Troubleshooting “Workflow Configuration Error” in SharePoint

The “Workflow Configuration Error” occurs when a SharePoint workflow is improperly configured, leading to failures during execution. This issue can arise due to incorrect workflow settings, missing dependencies, permission issues, service failures, or workflow association problems.

This guide provides a step-by-step troubleshooting process to diagnose and fix the error.

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Step 1: Identify the Workflow Type

Before troubleshooting, determine which type of SharePoint workflow you are using:

1. SharePoint 2010 Workflow (Built-in, uses SharePoint Workflow Engine).
2. SharePoint 2013 Workflow (Uses Workflow Manager).
3. Power Automate (Flow) (For modern SharePoint Online).

Check your workflow type:

• Open SharePoint Designer > Workflows > See the version mentioned in Workflow Settings.
• If using Power Automate, open the Flow in the Power Automate portal.

Once identified, follow the relevant troubleshooting steps.

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Step 2: Verify Workflow Association

A workflow must be correctly associated with a list, library, or site. If the association is broken, the workflow will not run.

Check Workflow Association in SharePoint Designer

1. Open SharePoint Designer.
2. Click on Workflows.
3. Locate your workflow and check the Associated List or Library.
4. If it is blank or missing, re-associate the workflow:
   • Click Workflow Settings > Set a List or Library.
   • Select the appropriate list/library.
   • Save and Republish the workflow.

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Step 3: Ensure Required Columns Exist

If your workflow references a column that has been deleted or renamed, it will fail.

1. Go to List Settings of the associated list/library.
2. Check if all required columns (e.g., Status, Assigned To) are still present.
3. If a required column is missing:
   • Restore it if available in Recycle Bin.
   • Recreate the column manually with the same name and type.
   • Update the workflow to use an existing column instead.
4. Republish the workflow in SharePoint Designer and test it again.

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Step 4: Check Workflow Start Settings

Incorrect start settings may prevent the workflow from triggering.

1. Open SharePoint Designer > Workflows.
2. Click on your workflow and check the Start Options:
   • Manually
   • Automatically on item creation
   • Automatically on item modification
3. Ensure the correct start condition is enabled.
4. Save and Republish the workflow.

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Step 5: Verify User Permissions

If the workflow runs under a user account without sufficient permissions, it may fail.

Check Permissions for the Workflow Initiator

1. Go to the list/library where the workflow runs.
2. Click List Settings > Permissions for this list.
3. Ensure the workflow initiator has:
   • Contribute or Edit permissions on the list/library.
   • Access to Workflow Tasks and Workflow History lists.

Grant Permissions to the SharePoint Workflow Account

1. Open Central Administration.
2. Go to Security > Configure Service Accounts.
3. Ensure the workflow service account has Full Control in:
   • Workflow History list.
   • Workflow Tasks list.
   • Associated list/library.
4. If using Power Automate, check the connection permissions under “My Connections” in Power Automate.

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Step 6: Ensure Workflow History and Task List Are Accessible

A missing or corrupted Workflow History or Workflow Tasks list can cause failures.

1. Go to Site Contents.
2. Look for Workflow History and Workflow Tasks lists.
3. If missing, recreate them:
   • Create a new list with the same name.
   • Associate the workflow with the new list in Workflow Settings.
4. If lists exist but are inaccessible, check permissions (Step 5).

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Step 7: Check for Workflow Errors in ULS Logs (For On-Premises Users)

If using SharePoint Server (On-Premises), check Unified Logging System (ULS) logs for errors.

1. Open SharePoint Management Shell as Administrator.
2. Run the following command: Get-SPLogEvent | Where-Object { $_.Message -like "*workflow*" }
3. Look for errors related to:
   • Workflow association failures
   • Permission issues
   • Timer job failures
4. Use the error details to troubleshoot the specific issue.

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Step 8: Restart Workflow Timer Service (For On-Premises Users)

If workflows are not triggering or executing properly, restart the Workflow Timer Service.

Restart via Services (GUI Method)

1. Open Services (services.msc).
2. Locate SharePoint Timer Service (SPTimerV4).
3. Right-click and select Restart.

Restart via PowerShell

1. Open SharePoint Management Shell.
2. Run: Restart-Service SPTimerV4

After restarting, re-test the workflow.

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Step 9: Reconfigure Workflow Manager (For SharePoint 2013+ Users)

If using SharePoint 2013 workflows, Workflow Manager issues may cause configuration errors.

Re-register Workflow Manager

1. Open SharePoint Management Shell.
2. Run: Register-SPWorkflowService -SPSite "https://yoursiteurl" -WorkflowHostUri "http://workflowserver:12291"
3. Restart IIS: iisreset
4. Test the workflow again.

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Step 10: Recreate the Workflow (If All Else Fails)

If the configuration error persists, recreating the workflow may be necessary.

1. Open SharePoint Designer.
2. Backup the existing workflow:
   • Click Export to Visio (for SharePoint Designer 2010/2013 workflows).
   • Save a copy of all workflow logic.
3. Create a new workflow from scratch.
4. Configure all actions and conditions carefully.
5. Publish and test the workflow.

For Power Automate workflows, try exporting the workflow and re-importing it.

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