This document provides tips for using workflows in Microsoft Office SharePoint 2007. It discusses how to start workflows from within Office applications like Word and Excel, start workflows for any file type, reassign tasks to others, see all tasks in the tasks list, and view workflow tasks in Outlook 2007. The document concludes with questions to test the reader's understanding.

1. Microsoft ® Office SharePoint ® 2007 Training Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks Jim Taliaferro Community Mental Health Center

3. Overview: Workflows made simpler Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks Does your organization use workflows on a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 site? Are you frequently completing workflow tasks? If so, you’ll like the handy tips explained in this short course.

5. Lesson Handy tips

6. Handy tips Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks If you routinely work with files in document libraries and you run workflows on them, then you’ll like this tip. You don’t have to open your Web browser to start a workflow. Instead, you can start it in Word 2007, Excel 2007 or PowerPoint 2007.

7. Handy tips Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks If you routinely work with files in document libraries and you run workflows on them, then you’ll like this tip. To start a workflow, click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Workflows . Then you’ll be asked to choose among the Approval , Collect Feedback , and Collect Signatures workflows.

8. Start a workflow for any kind of file Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks You can run workflows on other file types besides Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations. In fact, you can start workflows on any kind of file, as long as the file is saved to a document library on a SharePoint Server 2007 site. For instance, you can start a workflow on a GIF, a PDF, a Microsoft Office Project file, or even a Microsoft Office Visio ® file, as shown in this illustration.

9. Complete a task from Outlook 2007 Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks After reviewing the file, participants can simply open the e-mail message in Outlook 2007, and then click the Edit this Task button, shown here. Why would they do this in the e-mail message? Because the Edit this Task button is not available when you open files in Visio or other programs. It’s only available in Word 2007, Excel 2007, and PowerPoint 2007.

10. Reassign a task Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks What if you have been assigned a workflow task, but you feel you are not the appropriate person to complete it? No worries, you can assign the task to another person. Just click the Reassign task link, and designate someone else. That person will then receive a task in the form of an e-mail message. And, most importantly, the Workflow Status page will show them as the new person assigned.

11. Where to see all tasks Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks The more your team uses workflows, the more tasks get created. And if your team has a lot of workflows running, it can be difficult to track all the tasks. Is there a way to see which tasks are in progress and which ones are completed? Yes.

12. Where to see all tasks Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks In previous presentations you learned that tasks get sent to people in the form of e-mail messages. Although this is true, the actual task itself is stored on the site you are working with. You can see all the tasks for a site by clicking the Tasks link on the left side of the home page, as shown here.

13. The Tasks list Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks Behold: The Tasks list. Here you can see all tasks for the site you are working on. It’s a great place to see what’s been done, and what needs to be done.

14. How to sort Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks At first the Tasks list may seem daunting. But you can click By Assigned To on the View menu to sort by person.

15. What about Outlook 2007 tasks? Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks What about tasks in Outlook 2007 — how are they different from workflow tasks? Tasks in Outlook are created by you, and not by a workflow. You create them to keep track of things you need to get done. They’re displayed in handy places, like the To-Do Bar shown here. This gives you an at-a-glance view at what you need to work on.

16. What about Outlook 2007 tasks? Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks As you saw in earlier presentations, workflow tasks end up in your inbox as e-mail messages. But they don’t show up in the Outlook 2007 To-Do Bar. But what if you’re a task fanatic and you want to see workflow tasks inside Outlook 2007? You can do that. Read on.

17. How to see tasks inside Outlook Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks To see workflow tasks in Outlook 2007, go to the Tasks list on the site you are working with. Click Actions , and then click Connect to Outlook , as shown here.

18. Where tasks appear in Outlook Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks Once you’ve done that, the tasks will appear in the Tasks view, under Other Tasks . They will also appear in another handy place, which the next slide will explain.

19. The To-Do bar Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks Workflow tasks will also appear in the To-Do Bar , alongside your other Outlook tasks. Note, however, that tasks will show up here only if they are assigned to you.

20. Complete a task in Outlook 2007 Workflows V: Handy tips for tasks If you need to complete a task, first double-click it. Then, do the following, as shown in the picture. Click the link to the file. Then, in Word 2007, Excel 2007, or PowerPoint 2007, click Edit this task to complete the task. Or, you can click the Edit this Task button in Outlook 2007 to complete the task.