Some of us want to create a SharePoint site when an item is added to a SharePoint list. For SharePoint on-premise, we can achieve this using the event receivers and with SP online we can use designer workflow with REST API calls to achieve this.
Introduction to Designer Workflows
- SharePoint Designer is one of the best tools for creating workflows.
- A lot of activities, actions, and conditions are available in Designer. We can create rules that associate conditions and actions with items in SharePoint List and Libraries.
- We can use the workflow for the business process and approval process.
Below are the workflow start options for SharePoint List & Libraries.
- Allow workflow to be manually started.
- Start workflow automatically when an item is created.
- Start workflow automatically when an item is changed.
Steps to Create a Site Using Workflow
In a previous article, we have seen how to create a list workflow using SP Designer.
Once you have created the list workflow using the above article follow the below-listed steps to create a site using designer workflow.
Note. You need to activate the “Workflow can enable app permission” feature to enable the app step in the designer. Inside the app step only we will add the logic (REST API call) to create a site. The user performs the below step to activate the feature.
Go to site - settings - Manage site features - “Workflow can enable app permission” - Activate.
![Activate]()
After activating the feature get the app identifier.
Go to site - settings - App permissions
![App permissions]()
On the site app permission page, you can see the workflow and then get the workflow ID as shown below.
App Permissions
Then go to the appinv.aspx page using the below URL,
Append /_layouts/15/appinv.aspx to the site URL to see the hidden App Permissions page
Enter the selected workflow App ID and click the pop-up
Provide below XML on the Permission Request XML Textbox as shown below and click on the Create button.
<AppPermissionRequests>
<AppPermissionRequest Scope="http://sharepoint/content/sitecollection" Right="FullControl"/>
</AppPermissionRequests>
![XML Textbox]()
App Step will be enabled on the designer after you do the above steps. Then follow the below procedure.
Step 1. Create variables in workflow,
- Title: New Site Title
- Description: New Site Description
- SiteURL: New site URL name
- SiteTemplate: it may be a team site, blog, project, etc.
- RequestURL: URL of Where the site has to be created
Here is the Workflow screenshot for your reference.
![Workflow screenshot]()
Step 2. Build a dictionary value for the REST API call, below dictionary values need to be created.
RequestHeaders
Name |
Type |
Type |
Accept |
String |
application/json;odata=verbose |
Content-Type |
String |
application/json;odata=verbose |
![Build dictonary]()
Metadata
Name |
Type |
Type |
Name |
String |
SP.WebInfoCreation |
![Build]()
Parameters
Name |
Type |
Value |
__metadata |
Dictionary |
Variable: MetaData |
Url |
String |
Variable: SiteURL |
Title |
String |
Variable: Title |
Description |
String |
Variable: Description |
Language |
Number |
1033 |
WebTemplate |
String |
Variable: SiteTemplate |
UseUniquePermissions |
Boolean |
False |
![Stage 1]()
RequestDictionary
Name |
Type |
Value |
parameters |
Dictionary |
Variable: Parameters |
![Stage workflow]()
Step 3. Once the variables have been created add the app step to the workflow as shown below,
![App step]()
Step 4. Then add the HTTP call activity inside the app step,
![HTTP call activity]()
Step 5. Then right-click on the activity and click the advanced properties from the top ribbon,
![Advanced properties]()
Step 6. Set the properties & create a new variable for responsive content.
![Responsive content]()
Step 7. Then save the workflow and check for errors,
![Errors]()
Finally, publish the Workflow.
![Publish the Workflow]()
When you create an item in the list the site will be created successfully.
Summary
In this article, we have explored how to create a site using SharePoint designer workflow.