SharePoint Designer Workflow – The User Cannot Edit the Task

In recent days I have been working on processes and forms that use Microsoft Office tools — that is, InfoPath for the forms and SharePoint Designer for the processes (Workflows)

Although everything I have been doing can be achieved in VS2005 with the SharePoint extensions (in fact, this way you get greater control of the results), one of the specific requirements was to use these tools in order to transfer the knowledge to non-developer users.

After a couple of days I was able to create the form and the process, published it on the test server, and asked users for feedback. Everything seemed to be going well until they had to carry out their tasks and were notified that they did not have access. After checking all the permissions on the task list, the forms, the profile manager, the AD, etc., well, nothing — this is a bug. A couple of hours of searching the Internet brought me this solution, which I put here so someone can save a couple of hours of their life.

The Problem.

An InfoPath form, a workflow associated with the form library, a user with limited permissions,

the user can fill out forms (yes)

The user can access the task list from a link (yes)

The user can see the edit task link (yes)

The user can edit the task (No. Access denied). It is not supposed to work this way.!!!

The Solution

After a couple of hours looking on the internet I found this forum where they solved it. For those who like it in Spanish, the solution is here.

Open the site with SharePoint Designer. Right-click on the workflows folder, select properties. On the security tab, click on the “Manage Permissions using the browser” link.

A new browser window will open. In my case, the inherited permissions had been lost and my user was at an incorrect permission level. I changed the configuration level so it would inherit from the site again, and done.

Juan Carlos Peláez

Software Architect

Keywords: SharePoint Designer, Workflow, Problems, User, Tasks, Permissions, Juan Carlos Peláez, Processes, Forms, InfoPath, MOSS 2007, WSS 3.0