SAP Business Workflow and Application Scenarios
SAP Business Workflow is a solution which has been integrated fully in the R/3 System and which enables customer-specific business process flows to be coordinated and controlled on a cross-application and cross-workplace basis. SAP Business Workflow therefore enhances "ready-made" application software.
The SAP Business Workflow definition environment is available in order to represent business processes in a simple manner and to be able to respond to changing external conditions quickly during ongoing operation by flexibly adapting the business processes which have already been implemented.
A number of SAP applications support Workflow Management by SAP Business Workflow. In many situations you can therefore use workflow scenarios which have already been configured. These can either be implemented without any changes or they can be used for your business processes with minimal adjustments. These workflow scenarios reduce implementation time significantly and are optimally adjusted to the respective application functions.
The workflow scenarios are integrated in IDES (International Demonstration and Education System). It is possible to run the business processes of a model company in this fully configured system.
What is a workflow scenario?
The term "workflow scenario" describes the whole range of options which are available for supporting workflow functionality in an application. The workflow scenarios can be divided into three categories:
• Creation of events
Events are created to report status changes undergone by an application object and to allow a reaction to be made to these. You can respond to these events in a flexible and customer-specific way without the standard part of the application needing to be modified. You will generally use such events as triggering events for customer-specific customer tasks or workflow tasks.
The triggering of these events is often not activated in the standard version, but depends on the customizing settings.
You can find further information in the application scenario documentation.
• Provision of standard tasks
Standard tasks contain a task description and a connection to the application logic via business object methods. Before a standard task can be used productively, you must assign it to its possible agents.
The standard tasks provided by SAP are generally used as steps in a workflow template. They are available as "modules" which you can use for your own developments.
If a workflow scenario only involves one standard task, it can usually be regarded as a minimal solution for showing the connection between application functionality and SAP Business Workflow. For differentiated workflow management, this standard task should be replaced by a customer-specific workflow task.
You can find further information in the application scenario documentation.
• Preparation of workflow templates
Workflow templates contain complete process descriptions comprising several steps.
In the cases where workflow templates describe business processes which occur in exactly the same way in your company, or in the cases where changes to the workflow template are not advisable for technical reasons, the workflow templates supplied by SAP can be used productively without any changes needing to be made. It may however be necessary to make some customizing settings.
In any other case, you can use the workflow templates as the basis for your own developments. The existing process structures of the business application components, which are often represented in a transaction, are generally not replaced. SAP Business Workflow is located as an integration level "above" the standard business functions and uses the existing transactions, function modules, and reports.
• In the business background you find out which business processes are supported by workflow scenarios, which employees are involved, and what advantages and benefits can be derived from using the workflow system.
This information is sufficient if you are interested in an initial overview of the options available.
• A more detailed presentation of the processes is provided in the description of the technical background of the respective scenarios. Here you learn in detail what steps were carried out by SAP in order to represent the business process in the system.
You are familiarized with the object types which form the basis of the scenario and you find out which standard tasks are defined to describe the activities which need to be performed, which roles are resolved, and which events are used. The structure of the workflow template used and its interface and container are described in greater detail.
This information is particularly useful if you are planning to enhance and modify the scenario.
This section is not available or is very brief if no enhancements are planned or appropriate.
• To adapt the scenario to the specific features of your company, settings need to be made which are described in the section Preparation and Customizing.
The settings described need to be made specifically for the scenario and are generally additional to SAP Business Workflow customizing.
• The use of the scenario and the connection to application functionality are described in the last section of the respective chapter.
This documentation is not meant to replace the SAP Business Workflow manual.
For information on using and calling the individual components of SAP Business Workflow and to take advantage of the full functionality in your enhancements and own developments, refer to the SAP Business Workflow manual.
Neither this documentation nor any part of it may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any means or translated into another language, without the prior consent of SAP AG.
Basic Concepts
Area Menu SAP Business Workflow (Development)
All definition tools can be accessed from the area menu SAP Business Workflow (Development). You can reach this area menu from the R/3 initial screen via Tools ® Business Engineering ® Business Workflow ® Development.
Object Orientation in SAP Business Workflow
A workflow is generally used when business objects (business application objects), such as an invoice, material, or customer, are to be processed in the system over several steps and when this processing is to be followed actively until it has been completed. Options must therefore be available in the workflow system for
• naming objects,
• creating and processing objects (executing methods),
• evaluating attributes of objects (reading attributes) and
• responding to events (status changes of objects).
It is therefore appropriate that the interface between the workflow management system and the applications is based on object-oriented principles. Besides the business logic of the R/3 System, other applications on desktops or in other application systems (appropriately encapsulated) are therefore accessible to SAP Business Workflow.
Object Types and Objects
An object type refers to a generic object description which is created at definition time. This description includes the definition of the key fields required to uniquely identify an object of this type and the specification of the methods, attributes, and events of this object type..
An object is the specific instance of an object type which has been assigned values.
Modifying Object Types - Inheritance and Delegation
It is necessary to extend an object type rather than creating a new object type whenever you want to create additional components for an object type which are not provided in the standard version and at the same time need to ensure that productive scenarios with the original SAP object type remain operational.
Since you may not change the object types provided by SAP, create a new object type as the sub-type of the original object type which will then inherit its components and their implementation. Then modify this object type and make it the delegation type of the super type. All calls to the "old" delegating object type (super type) are redirected to the delegation type (sub-type) so that its definition is read and executed (delegation).
Business Object Repository
A directory of all object types defined in the SAP System is managed in the business object repository. These object types are each assigned to a business application component.
In addition to the business object types, the business object repository also contains structural object types, such as company code, plant, or sales organization, and technical object types, such as text, note, work item, or archived document. Customers can define their own object types.
Object types and their elements can be found quickly by accessing this business object repository with the appropriate search functions (either via the component hierarchy or with a generic search using parts of a name).
Methods
A method refers to an operation which can be performed on an object.
A method generally refers to ABAP/4 functionality which is already available (function module, transaction, dialog module, ...) and is called via an interface determined mainly by the method name and method parameters. The actual implementation of the method therefore remains abstract. It is not visible externally and does not need to be known to the calling program of the method.
Synchronous and Asynchronous Methods
Methods can be subdivided as follows depending on their response characteristics:
• synchronous methods
Synchronous object methods assume process control for the duration of their execution and report back to the calling program once they have been executed.
