Create a workflow with Item Level permissions by using the SharePoint 2013 Workflow platform

Question

I'm creating a custom workflow on SharePoint Online (Office 365) in SharePoint Designer. I am trying to achieve below tasks:

• This workflow will execute on a SharePoint list, triggered when a new item is created or an existing item is modified.
• The first action of the workflow will be to set unique permissions on the current list item: remove permissions inheritance, and add Contributor access for a specific SharePoint security group, and add Full Control for another SharePoint security group

How can this be done?

Answer 1

There is a workflow feature in SharePoint designer (you have to select the 2010 template) called impersonation step.

This is one of the many pages that explain it

http://blogs.sharepoint911.com/blogs/jennifer/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=91

If you google sharepoint workflow impersonation step you find more documentation.

Basically the workflow that starts automatically when a document is added will detach the single entity and attribute the permissions you want on it (certain people as editors or viewers or certain groups as sole editors etc).

Answer 2

Unfortunately out of box the SharePoint doesn't allow you to do this. I would recommend you to use Plumsail Workflow Actions Pack this is set of more than 60 additional workflow actions for SharePoint Designer. Also it contains workflow actions for permission management.

Please check out the following links to know more: Grand permission on Item - documentation Create site by custom template and grant permissions using SharePoint 2013 or Office 365 workflow - Use case

I'm one of developers the product and I definitely recommend it.