SharePoint Workflow: Fixing Task Permission Errors
Troubleshooting a frustrating SharePoint Designer workflow bug: Users can see their tasks but get "Access Denied" when trying to edit them. Here's the fix that saved hours of investigation.
The Problem
After creating an InfoPath form with an associated SharePoint Designer workflow, everything seemed to work perfectly during development. But when users with limited permissions tried to complete their workflow tasks:
Symptoms
- ✅ User can fill out forms
- ✅ User can access task list via link
- ✅ User can see "Edit Task" link
- ❌ User gets "Access Denied" when clicking edit
All permissions were correctly configured on the task list, forms library, and Active Directory—but still blocked!
Investigation Path
Hours spent checking:
- • Task list permissions - ✅ Correct
- • Form library permissions - ✅ Correct
- • User profile service - ✅ Correct
- • Active Directory group membership - ✅ Correct
- • Site collection permissions - ✅ Correct
Everything checked out, yet the error persisted. This turned out to be a SharePoint Designer workflow permissions bug.
The Solution
After extensive searching, found the fix in a Microsoft TechNet forum. The workflow folder permissions had become corrupted and weren't inheriting correctly from the parent site.
Step 1: Open Site in SharePoint Designer
File → Open Site → Navigate to your SharePoint site
Step 2: Access Workflows Folder
Right-click on the Workflows folder → Select Properties
Step 3: Open Browser Permissions
In the Security tab, click the link: "Manage Permissions using the browser"
This opens the SharePoint permissions page in your web browser.
Step 4: Fix Inheritance
In my case:
- • Permission inheritance had broken
- • Users were assigned incorrect permission levels
- • Solution: Re-enable inheritance from parent site
Click Actions → Edit Permissions → Inherit Permissions
Why This Happens
SharePoint Designer sometimes breaks permission inheritance on the Workflows folder during workflow creation or modification. This creates a permissions mismatch where:
- • The task list has correct permissions
- • The workflow instance has correct permissions
- • But the workflow folder itself blocks access
Since workflow tasks execute in the context of the Workflows folder, this breaks task editing even when all other permissions are correct.
Prevention
- • Check Workflows folder permissions after publishing workflows
- • Ensure inheritance is enabled unless explicitly broken for security
- • Test with limited-permission users before production deployment
- • Document permission inheritance structure for troubleshooting
Modern Context: Power Automate Era
SharePoint Designer workflows are deprecated. Modern Power Automate workflows handle permissions differently:
- • Run-as context: Workflows run under creator or connection owner credentials
- • Explicit permissions: Must grant specific permissions to workflow identity
- • Connection-based auth: Uses OAuth connections instead of folder permissions
- • Better error messages: Permission errors surface more clearly in flow run history
Key Takeaways
1. Check Workflows folder permissions first - common source of "access denied" errors
2. Permission inheritance can break silently - verify after workflow changes
3. Test with actual user permissions - admin testing misses permission bugs
4. Modern workflows avoid this issue - Power Automate has clearer permission model