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what are the best options for Workflows in SharePoint 2016

Copper Contributor

what are the best options available to develop workflows in SharePoint 2016 as well as in SharePoint online?

5 Replies

Are you looking for identical solutions that exist in both environments? Or are you looking for something that can connect into both environments?

i need to decide which options should i go to develop custom workflow like SharePoint Designer, OOTB, Microsoft flow etc i need it for SharePoint Server 2016.

My two cents here:
(1) SPO: Flow
(2) SharePoint 2016 OnPremises: SP 2013 style workflows workflows so you have to author them using SPD 2013 or Visual Studio. As an alternative to native workflows, you might explore third party workflow produts
best response confirmed by Hamad Nasir (Copper Contributor)
Solution
You can use SharePoint 2010, 2013 (Workflow Manager), and Microsoft Flow in both environments. SharePoint 2013 workflows on-prem requires configuring Workflow Manager server. Workflow Manager itself has no further investments by Microsoft. The modern workflow engine is Microsoft Flow. You can use Flow with on-prem via the Microsoft Data Gateway available from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/service-gateway-onprem. Only Flows can be shared between on-prem and online without redeployment of the workflow.
Appropriate reply !
But like to add few points as below for further clarification as per our experiences:
1. O365 Flows requires stable or active internet connection as O365 Flows uses Azure service bus, where data need to cross company firewall in a secured manner. Need to check with O365 consultant about the secure provisioning.
2. If company or country policies doesn't allow even that then SharePoint On-Premise workflow manager will be the only options, apart from various 3rd party products or solutions.
1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by Hamad Nasir (Copper Contributor)
Solution
You can use SharePoint 2010, 2013 (Workflow Manager), and Microsoft Flow in both environments. SharePoint 2013 workflows on-prem requires configuring Workflow Manager server. Workflow Manager itself has no further investments by Microsoft. The modern workflow engine is Microsoft Flow. You can use Flow with on-prem via the Microsoft Data Gateway available from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/service-gateway-onprem. Only Flows can be shared between on-prem and online without redeployment of the workflow.

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