Adobe Interactive Forms in mySAP ERP Patty Mok, Sr. Bus. System Analyst, Adobe SystemsMatthias Zeller, Sr. Product Manager, Adobe Systems

Learning Objectives

• How Adobe Systems leverages interactive PDF forms internally to improve usability and provide better customer service.

• What to consider when using interactive forms with SAP applications.

• Overview of interactive forms scenarios provided out-of-the-box in ERP 2004.

Problems with Existing FormBased Processes• Need to extend business processes to more users

• Integrate internal and external users (managers, employees, prospects, customers,…) into business processes

• Need to improve form based business processes• Paper is error-prone and easily outdated• Paper-based business processes require manual data re-entry• Status tracking for paper-based business processes is not possible,

thus need for the sender to monitor the form status • HTML, e-mail and fax documents are frequently redundant • Customers want to lower the high costs associated with paper-

based processes• Customers who already use electronic forms see a need to make

the creation of electronic forms easier and less time-consuming

History of Electronic Forms at Adobe

• 1997 Fill and print PDF forms• 1998 Routable PDF forms • 2001 PDF forms integrated with SAP• 2002 Transition to Adobe Form Server and

Workflow Server technology• 2003 Implemented 26 forms powered by Adobe

Form Server and Workflow Server• 2004 Migrate forms to SAP’s “Interactive Forms

based on Adobe software”

Forms Powered by…

• SAP R/3 4.7c• SAP Web AS 6.10• Adobe Workflow Server 6.2• Adobe Form Server 5.0• Adobe Designer 6.0• Adobe Form Manager 6.0• Adobe Acrobat 6.0

Forms can be filled out using Adobe Reader only

Intelligent Forms

• 15 HR forms• Payroll: Timecard, PTO, Canada Pager Pay, Professional

Services Timesheet• Performance: Bonus, Annual Performance Appraisal• Employee Status: Change of Status, Exiting Worker, Worker

Accounts, Severance, Termination Documents• Benefits: ESPP Enrollment, ESPP Confirmation, Sabbatical

Request, Field Fitness• 4 Finance forms

• Cost Center Maintenance• Accounts Payable Invoice approval, PO and non-PO related• Expense Report

Intelligent Forms (continued)

• 5 Corporate and Facilities forms• Purchase Requisition• Travel Authorization• Facilities Project Approval• Project Approval• Method of Procedure

• 7 Product and Pricing forms• 5 PAR (Pricing Action Recommendation) forms• New SKU Request• New Product Setup

Adobe Forms Architecture

Examples

• Purchase Requisition• Validates against SAP and updates in real-time

• Change of Status• Multiple Personnel Actions with single form

• Expense Report• Data entry in SAP, approval workflow in Adobe Workflow

Server

Purchase Requisition

Change of Status

Expense Report

Expense Report Approval

Interactive Forms in mySAP ERP 2004• Generate forms that contain data extracted from core systems• Use dynamic or static forms, complete them online or offline• Allow users to print out forms• Enable extensive acceleration of form-based business

processes and automation of paper-based business processes

In mySAP ERP 2004, a lot of business scenarios use Interactive Forms.

What are the Top Requirements for mySAP ERP 2004?• Interactive Forms Usability and Employee Efficiency

• Process automation integrates workforce to customers, partners and other IT systems

• Form based processes available on and offline• Provide easy access to various business processes that is intuitive ensuring

user adoption within and beyond the enterprise• TCO Requirements

• No additional hardware related costs• No client viewer investment required – based on ubiquitous free Adobe

Reader• Easy to use graphical form design tool, embedded in SAP developer

environment reduces programming costs• Completely embedded within the SAP platform and integrated with existing

SAP XML infrastructure• Transparency and Compliance

• Compliance Market: Sarbanes Oxley, Basel II, …

Key Capabilities of Interactive Forms I• Exchange data with people and systems, anytime,

anywhere• Leverage the power of XML to create interactive forms containing

both business logic and data• Available online (with system connection) and offline (locally) • Available anytime, anywhere with ubiquitous Adobe Reader