• asynchronous methods
Asynchronous methods do not report back to the calling program directly after their execution. The response is made via events which are used to report the processing results of the methods.
Synchronous and asynchronous methods can be distinguished according to the way in which they are used in single-step tasks: A single-step task which refers to an asynchronous method must be completed by an event.
Method Parameters
Parameters are used to exchange information between the calling program of a method and the method.
Parameters of a method are values which are either passed to the method at runtime (import parameters) or are returned from the method (export parameters). When the parameters are defined, the interface of the method call is also defined. A method need not necessarily have parameters; many methods can be used without parameters.
Method Result
The result of a method is different to the export parameters. Possible values for the result can be fixed or contained in a check table. They are therefore known in a workflow definition and can be taken into account during process modeling.
The various follow-up steps can be modeled in a workflow definition according to the results. A method can only ever have one result, although there is no limit to the number of export parameters.
A method need not necessarily have a result.
Method Exceptions
In the same way, exceptions (cancellation by user, object to be processed does not exist, etc.) of a method can also be defined and taken into account in a workflow definition.
Attributes
An attribute describes a property or characteristic of an object.
Attributes can be used to formulate conditions in the workflow definition. The object attributes are read or determined from the database at runtime and are used to control the workflow.
An object attribute can return
• the value of a field in the ABAP/4 Dictionary (database field attribute)
• an object reference to an object which is defined in the business object repository. Object attributes which return an object reference therefore allow the attributes of this referenced object to be accessed.
• a value which is not determined until database contents are calculated and/or evaluated at runtime (virtual attribute).
Events
An event publishes the occurrence of a status change of an object ("text deleted", "invoice posted", "material created", ...) system-wide.
Events should always be seen in connection with the object they are "reporting" on. The events belonging to an object are therefore specified in the object type definition.
Events are published without the application, the event creator, knowing whether a receiver is interested in this event and whether it will respond. Potential receivers of an event are listed in the event receiver linkage table, where receivers can make and remove their entries as required. This allows the events created to be responded to flexibly.
Events and SAP Business Workflow
Events are used in the SAP Business Workflow environment,
• to start tasks (multistep tasks and single-step tasks). The events are therefore defined as the triggering events of the respective tasks.
• to complete single-step tasks which refer to an asynchronous object method. The events are therefore defined as the terminating events of the respective single-step tasks.
Event Parameters
Events are linked to runtime-dependent data (event parameters) which is available to the event receiver and can be used for event-driven control and communication mechanisms.
Event Generation
Event generation is not part of the object type definition in the narrow sense. However, for customer-specific event generation to occur, the relevant events must be added to the object type definition.
If the events which are created in the standard version when particular conditions are met are not sufficient, you have the option of ensuring that additional events are generated without carrying out programming work. It is therefore possible to generate events where this is not supported by SAP in the standard version. There are basically four ways in which events can be generated:
• Generate events by calling a function module• Generate events for status changes
• Generate events when change documents are written
• Generate events via Message Control
While event generation as the result of calling the provided function module requires programming knowledge and experience, the last three options can be used without changing the program code of an application. These procedures take advantage of the fact that data consistency and security is ensured by the application when a change document is written, status management activated, or a message sent.
The generation of events entered for the individual object types in the business object repository is ensured by SAP.
Event Generation Log
All events generated correctly are logged in the event log irrespective of whether receivers are available. The event log is only written if the logging has been switched on. To do this, select Utilities ® Event log ® On/off from the area menu SAP Business Workflow (Development).
The event log created can be displayed from the area menu SAP Business Workflow (Development) via Utilities ® Event log ®
Display.
See also:
Working with Objects
Integration of Organizational Management
The company-specific organizational plan describes the organizational assignment of an employee. This allows the responsibility of employees for performing individual business activities to be defined in the form of activity profiles.
The organizational plan is part of the PD component "Organization and Planning". It is client-dependent. An organizational plan which was created for personnel management purposes (or is still to be created) can be used in SAP Business Workflow without any changes provided the workflow functionality and the personnel management application use the same client.
In each client you will however generally (only) represent the sub-areas and organizational structures of your company in which you also coordinate business processes using SAP Business Workflow.
This assignment is used to find the "correct" agents and allows tasks to be assigned actively by the workflow management system. Transparency of the business processes and responsibilities is achieved. Changes can be made to the organizational structure of the company without changes needing to be made directly to the SAP Business Workflow definitions or programming performed in an application.
To create an individual activity profile for a user in a modular way and without redundancy, it is necessary to describe the organizational assignment of this user in the company-specific organizational plan.
Organizational Structure and Organizational Units
An organizational plan is described by the organizational units available in the company. These organizational units are generally linked together in a hierarchical reporting structure, but can also be created in isolation.
Organizational units are organizational sub-areas in a company (departments, project teams, groups) which have been created for business purposes.
Staff Assignments
Staff assignments are maintained for each organizational unit. The appropriate positions are assigned to the organizational unit. A position is derived from a describing job and is generally occupied by a user.
Jobs
Jobs are areas of activity within a company which are described by tasks or business application components and are often created across organizational units.
Positions
Positions can be regarded as the individual employee assignments within a company. A position is described by a job and always belongs to exactly one organizational unit.
Chief Position
One position can also be designated as the chief position of the organizational unit. This allows you to structure the positions within an organizational unit. This information is sufficient to address a work item to an employee's superior.
User/Person (Employee)
A position is held by an employee (person from HR master data management) or by a system user (user master), a position can also remain vacant.
For an agent to be determined by the workflow system, it must be possible to make an assignment between positions and system users. If a position is assigned to an employee, this employee must also be linked to his system user in the HR master data (infotype 105 Communication). Do not assign an employee and a person to a position.
Showing posts with label Work Flow Complete. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Work Flow Complete. Show all posts
Monday, October 13, 2008
SAP ABAP WORK FLOW I
Purpose
SAP Business Workflow has the technology and tools for automated control and processing of cross-application processes.
You can use workflow within the Project System to automate and integrate the performance of cross-application and cross-department processes within one project.
The Project System uses _ Predefined standard tasks in purchasing, confirmation, and during configuration changes _ Workflow tasks in milestones, which can also be user-defined.
