Configuring Workflow Manager in SharePoint 2013 – Step by Step Guide

Introduction
By default, SharePoint 2013 doesn’t come with the SharePoint 2013 workflow engine. We get only SharePoint 2010 workflow platform type in SharePoint Designer 2013. So, we got to manually configure SharePoint 2013 workflows. This implementation guide walks through configuring Workflow Manager 1.0 step by step.

Steps summary:

1. Download and install Workflow Manager
2. Register Workflow Manager with SharePoint

Step 1: Download and install Workflow Manager

SharePoint 2013 introduced isolation of Workflows from SharePoint. Meaning we can install workflow components either on server(s) which is part of the SharePoint farm or we can have workflow components on server(s) which is NOT part of the SharePoint farm (even to Azure – Cloud)! Here, let’s install workflow Manager in one of the SharePoint Application server. Its a best practice to use dedicated accounts for Workflow setup and workflow service. Workflow Setup account must have SysAdmin access rights on SQL Server and local administrator on workflow server.

1. To begin with installation, Log in to your target server where you are going to install workflow components by opening below download link.
2. Workflow Manager uses the Web Platform Installer from Microsoft. So, opening this link https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=287166 for the first time will install “Web Platform Installer”.
3. Installing Workflow Manager is pretty straight forward. Accept License agreement and click on “Install” button

   

4. Wait for the installation to compete.  

   

5. Once installed, open it again to start Workflow Manager Installation.  

   

6. Click on “Install” button

   

7. Install the prerequisites by clicking “I Accept”

   

8. Wait for the installation to be completed

   

9. Once installed you will need to configure the Workflow Manager. Clicking Continue will pop up the configuration screen. 

   

10. Choose the “Configure Workflow Manager with Default Settings (Recommended)” option
    
11. In the New Farm Configuration wizard, enter the required fields, such as: Database Server, Service account user name & password, Make sure you remember or keep safe the Certificate Generation Key, as it’s needed when you want to add more servers to the WM farm. Make sure the service account is under the local administrator group of the server. 
12. Verify the configuration summary and proceed next.
13. Wait for the installation to be completed  

    

14. Click on the “Finish” button to complete installation on the screen states that the installation successfully installed.
      

Install Workflow Manager Client on All other servers of the Farm:
If you have multiple servers, download and install Workflow Manager Client on every WFE Server: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=287166

Verify the Workflow Manager Installation
Let’s verify the workflow manager Installation by accessing: https://localhost:12291 or https://<host url>:12291 (if host header configured).

Step 2: Register Workflow Manager

Alright, We’ve Workflow components installed. Now, the next step would be registering workflow service with SharePoint 2013. Open SharePoint Management Shell and run as Administrator:

Register-SPWorkflowService -SPSite "https://intranet.crescent.com" -WorkflowHostUri "https://G1SPWFE03:12291/" -AllowOAuthHttp

Where

• https://intranet.crescent.com – is my web application URL
• G1SPWFE03 – is one of my WFE in the SharePoint 2013 farm. 12291 is the port where the Workflow Manager is configured (Get it either during installation summary or from IIS). You can also use: Get-WFFarm | ft HttpPort

  

• AllowOAuthHttp – I’m using HTTP protocol here to allow the communication between SharePoint and Workflow Manager over HTTP.

Although the parameter -SPSite sounds like workflow manager will get activated only for the given site collection, It’s actually get activated all site collections in the given web application

Done! Let us see the output in action:
Restart SharePoint Designer 2013 and see “SharePoint 2013” listed under Platform type in addition to “SharePoint 2010 Workflow”.

Still not getting “SharePoint 2013 Workflow”?
This could be because, “Workflow Service Store” hidden Feature is not enabled (such as when you use the “Blank” site template, This feature may not be activated! )

Activate it with PowerShell:

Enable-SPFeature -Identity WorkflowServiceStore -Url <your-site-collection-url>

Technet Workflow Configuration Videos: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn201724%28v=office.15%29.aspx
Install and configure workflow for SharePoint Server 2013: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj658588%28v=office.15%29.aspx