Is it possible to alter workflow step properties from code in Dynamics CRM 2013

Question

If I create a Workflow from a template in code in Dynamics CRM, is it possible to change the values for the workflow step properties?

I have a custom workflow step, that is part of a workflow template, but for each workflow I create from this, I want to pass in different values to the step.

I'm creating the workflows from C# as part of a powershell cmdlet. I've tried creating the workflow from scratch with xaml but it's causing more problems that it solves.

I can create and retrieve the workflow with the following code, but I can't see anything to point me to the steps on the Workflow object I retrieve.

using (var proxy = auth.GetOrganizationProxy())
        {
            // This statement is required to enable early-bound type support.
            proxy.EnableProxyTypes();

            OrganizationServiceContext _orgContext = new OrganizationServiceContext(proxy);

            CreateWorkflowFromTemplateRequest request = new CreateWorkflowFromTemplateRequest()
            {
                WorkflowName = "(" + EntityLogicalName + ") Migrate Notes to SharePoint",
                WorkflowTemplateId = new Guid(ProcessTemplateId)
            };

            var response = (CreateWorkflowFromTemplateResponse)proxy.Execute(request);

            ColumnSet cols = new ColumnSet(true);
            Workflow newWorkflow = (Workflow)proxy.Retrieve(Workflow.EntityLogicalName, response.Id, cols);

            newWorkflow.PrimaryEntity = EntityLogicalName;
        }

Mark McGookin Mark McGookin · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-11T15:57:45

When archiving workflow XAML, then creating a new workflow from scratch with this xaml (with values replaced) I got an error, CRM thought the XAML was produced externally and failed to work, wouldn't let me delete the workflow, and it failed to run.

My solution was to create a workflow as a template, then in code, create a workflow from that template using a "CreateWorkflowFromTemplateRequest". This produces a workflow with the same base entity as the template, and the "CreateWorkflowFromTemplateResponse" contains this workflow's ID

I then looked this workflow up by ID, altered the base entity, replaced my values in it's XAML property and saved it as a new Workflow (with a new ID), then deleted the original workflow I created from the template.

Resulting in my code creating a new workflow, based on a template, but regarding a different entity.

You can't edit the entity of an existing workflow, hence the lookup, alter, re-save. I could probably have looked up the Template by name, altered it, but I am unsure how CRM handles templates vs workflows and chose to clone an actual workflow produced from the template.

Is it possible to alter workflow step properties from code in Dynamics CRM 2013

1 Answers