Preparations and Customizing
Use
To use Workflow in the Project System, you must make the following settings in Customizing for Workflow and the Project System:
Maintain your company’s organization structure
Link the predefined standard tasks with the authorized people in your company
Activate existing event receiver links between triggering events and consuming
workflow tasks.
Name a technical person responsible for each standard workflow template.
Determine whether a work item should be created and make the appropriate setting in
Customizing for network type parameters.
Determine whether a work item should be created if there is a deviation in the duration and work, and make the appropriate setting in Customizing for confirmation parameters.
Standard Tasks in the Project System
SAP has predefined the following standard workflow tasks and provided them with the Project System:
Standard Task TS20000653: Purchase Order Change
If you change dates or quantities of material components in a network with externally processed activities, for which a purchase order has already been created, the system automatically creates a work item.
The purchasing agent receives a message in the mail system regarding the changes that need to be made. This person can then make the necessary changes to the purchase order directly from the mail system.
Standard task TS00007944: Enter actual data
You can create a work item for confirmation from the information system. The pool of
confirmations can be sent to various addresses, for example, to a user or a work center.
Standard Task TS00008015: Deviation in the Confirmation is too Large
If the duration or work exceeds the values you defined in the confirmation parameters in Customizing, the system automatically creates a work item: The MRP controller receives a work item by mail and can display the confirmation or network. The MRP controller can also use the mail system to contact the person who made the confirmation.
Standard Task TS00200040: Change Network
SAP has predefined this standard task which you can use as a model for creating your own standard tasks and workflow tasks for the milestones in a network. This standard task calls up the change network transaction. You can use it to define your own standard tasks and workflow tasks.
WS20000265 Configuration Change Management
This workflow template contains the following standard tasks:
TS20000477 Display change management
TS20000478 Create text
TS20000479 Display text
TS20000480 Make change
User-defined Standard Tasks and Workflow Tasks in
Milestones
You can use the milestone function start workflow task in a network to start:
Standard tasks
Tasks
Workflow tasks
depending on the status of the activity to which the milestone is assigned. You can use network and activity data for the task.
The tasks must meet certain conditions. For more information on how to define user-defined standard and workflow tasks, refer to the Implementation Guide for the Project System under Workflow .
Purpose
If, during network processing, either an external material (non-stock item) or an external service (external activity/service activity) has to be procured, a purchase requisition is created. This is procesed by the purchaser, who creates on or more purchase orders. This is noted in the network.
If changes occur in the nezwork with regards to the ordered materials or services (changed quantities or dates), the sytem automatically changes the purchase requisition. However, any purchase orders that have already been created must be changed manually by the responsible purchaser.
Process Flow
You can use the SAP Business Workflow to inform the responsible purchaser, if based on a change in a network
The required quantity or the requirements date of an external material or service changes or
An external material item or external activity is deleted or
An external activity becomes an internal activity or
The external material or service is no longer required, because the network now has the Technically completed status
And one or more purchase orders have been created for the purchase requisition
The purchaser receives a work item, in which all the relevant changes that affect the external materials or services are listed. He/she can view the purchase requisitions and the existing purchase orders that are affected. It is also possible to edit the purchase orders and to create new orders.
Technical Implementation
Object Types
The interface between the R/3 functionality and the workflow system has been
implemented using object technology. As a result, this topic contains information of a more technical nature, which is now required for a first overview.
In this context, the following object types are important:
BUS2002: Network
Position in the object repository: Project System
T024: Purchasing group
Position in the object repository: Materials management _ Sales
SAP Business Workflow has the technology and tools for automated control and processing of cross-application processes.
You can use workflow within the Project System to automate and integrate the performance of cross-application and cross-department processes within one project.
The Project System uses _ Predefined standard tasks in purchasing, confirmation, and during configuration changes _ Workflow tasks in milestones, which can also be user-defined.
Preparations and Customizing
Use
To use Workflow in the Project System, you must make the following settings in Customizing for Workflow and the Project System:
Maintain your company’s organization structure
Link the predefined standard tasks with the authorized people in your company
Activate existing event receiver links between triggering events and consuming
workflow tasks.
Name a technical person responsible for each standard workflow template.
Determine whether a work item should be created and make the appropriate setting in
Customizing for network type parameters.
Determine whether a work item should be created if there is a deviation in the duration and work, and make the appropriate setting in Customizing for confirmation parameters.
Standard Tasks in the Project System
SAP has predefined the following standard workflow tasks and provided them with the Project System:
Standard Task TS20000653: Purchase Order Change
If you change dates or quantities of material components in a network with externally processed activities, for which a purchase order has already been created, the system automatically creates a work item.
The purchasing agent receives a message in the mail system regarding the changes that need to be made. This person can then make the necessary changes to the purchase order directly from the mail system.
Standard task TS00007944: Enter actual data
You can create a work item for confirmation from the information system. The pool of
confirmations can be sent to various addresses, for example, to a user or a work center.
Standard Task TS00008015: Deviation in the Confirmation is too Large
If the duration or work exceeds the values you defined in the confirmation parameters in Customizing, the system automatically creates a work item: The MRP controller receives a work item by mail and can display the confirmation or network. The MRP controller can also use the mail system to contact the person who made the confirmation.
Standard Task TS00200040: Change Network
SAP has predefined this standard task which you can use as a model for creating your own standard tasks and workflow tasks for the milestones in a network. This standard task calls up the change network transaction. You can use it to define your own standard tasks and workflow tasks.
WS20000265 Configuration Change Management
This workflow template contains the following standard tasks:
TS20000477 Display change management
TS20000478 Create text
TS20000479 Display text
TS20000480 Make change
User-defined Standard Tasks and Workflow Tasks in
Milestones
You can use the milestone function start workflow task in a network to start:
Standard tasks
Tasks
Workflow tasks
depending on the status of the activity to which the milestone is assigned. You can use network and activity data for the task.
The tasks must meet certain conditions. For more information on how to define user-defined standard and workflow tasks, refer to the Implementation Guide for the Project System under Workflow .
Purpose
If, during network processing, either an external material (non-stock item) or an external service (external activity/service activity) has to be procured, a purchase requisition is created. This is procesed by the purchaser, who creates on or more purchase orders. This is noted in the network.
If changes occur in the nezwork with regards to the ordered materials or services (changed quantities or dates), the sytem automatically changes the purchase requisition. However, any purchase orders that have already been created must be changed manually by the responsible purchaser.
