Calling user profile service from SharePoint Designer 2013 workflow yields "unauthorized"

Question

Trying to use the "call http web service" action from a SharePoint Designer 2013 workflow to get the user's manager. The url for the web service is:

https://server/_api/SP.UserProfiles.PeopleManager/GetUserProfilePropertyFor(accountName=@v,propertyName='Manager')?@v='domain\username'.

This url returns a value when tested from the browser. Outputting the response code to the log consistently results in "unauthorized". I have tried the "call http web service" action both in and out of an app step.

This is SharePoint 2013, on-premise.

How do I successfully call the user profile service, or is there an easier way to get the users manager?

Answer 1

The workflow app, by default, doesn't have access to the UserProfile for REST calls

Try following these steps to grant the workflow more rights:

1. Go to your site collection settings and click on App permissions (/_layouts/15/appprincipals.aspx?Scope=Web)
2. Make note of the App ID for your Workflow - it will be the GUID between i:0i.t|ms.sp.ext| and the @ sign
3. Go to your site collection's appinv.aspx page (/_layouts/15/appinv.aspx)
4. At the appinv.aspx page, fill in the Application ID and click the search button next to the ID box
5. Fill out the permission request box with the XML detailing the permissions you would like to grant (examples in the reference page)
   • In your case I would try:

       <AppPermissionRequests>
         <AppPermissionRequest Scope="http://sharepoint/social/tenant" Right="Read" />
       </AppPermissionRequests></li>
     

Reference: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/fp142383(v=office.15).aspx

You might also try adding a AppOnlyStep and enabling the web feature "Workflow Can Use App Permissions"

Answer 2

Make sure you use an App Step for calling the HTTP Request.

Make sure you give the required rights to the Workflow App.

Make sure you pass no requestHeader to the HTTP Request
(or you might get an Unauthorized/Forbidden response).