Create a workflow

Completed

Use a script editor such as the Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE) to write the workflow. It enforces workflow syntax and highlights syntax errors. For more information, review the tutorial Tutorial - Create a PowerShell Workflow runbook in Azure Automation.

A benefit of using PowerShell ISE is that it automatically compiles your code and allows you to save the artifact. Because the syntactic differences between scripts and workflows are significant, a tool that understands both workflows and scripts will save you considerable coding and testing time.

Workflow syntax

When you create your workflow, begin with the workflow keyword, which identifies a workflow command to PowerShell. A script workflow requires the workflow keyword. Next, name the workflow, and have it follow the workflow keyword. The body of the workflow will be enclosed in braces.

Creating a workflow

A workflow is a Windows command type, so select a name with a verb-noun format:

workflow Test-Workflow
  {
      ...
  }

    ```

### Adding parameters

To add parameters to a workflow, use the **Param** keyword. It's the same technique that you use to add parameters to a function.

### Adding commands

Finally, add your standard **PowerShell** commands:

```powershell
workflow MyFirstRunbook-Workflow
{
    Param(
        [string]$VMName,
        [string]$ResourceGroupName
    )
    Start-AzureRmVM -Name $VMName -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName
}

Key workflow features

PowerShell Workflow provides additional capabilities beyond standard PowerShell scripts:

• Checkpoints: Use Checkpoint-Workflow to save the workflow state and resume from that point if interrupted.
• Parallel processing: Use the Parallel keyword to execute multiple tasks simultaneously.
• InlineScript: Use InlineScript blocks to run standard PowerShell code within a workflow when workflow syntax limitations exist.