Process Flow
You can use the SAP Business Workflow to inform the responsible purchaser, if based on a change in a network
The required quantity or the requirements date of an external material or service changes or
An external material item or external activity is deleted or
An external activity becomes an internal activity or
The external material or service is no longer required, because the network now has the Technically completed status
And one or more purchase orders have been created for the purchase requisition
The purchaser receives a work item, in which all the relevant changes that affect the external materials or services are listed. He/she can view the purchase requisitions and the existing purchase orders that are affected. It is also possible to edit the purchase orders and to create new orders.
Technical Implementation
Object Types
The interface between the R/3 functionality and the workflow system has been
implemented using object technology. As a result, this topic contains information of a more technical nature, which is now required for a first overview.
In this context, the following object types are important:
BUS2002: Network
Position in the object repository: Project System
T024: Purchasing group
Position in the object repository: Materials management _ Sales
SAP ABAP WORK FLOW II
Standard tasks
Standard tasks are single-step tasks delivered from SAP, which describe basic business processes from an organizational point of view. A single-step task always refers to an object method ( technical connection to R/3 functionality) and is linked with employees, who are assigned to the relevant part of the organization.
Standard Task TS20000653:
Abbreviation: PurchOrdPS
Description: Change order network
Referenced object methods, characteristics
Object type: BUS2002
Method: DisplayPurchaseOrderChange
Characteristics: synchronous , with dialog
Process Flow
If there are changes in a network that affect ordered materials or services (quantities or dates), the affected materials are sorted according to purchasing group (in the purchase order). The event PurchaseOrderChange is then triggered for object type BUS2002 for each purchasing group.
The event BUS2002.PurchaseOrderChange is the triggering event for the standard task
TS20000653. It has the following parameters:
Parameter Description
PurchasingGroup Purchasing group
TodoList Internal table containing the changed materials and services
The following data flow has been defined between the event PurchaseOrderChange and the task TS20000653:
Task container Event parameter container
Network _Evt_Object
Start date _Evt_Creation_Date
Start time _Evt_Creation_Time
Triggered by _Evt_Creator
Simple todo list TodoList
Purchasing group PurchasingGroup
The standard task uses the role 00900010 (purcahsing group). It determines all users linked with the relevant purchasing group. If no users have been linked the purchasing in SAP Organization Management, all the users linked to the standard task receive a work item.
Preparations and Customizing
As well as the general Customizing that guarantees the smooth performance of the workflow system, it is also necessary to carry out special Customizing for standard task TS20000653.
Maintaining Employee Assignments
Assign standard task TS20000653 to the employees who could need it. To do so, choose in Customizing Project System _ Workflow _ Configure Standard Tasks for Workflow in the Project System or proceed as follows:
1. On the SAP Easy Access menu choose Tools _ Business Workflow _ Development _
Tasks/Task groups _ Display.
2. Choose Tasks/task groups _ Display and enter the standard task TS20000653
3. Assign the standard task TS20000653 to the users in the organizational unit that is to process the task in your company.
Link Purchasers to Organization Management
If you only want the purchaser responsible to receive a work item (instead of all the possible agents of the standard task TS20000613), link the purchaser to SAP Organizational Management. To do so, use the Customizing activity Project System _ Workflow _ Configure Standard Tasks for Workflow in Project System _ Customizing tasks or proceed as follows:
1. On the SAP Easy Access menu choose Tools _ Business Workflow _ Development
Definition tools _SAP org. objects _ Create assignment.
The Assignment to SAP organizational objects initial screen appears.
2. Enter the organizational object.
3. In the Org. object type field enter T024.
Activating the Event Linkage
The PurchaseOrderChange event for the object type BUS2002 is the triggering event for the standard task TS20000653. Before the standard task can be started event linkage must be activated. To do so, choose in Customizing Project System _ Workflow _ Configure Standard Tasks for Workflow in the Project System or proceed as follows:
1. On the SAP Easy Access menu choose Tools _ Business Workflow _ Development
Definition tools _ Tasks/Task groups_ Display.
The Task: Display screen appears.
2. Enter the standard task TS20000653, choose and go to the Triggering events tab page.
3. Activate the event by clicking on the iicon in the column so that a green light appears.
Maintaining Order Type-Dependent Parameters You must define whether the standard task TS20000653 is to be started for each order type (network type)and plant. Use Customizing activity Project System _ Workflow _ Configure
Standard Tasks for Workflow in the Project System _ Network Type Parameters:
Overview.
Operation
When you execute a work item for standard task TS20000653, you see a screen split into two sections:
On the left-hand side is an overview list of the materials or services. There is checkbox for each material/service. You can use these checkboxes to indicate which materials/services you have already processed.
A red light in front of a material or service means that another work item has been created for this material or service after the current work item was created.
By double-clicking on a material or service in the overview list you can display the detailed data on the right-hand screen.
You can edit exsiting purchase orders or create new ones. A new purchase order does not appear immediately in the table of existing purchase orders. The purchase order has to be saved to the database first. After it has been saved you can display the purchase order by:
Choosing Refresh
Double-clicking on the material or service in the overview list.
You can always interrupt processing of a work item by choosing Cancel, Back or Exit. You can then resume work later. Choose Close Workflow to finish the workflow.
Configuration Change Management (PS)
Purpose
A network can be created for a configurable product from the sales order using assembly processing. The characteristic value assignment is passed directly from the configurable material to the network, and the relevant activities, activity elements, components, PRTs, etc. are selected.
If the configuration of the material, which has an assembly order involving a network, is later changed, a change comparison is started for the network. Objects are added to or deleted from the network. The system tries to make this change comparison automatically. If conflicts arise, the network receives the Manual adjustment necessary status and the change steps have to be processed manually.
The changes to the configuration are made in Sales by the responsible employee. However, an employee in project planning makes the changes to the network. To facilitate communication between the two departments and to avoid long processing times, a workflow template has been created to automate this business process.
Process Flow
The triggering event for this workflow is a conflict during a change comparison, which means that that the Manual adjustment necessary status is set. The flow of the workflow template is as follows:
A dispatcher determines which employee in project planning should make the change
comparison. He/she makes this decision after seeing the network. The dispatcher is determined via a role, that evaluates the network data and the structure of the organization. The dispatcher can then create a text that is sent to the chosen employee. The employee sees this text and can then start processing the network immediately. The workflow finishes when the change comparison is concluded successfully.
