How can I make a workflow automatically start when an email is received?

Question

I have a workflow, which is set to run when an item in a list is created. The list is email enabled, and is populated only by email.

When I send an email to the list, the workflow is not started - however if I create a new item in the list through SP the workflow starts and runs.

My environment is SP 2010 using Nintex Workflow.

This appears to be a well known problem in WSS, but I can't find anything for SP 2010 specifically.

Answer 1

You have to change a system setting that allows workflows to run when emails are received in an email-enabled doc lib. Other than this, System Account is not allowed to run workflows for security purposes. It will only work when an email is received, not when an item is edited by System Account. You should not be editing items with the System Account:

stsadm.exe –o setproperty –propertyname declarativeworkflowautostartonemailenabled –propertyvalue yes

See complete article: Workflow not running with system account login?.

Answer 2

I have a workaround for this issue that does not require any SharePoint farm changes.

1. In the email-enabled document library or list, create a custom text column that has a default value.

2. In Nintex workflow, set it to trigger on item changed - conditional. Make the condition the column/value you set in step 1. You should also have the workflow change that value to something else as one of the activities.

This seems to bypass the issue with the system account not being able to launch a workflow triggered by a new emailed item. The trigger is no longer the new item, but the creation of that custom column.

Answer 3

Have you tried following the instructions you found for WSS? This is Microsoft's official KB article about it.

More on Google.

Answer 4

Can you tell me how the emails are created in the list? Basically with which account? Try to create emails into the list using users other than system account who has permission to create items in the list. SharePoint workflows do not start automatically while items are created using system account.

Answer 5

I'm kinda reposting my comment from @Jimbo Alva's answer. Again, tested to work on SPF 2010 (taken from the KB article link posted by @Muhimbi)

stsadm -o setproperty -pn declarativeworkflowautostartonemailenabled -pv true

Answer 6

take a look at this article:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/4607.workflows-on-incoming-emails-in-sharepoint-documents-library.aspx

Regard, Megren