Create Workflow based on Today's Date

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Posted on by l ringel

Hi there,

I would like to create a workflow that changes the status of a Project once it reaches the "End Date".

I created a Calculate Date & Time field "Today's Date" that displays today's date, and created a Workflow that should change the status of the project when the "End Date' is On or After "Toady's Date". But when I try to activate the Workflow, it states that I can't use Calculated fields in a workflow.

Is there any other way to get this done?

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ashlega 34,477 on at

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Hi Leibish,

you should be able to use timeout condition in your workflow to wait till the "End Date" - there is no need for the calculated field:

community.dynamics.com/.../workflow-wait-conditions-best-practices-dynamics-crm-2011

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l ringel on at

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Hi Alex,

Thank You for your response, it worked!!!

I'm just wondering if the same thing is possible to get done through a Real-Time Workflow. I feel that it'll work better for my organization if its running in a Real-Time Workflow.

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ashlega 34,477 on at

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Hi,

"real time" workflows are there to cover another scenario. If you wanted something to happen right away, that's when you'd be using them (for example.. you might want to change the status of the case record when it is reassigned to another user). The main advantage of realtime workflows is, probably, that they will run between the moment you hit "save" button and the moment the screen comes back.. in other words, you will see the results of real-time workflow execution right away.

When it's a "wait" workflow, there is no need for that.

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l ringel on at

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Hi Alex,

I just noticed an additional step that I'll be needing from this workflow. If for any given reason we extended the Project "End Date" once the workflow has completed doing what is set to do, we would want the status to change back to "Active".

Do you know how I can get that done?

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ashlega 34,477 on at

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Hi Leibish,

Not sure I'm completely following the question.. can't you make that workflow start on the update of the project end field?

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l ringel on at

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Hi Alex,

The Project has 2 Status, Active & Finalizing. When the Project reaches the "End Date" I want the status to change from Active to Finalizing. With your help I created that workflow. The workflow consists of a Timeout until the Project "End Date". Now, if we extended the Project after it has reached the "End Date" I want the Status to change back to Active.

I hope I was able to explain it better.

Thank You!!!

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ashlega 34,477 on at

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Hi Leibish,

you can create another workflow that will set the status to active whenever you extend the end date (this is where you can actually use a real-time workflow).

And, since you'll keep your original workflow, it will also kick in once you change the end date, will wait till the end date, and will change the status back to "finalizing" again.

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l ringel on at

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Hi Alex,

Thank You very much for your help!!!

Thank You!!!

Leibish Ringel

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I have the exactly same scenario, so basically as Alex suggested..
If I create a Workflow-1 to kick in once the end date is changed and wait till the end date is reached to change the status to finalizing (in this scenario)
And a Workflow-2 for setting the status to active whenever the end date is extended.

now consider a scenario.. WF-1 has 20 days left to update the status to finalizing..
I extended the end date.. to 40 days... Now another instance of the workflow-1 is triggered that will update the status to fianlizing in 40 days..
But I want to cancel the first instance. How can I do that..?

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