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SAP Business Workflow

Introduction based on BIT600

Patric Beuthen
SAP Consulting

Workflow Architecture Workflow Organization Business Workplace Workflow Monitoring Workflow Customizing Workflow Transactions

Introduction Why Workflow?

Workflow

The right work At the right time For the right agent

or

Who does What When With what object And in what sequence

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General Information on Task Definitions

Object type with object method

Task

WHAT carries out the task and HOW?

WHO could carry out the task?

Organizational plan

Features

Texts

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Work item text Task description Notification text Latest end text Required end text Latest start text

Task Types

Tasks
Object Method Standard Task (TS)

Timeindependent & clientindependent


Workflow Workflow Definition

Workflow Template (WS)

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Step Definition: 'Responsible Agents' Responsibility


Role:
Restriction of agents according to the organizational chart Possible agent for the task: Post document linked with job: Financial Clerk Customer names: A-G FI clerks

Role for the agent responsible:


Find FI Clerk Role parameters: Customer names: H-N

Customer name Invoiced amount

Work item (activity at runtime):


Post document 4712 Customer - Manley Corp. Invoiced amount - $258,300
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Customer names: O - Z Invoiced amount: < $ 50,000

Invoiced amount: > $ 50,000

Workflows: Definition & Runtime Environment

Event definition

Event
Event manager

Workflow templates
Workflow definition Org + User Management Rules for agent determination
Simple maintenance Workflow Builder

Workflow
Workflow manager

Activities
PFTC_.... transactions

Work item
Work item manager

Business Workplace (Worklist)

BOR

ABAP OO

WebFlow Services

Execution (methods, services)

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Workflow Architecture Workflow Organization Business Workplace Workflow Monitoring Workflow Customizing Workflow Transactions

Integration of Organizational Management


Integration of Organizational Management

Task assignment according to responsibility/expertise at definition time Linking of tasks with possible agents and linking of Workflow steps with the responsible agents Dynamic task distribution at runtime: Determination of recipients of work items based on information from the context of the workflow and the objects processed

High degree of transparency of business processes and their responsibilities

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Creating an Organizational Plan (Simple Maintenance)

Production Executive Board

Sales Mexico

Step 1: Create the root organizational unit Step 4: Assign holder


Lisa Thompson

Step 2: Create additional organizational units

Step 3: Create positions


Sales Administration

Step 5: Create jobs

Step 6: Assign tasks

Administrative tasks, Sales Mexico


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Tasks: Word processing, scheduling meetings, phone calls

Creating an Organizational Unit


Organization and Staffing (Workflow) Edit Goto Settings System Help

Create a root organizational unit

Create Organization and Staffing (Workflow)

Valid from

09.12.2002

to

31.12.9999

09.12.2002 + 3 Months Search for Organizational unit Position Job Person User Task assignment Enterprise Group 20 Finance unit 20 Sales department 20 Development department 20
Select link

Validity period query

Organizational unit

Icon: Create

is described by is line manager includes

Task Organizational unit Position

object: Organizational unit

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Creating a Position
Organization and Staffing (Workflow) Edit Goto Settings System Help

Create Organization and Staffing (Workflow)

Search for
Organizational unit Position Job Person User Workflow templates Standard task Task Task group Standard role Object history

Task assignment
Financial accounting FI_manager FI_clerk Details for position FI_clerk Basic Data Position Job ....... FI_clerk FI_clerk General administrator

Select link
....... .......

Organizational unit is described by is line manager includes Task Organizational unit Position

Create icon Object 'Position'


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Assigning Users to a Position (1)


Search for the relevant user and display it in the selection area

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Assigning Users to a Position (2)


Assign user with Drag&Drop

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Creating a Job

Menu item: Edit - Create Jobs


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Exercise - Organizational Management (1)


Create two users in SU01 Create the following organizational hierarchy in PPOM
- Org Unit Company XX (Z_COMP_XX)
-

Org Unit Department XX (Z_DEPT_XX)


-

Position Manager XX (Z_MGR_XX) Position Employee XX (Z_EMP_XX)

Assign the users to the positions above

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Exercise - Organizational Management (2)

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Workflow Architecture Workflow Organization Business Workplace Workflow Monitoring Workflow Customizing Workflow Transactions

Business Workplace in R/3

Automatic grouping Worklist

Work item text Tips/Tricks Work item preview

Overview tree

Special work items Your logo and text

Task description

Related objects

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Business Workplace - Worklist (1)


Reserve Execute Replace

Display attachment Create attachment

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Business Workplace - Worklist (2)


Display Forward Resubmit

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Business Workplace - Other Functions

Individual configuration of columns displayed

Other functions for processing work items - Set to Done - Change deadlines - Change priority

Dynamic columns

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Business Workplace: Substitution

You can maintain substitution in two ways:


Personal substitute (for an SAP user) Position substitute

Substitutes may be
Created and activated at the same time

From the time of activation, the substitute automatically receives not only their own work items, but also the substitution work items. The substitute can take active control of the substitution function at any time. Until the substitute actively ends the substitution, only the substitution work items are displayed in his or her Workplace.

