Practical Workflow for SAP

... Foreword ... 27

... Preface ... 29

1 ... Introduction ... 39
... 1.1 ... What Is SAP Business Workflow ... 39
... 1.2 ... What Is SAP NetWeaver Business Process Management ... 42
... 1.3 ... How Does SAP Business Workflow Fit Into the SAP Overall Business Process Management Strategy ... 43
... 1.4 ... In Which Business Situations Should I Use SAP Business Workflow ... 44
... 1.5 ... What Can Be Achieved Using SAP Business Workflow ... 49
... 1.6 ... Features of SAP Business Workflow ... 49
... 1.7 ... Some Terminology ... 55

2 ... Requirements Gathering Strategy ... 57
... 2.1 ... Introduction ... 57
... 2.2 ... Understanding the Business Process ... 59
... 2.3 ... Gathering Object Data ... 66
... 2.4 ... Determining the Agents ... 72
... 2.5 ... Determining Work Item Delivery Routes ... 77
... 2.6 ... Confirming the Workflow Design ... 78
... 2.7 ... Workflow Administration ... 80
... 2.8 ... Planning for Production Start ... 80
... 2.9 ... Planning for Future Enhancements ... 81

3 ... Configuring the System ... 83
... 3.1 ... Quick Start: Configure the SAP Workflow Engine in Seconds ... 85
... 3.2 ... Task-Specific Customizing ... 91
... 3.3 ... Transport and Client Copy ... 92
... 3.4 ... Customizing for the SAP Workflow Engine ... 94

4 ... Work Item Delivery ... 95
... 4.1 ... The Human Factor ... 95
... 4.2 ... SAP Business Workplace ... 98
... 4.3 ... Universal Worklist ... 111
... 4.4 ... Examples of Universal Worklist Customizing ... 121
... 4.5 ... Extended Notifications ... 125
... 4.6 ... Business Workflow Workplace ... 128
... 4.7 ... External Users ... 130
... 4.8 ... Other Considerations ... 131

5 ... Agents ... 133
... 5.1 ... Understanding Agent Assignment ... 134
... 5.2 ... Agent Assignment Using the Organizational Structure ... 144
... 5.3 ... Agent Assignment Using Task Groups ... 150
... 5.4 ... Implementing and Maintaining the Structure in Practice ... 151

6 ... Workflow Administration ... 161
... 6.1 ... Reporting on Workflows ... 162
... 6.2 ... Error Resolution ... 168
... 6.3 ... General Techniques for Resolving Runtime Errors ... 171
... 6.4 ... Working with the Work Item Display ... 176
... 6.5 ... Working with the Workflow Log ... 182
... 6.6 ... Resolving Agent Determination Errors ... 188
... 6.7 ... Other Support Tools ... 195
... 6.8 ... Help Desk in the Intranet ... 196
... 6.9 ... A Day in the Life of a Workflow Administrator ... 198

7 ... Using SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse for SAP Business Workflow Reporting ... 211
... 7.1 ... SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse Basics for the Workflow Expert ... 212
... 7.2 ... Standard Workflow Analysis with SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse ... 214

8 ... Creating a Workflow ... 221
... 8.1 ... Workflow Builder Basics ... 222
... 8.2 ... Enhancing Your Workflow ... 231
... 8.3 ... Basics of Containers and Bindings ... 246
... 8.4 ... Steps ... 251
... 8.5 ... Documenting, Translating, Transporting, and Team Development ... 259

9 ... Advanced Workflow Design Techniques ... 263
... 9.1 ... Step Conditions ... 263
... 9.2 ... How to Implement Parallel Processing ... 267
... 9.3 ... Reusing Workflows as Subworkflows ... 273
... 9.4 ... Modeled Deadlines ... 274
... 9.5 ... Containers ... 276
... 9.6 ... Binding ... 282
... 9.7 ... Blocks and Local Workflows ... 284
... 9.8 ... Ad-hoc Features and Review Workflows ... 286

10 ... Business Objects ... 289
... 10.1 ... Business Object Basics ... 291
... 10.2 ... Creating Your Own Business Object Types ... 307
... 10.3 ... Creating Business Object Type Components ... 313
... 10.4 ... Business Object Type Programming ... 329
... 10.5 ... Some Useful Predefined Object Types ... 345
... 10.6 ... Real-World Examples for Business Object Customizing ... 347

