This is a fantastic article by Kim Frehe. Kim wrote this artice because she came across "a minor issue with being able to update an item that requires check in and check out via workflow and being able to apply that to "any" list, content type, page or document." Check out her article below -

I love that SharePoint Designer gives you the ability to create reusable workflows. It's even better that you can select "All" as the content type. However, I have come across a minor issue with being able to update an item that requires check in and check out via workflow and being able to apply that to "any" list, content type, page or document. You can't start a workflow on an item that's checked out, but you can't update an item that's checked in. When you try to use the "Check out" action, you are expected to select a list to check out an item from.

The Requirement:
Create a workflow that will make field updates to a document or page that requires check-in / check-out. This workflow must be able to work on any page or document library in the site collection.
The Problem:
1.I can't update any old field on a checked-in item housed in a library where check-out is required.
2.SharePoint Designer workflow action "Check out item" wants me to choose a List Item to check out, but I need to be able to use this on any list or content type

The Solution:
A modification to the .xoml file that tells the workflow to use "this item" regardless of the list.

Disclaimer: If you want to model an out of the box workflow, always copy and modify…it is never a good idea to modify the out of the box global workflows directly.

Steps:
1.Set up your workflow with placeholders for your check-in and check-out actions.
2.Add "Check out item in this list" and "Check in item in this list with Comment" actions to the appropriate steps on your workflow.
•Do not select a List. Leave the "this list" as is.
3.Save your workflow.
4.Go "All Files", "Workflows", click on the workflow name in the window below "All files" so that your workflow displays it's files in the window on the right side of the screen.

5.Right click on the .xoml file and click "Open With", "SharePoint Designer (open as XML)"

6.Click Ctrl+F to find "CheckOutItemActivity"
7.In that row you will see: ListItem={x:Null}" ListID="{x:Null}"
8.Replace "x:Null" in "ListItem=" with "ActivityBind ROOT, Path=__item"

9.Replace "x:Null" in "ListId=" with ActivityBindROOT, Path=__list"

10.Click "Ctrl+F" to find "CheckInItemActivity"
11.Repeat steps 8 and 9 for this line item

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