Create a Project Using the BrightWork Web Service

Introduction

The BrightWork web service includes the endpoint Create Project so that you can use the tool of your choice to provision a new Project Site. In this article we provide instructions in the context of using Nintex Workflow; you can modify the process to accommodate whichever tool you choose to use.

The web service functionality allows the user to create projects based on parameters passed in by the user (using JSON); the service will be called from the parent web.

https://samplesite/Sites/BWSite/Projects/_vti_bin/BrightWork.svc/CreateProject - Creates a new top-level project in BWSite.

https://samplesite/Sites/BWSite/Projects/ProjectA/_vti_bin/BrightWork.svc/CreateProject - Creates a new subproject under Project A.

Create Project Nintex Workflow

The Nintex workflow can be used with the existing Project Request Manager template, but ensure you disable the native BrightWork feature to create a Project from a Request. The workflow could also be employed in a standard SharePoint Custom List. This article will step through the process of building the Nintex Workflow.

Step 1: Define Variables

The Nintex Workflow needs seven variables defined, three of which are needed for the Web Service Call and four that are needed to create the Project:

Step 2: Set Variables

In Nintex, use the standard Set Variable Action to capture information from the Project Request form that will be passed to the Project Site.

Step 3: Build and Execute the Web Request

Building and executing the Web request requires three actions:

Step 3a: Capture XML Containing X-RequestDigest

Create a Web Request Action to capture the X-RequestDigest and store the information in the PostResultMultipleText variable.

URL: https://samplesite/Sites/BWSite/Projects/prm/_api/contextinfo

Content Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

Store Results: PostResultMultipleText

Step 3b: Extract X-RequestDigest from XML

Create a Query XML Action to parse out the X-RequestValue from the XML captured in the previous action and store the information in the XMLExtract Variable.

XML from Variable: {WorkflowVariable:PostResultMultipleText}

Output using Xpath: //*[local-name()='FormDigestValue']

Store Results: XMLExtract

Step 3c: Create Project Site from X-RequestValue

The final step is to create the Project Site using the X-Request Digest and populating the Project with your pre-defined variables:

URL: https://samplesite/Sites/BWSite/Projects/_vti_bin/BrightWork.svc/CreateProject

Content Type: application/json

Header Information:
{
"templateName":"{WorkflowVariable:TemplateName}",
"projectName":"{WorkflowVariable:ProjectName}",
"projectTitle":"{WorkflowVariable:ProjectName}",
"projectDescription":"{WorkflowVariable:ProjectDescription}",
"useParentTopNavigation":"True",
"addToParentTopNavigation":"True",
"addToParentQuickLaunch":"True"
}