11 ... ABAP Classes ... 353
... 11.1 ... ABAP Classes Basics ... 354
... 11.2 ... Comparing ABAP Classes and BOR Objects ... 358
... 11.3 ... Utility Classes ... 361
... 11.4 ... Business Classes ... 374
... 11.5 ... Exception Classes ... 387
... 11.6 ... Events ... 392
... 11.7 ... Using BOR Objects in Classes ... 401
... 11.8 ... Recommendations and Advanced Topics ... 406

12 ... Agent Determination Rules ... 413
... 12.1 ... Determining Agents Through Rule Resolution ... 414
... 12.2 ... Rule Basics ... 415
... 12.3 ... Agent Determination Rule Resolution in the Workflow Step ... 420
... 12.4 ... What Happens If Rule Resolution Has No Result ... 421
... 12.5 ... Responsibility Rules ... 423
... 12.6 ... Agent Determination Using SAP Organizational Data ... 427
... 12.7 ... Function Modules as Rules ... 429
... 12.8 ... Evaluation Paths as Rules ... 434
... 12.9 ... Other Options for Responsible Agent Assignment ... 437
... 12.10 ... Real-World Example of Agent Determination Rules ... 438

13 ... Using Events and Other Business Interfaces ... 441
... 13.1 ... Understanding Events ... 442
... 13.2 ... How to Know What Events Exist ... 444
... 13.3 ... Defining Events ... 447
... 13.4 ... Raising Events from Business Applications ... 447
... 13.5 ... Using Events in Workflows ... 457
... 13.6 ... Generic Object Services ... 470
... 13.7 ... Starting Workflows from Messages ... 474

14 ... Custom Programs ... 475
... 14.1 ... The Engine ... 475
... 14.2 ... Workflow APIs ... 484
... 14.3 ... Advanced Business Interface Techniques ... 488
... 14.4 ... Office Document Interfaces ... 499

15 ... Service-Enabling Workflows ... 501
... 15.1 ... Workflow in the Context of a Business Process ... 501
... 15.2 ... Web Services and Service-Oriented Architecture ... 502
... 15.3 ... What Is Service-Oriented Architecture ... 507
... 15.4 ... SOA at SAP ... 510
... 15.5 ... Implementing the Service Interface for a Workflow ... 512

16 ... Advanced Diagnostics ... 535
... 16.1 ... The Tools of the Trade ... 535
... 16.2 ... The Diagnosis Logs ... 537
... 16.3 ... Debugging with the ABAP Debugger ... 543
... 16.4 ... Preparing a Task to Go to Production ... 549

17 ... Upgrading SAP Business Workflow ... 555
... 17.1 ... First Steps to Upgrading Workflow ... 555
... 17.2 ... Steps to Take Before the Upgrade Begins ... 557
... 17.3 ... Steps to Take During and After the Upgrade ... 559
... 17.4 ... Important SAP Notes ... 563

18 ... User Interface Options ... 567
... 18.1 ... Inbox and the User Interface ... 568
... 18.2 ... Containers, Bindings, and Data Flow ... 570

19 ... Using Web Dynpro ABAP ... 575
... 19.1 ... Example Based on User Decision ... 576
... 19.2 ... Required Settings in Web Dynpro ABAP ... 583
... 19.3 ... Configuration for the Universal Worklist ... 590
... 19.4 ... Ensuring the User Only Executes the Work Item in the Universal Worklist ... 592

20 ... Using Web Dynpro Java ... 593
... 20.1 ... Real-World Example of Web Dynpro Java and Workflow ... 593
... 20.2 ... What Must Be Done on the Workflow Side ... 595
... 20.3 ... What Must Be Done on the Java Side ... 603
... 20.4 ... What Must Be Done in the Universal Worklist ... 608

21 ... Using Business Server Pages ... 613
... 21.1 ... Building the Example BSP and Workflow ... 613
... 21.2 ... Launching the BSP and Transferring Data ... 622
... 21.3 ... Completing Workflow Tasks from BSP Applications ... 629

22 ... Using Forms ... 637
... 22.1 ... SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe ... 637
... 22.2 ... SAP Business Workflow Forms ... 638

23 ... Alloy -- Lotus Notes Integration ... 645
... 23.1 ... The Design Paradigm ... 646
... 23.2 ... Prerequisites for Alloy ... 652
... 23.3 ... Generic Workflow Capabilities ... 653
... 23.4 ... Adding New Decisions to Alloy ... 653
... 23.5 ... Standard Alloy Decisions ... 660

24 ... Duet -- Microsoft Office Integration ... 661
... 24.1 ... Design Time Layout ... 663
... 24.2 ... How an Approval Workflow Application Works in Duet ... 666
... 24.3 ... Prerequisites to Use the Duet Workflow Approval Template ... 669
... 24.4 ... Creating Your Approval Workflow Application ... 670

