In SharePoint 2013, workflow has been substantially redesigned from previous versions.
- Workflow is a service in SharePoint 2013 that provides the framework for SharePoint workflows.
- Workflow Manager 1.0 server – provides the management of workflow definitions. It also hosts the execution processes for workflow instances. Workflows in previous versions were executed within SharePoint.
SharePoint 2010 workflows are still running in SharePoint 2013 and users can continue using them.
Workflows communicate with SharePoint via core App Model technologies
- CSOM(The client-side object model (CSOM) provides client-side applications with access to a subset of the SharePoint Foundation server object model) / REST
- OAuth
SharePoint communicates with workflows in Workflow Manager 1.0 via standard protocols (WCF Services over port 80 (HTTP) / 443 (HTTPS).
Remark regarding third party workflow products:
- According to this article http://en-us.nintex.com/workflow-platform/system-requirements the third party Nintex workflows are using SharePoint 2010 workflows in SharePoint 2013 . Also there are no announcements from Nintex regarding the use of the new workflow platform https://community.nintex.com/thread/2055.
- Even if I am a Nintex fan, for SharePoint 2013 environments I will go for the K2 third party workflows because K2 is using Workflow Manager 1.0.
For troubleshooting steps I have found the following articles that describe different issues and scenarios related to workflows:
· https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj193462(v=azure.10).aspx Known Issues in Workflow Manager 1.0
· https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj193529(v=azure.10).aspx Troubleshooting Workflow Manager 1.0 Management and Execution
· http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vincent_runge/archive/2014/01/07/troubleshooting-actions-for-sharepoint-2013-workflows.aspx Troubleshooting Actions for SharePoint 2013 Workflows
· http://blogs.technet.com/b/french_sharepoint_gbs_blog/archive/2014/01/06/diagnostique-des-workflows-2013.aspx Diagnostic des Workflows 2013
Useful SQL queries in order to retrieve workflow information from database:
a. Check if a tenant was created correctly
SELECT * FROM [WFResourceManagementDB].[dbo].[Scopes]
b. Check workflow definitions
Select * FROM [WFResourceManagementDB].[dbo].Activities
c. Check workflow association
Select * FROM [WFResourceManagementDB].[dbo].WorkflowServices
d. Check instances of an associated workflow definition
Select * FROM [WFInstanceManagementDB].[dbo].Instances, [WFResourceManagementDB].[dbo].WorkflowServices where [WFInstanceManagementDB].[dbo].Instances.WorkflowId = [WFResourceManagementDB].[dbo].WorkflowServices.WorkflowServiceId
Sources of this article:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj219638.aspx What’s new in workflow in SharePoint Server 2013
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj227177.aspx Getting started with SharePoint Server 2013 workflow
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj193462(v=azure.10).aspx Known Issues in Workflow Manager 1.0
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj193529(v=azure.10).aspx Troubleshooting Workflow Manager 1.0 Management and Execution
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vincent_runge/archive/2014/01/07/troubleshooting-actions-for-sharepoint-2013-workflows.aspx Troubleshooting Actions for SharePoint 2013 Workflows
http://blogs.technet.com/b/french_sharepoint_gbs_blog/archive/2014/01/06/diagnostique-des-workflows-2013.aspx Diagnostic des Workflows 2013 Diagnostic des Workflows 2013
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/feseca/archive/2014/10/07/gathering-infomation-about-workflows-executed-by-workflow-manager.aspx How to retrieve state information about workflows executed by Workflow Manager