Add the app

  • From Nintex Automation (5.7) onwards there are two different apps for SharePoint. The legacy Nintex K2 for SharePoint: used for SharePoint on-premises and upgraded environments for SharePoint Online, and Nintex Automation for SharePoint: used on new installations for SharePoint Online.
  • Microsoft has announced the deprecation of the SharePoint Add-Ins model for SharePoint Online, effective 2 April 2026. We recommend migrating to Nintex Automation for SharePoint using the Nintex K2 for SharePoint SPFx migration tool to avoid potential disruptions.

 

Nintex Automation for SharePoint Online

The product integrates with SharePoint Online using an app. To enable integration between the product and SharePoint, you must install the app in SharePoint and then activate the SharePoint feature in Management which registers an instance of it. You then need to activate your SharePoint sites using this Service Instance.

The screenshots and instructions for third-party software are accurate at the time of writing. Third-party vendors may have changed or updated aspects of their systems (such as user interfaces, functionality, and security). As a result, this content may be outdated.

You can add the app from the SharePoint store, or download the app, and then upload and enable it in SharePoint Online.

Follow these steps to add the app from the SharePoint store:

  1. Go to the More features page in the SharePoint admin center and select Open under Apps.
  2. On the Manage apps page, select SharePoint Store in the left pane.
  3. Search for Nintex Automation.
  4. Select the Nintex Automation App and select Add.

    Do not select the Nintex Automation Cloud app.

  5. Select to add the app to all sites.

Or use the following steps to download the app, and then upload and enable it in SharePoint Online:

  1. Download the app file from Nintex Automation for SharePoint app.
  2. In the SharePoint admin center, select More features and click the Open button in the Apps section.
  3. In Manage apps, click Upload.
  4. Navigate to your Nintex Automation installation folder and into the SharePoint installer sub folder.
  5. Select the nintex-k2.sppkg file and click Open.
  6. On the Enable app screen select Enable this app and add it to all sites or Only enable this app, then click Enable app.
  7. Once the app is enabled click Close.
  8. The Nintex K2 Automation for SharePoint app is now installed on your SharePoint Online environment.

The SharePoint app can be deployed to all sites in the environment.

  1. On the Enable app screen select Enable this app and add it to all sites, then click Enable app.


  2. Once the app is enabled click Close.
  3. The Nintex K2 Automation for SharePoint app is now installed on your SharePoint Online environment.

The Nintex K2 Automation SharePoint app can be deployed to a single site, if functionality is not required on multiple sites.

  1. On the Enable app screen select Only enable this app, then click Enable app.

  2. Once the app is enabled click Close.
  3. The Nintex K2 Automation for SharePoint app is now installed on your SharePoint Online environment.

  4. In the SharePoint admin center, select Sites and click Active sites.
  5. Select the site you want to deploy the new app to.
  6. On the site, click on New and select App.
  7. Under Apps you can add, add the Nintex K2 app.

  8. The app is now active on the site.

For Nintex Automation for SharePoint app version 5.1000.008.3 and older , use the following steps to remove the old app, download the new app, and then upload and enable it in SharePoint Online.

Delete the old Nintex Automation for Sharepoint app.

  1. In the SharePoint admin center, select More features and click the Open button in the Apps section.

  2. Select the old app and click Delete.

  3. Click Delete in the prompt that follows.

  4. Click the settings icon and select Site settings.

  5. Under Site Collection Administration, select Recycle bin.

  6. Select the old app and click Delete.

  7. At the bottom of the page, select Second-stage-recycle bin.

  8. Select the old app and click Delete.

Download and install the new Nintex K2 Automation for SharePoint app, to enable tenant or site only app deployment for the new app.

  1. Download the app file from Nintex K2 Automation app.

  2. In the SharePoint admin center, select More features and click the Open button in the Apps section.

  3. In Manage apps, click Upload.
  4. Select the nintex-K2.sppkg file and click Open.
  5. On the Enable app screen select Enable this app and add it to all sites or Only enable this app, then click Enable app.
  6. Once the app is enabled click Close.
  7. The app is now installed on your SharePoint Online environment.

The following outlines how to enable the Nintex Automation K2 for SharePoint (SPFx) app in Management for each deployment type.

  • If you want to upgrade from the legacy Nintex K2 for SharePoint app to the Nintex Automation K2 for SharePoint (SPFx) app: Run the SPFx Migration Tool to enable the feature in Management.
  • If you have an upgraded K2 environment and would like to install the new Nintex Automation K2 for SharePoint (SPFx) app: Execute the following SQL script to enable the feature flags, and restart the K2 host server service for these changes to apply.
    • Copy 
    UPDATE [K2].[HostServer].[Feature]
    SET IsActive = 1 
    WHERE FeatureName IN ('Webhooks', 'SPOnlineModernForms');