25 ... SAP Supplier Relationship Management ... 679
... 25.1 ... Approval Processes ... 681
... 25.2 ... SAP SRM Approval Frameworks ... 688
... 25.3 ... Process-Controlled Workflow in Detail ... 690
... 25.4 ... Real-World Example of a Process-Controlled Workflow ... 704
... 25.5 ... Application-Controlled Workflow in Detail ... 710
... 25.6 ... Real-World Example of Application-Controlled Workflow ... 724
... 25.7 ... Inbox ... 726
... 25.8 ... Offline Functionality ... 727
... 25.9 ... Deadline Monitoring ... 728
... 25.10 ... Recommendations When Getting Started ... 729

26 ... SAP Customer Relationship Management ... 735
... 26.1 ... Introduction ... 736
... 26.2 ... Customizing and Workflow Administration ... 745
... 26.3 ... Integrating Your Own Workflows ... 746
... 26.4 ... SAP CRM Worklist ... 749
... 26.5 ... SAP CRM Standard Workflows ... 760
... 26.6 ... Sample Implementation of a Customer Workflow in SAP CRM ... 764

27 ... SAP ERP Human Capital Management --Processes and Forms ... 793
... 27.1 ... Business Overview ... 794
... 27.2 ... Technical Overview of HCM Processes and Forms ... 802
... 27.3 ... Standard Workflows in HCM Processes and Forms ... 809
... 27.4 ... Workflow Techniques ... 811
... 27.5 ... Creating Your Own Workflows ... 816
... 27.6 ... Universal Worklist Configuration ... 820

28 ... Setting Up an SAP-Provided SAP ERP Workflow ... 825
... 28.1 ... How Can You Find Workflows Delivered by SAP ... 826
... 28.2 ... What Is the Business Scenario ... 828
... 28.3 ... Which SAP Workflows Are Involved ... 829
... 28.4 ... How Is the Workflow Started ... 830
... 28.5 ... How Do I Activate This Scenario ... 831
... 28.6 ... Commonly Used SAP ERP Workflows ... 833

29 ... ArchiveLink ... 835
... 29.1 ... What Is ArchiveLink? ... 836
... 29.2 ... ArchiveLink Standard Scenarios ... 838
... 29.3 ... Business Object Types ... 842

A ... Tips and Tricks ... 845
... A.1 ... Working with Wizards ... 845
... A.2 ... Working with Email ... 847
... A.3 ... Showing the Decision Maker in a Follow-On Step ... 853
... A.4 ... Creating Your Own User Decision Template ... 854
... A.5 ... Using Secondary, Before, and After Methods ... 855
... A.6 ... Looping Through a Multiline List ... 857
... A.7 ... Creating Object References Dynamically ... 858
... A.8 ... Deadlines Based on the Factory Calendar ... 859
... A.9 ... Making the Most of Modeled Deadlines ... 863
... A.10 ... Ad-Hoc Anchor Step ... 864
... A.11 ... Review Workflows ... 865

B ... Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide ... 867
... B.1 ... A Workflow That Does Not Start ... 867
... B.2 ... A Workflow That Stops in Mid-Track ... 872
... B.3 ... The Most Likely Causes (and How to Avoid Them) ... 873
... B.4 ... Binding Problems with the Workflow Trace ... 877
... B.5 ... Why Duplicate or Multiple Workflows Are Triggered ... 878
... B.6 ... Why an Agent Does Not Receive a Work Item ... 879
... B.7 ... Why the Wrong Agent Receives the Work Item ... 881
... B.8 ... Why the Work Item Follows the Wrong Route ... 882

C ... The Administrator's First Aid Guide ... 883
... C.1 ... Resolving Work Item Errors ... 883
... C.2 ... Resolving Workflow Instance Errors ... 888
... C.3 ... Finding Workflows That Appear to Have Disappeared ... 891
... C.4 ... Resolving Event Linkage Errors ... 892

D ... Workflow Macros ... 897
... D.1 ... Macros Specific to Object Type Programs ... 897
... D.2 ... Macros for General Workflow Programming ... 898

E ... Preparation for Java Development ... 901

F ... Additional Information for SAP SRM ... 907
... F.1 ... Available Business Configuration Sets ... 907
... F.2 ... BAdI Implementations for Agent Determination ... 908
... F.3 ... Process-Controlled Workflow Advanced Troubleshooting ... 920
... F.4 ... Application-Controlled Workflow Advanced Troubleshooting ... 924

G ... The Authors ... 927