SP2010: How to start a workflow which is not related to a document or list item?

Question

I'm trying to build a "list" which is comprised of a bunch of workflows. Example workflows would be: Travel, Reimbursement, Software Request. I would like to list these workflows and allow a user to click the Software Request workflow to launch a new instance of the Software Request workflow. The workflows do not relate to a specific item in a list.

How would add a list of workflows to a page?

Answer 1

Since you have created site workflows and they don’t have a list item or document to start from, they must be started either:

1) manually - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee662540.aspx

or

2) Using API - example - http://unclepaul84.blogspot.com/2009/12/starting-sharepoint-2010-site-workflows.html

Let us know if you find a better way...

Answer 2

Create hyperlinks to the NewForm pages of the lists that hold the workflows. Workflows have to run on list or library items, so users have to submit something.

Answer 3

Use this code:

    var ass = web.WorkflowAssociations.GetAssociationByName("Change Request Approval", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
    web.Site.WorkflowManager.StartWorkflow(null, ass, ass.AssociationData, SPWorkflowRunOptions.Synchronous);