Created and not activated

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Work Item Display

Business information is displayed.

Appealing display and clear layout increase user acceptance.

Attachments appear immediately and can be displayed with a click.

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Technical Work Item Display

Technical information is displayed (such as deadlines).

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Workflow Log

Chronological process view

Displays all recipients, possible and excluded agents

Standard workflow log

Details of each step

Details section
Green line shows process progress
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Graphical workflow log

Workflow Outbox for Status Tracking

Work items that you have carried out

Workflows that you have started

Processed workflows

Quick and simple overview of processes involved


Task statuses at a glance Easier handling of customer queries

Status of steps

Work items that you have forwarded

Current agent

Objects involved
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User View: Global Settings


Why do we need global settings?
Just one workflow log or work item display is not enough because different types of user have different requirements:

Workflow modelers and administrators require access to all technical information such as containers, workitem IDs, step numbers, all step types and so on. Workflow end users do not require technical details, but have to focus mainly on the work item content and would be distracted by too many functions.

What steps are required?


The administrator must define the standard values throughout the system. All users can then perform their own settings.

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User View: Personal Settings

Work item display

workflow log

Other settings

Technical users

Application users

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Various Inboxes

SAP GUI for HTML

Enterprise Portals

E-Mail Microsoft Outlook

SAP GUI for Windows

Lotus Notes

Pervasive Computing

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Selection of Functions in Workflow Inboxes

Business Workplace Execute

Easy Web Inbox

Outlook Mail Inbox

Lotus Notes Inbox

iView in Enterprise Portal

Add or read attachments


Resubmit Substitution Set up substitution Outbox Automatic refresh Forward Query Graphical log Logs System-wide use possible Generic decision task Offline Desktop installation

(different folders) SAP GUI + SAP Outlook Integration

(different folders) SAP GUI + SAP Lotus Notes Integration

( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) Web Browser

SAP GUI (Windows or Java)

Web Browser

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Exercise Business Workflow (Request & Approve)

Objects from task group TG70000023


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Workflow Architecture Workflow Organization Business Workplace Workflow Monitoring Workflow Customizing Workflow Transactions

Workflow Reports

Was the workflow started correctly?

What is the status of a workflow?

Is there still an active workflow instance for an object? How evenly distributed is the workload? How many processing deadlines were missed in the last month?
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Reporting System
Workflow log

Workflow diagnosis

Work item analysis

Task analysis

Information system

Workflow outbox

Object-specific evaluation

Workload analysis

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Reporting: Work Item Analysis


Work Items .
Monitoring period Today Last 7 days Last 30 days Last 365 days Time Interval

on from

to

Work items Per Task (frequency) Work items by Processing Duration Work items with Monitored Deadlines

Work item type Dialog (Sub) Workflow Background

Task filter Task Task group (T) Task group (TG) Application component

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Reporting: Workload Analysis

User Berner

Work items processed


Position S 500304 for a user for a position for a job for an organizational unit (you can specify a deadline limit)

Job C 40932

Work items in the inbox still to be processed


User Miller for a user for a position for a job for an organizational unit

Org. Unit O 500039

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Utilities: Work Item Selection

Criteria for the Selection Report


Work item ID Work item type

Work item status Task ID

Work items
Change work item Display work item Display workflow log
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Display agent Change priority

Work Item Types

Dialog work item Missed deadline work item Workflow work item

W D F

Background work item


Wait step work item

B
E

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Runtime Tools: Object Type & Object Information

Which tasks and workflows use the 'Notification of absence' object type in their definition?

'Notification of absence' object type

Which instances exist for workflows and tasks that use the 'Notification of absence' object type in their definition?

Object of absence' object number 1960

Which work item refers to object 1960 of the 'Notification of absence' object type and in which Business Workplace is it to be found?

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Test Utilities for the Implementation Team

Consistency check

Workflow definition/task definition Customize the entire WebFlow engine.

RFC protocol Manually start a task or workflow.

First update the organizational assignment and then provide the input data.

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Workflow Outbox in the Business Workplace


Business Workplace

Inbox Outbox Started workflows Flow item for WS30000015 Flow item for WS30000161 Flow item for WS99900035 Executed work items Work item 1 for TS7869 Work item 2 for TS7869 Work item 3 for TS7869 Forwarded work items Work item 1 for TS99900062

The outbox in the Business Workplace provides each user with an overview of the work that he or she carried out within the workflow processes.

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Workflow Logs: Business and Technical


The following step types are filtered out in the business log: Wait for event Container operation Event creator Process control Undefined steps Activity and user decision (marked with the 'Not in workflow log' option)

The display is not filtered in the technical log.

