Symptoms

Suppose the following scenario: Simple Test workflow was created to convert a Word Document in a Document Library to a PDF. This test Workflow fails with the following error:

'Server was unable to process request. ---andgt Object reference not set to an instance of an object'.

This workflow does not work when Anonymous Access is Enabled on a Web Application with the above mentioned error but works if they disable Anonymous Access.

 

Diagnoses

If you are using the event wizard called "Word Document Event" along with the action called "Convert document":
http://help.k2.com/onlinehelp/k2blackpearl/UserGuide/4.6.6/webframe.html_Word_Documents_Wizard_-_Convert_Documents.html

Then you should be aware that this is a SharePoint 2010 wizard, so it will not work in SharePoint 2013. K2 for SharePoint 2013 in 2010 mode currently IS SUPPORTED but only when Anonymous Access is NOT enabled. As it has only been tested with Anonymous Access disabled.

There is may be use case for using Anonymous Access to provide a 'landing page' for unauthenticated users, so you need to have it enabled on the Web Application level, while site collection where K2 app is installed would not have Anonymous Access enabled.

For this the following feature request has been logged:

TFS 603539 - SharePoint 2010/2013 in 2010 mode. Support for Anonymous Access to be enabled on the Web Application, but not on wild card or explicit site collections (Sub Site Collections)
 

Resolution

Currently K2 does not support anonymous access enabled on SharePoint web applications level, as this was never tested. There is an existing feature request for this.

Word Document events in K2 for SharePoint 2013 are not supported.

K2 for SharePoint 2013 in 2010 mode IS SUPPORTED but only when Anonymous Access is NOT enabled. As this functionality was only tested with Anonymous Access disabled.