Standard tasks are single-step tasks delivered from SAP, which describe basic business processes from an organizational point of view. A single-step task always refers to an object method ( technical connection to R/3 functionality) and is linked with employees, who are assigned to the relevant part of the organization.
Standard Task TS20000653:
Abbreviation: PurchOrdPS
Description: Change order network
Referenced object methods, characteristics
Object type: BUS2002
Method: DisplayPurchaseOrderChange
Characteristics: synchronous , with dialog
Process Flow
If there are changes in a network that affect ordered materials or services (quantities or dates), the affected materials are sorted according to purchasing group (in the purchase order). The event PurchaseOrderChange is then triggered for object type BUS2002 for each purchasing group.
The event BUS2002.PurchaseOrderChange is the triggering event for the standard task
TS20000653. It has the following parameters:
Parameter Description
PurchasingGroup Purchasing group
TodoList Internal table containing the changed materials and services
The following data flow has been defined between the event PurchaseOrderChange and the task TS20000653:
Task container Event parameter container
Network _Evt_Object
Start date _Evt_Creation_Date
Start time _Evt_Creation_Time
Triggered by _Evt_Creator
Simple todo list TodoList
Purchasing group PurchasingGroup
The standard task uses the role 00900010 (purcahsing group). It determines all users linked with the relevant purchasing group. If no users have been linked the purchasing in SAP Organization Management, all the users linked to the standard task receive a work item.
Preparations and Customizing
As well as the general Customizing that guarantees the smooth performance of the workflow system, it is also necessary to carry out special Customizing for standard task TS20000653.
Maintaining Employee Assignments
Assign standard task TS20000653 to the employees who could need it. To do so, choose in Customizing Project System _ Workflow _ Configure Standard Tasks for Workflow in the Project System or proceed as follows:
1. On the SAP Easy Access menu choose Tools _ Business Workflow _ Development _
Tasks/Task groups _ Display.
2. Choose Tasks/task groups _ Display and enter the standard task TS20000653
3. Assign the standard task TS20000653 to the users in the organizational unit that is to process the task in your company.
Link Purchasers to Organization Management
If you only want the purchaser responsible to receive a work item (instead of all the possible agents of the standard task TS20000613), link the purchaser to SAP Organizational Management. To do so, use the Customizing activity Project System _ Workflow _ Configure Standard Tasks for Workflow in Project System _ Customizing tasks or proceed as follows:
1. On the SAP Easy Access menu choose Tools _ Business Workflow _ Development
Definition tools _SAP org. objects _ Create assignment.
The Assignment to SAP organizational objects initial screen appears.
2. Enter the organizational object.
3. In the Org. object type field enter T024.
Activating the Event Linkage
The PurchaseOrderChange event for the object type BUS2002 is the triggering event for the standard task TS20000653. Before the standard task can be started event linkage must be activated. To do so, choose in Customizing Project System _ Workflow _ Configure Standard Tasks for Workflow in the Project System or proceed as follows:
1. On the SAP Easy Access menu choose Tools _ Business Workflow _ Development
Definition tools _ Tasks/Task groups_ Display.
The Task: Display screen appears.
2. Enter the standard task TS20000653, choose and go to the Triggering events tab page.
3. Activate the event by clicking on the iicon in the column so that a green light appears.
Maintaining Order Type-Dependent Parameters You must define whether the standard task TS20000653 is to be started for each order type (network type)and plant. Use Customizing activity Project System _ Workflow _ Configure
Standard Tasks for Workflow in the Project System _ Network Type Parameters:
Overview.
Operation
When you execute a work item for standard task TS20000653, you see a screen split into two sections:
On the left-hand side is an overview list of the materials or services. There is checkbox for each material/service. You can use these checkboxes to indicate which materials/services you have already processed.
A red light in front of a material or service means that another work item has been created for this material or service after the current work item was created.
By double-clicking on a material or service in the overview list you can display the detailed data on the right-hand screen.
You can edit exsiting purchase orders or create new ones. A new purchase order does not appear immediately in the table of existing purchase orders. The purchase order has to be saved to the database first. After it has been saved you can display the purchase order by:
Choosing Refresh
Double-clicking on the material or service in the overview list.
You can always interrupt processing of a work item by choosing Cancel, Back or Exit. You can then resume work later. Choose Close Workflow to finish the workflow.
Configuration Change Management (PS)
Purpose
A network can be created for a configurable product from the sales order using assembly processing. The characteristic value assignment is passed directly from the configurable material to the network, and the relevant activities, activity elements, components, PRTs, etc. are selected.
If the configuration of the material, which has an assembly order involving a network, is later changed, a change comparison is started for the network. Objects are added to or deleted from the network. The system tries to make this change comparison automatically. If conflicts arise, the network receives the Manual adjustment necessary status and the change steps have to be processed manually.
The changes to the configuration are made in Sales by the responsible employee. However, an employee in project planning makes the changes to the network. To facilitate communication between the two departments and to avoid long processing times, a workflow template has been created to automate this business process.
Process Flow
The triggering event for this workflow is a conflict during a change comparison, which means that that the Manual adjustment necessary status is set. The flow of the workflow template is as follows:
A dispatcher determines which employee in project planning should make the change
comparison. He/she makes this decision after seeing the network. The dispatcher is determined via a role, that evaluates the network data and the structure of the organization. The dispatcher can then create a text that is sent to the chosen employee. The employee sees this text and can then start processing the network immediately. The workflow finishes when the change comparison is concluded successfully.
SAP ABAP WORK FLOW III
Technical Realization
Object Types Used
The interface between the R/3 functionality and the workflow system has been implemented using object technology. As a result, this topic contains information of a more technical nature, than is required for a first overview.
Standard tasks
Standard tasks are single-step tasks delivered from SAP, which describe basic business processes from an organizational point of view. A single-step task always refers to an object method ( technical connection to R/3 functionality) and is linked with possible agents, who are assigned to the relevant part of the organization.
Workflow template The actual business process as been implemented as a workflow template. You can find this workflow template in your R/3 system.
Object Network (BUS2002)
Objects are created in runtime and are the specific instances of pre-defined object types that have been given values. Object types are defined, entering the component, in the Business Object Repository and implemented:
An object Network (BUS2002) exist, for which methods, attributes, and events have been defined that are used by the workflow.
