How to trigger a workflow based on a date value in SQL?

Hello there.

This could be achieved in MANY different ways, but I'll explain one simple and easy way.  I'm not saying this is the best or worst way, but just one of many possible.  :)

- You could create a simple console application that is scheduled to run via Windows Task Scheduler (or similar).

- In the application, you would make a call to your database to get those employees that you want to start workflows for (those expiring within 7 days, etc.). 

- You would then iterate through each record and use the K2 Client API (SourceCode.Workflow.Client.dll) to create and start a new workflow.

- There are other things to think about also - as you mentioned expiring "within the next 7 days" - so you'll want to track who you've started workflows for if this process runs say, daily, for example.  You may not want to launch multiple workflows for the same employee when he/she shows up in the results the next time you run the app.

Here is some sample code that may help you to get an idea.  The section of note is within the ForEach - this is where the workflow is being started.

public void StartWorkflowsForUpcomingExpirations()
{
    // get the employee records with matching criteria
    // i.e. expiring within 7 days
    var employees = repository
        .Get<Employee>()
        .Where(emp => emp.ExpiryDate > DateTime.Today && emp.ExpiryDate <= DateTime.Today.AddDays(7))
        .ToList();

    // iterate through each employee and start a new workflow for each one
    employees.ForEach(emp =>
    {
        // create a new connection
        var conn = new SourceCode.Workflow.Client.Connection();

        // open the connection, passing in your server name
        conn.Open(serverName);

        // optional - if you need to impersonate a different user starting the workflows
        conn.ImpersonateUser(someUserName);

        // create the new process instance, passing in the name of the process
        var procInst = conn.CreateProcessInstance(processName);

        // set the folio name to something meaningful
        procInst.Folio = string.Format("Employee Expiry Process for Emp: {0}", emp.EmployeeID);

        // start the process instance
        conn.StartProcessInstance(procInst, true);
    });
}

I hope this helps.  Let me know if you need more detail on anything.

I've not tried it yet, but when we posed this question to K2 support they suggested scheduling a PowerShell script from windows task scheduler that launched the workflow.

True, I forgot you can also use SharePoint to schedule a process/workflow using the Process Portal. See the bottom of this blog article for instructions: http://old.k2underground.com/blogs/blackbelt/archive/2011/09/02/scheduling-a-workflow-on-several-list-items.aspx

(You can also access the article and its images here http://web.archive.org/web/20130910035109/http://www.k2underground.com/blogs/blackbelt/archive/2011/09/02/scheduling-a-workflow-on-several-list-items.aspx )

If you agree that K2 should have its own native scheduler for starting processes/workflows, submit a feature request support ticket at http://portal.k2.com and maybe we can get them to add it in the next release. :-)

i am new to k2 . i am in need to implement the auto trigger batch process using k2 blackpearl

i got idea to implement the batch process via windows service.

using windows service i want to auto trigger the workflow.

focus of this task is generating payslip at end of every month and send the payslip via mail.

how to auto trigger the workflow via windows service?