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Workflow Log: Workflow Chronicle View

Notification of absence
Create request Completed Completed

Work item status

Approve request

Access to work item history

Access to - Selected agents - Possible agents - Excluded agents Access to graphical workflow log

Agent

Executed Action

Date

Time

Object

Object name

Hugo Boss Dialog step created Hugo Boss Query sent Hugo Boss Work item reserved for processing Hugo Boss Execution started Hugo Boss Processing complete

07.10.1998 12:58:29 07.10.1998 13:00:33 07.10.1998 13:00:33 Office document Query (1) ...

07.10.1998 14:13:52 07.10.1998 14:15:32 Notification of absence

0000000245

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Workflow Log: Workflow Agent View


Patrick Smith Notification of absence Create request Create request Create request Hugo Boss Approve request Dialog step created (Sub)workflow created Dialog step created Work item executed automatically Work item processing complete

Approve request
Approve request Workflow system Send mail Send mail

Query sent
Work item processing complete

Background work item created Work item processing complete

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Workflow Log: Workflow Objects View

Notification of absence
Notification of absence (Sub)workflow created

Create request
WI for self method 000000123456 Approve request

Dialog step created

Dialog step created

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Workflow Log: List with Technical Details = Expert Mode


Workflow Workflow instance Instance number Start date Start time Test workflow Test workflow 000000872350 22.09.1998 10:38:04

Started by Current status

Patrick Smith In process

Workflow Chronicle View Error Error 5 Status Work item ID Node no. Executed Action Task

Agent
& Patrick Smith Patrick Smith . & Patrick Smith Patrick Smith

Date

Time

872350 1 Test workflow (Sub)workflow created 22.09.1998 SWW_FI_START 22.09.1998 69 First letter of the surname 872351 71 Display all requests by SMITHPA Dialog step created 22.09.1998 Work item executed automatically 22.09.1998

10:38:04 10:38:04

10:38:04 10:38:05

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Graphical Workflow Log

Status
Agent

Route (green path)

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Workflow Architecture Workflow Organization Business Workplace Workflow Monitoring Workflow Customizing Workflow Transactions

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Overview of Customizing Activities

Activity
Maintain an active plan version Check entries from the HR control table Maintain prefix numbers Check number ranges Configure RFC Destination Maintain a system administrator for workflow Generally classify decision tasks Maintain a standard domain for Internet mail Activate sending to objects and HR objects Maintain demo and verification environment Schedule background job for missed deadline Schedule background job for work items with errors Schedule background job for condition evaluation Schedule background job for event queue Schedule background job for clearing report

Automatic

Always required?

Default entry used


01

User WF-BATCH SY-UNAME [W1]Your own user ID

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Creating Prefix Numbers for Standard Objects

An entry is required for each system and client that you wish to use.

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Set Active Plan Version


Display view Set Active Plan Version: Overview
Table view Edit Goto Selection Utilities System Help SWU3
Documentation

Group WORKFLOW_LOCAL_401 Sem. abbr. Valueabbrv. Destination

Description

PLOGI RFC user


RFC password

PLOGI

01

Integration Plan Version / Active Plan Version

Human Resources

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Activate Deadline Monitoring


Customizing step: Scheduling deadline monitoring - Job SWWDHEX
Deadline Monitoring Edit Goto System Help

Configure and Schedule Work Item Deadline Monitoring


Save and Schedule Save and Schedule (F8) Interval until next deadline check 3 (in minutes)

Job Attributes Start date of background job Start time of background job Name of background job Number of background job Background Job Report 03254301 RSWWDHEX 31.12.2999 23:59:59 SWWDHEX

You must perform the Customizing activity if you want to monitor the deadlines of individual workflow steps in the WebFlow Engine.
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Set Monitoring of Incorrect Work Items


Schedule Work Item Error Monitoring
Work item monitoring List Edit Goto System Help

Save and Schedule

Information on monitoring temporary

Start Date of Background Job Start Time of Background Job Name of Background Job Number of Background Job Monitoring of Temporary Incorrect Work Items Interval until next rerun Retry counter for work items with errors
-

13.06.1998 10:25:00 SWWERRE 10170901 X 20 3

(in minutes)

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Check Customizing
Start Verification Workflow
List Edit Goto System Help

SWU3

Start Verification Workflow

Event created - Verification workflow started

1. Switch to the Business Workplace. In your workflow inbox, you will find a work item with a user decision. 2. Execute this work item. It contains two mails: notifications of completion for this user decision and for the following background step.

Integrated inbox

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Workflow Architecture Workflow Organization Business Workplace Workflow Monitoring Workflow Customizing Workflow Transactions

Useful Transactions
Transaction Code
PFAC PFOS / PFSO PFT / PFCT PPOC / PPOM SWE2-3 / SWEL SWI1-8 SWO1 SWUE SWUS SWU3 SWDD SBWP SWXF

Description
Rule Maintenance Organizational Assignment Task Maintenance Organization Maintenance Event Type Linkage Workflow Analysis Business Object Builder Event Creation Workflow Test Customizing Workflow Builder Business Workplace Leave Request Demo

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