Standard Task TS20000477 Display change management (PSDisplayCM)
Use
In this standard task, the system displays change management for networks to the dispatcher.
He/she then decides which agent is responsible for the change comparison.
Referenced object methods: Object type BUS2002 (network), method
ChangeManagementDisplay (display change management)
Assigning agents: This task should be classed as a general task. General tasks do not have to be assigned to an agent, since they can be carried out by everyone. The agent is determined from the context of the workflow.
Standard Task TS30001203 Determine possible agents and dispatch
Use
This standard task determines the possibe agents for a subsequent task in the workflow. The dispatcher selects an agent from a list of possible agents. This agent is then assigned the singlestep task in the workflow.
Referenced object methods: Object type WF_TASK, method
AllAgentsOfTaskGetAndDispatch (Determine possible agents and dispatch)
Assigning agents: This task should be classed as a general task. General tasks do not have to be assigned to an agent, since they can be carried out by everyone. The agent is determined from the context of the workflow.
Standard Task TS20000478 Create Text (PS-CreaText)
Use
In this standard task, the dispatcher creates a text for the agent.
Referenced object methods: Object type STD_TEXT, method Create (create text)
Assigning employees: This task should be classed as a general task. General tasks do not have to be assigned to an agent, since they can be carried out by everyone. The agent is determined from the context of the workflow.
Standard Task TS20000479 Display Text (PS-DispText)
Use
In this standard text the agent sees the text that the dispatcher created.
Referenced object methods: Object type STD_TEXT, method ReplaceAndDisplay (replace
text symbols)
Assigning agents:s This task should be classed as a general task. General tasks do
not have to be assigned to an agent, since they can be carried out by everyone. The agent is determined from the context of the workflow.
Standard Task TS20000480 Make Change (PS-EditCM)
Use
In this standard task when an agent opens the work item, he/she goes directly to
change mangement for networks, to make the necessary change steps.
Referenced object methods: Object type BUS2002 (network), method
ChangeManagementEdit (make change)
This is ansynchronous method, which means that it can only be completed if another,
terminating, event occurs. In this case, this event is the successful execution of a change comparison for the corresponding network. The work item remains until the event occurs. The terminating event ChangeManagementClosed is defined in the task on the corresponding tab page.
Assigning agents: Here you should enter all the possible agents for confirmation
change management, since the dispatcher sees them in a list. You can assign agents in the task basic data.
You can also define the task as a general task and let the dispatcher choose the agent.
Standard role 20000054 MRP Controller Group (MRPContGroup)
Use roles to specify the agents for tasks or the addressees for messages.
Determining all the agents with the relevant attribute is refered to as role resolution. Each role has a role parameter container that contains the values used in role resolution.
Technical Realization
Entering a role is just one of several ways of finding the responsible agents or addressees. It is also possible to find someone via a suitable organization object (position, job, organization unit) or an expression with reference to the workflow container.
Role resolution is facititated by the SAP organization object MRP Controller Group
(MRP_Controller_Group). The key for the MRP controller group is T024D.
SAP organization object types (short: SAP OrgObjectTypes) represent organizational units on the object type level in the Business Object Repository. Organizational units are used to group employees together and to describe these groups. The key of the SAP organizational object type MRP controller group consists of the plant and the MRP controller.
The object type BUS2002 receives a MRPControllerGroup attribute that represents a object type reference to the SAP organizational object type MRP controller group.
The assignment of the SAP organizational object type MRP controller group to an organizational unit or a position results allows the responsible agent group to be determined at runtime. Since the role entry parameter is BUS2002, the role resolution searches the whole organizational plan for departments that are linked with objects of the type MRP controller group.
All employees in such an organizational unit or position receive the work item.
The role determines the agents for the single step Display Change management. The agents found determine the responsible agent.
Object Types Used
The interface between the R/3 functionality and the workflow system has been implemented using object technology. As a result, this topic contains information of a more technical nature, than is required for a first overview.
Standard tasks
Standard tasks are single-step tasks delivered from SAP, which describe basic business processes from an organizational point of view. A single-step task always refers to an object method ( technical connection to R/3 functionality) and is linked with possible agents, who are assigned to the relevant part of the organization.
Workflow template The actual business process as been implemented as a workflow template. You can find this workflow template in your R/3 system.
Object Network (BUS2002)
Objects are created in runtime and are the specific instances of pre-defined object types that have been given values. Object types are defined, entering the component, in the Business Object Repository and implemented:
An object Network (BUS2002) exist, for which methods, attributes, and events have been defined that are used by the workflow.
Standard Task TS20000477 Display change management (PSDisplayCM)
Use
In this standard task, the system displays change management for networks to the dispatcher.
He/she then decides which agent is responsible for the change comparison.
Referenced object methods: Object type BUS2002 (network), method
ChangeManagementDisplay (display change management)
Assigning agents: This task should be classed as a general task. General tasks do not have to be assigned to an agent, since they can be carried out by everyone. The agent is determined from the context of the workflow.
Standard Task TS30001203 Determine possible agents and dispatch
Use
This standard task determines the possibe agents for a subsequent task in the workflow. The dispatcher selects an agent from a list of possible agents. This agent is then assigned the singlestep task in the workflow.
Referenced object methods: Object type WF_TASK, method
AllAgentsOfTaskGetAndDispatch (Determine possible agents and dispatch)
Assigning agents: This task should be classed as a general task. General tasks do not have to be assigned to an agent, since they can be carried out by everyone. The agent is determined from the context of the workflow.
Standard Task TS20000478 Create Text (PS-CreaText)
Use
In this standard task, the dispatcher creates a text for the agent.
Referenced object methods: Object type STD_TEXT, method Create (create text)
Assigning employees: This task should be classed as a general task. General tasks do not have to be assigned to an agent, since they can be carried out by everyone. The agent is determined from the context of the workflow.
Standard Task TS20000479 Display Text (PS-DispText)
Use
In this standard text the agent sees the text that the dispatcher created.
Referenced object methods: Object type STD_TEXT, method ReplaceAndDisplay (replace
text symbols)
Assigning agents:s This task should be classed as a general task. General tasks do
not have to be assigned to an agent, since they can be carried out by everyone. The agent is determined from the context of the workflow.
Standard Task TS20000480 Make Change (PS-EditCM)
Use
In this standard task when an agent opens the work item, he/she goes directly to
change mangement for networks, to make the necessary change steps.