    UPDATE [K2].[SmartBroker].[ServiceType]
    SET IsFeature = 1 
    WHERE [Guid] = '88B2A503-EA7C-479C-804E-AC2EC96D75BC';
  • If you have a new K2 environment with the Nintex Automation K2 for SharePoint (SPFx) app: The feature is enabled by default. You can configure the feature instance without additional steps.
  1. Make sure you have your App Catalog SiteURL from SharePoint Online.
  2. Navigate to Management.
  3. Select Features or click on Manage Features.
  4. Select SharePoint Site Collection.
  5. Click the New Instance button at the top left of the Features list.
  6. In the Configure Server step, App Catalog Site URL text box, paste your App Catalog Site URL, for example: https://<companyname>.sharepoint.com/sites/appcatalog.
  7. Click Configure.
  8. The Permission requested message displays, click Accept.
  9. The Trust integration runs.
  10. Once completed and you see the Authorization Successful message, return to the App Feature Instance and click Continue.
  11. The OAuth Resource, Claims, Administrative OAuth Token, SharePoint Service Broker, and Application configuration shows.
  12. Once everything has completed successfully, click Close.
  13. In the Activate Site Collection step, add your Site URL to the Site Collection URL text box, for example, https://<companyname>.sharepoint.com/sites/<sitename>.
  14. Click Activate.
  15. You must log in to your SharePoint site collection to create the authorization token. Once you see the Authorization Successful message, click OK.
  16. The Active Site screen shows the sites activated on SharePoint Online.
  17. Click Close.
  18. You can activate more site collections as needed.
  19. Once the configuration is complete, close the Add Feature Instance screen.

For an overview of the differences when using the app see Nintex Automation for SharePoint app overview. If you need to move back to the legacy Nintex K2 for SharePoint app, use the following steps:

  1. Uninstall your SharePoint Site Collections from Management > Features > SharePoint Site Collection. For more information see SharePoint Online.

    This will clear all your artifacts from each site collection. You must then recreate them after installing the legacy app.

  2. Delete the Nintex Automation for SharePoint SharePoint Online (SPFx) app from your SharePoint Online App Catalog.

  3. Also delete the app from the following areas, one after the other:

    • [Tenant]/sites/appcatalog/Lists/K2%20Tracking/

    • [Tenant]/sites/appcatalog/Lists/K2s%20Tracking/

    • Recycle bin

  4. Set the following flags to False in the K2 database under HostServerFeature:

    • SPOnlineModernForms

    • Webhooks

  5. Restart the K2 Service.

  6. Clear your browser cache and close the browser.

  7. Install, register, deploy, and activate the legacy Nintex K2 for SharePoint app to your SharePoint Online environment. Follow the Legacy Nintex K2 for SharePoint app > Add the legacy Nintex K2 for SharePoint app steps in Add the app

Legacy Nintex K2 for SharePoint app

Follow the steps below to add the K2 Five for SharePoint app to the app catalog site.

Do not use the SharePoint app from the App store, use the app that corresponds to your version of the product.
Tenant Administration rights are required to register, deploy, and activate the app on the app catalog site. Site Collection Administrator rights are required to deploy and activate the app on site collections. View Permissions and rights for more information.
The screenshots and instructions for third-party software are accurate at the time of writing. Third-party vendors may have changed or updated aspects of their systems (such as user interfaces, functionality, and security). As a result, this content may be outdated.
Do not access the app from the new Site Collection App Catalog, you must use the app from the SharePoint App Catalog.
Use the App Deployment tool to deploy the K2 Five for SharePoint app to your App Catalog. This automatically runs during an installation, or you can manually run the tool from the setup folder after installation:
"%ProgramFiles%\K2\Setup\AppDeployment.exe"
  1. The K2 Five for SharePoint app is not automatically added to the app catalog. Open the Site Contents page of your app catalog. Click on the K2 Five for SharePoint app in the Apps you can add section and add it.
  2. On the Do you trust K2 Five for SharePoint? page, click Trust It.
  3. Once the app has been added to the app catalog, the app is available in the app catalog's Site Contents page.

Your next step is to register the app in the app catalog, as shown in the following section.

Follow these steps to register the app in the app catalog:

  1. In the Site Contents of the app catalog, click the K2 Five for SharePoint app.
  2. On the Apps > K2 for SharePoint > Settings > Registration Wizard page, specify a K2 URL and click Next.
  3. Next the Registration Wizard will run. Click Finish once complete.

Your next step is to deploy the app to required site collections.

When deploying the K2 Five for SharePoint app to the required site collections, the app is deployed to all subsites that exist within the chosen site collections.

Follow the steps below to deploy the app to the required site collections:

  1. On the Apps > K2 for SharePoint page, click the Manage App Deployments (SharePoint) link.
  2. Next the Manage App Deployments > K2 Five for SharePoint page opens. On the Manage App Deployments page, there are two methods to deploy the app to the required site collections. Firstly, as described in step 3, using the Site Collections section where site collections can be individually specified, and secondly, as described in step 4, using the Managed Paths section where all site collections can be specified via the (All Paths) option. If you follow the Site Collections method (step 3) then the Managed Paths method (step 4) should not be used as it will deploy to all site collections.
    Best practice is to use the Managed Paths option to accomplish integration with SharePoint.
  3. If specific site collections and their associated subsites are required for app deployment follow this step. In the Site Collections section, add the required site collections and click the Add button. Do not use the Managed Paths step as it will deploy to all site collections.
    Multiple site collections can be added at once, if required.

