Designing Mobile ERP Approval Forms for BlackBerry Users
Jan 15, 2016
Designing Mobile ERP Approval Forms for BlackBerry Users
SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 2
Introduction
What does this presentation cover? This presentation describes how a real-world SAP customer has used
the SAP ABAP Workbench to create optimized SAP Approval forms for BlackBerry device users within their organization
It covers the following topics:– Understanding the mobile requirements
– Using SAP ABAP Workbench to build optimized web-based approval forms for BlackBerry users
– Key lessons learned
Mobility Requirements
Mobilizing Purchase Requisition Approvals
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Typical Mobile Applications
Sales Needs – View and update accounts and transactions
Executives – Remote approval and communication
Business Intelligence – Real-time access to confidential information
Workflow– Target participants could be anywhere
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Challenges to be Overcome
Mobility is a fact of today’s business Executive and Sales / Field Service Reps have to be mobile in today’s
global business place
Timeliness Cached information is not sufficient
Real-time workflow is impossible with disconnected or sync-based solutions
Security Typical applications require secure communications
Mobility Requirements
Mobilizing Purchase Requisition Approvals
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Purchase Requisition Approval Process
Background IT has its own purchasing department
– Preferred vendors
– Pre-negotiated contracts
– No blanket orders
Purchasing process is efficient
Approvals take multiple days chasing managers
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Purchase Requisition Approval Process
IT Help DeskRequest for approval
Requsitioner
Request to Purchase
cost centermanager
Approval forPurchase
$
$
Purchasing
RemedyTicekt
with OrderDetails
SAPPurchase
Requisition
Workflow Level 1 :Basic CC Aproval
Approval
Senior FinancialManager
Special GLApprover
Workflow Level 2:Dollar Value Escalation
Approval
Workflow Level 3Special Cost Element
Escalation
Approval
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Application Requirements
SAP Workflow 3 processes: manager approval; $ escalation; special GL approval
SAP Portal SAP authentication
SAP Users for Approvers Appropriate signing authority for escalations
$1 for basic manager approval
SAP Java Connector Object Library and Java Used to build status page and requisition detail
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Application Challenge #1
Approval on BB Desired / Authentication (SAP vs. Windows) Two groups of skill sets within existing IT staff:
– Web developers (java / jsp but no SAP)
– SAP developers (abap / bsp)
Significant work required to build application to pass credentials using Java and JCO
SEM already had the ”glue” to bridge login but required SAP knowledge
Compromise = BSP (essentially html wrapper for ABAP)– ABAP can talk to SAP (workflow and authentication)
– Result:- Login to SAP - Talk to SAP workflow : approve/reject/cancel- Look at details of requisitions- Check status of approval process
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Application Challenge #2
Travel, Vacation, etc.
Managers away and requisition sits waiting approval
Need to set availability from blackberry
Solution:– Web Interface to SAP workflow to set start / end dates
– Rules established for re-routing
– Administrator access to ”break” loops
- I’m away and redirect it to you
- You’re away and redirect it to me
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Approval Request on Desktop
Workflow email from SAP has two links: desktop & blackberry
Links provide:– Purchase approval status info– Requisition details (3 views)– pageview parameter:
- 1 – blackberry (narrow display)- 2 – printable- 3 – normal layout
From: Workflow-System [mailto:[email protected]]Sent: October 19, 2005 10:22To: Elsa PainterSubject: PR 3366 is pending your approval
Purchase requisition # 3366 is ready for approval.
Total value for Cost Centre 202020: $5,500.00
Total value for requisition: $5,500.00
At your desk: To approve/reject this PR, please click on the linkbelow and when prompted, log in using your Windows login and password.Once the page loads, click on your Universal Worklist and selectthe task related to this PR# to approve or reject.http://abc.myco.net:50000/irj/portal
Using your BlackBerry: To approve/reject this PR click on thelink below and when prompted, log in using your SAP login and password.Once the page loads in your BlackBerry browser, click on Approve, Rejector Cancel.http://abc.myco.net:8000/sap/bc/bsp/sap/ZITPRA/prapr.do?PR=3366
WI: 000000503769Step: FIR1GUID: [email protected]
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Approval Request on the BlackBerry
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Requisition Status and Order Details
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Efficiency Gained from Process
Dramatic reduction in turn around time From days to minutes
Sarbanes-Oxley compliance Provides auditable trail of approval process
Supports Mobile Executives Eliminates need to ”delegate” approvals
Can be processed anywhere and anytime
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ASUG and SAP: Partners in Education
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