need to make check out - check in routine after workflow is started, i would like to override that behavior, may be you know any options I could go with?
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