SharePoint Incoming Email does not Trigger Workflow

Today, created a Nintex workflow to send out E-mail notification to SharePoint groups. Start-up option for the workflow was: “Start when Items are created”, but in SharePoint 2007 incoming email didn’t trigger the workflow on new item creation.

sharepoint incoming email start workflow

Root cause:
Incoming E-mail attachments areuploaded to SharePoint libraries using “System Account” (If E-mail settings are set to: “Accept e-mail messages from any sender”) which will not trigger workflows by design!

What’s the Fix for SharePoint workflow not starting on incoming email?
Well, the fix is simple! Just execute this STSADM command line:
stsadm -o setproperty -pn declarativeworkflowautostartonemailenabled -pv true

This fix applies to MOSS 2007 and SharePoint 2010 for incoming email to start workflow. Same fix applies to SharePoint designer workflows also! SharePoint incoming email doesn’t trigger workflow by default, It works after the fix.

By default, starting a workflow through incoming email is not enabled. This PowerShell script enables workflow to started automatically when a new item is created.

$SPWebService = [Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPWebService]::ContentService
$SPWebService.DeclarativeWorkflowAutoStartOnEmailEnabled = $true
$SPWebService.Update()

Salaudeen Rajack

Salaudeen Rajack - Information Technology Expert with Two-decades of hands-on experience, specializing in SharePoint, PowerShell, Microsoft 365, and related products. He has held various positions including SharePoint Architect, Administrator, Developer and consultant, has helped many organizations to implement and optimize SharePoint solutions. Known for his deep technical expertise, He's passionate about sharing the knowledge and insights to help others, through the real-world articles!

One thought on “SharePoint Incoming Email does not Trigger Workflow

  • good day Rajack,

    after declerative workflow has been enabled, the workflow is always failing on start at the first run and after 2-3 minutes its getting complete. Have you aver come across with that?
    is it possible that the item is not completely build by the time the flow is triggered?

    Reply

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