Introduction to Workflow

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Overview What is workflow? What is business process management? Common workflow and process

problems The functional organizational structure The role of enterprise systems Introduction to SAP R3

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What is Workflow (1)? Workflow is a depiction (model) of a

sequence of connected steps Many see workflow as an abstraction of

actual work Examples:

The route you take to work The exact steps to make a Twinkie The steps to procure raw materials for

manufacturing

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What is Workflow? (2) We model workflow in terms of

what steps are performed who performs those steps what dependencies (relationships) exist

between those steps what external resources (information,

materials, etc.) are required to complete the set of steps

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Modeling Workflow We have tools to model workflow and

implement workflow-based software systems BizAgi models business processes UML and UML tools (Visio) model workflow

and various types of processes There are several tools and there are

different models too We will use BizAgi in this course and a

bit of Visio

Slide 6

Modeling Workflow (BPMN) The Business Process Modeling Notation

(BPMN) is used to depict business processes There are formal symbols to depict the

actors in the process, the tasks performed, and the relationships between those tasks

Slide 7

A First Workflow Diagram

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Modeling Workflow (Visio) Visio supports several modeling tools for

workflow Data Flow diagrams model the flow of data

through an information system UML diagrams model process state,

sequence, and structure

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What is Business Process Management? I like this definition:

Workflow is concerned with the application-specific sequencing of activities via predefined instruction sets, involving either or both automated procedures (software-based) and manual activities (people work)

BPM is concerned with the definition, execution and management of business processes defined independently of any single application

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Non-normative Definitions? But let’s not get bogged down in formal

definitions I can find several definition of the

following terms: Workflow Business Process Business Process Management

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Common Workflow and Process Problems Lack of workflow integration across

functional units This leads to a silo effect

Workflow that is not well understood

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The Functional Organizational Structure Purchasing Production Warehouse / distribution Sales and marketing Finance and accounting Human resources Information systems Research and development

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The Role of Enterprise Systems Enterprise Systems (Enterprise Planning

Systems) ERPs Use best practices to implement cross-

functional workflow systems for various industries

We try to Eliminate information silos Create a real-time or near real-time view

of an organization Establish strong internal controls over data

who can access it and who can change it

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Common ERP Systems Oracle (JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, Siebel) SAP Microsoft Dynamics IBM BAAN Sage Group

Sage, Accpac ERP, Peachtree There are also open source solutions

Slide 15

Introduction to SAP SAP R3 (System Analysis and Program

Development) is a client-server application made up of core business modules and optional add-on modules

A central relational database sits behind the server ( SAP HANA, Oracle, SQL Server, …)

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The SAP Business Suite SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (SAP ERP) SAP Supplier Relationship Management (SAP

SRM) SAP Customer Relationship Planning (SAP

CRM) SAP Supply Chain Management (SAP SCM) SAP Product Lifecycle Management (SAP PLM)

SAP NetWeaver supplies the client user interface

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SAP – The Company SAP AG

Founded in Walldorf, Germany in 1972 World’s Largest Business Software Company World’s Third-largest Independent Software Provider

Company Statistics Over 45,000 employees in more then 50 countries 1,500+ Business Partners 95,000+ customers in more then 120 countries 12 million users 100,000+ installations

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SAP – Industries (1) Designed to satisfy the information needs for

all business sizes (small local to large all international)

Multi-lingual Multi-currency Multi-balance (parallel G/L Accounting)

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SAP – Industries (2)

Aerospace & Defense Automotive Banking Chemicals Consumer Products Defense & Security Engineering, Const. Healthcare High Tech Higher Education Industrial Machinery Insurance Life Sciences Logistics Service Prod.

Media Mill Products Mining Oil & Gas Pharmaceuticals Postal Services Professional Services Public Sector Railways Retail Telecommunications Utilities Wholesale Distribution

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SAP – Architecture (1) Client/Server Environment

Client – hardware/software environment that can make a request for services for a central repository of resources

This is the NetWeaver program that you see Server – hardware/software combination

that can provide services to a group of clients in a controlled environment

This is the back-end server that you connect to through NetWeaver

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SAP Architecture (2) Three-Tier Architecture

GUI Graphical User Interface (NetWeaver) or

Web Interface (WebDynpro) Application Server

One or more, help distribute work load Database Server

One single data repository

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SAP ERP Components And get used to all of these codes! Core

Financials (FI) (“Track”) Materials Management (MM) (“Buy

Materials”) Sales and Distribution (SD) (“Sell Goods”) Production Planning (PP) (“Make goods) Human Resources (HCM)

Add-on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Supply Chain Management (CRM)

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SAP Database It’s huge (over 25000 tables) There is little or no data redundancy Terminology and data definitions are

consistent and accurate throughout the database

Slide 24

SAP R3 Implementation

Database

Application

Presentation

Browser ClientPCs, Laptops, etc.

Network

Application Servers

Database

Internet Transaction Server

Web Server

© SAP AG - University Alliances and The Rushmore Group, LLC 2008. All rights reserved

Slide 25

SAP Configuration vs. Customization SAP is configured by editing various

configuration tables Configuration does not require software

code changes Customization is possible through a

programming language called Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP) Customization is a contested practice