Referenced object methods: Object type BUS2002 (network), method
ChangeManagementEdit (make change)
This is ansynchronous method, which means that it can only be completed if another,
terminating, event occurs. In this case, this event is the successful execution of a change comparison for the corresponding network. The work item remains until the event occurs. The terminating event ChangeManagementClosed is defined in the task on the corresponding tab page.
Assigning agents: Here you should enter all the possible agents for confirmation
change management, since the dispatcher sees them in a list. You can assign agents in the task basic data.
You can also define the task as a general task and let the dispatcher choose the agent.
Standard role 20000054 MRP Controller Group (MRPContGroup)
Use roles to specify the agents for tasks or the addressees for messages.
Determining all the agents with the relevant attribute is refered to as role resolution. Each role has a role parameter container that contains the values used in role resolution.
Technical Realization
Entering a role is just one of several ways of finding the responsible agents or addressees. It is also possible to find someone via a suitable organization object (position, job, organization unit) or an expression with reference to the workflow container.
Role resolution is facititated by the SAP organization object MRP Controller Group
(MRP_Controller_Group). The key for the MRP controller group is T024D.
SAP organization object types (short: SAP OrgObjectTypes) represent organizational units on the object type level in the Business Object Repository. Organizational units are used to group employees together and to describe these groups. The key of the SAP organizational object type MRP controller group consists of the plant and the MRP controller.
The object type BUS2002 receives a MRPControllerGroup attribute that represents a object type reference to the SAP organizational object type MRP controller group.
The assignment of the SAP organizational object type MRP controller group to an organizational unit or a position results allows the responsible agent group to be determined at runtime. Since the role entry parameter is BUS2002, the role resolution searches the whole organizational plan for departments that are linked with objects of the type MRP controller group.
All employees in such an organizational unit or position receive the work item.
The role determines the agents for the single step Display Change management. The agents found determine the responsible agent.
SAP ABAP Work Flow IV
Preparations and Customizing
Determining Responsibilities of the Roles
You must assign SAPorganizationjal object type T024D (MRP controller group). Since the organizational plan is always structured according to you requirements, this step is always necessary.
When you create the assignment, you must specify the plant and the MRP controller so that the MRP controller is uniquely identified. You can create several assignments within your organizational plan.
Executing Task-Specific Customizing
1. Perform task-specific Customizing for SAP Business Workflow.
2. Classify the standard task TS20000477 (Display change management), TS30001203
(Determine possible agent and dispatch), TS20000478 (Create text) and TS20000479
(Display text) as general tasks.
3. Assign the standard task TS20000480 (make change) to the agents who could process it.
Activate Event Receiver Linkage
The event ChangeManagementOpened (configuration change with conflict) for object type
BUS2002 (network) is the triggereing event for workflow template 20000265 (Change
management) and as such is entered in the event linkage table The terminating event
ChangeManagementClosed (Change management concluded) is also entered in this table.
You can find the table in Event creation _ Status management. You decide wheteher you want to mainatin system settings, if you want to use system statauses, or customer settings, if you want to use your own status profile. In our case, the entry is in the system settings.
The status object (NPH), object type (BUS2002) and the event are maintained here. If you select an entry and double-click on Status restriction in the left-hand screen area, the relevant status is displayed. The Inactive field informs you whether the event is created when the status is set or when the status is revoked (subsequent status set).
To actually start the workflow template, the linkage between the triggering event and the workflow template, as receiver of the event, has to be activated in Customizing for SAP Business Workflow.
The event linkage of the workflow templates must also be activated. To create your own workflow template or to display an existing template, in the SAP Business Workflow menu choose Definition tools _ Tasks/Task groups and then the required maintenance transaction. On the initial screen enter Workflow template in the Task type field and the name of the workflow template. Choose either , , or to create, change or display respectively.The workflow template screen appears. To activiate the workflow, choose the Triggering events tab page and activate the event by clicking on the icon in the column so that a green light appears.
Further Options If you want to use the workflow tempalte without a dispatcher, you must delete the following steps: Display change management (TS20000477), Determine possible agents and dispatch (TS30001203)as well as the user decision Do you want to create a text ?. You can delete single steps in the workflow editor. Select the node to be deleted. In the context menu choose Delete. If you delete the Do you want to create a text ? node, you also delete the dependent nodes Create text (TS20000478) and Display text (TS20000479) and the connecting operators. A dialog box to
this effect appears, which you have to confirm. Apart from deleting the nodes, you must change the agent assignment for the Make change (TS20000480) single step.
Delete the SelectedObject expression and enter role 20000054 MRP controller group.You now have to change the autoamtically generated dat flow from the workflow container to the role container. Delete the Org_Object_ID and choose, using F4 help, the
attribute MRP controller group under network.
Check the workflow template and then activate it.
Operation and Connection to the Application Functionality Changes to the configuration of a sales order can occur frequently. Depending on the change
profile and the status of the network, the system can set the Manual adjustment necessary status.
If you have made the necessary settings in Customizing, the workflow template is active and is started automatically from the application.
Determining Responsibilities of the Roles
You must assign SAPorganizationjal object type T024D (MRP controller group). Since the organizational plan is always structured according to you requirements, this step is always necessary.
When you create the assignment, you must specify the plant and the MRP controller so that the MRP controller is uniquely identified. You can create several assignments within your organizational plan.
Executing Task-Specific Customizing
1. Perform task-specific Customizing for SAP Business Workflow.
2. Classify the standard task TS20000477 (Display change management), TS30001203
(Determine possible agent and dispatch), TS20000478 (Create text) and TS20000479
(Display text) as general tasks.
3. Assign the standard task TS20000480 (make change) to the agents who could process it.
Activate Event Receiver Linkage
The event ChangeManagementOpened (configuration change with conflict) for object type
BUS2002 (network) is the triggereing event for workflow template 20000265 (Change
management) and as such is entered in the event linkage table The terminating event
ChangeManagementClosed (Change management concluded) is also entered in this table.
You can find the table in Event creation _ Status management. You decide wheteher you want to mainatin system settings, if you want to use system statauses, or customer settings, if you want to use your own status profile. In our case, the entry is in the system settings.
The status object (NPH), object type (BUS2002) and the event are maintained here. If you select an entry and double-click on Status restriction in the left-hand screen area, the relevant status is displayed. The Inactive field informs you whether the event is created when the status is set or when the status is revoked (subsequent status set).