  4. If all paths are required follow this step. In the Managed Paths section, select the (All Paths) option and click Add. This deploys the app to all site collections and associated subsites that reside in the farm/tenancy (All Paths) or under a valid path, such as sites. This is a more efficient and the recommended way to accomplish integration with SharePoint than step 3 where you specify site collections individually.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Next click the Trust It button on the Do you trust K2 Five for SharePoint page.

Your next step is to activate the app.

Follow these steps to activate the K2 for SharePoint app:

  1. On the Site Contents page, click on the K2 Five for SharePoint app.
  2. Click the Manage App Activations link on the Apps > K2 for SharePoint page.
  3. Next, on the Apps > K2 for SharePoint > Settings > Manage App Activations page, set the default server and specify the required site collections for activation and click Activate. On the Manage App Activations page, select or deselect the Enable auto-activation on sites where the app is deployed check box, the check is selected by default. This option allows a administrator to specify specific site collections to have the app activated or all site collections where the app is deployed to be activated. Click the Save button then specify the site collection, then click the Activate button If the Enable auto-activation on sites where the app is deployed check box is deselected, you must activate the app from this page though the app appears on each site collection where the app is deployed.
  4. Next the Activate Site Collection page opens and the specified site collection is activated. Notice that the site collection and all subsites now have the activated app.
    At activation time, all existing subsites in the site collection are activated with K2 for SharePoint. New subsites that are added at a later point, either manually or via a workflow, are also activated with K2 for SharePoint through the remote event receivers. This automatic activation may take a few minutes depending on your SharePoint environment. SharePoint Online instances do NOT include the remote event receiver, and hence do not get K2 for SharePoint automatically added to new subsites. For SharePoint Online you must reactivate the site collection using the Manage App Activations page, which finds the new subsites and only activates those.
  5. When activating a site collection which contains a high number of subsites (50+), the activation may fail. To correct this issue click the Retry button on the Activate Site Collection page.
  6. Multiple site collections can be activated all at once if required, just repeat the above steps on the Manage App Activations page.
    Ensure that if multiple site collections are required for activation, the app is deployed via the Manage App Deployments page first. For more information see KB001755 - K2 for SharePoint Deployment and Activation.
  7. Click the Close button on the Activate Site Collection page.
  8. Click the Close button Manage App Activations page.
You can integrate lists and libraries in SharePoint site collections with the product, but you cannot integrate list and libraries in the app catalog with the product.

The following sections discuss how to manage a K2 Five for SharePoint environment. All management of the app is done on the app catalog. From the Settings page of the app, deployments and activations are administered, whether that's adding the app to a site collection or uninstalling it from a previously-integrated site collection.

To add the app to a SharePoint environment see the Add topic.

To uninstall the app, use the settings page on the app catalog. This removes the app from the specified site collection and its associated subsites. Follow the steps below to uninstall the app:

  1. Open the app catalog site, click Site Contents.
  2. On the Site Contents page click K2 Five for SharePoint app.
  3. On the Apps > K2 for SharePoint page, click the Manage App Activations link.

  4. On the Manage App Activations page select the required site collection where the app is currently installed and activated, and select it in the Uninstall section. Click the Uninstall button.

  5. A Confirmation dialog appears, click OK.
  6. The Uninstall Site Collection page opens and the uninstall begins automatically.
    When uninstalling the app from a site collection, all associated subsites that reside in the site collection, are also uninstalled.
  7. Once the uninstall is complete, click the Close button.

  8. Click the Close button on the Manage App Activations page.

To remove the app from a SharePoint environment, the app must first be uninstalled. To do this see the Uninstall section.

After uninstalling the app, the app can be removed from the App Deployment section of the app settings. To do this follow the steps below:

Before removing the app from the App Deployment section, ensure that the app has been uninstalled first from the necessary site collections.

  1. Open the app catalog site and navigate to Site Contents > K2 Five for SharePoint.
  2. On the Apps > K2 for SharePoint page, click the Manage App Deployments (SharePoint) link.
  3. On the Manage App Deployments > K2 Five for SharePoint page, select the site collection to remove from the Site collections to deploy to: section and click the Remove button.
  4. If you instead deployed using Managed Paths, click the paths you deployed to in the Managed paths to deploy to: section and then click the Remove button.

  5. Click the OK button.
  6. Next the Do you trust K2 Five for SharePoint? page opens, click the Trust it button.

If you want to remove the app and integration artifacts see Remove artifacts and integration from SharePoint.

  • Known issue:
    After running the registration wizard and trying to access the Manage App Activation page, you may get a "- 500 Session is invalid" error.
    Resolution:
    Do not use Google Chrome Incognito mode to access the Manage App Activation page. Access the page using Google Chrome in normal mode.
  • From Nintex Automation (5.8) onwards you can migrate your existing SharePoint Online solutions from Nintex K2 for SharePoint to Nintex Automation for SharePoint using the Nintex K2 for SharePoint SPFx migration tool.
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