SAP Workflow Course Section 07B-01: Workflow Definition November, 2001
May 15, 2015
SAP Workflow Course
Section 07B-01: Workflow Definition
November, 2001
SAP Workflow Course – Section 07B-01: Workflow Definition 2
Workflow Definition
Contents:
• Overview of workflow definition
• Workflow Builder components
SAP Workflow Course – Section 07B-01: Workflow Definition 3
Workflow Definition: Unit Objectives
• At the conclusion of this section, you will be able to:
• Define components of a workflow definition
• Identify steps in a workflow
• Use the functions of the Workflow Builder
SAP Workflow Course – Section 07B-01: Workflow Definition 4
Workflow Definition: Business Scenario
• You laid out the design of your business process on a whiteboard
• You need to learn about the Workflow Builder
• This will allow you to translate your business process into a workflow definition
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Workflows: Examples
• Circulation list which has to be processed, signed off and checked
• Checking the master data after changes
• Business processes which cross application boundaries
– From a change request all the way to a production order
– Budget management from request through release of funds
– Recruitment from placing the advertisement through the integration of the new employee in the organization
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Workflow Template / SAP workflow
Workflow template (WS)
• customer-defined• reference to the workflow
definition• client-independent
SAP workflow (WS)
• executable• reference to the workflow
definition• client-independent• may not be edited• can be extended• can be used as template
for own workflows
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Workflow definitionWorkflow definitionWorkflowWorkflow
(workflow template)(workflow template)
WorkflowWorkflow
(workflow template)(workflow template)
Reference to workflow definition
Specification of triggering events
Initial value assignment
Workflow Definition
SAP Workflow Course – Section 07B-01: Workflow Definition 8
EventEvent
StepStep
BlockBlock
Workflow Definition
Workflow Definition: Workflow Builder
Workflow Builder:
• Navigation and display area
• Block-oriented modeling
• Top-down modeling is possible
• Special functions such as cut, paste, move, copy
• Checking and activating
• Drag and Drop functionality
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Internal process controlConditionMultiple conditionEvent creatorWait for eventContainer operationLoop (UNTIL)Loop (WHILE)Fork
Business activityActivity (task reference)User decisionDocument from template
Step
Workflow Definition: Steps
• Display step
• Arrangement of steps in sequence or in parallel processing
• Deadline monitoring for certain steps
• Choose and name relevant successors for each step
• Block mode operations
Workflow Definition
in Workflow Builder
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Workflow Builder: Objects and Task Area
• Objects area
– Increased clarity with Explorer like presentation of workflow steps and navigation
– Workflow container maintained directly in Workflow Builder
– overview of document templates
• Task area
– Existing, defined tasks are used in the workflow definition: They only have to be found
– The task area offers access to all tasks relevant for the workflow in the definition
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Definition Tour - The goal
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Definition Tour - Scenario
• Step 1: Call Workflow Builder
– Define a new search area for the available tasks
• Step 2: Insert first steps out of the available tasks
– Insert step ‘Create notification of absence’
– Insert step ‘Approve notification of absence’
• Step 3: Insert mail notification about approval
• Step 4: Insert step to delete absence request if rejected
• Step 5: Insert loop to do the approval again
– create a loop and do some cut and paste operations
– insert also functions to take care to terminate the loop
• Step 6 (advanced): Insert creation of word document
• Step 7: Assign agents
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Step 1: Call Workflow Builder
1
2
4
3
The search areahas to be defined once
Right mouseclick
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Step 1: Introduction
Toolbox
Graphicalnavigation
Navigation and data maintenance
Toolbox of available tasks
Graphical representation of the workflow definition
Message collector with navigation capability
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Step 2: Insert step ‘create notification’
1
2
3
Single click
Double click to insert
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Step 2: Insert step ‘approve notification’
1
2
doubleclick to insert
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Step 3: Insert step to send mail
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1
2
3
singleclick to mark
Choose wizard ‘send mail’
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Step 3: Wizard to create mail step
1
Write text to be sent (values out of the workflow may be used)
Define recipientof mail
Roadmap to maintain orientation Additional information
Standard navigation
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Step 4: Delete or not? Insert decision
1
2
3
4
click button ‘create’
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Step 4: Delete or not? Insert deletion
1
23
doubleclick to insert
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Step 4: Delete or not? Insert update
1
2
3
doubleclick to insert
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Step 5: Insert loop
3
4
5
1
2
doubleclick to edit condition
singleclick to drag
singleclick to drop
doubleclick to create flag
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Step 5: Define loop - condition
1
2
3
doubleclick to insert
Enter ‘X’ asconstant and press return
singleclick ‘=‘ to insert
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Step 5: Move approval into loop
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2
3
Right mouse button for context menu
click button ‘paste’
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Step 5: Take care to leave the loop
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2
3
singleclick to drag
singleclick to drop
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Step 5: Take care to leave the loop
1
2
3
click button ‘paste’
Right mouse button for context menu
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Step 6: Assign agents
Who is responsible for what?
• Employee
– Create notification of absence
– User decision - revise or withdraw
– Revise notification of absence
• Manager
– Approve Notification of absence
– Create document from template
• Workflow system
– Send email
– Delete notification of absence
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Step 6: Assign agents - how?
1
4
2
3
doubleclick to navigate
doubleclick to navigate
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Finish
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Start Transactions: Background and Use
• Why start transactions?
– Workflows sometimes have to be started and supplied with values directly
– Until now, a generic transaction (SWUS) has been used to start workflows
– This transaction is a test tool only, not a working tool for users
• Who needs start transactions?
– It is possible to put help texts directly on the screens of the start transaction
– Users who start workflows directly (via area menu or R/3 main menu -> Office -> Start workflow)
– Users who want to start workflows via a short cut from their Windows Desktop
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Start Transactions: Creation
• How do you generate start transactions?
• Customizing (one-off activity)
– Determine namespace of transaction codes and module pools in Customizing (transaction SWUT)
• Generation
– In the area menu ‘SAP Business Workflow [Development]’, you will find the menu option ‘Workflow start transactions’ under ‘Definition tools’.
– Specify your workflow template as Task
– Enter ‘100’, for example, as Screen number
– Press the pushbutton ‘Create’ -> the generation now runs automatically
• Personalization
– You then have the opportunity to adapt the start transaction created to your requirements
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Start Transactions: Example
NamePersonnel number
DepartmentCost center
Absent from ToReasonContact at
Attachment
Start Deadline Refresh organizational environment
Workflow Edit Goto Environment System Help Input data for task
Request leave
Manually revised screenYou can also put additionalhelp texts here.
Manually revised screenYou can also put additionalhelp texts here.
No programmingrequired
Knowledge of operating thegraphical screen painter isthe only prerequisite.
Knowledge of operating thegraphical screen painter isthe only prerequisite.
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Workflow Definition: Unit Summary
• Workflow templates are client-independent
• Workflow definition is the description and implementation of a workflow process
• Workflow definition in step types and their symbols in the Workflow Builder
SAP Workflow Course
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