Tip #839: Convert workflow into action

HomeomorphismMy friend Mehmet “Sputnik” Ozdemir is insane. When he asked me how to convert a long and tedious workflow into an action, instead of painstakingly reproducing it step-by-step, I told him that it’s not possible, he’s dreaming and the only sensible thing to do is to call that workflow from the newly minted action.

Did I mention he’s insane? Because he managed to come up with the instructions on how to convert a workflow into an action. Sounds too good to be true? Well, actually it does work every time in 83% of the cases. Readers digest version:

  • Start with a realtime workflow. Convert an asynchronous into a realtime. Less chances of failure.
  • Backup the orgs
  • Create a temp solution (let’s call it: Workflow To Action Conversion)
  • Add the existing Workflow that you want to convert to an action into this solution (eg: Generate Sales Metrics)
  • Create an empty action in the temp solution (eg: Generate Sales Metrics Action)
  • Export the solution (WorkflowToActionConversion.zip)
  • Extract WorkflowToActionConversion.zip and browse to Workflow folder
  • If everything has gone to plan you should have two files in here that correspond the workflow and the empty action. Open both *.xaml files into a tabbed editor (I like Notepad++)
  • In the Action*.xaml file search for: <mva:VisualBasic.Settings>Assembly references and imported namespaces for internal implementation</mva:VisualBasic.Settings>
    Select this line and everything below it and replace it with the same section from the Workflow*.xaml file. Save the Action*.xaml file.
  • Put the Action*.xaml file back into the WorkflowToActionConversion.zip
  • Import the WorkflowToActionConversion.zip

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