how to create a basic sap business workflow.doc

8/9/2019 How to Create a Basic SAP Business Workflow.doc

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How to Create a Basic Business Workfow in SAP

With SAP Business Workflow, SAP AG provides an efficient cross-application tool enabling integrated electronicmanagement of business processes. SAP Business Workflow is a solution which has been integrated full in the !"#Sstem and which enables customer-specific business process flows to be coordinated and controlled on a cross-application and cross-work center basis. SAP Business Workflow therefore enhances $read-made$ application software.%he SAP Business Workflow definition environment can represent business processes simpl and can respond tochanging e&ternal conditions 'uickl, even in a live sstem, b adapting the e&isting business processes.

%he definition and e&ecution of a workflow can be divided into four main areas. A user e&ecutes workflows in theirBusiness Workplace where the work items that the can e&ecute are displaed. A workflow must be defined to bee&ecuted. %o this end, a workflow definition is created in the Workflow Builder . %his definition contains steps that aree&ecuted at runtime. %he step either control the workflow directl or the contain a reference to a task. %he task refers toa method of an ob(ect tpe in the Business Object Repository )B*!+ and can be e&ecuted at runtime eitherautomatically )background task+ or b a user )dialog task+.

Business Workplace and work items

Work items are displaed to the user for e&ecution in their Business Workplace. Work items are instances of a workflow

at runtime. %heir are various tpes of work item. *nl certain tpes are displaed in the Business Workplace.

Workflow and workflow definition

A workflow must be defined before it can be e&ecuted. %his workflow definition s made up of steps that control theworkflow or refer to the tasks to be e&ecuted. ou can make additional specifications about agents and deadlinemonitoring for a step. %hese specifications are evaluated at runtime b the work item manager . %he workflow is startedeither manuall or b the sstem at runtime. or the sstem to start a workflow, the workflow definition must contain atriggering event )for e&ample the event $material created$+. When the event occurs, the relevant workflow is startedautomaticall.

When ou activate a workflow definition , ou automaticall generate a runtime version. When the workflow is started)manuall or automaticall+, the relevant runtime version is used for the e&ecution. f the workflow definition is changedlater and a new runtime version is generated, these changes do not affect workflows that are alread being e&ecuted.

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Tasks

%asks describe elementar business activities. %asks alwas refer to a method of an ob(ect tpe. Possible agents aredefined for tasks. %asks can refer to automaticall e&ecutable methods )background tasks+ or the can need a user toe&ecute them )dialog tasks+.

Object types and objects

An object type describes the data with which ou want to work in a workflow, for e&ample the ob(ect tpe Material . Anobject is an individual data record of an ob(ect tpe. Attributes are defined for an ob(ect tpe, which make up its data record)for e&ample, material name or material number+. /ach ob(ect tpe has methods, in which activities are defined, which canbe e&ecuted with the data )for e&ample, create material+. %he transactions and functions of the !"# Sstem can be calledin a method as can our own transactions or other applications. %he last important component of an ob(ect tpe are itsevents. %hese describe the status changes that an ob(ect can undergo )for e&ample, material deleted or material changed+.

A workflow can be started b an event of this kind being triggered.

%he Business Object Repository provides an overview of all ob(ect tpes in the !"# Sstem. ou can use or e&tend thee&isting ob(ect tpes as well as create new ob(ect tpes.

Demo Eample! Processin" a #otification of Absence $B%&

B'T&W(')

Purpose

%his workflow template demonstrates how to process a notification of absence.

t can be used as an eample for demonstratin" SAP Business Workflow functions, and is particularl suitable fortraining courses.

Process (low

An emploee enters a notification of absence )leave re'uest+ in the !"# Sstem b filling out the relevant inputtemplate.

