“Workflow failed to start” – A SharePoint workflow did not trigger as expected.

If a SharePoint workflow fails to start and you receive the error message “Workflow failed to start,” there could be several possible reasons behind it. Below is a step-by-step detailed troubleshooting guide to help you diagnose and resolve the issue.

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Step 1: Verify Workflow Status and Logs

1. Navigate to the SharePoint site where the workflow is configured.
2. Go to the list or library where the workflow should have triggered.
3. Click on “Workflow Settings” or go to the “Flow” section.
4. Check if the workflow instance is visible under “Workflow History”.
5. If it failed, look for error messages in the Workflow History List.

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Step 2: Check if the Workflow is Published

1. Open SharePoint Designer (if using SharePoint Designer workflows).
2. Locate your workflow under Workflows.
3. Check if the workflow is in Published status.
4. If it is in a draft state, click “Publish” and try again.
5. If it is published, consider republishing the workflow to refresh it.

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Step 3: Ensure the Workflow is Set to Start Automatically (If Expected)

1. Open SharePoint Designer and navigate to the workflow.
2. Check the workflow start options:
   • Manually Start: If this is the only option selected, the workflow won’t start automatically.
   • Automatically Start When an Item is Created: Ensures that the workflow triggers when a new item is added.
   • Automatically Start When an Item is Changed: Ensures that the workflow triggers when an item is updated.
3. If automatic triggers are missing, update and republish the workflow.

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Step 4: Verify User Permissions

1. Check User Permissions on the List/Library:
   • Users need Edit or Contribute permissions to start workflows.
   • If the workflow needs to update items, users need Full Control or Design permissions.
2. Check App Permissions for Power Automate (if applicable):
   • If using Power Automate (Flow), ensure the user has permissions to execute actions.
3. Ensure the Workflow is Not Running with Insufficient Privileges:
   • If the workflow executes under current user context, check if that user has required permissions.

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Step 5: Confirm Workflow Timer Service is Running (For SharePoint On-Premises)

1. If you are using SharePoint Server (On-Premises), workflows rely on the Workflow Timer Service.
2. On the SharePoint Server, open Services.msc.
3. Find the service named SharePoint 2013 Workflow Timer Service or Workflow Manager Backend (depending on your version).
4. If the service is Stopped, restart it and check if workflows trigger.

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Step 6: Verify Workflow Association with the List

1. Go to the List or Library Settings.
2. Click on “Workflow Settings”.
3. Ensure the workflow appears under “Workflows associated with this list”.
4. If the workflow is missing, reassociate it by re-adding the workflow to the list.

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Step 7: Check SharePoint Workflow Platform

1. SharePoint 2010 & 2013 workflows are deprecated in some environments (especially SharePoint Online).
2. If using SharePoint Online, ensure that SharePoint 2010/2013 workflows are still enabled.
3. If workflows are disabled, consider migrating to Power Automate.

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Step 8: Review Event Receivers or Custom Scripts

1. If custom event receivers or scripts are running on the list, they might interfere with workflow execution.
2. Disable them temporarily and see if the workflow triggers.
3. Check SharePoint Logs (ULS logs) for any conflicts.

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Step 9: Look for Corrupted Workflow Instances

1. If previous workflow instances failed midway, they might block new ones.
2. Go to Site Contents > Workflow Tasks and Workflow History lists.
3. Delete old, failed workflow instances.

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Step 10: Debug Using PowerShell (For On-Premises)

1. Open SharePoint Management Shell as Administrator.
2. Run the following command to check workflow subscriptions: Get-SPWorkflowSubscription -List "<ListName>"
3. If no results appear, the workflow might not be correctly associated.
4. To force-restart the workflow services: Restart-Service -Name SPAdminV4 Restart-Service -Name SPTimerV4

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Step 11: Recreate the Workflow (Last Resort)

1. Save a backup of the existing workflow.
2. Create a new workflow with the same logic but under a new name.
3. Associate it with the list/library.
4. Publish and test the new workflow.

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