To actually start the workflow template, the linkage between the triggering event and the workflow template, as receiver of the event, has to be activated in Customizing for SAP Business Workflow.
The event linkage of the workflow templates must also be activated. To create your own workflow template or to display an existing template, in the SAP Business Workflow menu choose Definition tools _ Tasks/Task groups and then the required maintenance transaction. On the initial screen enter Workflow template in the Task type field and the name of the workflow template. Choose either , , or to create, change or display respectively.The workflow template screen appears. To activiate the workflow, choose the Triggering events tab page and activate the event by clicking on the icon in the column so that a green light appears.
Further Options If you want to use the workflow tempalte without a dispatcher, you must delete the following steps: Display change management (TS20000477), Determine possible agents and dispatch (TS30001203)as well as the user decision Do you want to create a text ?. You can delete single steps in the workflow editor. Select the node to be deleted. In the context menu choose Delete. If you delete the Do you want to create a text ? node, you also delete the dependent nodes Create text (TS20000478) and Display text (TS20000479) and the connecting operators. A dialog box to
this effect appears, which you have to confirm. Apart from deleting the nodes, you must change the agent assignment for the Make change (TS20000480) single step.
Delete the SelectedObject expression and enter role 20000054 MRP controller group.You now have to change the autoamtically generated dat flow from the workflow container to the role container. Delete the Org_Object_ID and choose, using F4 help, the
attribute MRP controller group under network.
Check the workflow template and then activate it.
Operation and Connection to the Application Functionality Changes to the configuration of a sales order can occur frequently. Depending on the change
profile and the status of the network, the system can set the Manual adjustment necessary status.
If you have made the necessary settings in Customizing, the workflow template is active and is started automatically from the application.
SAP ABAP Workflow Technology
There are two faces of workflow in R/3. One is the business oriented workflow design as it is taught in universities. This is implemented by the SAP Business Workflow. However, the workflow is also a tool to link transactions easily. It can be used to easily define execution chains of transactions or to trigger user actions without the need to modify the SAP standard code. This can even be achieved without laboriously customising the HR related workflow settings.
Workflow event linkage allows the execution of another program when a transaction finishes.
The workflow event linkage mechanism can be easily used without customising the full workflow scenarios.
This way we use the workflow engine to chain the execution of transaction and circumvent the setup of the SAP Business Workflow.
There are several independent ways to trigger the workflow event linkage.
Workflow in R/3 and Its Use for Development :
SAP R/3 provides a mechanism, called Workflow that allows conditional and unconditional triggering of subsequent transactions from another transaction. This allows you to build up automatic processing sequences without having the need to modify the SAP standard transactions.
The transaction to enter the graphical model, to define the events and objects, and to develop necessary triggering and processing objects is SWO1 (It is an O not a zero).
Fortunately, the underlying mechanism for workflows is less complex as the formal
overhead. Most major transactions will trigger the workflow via SWE_EVENT_CREATE . This will make a call to a workflow handler routine, whose name can usually be customised dynamically and implemented as a function module.
Contrary to what you mostly hear about R/3 workflow, it is relatively easy and mechanical to define a function module as a consecutive action after another routine raised a workflow event.For example, this can be used to call the execution of a transaction after another one has finished.
The whole workflow mechanism is based on a very simple principle. Every workflow enabled transaction will call directly or indirectly the function module during SWE_EVENT_CREATE update.
The function module SWE_EVENT_CREATE will then consult a customising table.
For a simple workflow coupling, the information is found in the table SWETYPECOU . The table will tell the name of the subsequent program to call, either a function module or an object method.
This way of defining the subsequent action is called type coupling because the action depends on the object type of the calling event.
The call to the following event is done with a dynamic function call. This requires that the called function module has a well-defined interface definition. Here you see the call as it is found in SWE_EVENT_CREATE .
CALL FUNCTION typecou-recgetfb " call receiver_type_get_fb
EXPORTING
objtype = typecou-objtype
objkey = objkey
event = event
generic_rectype = typecou-rectype
IMPORTING
rectype = typecou-rectype
TABLES
event_container = event_container
EXCEPTIONS
OTHERS = 1.
Call Function 'CHANGE_POINTERS_READ'
Workflow event linkage allows the execution of another program when a transaction finishes.
The workflow event linkage mechanism can be easily used without customising the full workflow scenarios.
This way we use the workflow engine to chain the execution of transaction and circumvent the setup of the SAP Business Workflow.
There are several independent ways to trigger the workflow event linkage.
Workflow in R/3 and Its Use for Development :
SAP R/3 provides a mechanism, called Workflow that allows conditional and unconditional triggering of subsequent transactions from another transaction. This allows you to build up automatic processing sequences without having the need to modify the SAP standard transactions.
The transaction to enter the graphical model, to define the events and objects, and to develop necessary triggering and processing objects is SWO1 (It is an O not a zero).
Fortunately, the underlying mechanism for workflows is less complex as the formal
overhead. Most major transactions will trigger the workflow via SWE_EVENT_CREATE . This will make a call to a workflow handler routine, whose name can usually be customised dynamically and implemented as a function module.
Contrary to what you mostly hear about R/3 workflow, it is relatively easy and mechanical to define a function module as a consecutive action after another routine raised a workflow event.For example, this can be used to call the execution of a transaction after another one has finished.
The whole workflow mechanism is based on a very simple principle. Every workflow enabled transaction will call directly or indirectly the function module during SWE_EVENT_CREATE update.
The function module SWE_EVENT_CREATE will then consult a customising table.
For a simple workflow coupling, the information is found in the table SWETYPECOU . The table will tell the name of the subsequent program to call, either a function module or an object method.
This way of defining the subsequent action is called type coupling because the action depends on the object type of the calling event.
The call to the following event is done with a dynamic function call. This requires that the called function module has a well-defined interface definition. Here you see the call as it is found in SWE_EVENT_CREATE .
CALL FUNCTION typecou-recgetfb " call receiver_type_get_fb
EXPORTING
objtype = typecou-objtype
objkey = objkey
event = event
generic_rectype = typecou-rectype
IMPORTING
rectype = typecou-rectype
TABLES
event_container = event_container
EXCEPTIONS
OTHERS = 1.
Call Function 'CHANGE_POINTERS_READ'
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