• Maintain process familiarity to ensure user adoption• Enable document-based business processes that are intuitive,

and familiar• Maintain visual integrity and fidelity

Key Capabilities of Interactive Forms II• Share information more securely for better collaboration

• Authenticity of origin• Content integrity

• Ensure compliance to meet increasing regulatory pressures

• Meet visual regulatory document format requirements• Deploy multiple digital signature options for sign-off and approval

processes• Create secure archives of all form submissions in Adobe PDF• Support audits by tracking form related events

Adobe Technology in SAP Net Weaver ‘04

Adobe Designer Adobe Designer

Adobe Document Services

Adobe Designer Adobe Designer

Adobe Document Services

Java

Java

Adobe Technology in the SAP Web Application server 6.40

Java PDF Object ABAP PDF Object

SAP Web Application Server

Adobe Document Services

J2EE Engine

NetWeaver Developer Studio ABAP Workbench

Interactive Forms in SAP Self-Services

Business Scenarios• Personnel Change Requests (e. g. Position

Change, Change Employee Group and Subgroup, Change Working Time,…) – online & print

• Requisition Request – online & print

• Request equipment repair, equipment loss and equipment reassignment – online & print

• Request adjustment posting for cost centers or internal orders – online & print

• Salary Statement – print

• Time Statement – print

• Total Compensation Statement – print

Interactive Forms Design Time

Interactive Forms Run-time

Interactive Forms Run-time

Roadmap

Contextual Assistance

Navigation Buttons

Adobe Form Object

Interactive Forms Run-time

Header

Contextual Information

Data Entry

Contextual Information

Data Entry

Internet Service Requests

Business Logic Layer

VisualizationLayer

JSP

ISR

Adobe LiveCycle Designer

ECC 5.0

new

RFC

Integrated with Web Dynpro

Interactive Forms

Back-end Connection

Design the form easily

Internet Service Requests –Generic framework for Interactive

Forms: Design the scenario

Manager Self Services Demo

Example: mySAP ERP Operations

Current Situation at CustomersMany processes in logistics are still paper-based due to

• Limited system access of employees• Additional explanatory data required • Missing process support in applications (e.g. processes

across various systems and transactions)• Need of a final approval step before entering data into

systemPain points

• Paper-based processes are error-prone and often redundant• Limited transparency and traceability on the process as it is

decentralized to the involved employees• Data has to be re-typed manually into the system

mySAP ERP Operations: New Product Request*Business Scenarios

• New Product Request(“create material master data”)

• Product Change Request (“change material master data”)

Run TimeDesign Time

*The two Business Scenarios New Product Request and Product Change Request are only available for pilotcustomers with mySAP ERP 2004; they are planned to be general available with mySAP ERP 2005.

mySAP ERP Operations: Guided Procedures and Interactive Forms

Guided Procedures: Lead through the workflow and enable tracking of the process

Interactive Forms: Each step can be completed offline

Find form

1 2 43

Add data Approve Create Master Data

Requestor ManagerSpecialist

Notifications triggered by Guided Procedures

Enterprise Service

Architecture

Key Benefits

• Formerly paper-based master data request processes are now mainly automated

• Increased transparency through visualization of complete processes and ongoing status

• Ad hoc collaboration: modifications of a running workflow by end-user

• No specialized software skills required to set up and execute business processes (Guided Procedures)

• Traceability of master data requests: process information is attached to the master data

Key Benefits of Interactive Forms & Guided Procedures in mySAP ERP Operations

mySAP ERP Operations Demo

Key Learning

• The Benefits of Interactive Forms• Interactive Forms used by Adobe Systems internally• mySAP ERP Self Services leveraging Interactive

Forms• Interactive Forms processes in mySAP ERP

Operations

More information ...

• Adobe Homepage:http://www.adobe.com/sap

• SAP Customer Services Network:http://www.sap.com/services Quick Link Adobe

• SAP Developer Network:http://www.sdn.sap.com → Web AS → Interactive Forms

• Adobe Product Management: Matthias Zeller (mzeller@adobe.com)

• SAP Product Management: Markus Meisl (markus.meisl@sap.com)

1108Session Code: