Creating a basic List workflow in Custom List using SharePoint Designer 2010
Think about this scenario, You already have a SP Custom List for keeping records of employee’s leave details in your organization. You need to have a level by level of approval Process with two managers.
The tasks are listed below.
The tasks are listed below.
- If employee has added a new leave, workflow automatically starts and sends an email alert to the first manager.
- If first manager not respond within 12 hours, another Email alert should go to the second manager.
For this demonstration, I’m starting from custom List which is having an employee's leave details.
Click the “List” section from top ribbon to open the List Properties
Click “Edit List” to edit 'Employee's Leave' list in SharePoint Designer. Now this site will be connecting with SP Designer 2010
Below Screen shot shows the opened "Employee's Leave List" in Designer windows.
Click the “Workflows” for create new workflow in left panel. Next click "List Workflow" and select the List name.. Now this workflow is attached with this List.
Enter your new workflow's name and its description.Here i named as "LeaveRequestWF"
Now, Lets start workflow's function. First need to send an email to first Manager.
Click ---> Actions in top panel and Choose your particular action. Here we need to select "Send an Email" from core actions.
Define an Email Message. Here you can use the directory for getting Domain Users.
While you define an Email body, use current leave items property such as employee name, type, etc.
Lets define an another action, we need to pause this workflow for a specific time to first manager approval. To do this select actions--> "Pause for Duration". Here you can set pause time in hours, minutes and seconds.
Lets starts the third part, Need to define level by level approval process. For that, add a Condition in workflow. Check the Approval status is still pending.
If it is still pending, add another email to second manager. Finally publish the workflow into server.
Click the “List” section from top ribbon to open the List Properties
Click “Edit List” to edit 'Employee's Leave' list in SharePoint Designer. Now this site will be connecting with SP Designer 2010
Below Screen shot shows the opened "Employee's Leave List" in Designer windows.
Click the “Workflows” for create new workflow in left panel. Next click "List Workflow" and select the List name.. Now this workflow is attached with this List.

Enter your new workflow's name and its description.Here i named as "LeaveRequestWF"
Now, Lets start workflow's function. First need to send an email to first Manager.
Define an Email Message. Here you can use the directory for getting Domain Users.
While you define an Email body, use current leave items property such as employee name, type, etc.
Lets define an another action, we need to pause this workflow for a specific time to first manager approval. To do this select actions--> "Pause for Duration". Here you can set pause time in hours, minutes and seconds.
Lets starts the third part, Need to define level by level approval process. For that, add a Condition in workflow. Check the Approval status is still pending.
If it is still pending, add another email to second manager. Finally publish the workflow into server.
Workflow is created. Add new items in your list and check if your workflow is start working.
Isn't this very simple and cool
Have fun.