"Unable to load workflow actions from server. Please contact your server."

Question

I get the following error message when I want to create or open a workflow in SharePoint Designer 2007
"unable to load workflow actions from server. Please contact your server
administrator."
I don't receive this error as a site collection administrator, but one of my contributors gets the error.

Answer 1

What Chris mentioned is kind of abnormal situation described in
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointdesigner/HA102379121033.aspx#20.
However, normally, you won’t be able to create SPD workflow if you only have Contribute permission level. I give the user Design permission level then he can
create SPD workflow.
There are other factors affecting permission to create SPD workflow:
1.     
According to
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointdesigner/HA101005871033.aspx#4
, the SPD workflows are stored in a site-level hidden document library called Workflows. You should make sure that user have permission in this document library so that the created workflow can be saved successfully.
 http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepointdesigner/archive/2008/11/25/locking-down-sharepoint-designer.aspx
describe the method to manage permission for this hidden Workflows document library: open the site in SharePoint Designer >> right-click the Workflows library >> click Properties >> click the Security tab >> click the link “Manage
permissions using the browser”
2.     
SharePoint Designer contributor setting (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointdesigner/HA101174691033.aspx
) can also block the user from being able to create workflows.