%he direct superior of t*e employee is responsible for approving or re(ecting the notification of absence. %he !"#Sstem determines the direct superior automatically on the basis of the organi0ational plan maintained.

f the re+uest is appro,ed the creator is notified b mail1

f the re+uest is not appro,ed, the creator is informed and can decide whether to withdraw the notification of absence orrevise it. f the superior has given reasons for the re(ection in an attachment, the creator can take these into consideration.

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f the creator re,ises the re'uest, it is submitted to the superior for approval again. %he applicant can also add anattachment, which can then be accessed b the superior.

%his ccle is repeated until either the superior approves the leave re'uest or the creator withdraws it.

%he applicant can find out the current processing status at an time b looking in their workflow outbox.

Tutorial! Workflow 'odelin"

Purpose

%his tutorial uses an e&ample in a series of eas-to-follow units to e&plain the most important tools in SAP BusinessWorkflow .

%he e&ample used here is based on a scenario for approin! a notification of absence. At the end of this tutorial, ou willhave defined and e&ecuted a workflow that automaticall submits a notification of absence )leave re'uest+ to oursuperior for approval, and informs the re'uester of the result of the approval process.

ou will become familiar with the following areas of SAP Business Workflow throughout the course of this tutorial1

• 2efinition tools

• Business Workplace

• !eporting and analsis tools

• 3sing the Workflow Builder

%he tutorial is not intended to provide a full description of all functions and concepts. %his information is available in the

documentation on SAP Business Workflow.

%his tutorial does not deal with the definition of ob(ect tpes. f ou want further information on this sub(ect, please work

through the tutorial on Workflow Programming.

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Process (low

Work through the individual units in this tutorial in the specified order.

mportant units are followed b tests that ou can use to test what ou have learned to date. Please make sure tocomplete these tests.

Result

Eample & t*e notification of absence

%he scenario in this e&ample begins with the completion of a leave re'uest b an emploee )re'uester or creator of thenotification of absence+.

%he completed form is then forwarded automaticall to the head of department )emploee4s superior+.

• f the head of department approves the re'uest, the emploee receives a notification and the workflow is

terminated.

• f the head of department re(ects the re'uest, the emploee can decide to revise the re'uest )possibl in

accordance with the head of department4s wishes+ or withdraw it. f the emploee decides to revise it, the re'uest

form is resubmitted to the head of department after the revision is made.

%he diagram above shows that additional steps could follow the approval, such as updating the leave account, or notifingthe secretar. %hese steps, however, do not arise in this e&ample.

All of t*e units at a "lance

%he diagram below shows all of the units in this tutorial. Similar units are listed in the same column.


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or complete help look1http1""help.sap.com"saphelp567c"helpdata"/8"96":;7f>d>


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Step&by&Step

• !un %ransaction PP*@/

>. ind our ompan )>. 2rag and drop the activit con in the Step %pe are to the 3ndefined step in the Graphical @odel

;. n the ontrol tab, click the %ask field, click and arrow to reate a 8ew %ask.

#. %he Standard %ask window will appear. %pe the information as shown in the screen below )e&cept use ourown numbers in place of >


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6. rom the Additional 2ata menu, select Agent Assignment @aintain and assign the Sales !ep >


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=. Save the data. n the reate *b(ect 2irector /ntr, click on the Docal *b(ect button.7. Go back to the Workflow Builder and click on the Binding )does not e&ist+ button. %hen define the following

binding1


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?. Save our workflow. Give it a name like WS55>


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:. @aintain Agent Assignment as shown below1


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>9. Save it )select local ob(ect as in the previous task+.

". ou need an additional container element in the workflow container to store the name of the user who will e&ecute

this step. %his user name is to be used later in the notification te&t that is sent to the re'uester. hoose theWorkflow ontainer )left side+ and then select the entr E#ouble$click to create% b double-clicking in theWorkflow &ontainer . %he dialog bo& for entering a container element is displaed. @ake the following entries andsave1


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"".

>;. hange the Binding to include the following1

>#. Build )Generate !untime ersion+ and %est our workflow.


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>6. %C/ /82.

how to create a basic sap business workflow.doc

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