Key Concepts - SAP Business Workflow

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Generated by Jive on 2015-08-17+02:00 1 SAP Business Workflow: Workflow Recipe for Passionate Starters - Part I (Spice up!!) Posted by Aspire WF May 18, 2012 Dear Reader, This is PART I of 4 part blog series drafted keeping passionate Workflow beginners in mind to give a better picture & right start about SAP Business Workflows. What is Workflow? Workflow is an automation tool wherein we can map the existing business process and automate it end to end. Benefits: User initiating the process need not bother about next level approvers involved in the process. Workflow will take care of finding the right approver and sending the workitem/Mail for his action/information Deadline monitoring is a workflow feature which helps to attach a timeline for approver to take action. Cases where no action is taken after deadline expiry can be handled by escalating the workitem superior or notify someone that deadline has expired. This aids for better & faster business progress Workflow ensures that the right work is brought in the right sequence at the right time to the right people SAP Business Workflow can also be used to respond to errors and exceptions - it can start when predefined events occur(SWUY Tcode) Automatic Workflow Customizing: Tcode: SWU3 Purpose: Before jumpstarting with Workflow development we need to ensure that workflow customizing settings are in place. These settings are prerequisite for proper triggering & execution of workflow. Fig: SWU3 Tcode

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SAP Business Workflow - for novice consultants

Transcript of Key Concepts - SAP Business Workflow

Page 1: Key Concepts - SAP Business Workflow

Generated by Jive on 2015-08-17+02:001

SAP Business Workflow: Workflow Recipe forPassionate Starters - Part I (Spice up!!)

Posted by Aspire WF May 18, 2012

Dear Reader,

This is PART I of 4 part blog series drafted keeping passionate Workflow beginners in mind to give a better

picture

& right start about SAP Business Workflows.

What is Workflow?

Workflow is an automation tool wherein we can map the existing business process and automate it end to end.

Benefits:• User initiating the process need not bother about next level approvers involved in the process.

Workflow will take

care of finding the right approver and sending the workitem/Mail for his action/information• Deadline monitoring is a workflow feature which helps to attach a timeline for approver to take action.

Cases where

no action is taken after deadline expiry can be handled by escalating the workitem superior or notify

someone that

deadline has expired. This aids for better & faster business progress• Workflow ensures that the right work is brought in the right sequence at the right time to the right

people• SAP Business Workflow can also be used to respond to errors and exceptions - it can start when

predefined events

occur(SWUY Tcode)

Automatic Workflow Customizing:

Tcode: SWU3

Purpose: Before jumpstarting with Workflow development we need to ensure that workflow customizing

settings are in

place. These settings are prerequisite for proper triggering & execution of workflow.

Fig: SWU3 Tcode

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Mostly this customizing activity is done by Basis team. Reason being that SAP user id used for this activity

should have SAP_ALL & SAP_NEW authorization.

Fig: Maintain Runtime Environment

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Configure RFC Destination:

The workflow runtime system always executes its tRFC (transactional RFC) calls on the logical destination

WORKFLOW_LOCAL_xxx (xxx stands for the three-digit number of the client). The workflow runtime system

only operates within one client. The naming for the logical destination guarantees that these names are unique

across the system. Executing this activity will create the logical RFC destination WORKFLOW_LOCAL_xxx if

it does not yet exist. The user WF-BATCH is assigned to this destination.

WF-BATCH:

WF-BATCH is a background system user which should have SAP_ALL authorization. All background activities

related to workflow are executed using this user id. Perform automatic customizing will create this user id if it

does not exist in system.

Fig: Maintain Workflow System Administrator

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We can maintain Workflow admin either as a Role/Org Unit/ Job/Position/Workcenter/User as seen above.

Whoever is maintained as WF Admin will get a notification mail in their business workplace (SBWP Tcode)

whenever a workflow runs into an error. Based on this notification mail relevant troubleshooting can be done.

An example error notification mail sent to WF Admin will look as below,

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From above mail we can understand that for workflow WS92000001 triggering event TRIGGERWF

of business object ZBUS2012 is not maintained. Troubleshooting for this case will be to enable the

Linkage Activated checkbox in SWE2 Tcode. This checkbox enabling means that workflow is correctly

linked to the event & will look as below,

Fig: Event Linkage activation in SWE2 Tcode

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Maintain Active Plan Version:

Only one of the plan versions created in the system can be active. This plan version (with its contents) is

seen by the workflow system as the only valid plan version. 01 is set as the active plan version.

Classify Decision Task as General:

    TS00008267 – Standard SAP Task for User Decision step in workflow. This task has to be made as General task since it does not have any possible agents as standard.

Note: While maintaining agents for tasks in workflow either we need to make it as

General Task or assign possible agents for the task. General Task means that all users in

the SAP System are allowed as possible agents of these tasks. The agent restriction must

be performed by selecting Responsible Agents in the step definition.

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Document Generation/Form Integration:

SAP Tasks (TS70008298, TS71007944, TS71007945, TS71007946 and TS71007954) are

used for Document from Template step & Tasks (TS70008112, TS70008113, TS70008114

and TS70008115) are used for Form step in workflow. These tasks are made as General Task.

Maintain Time Units:

Units of measurement and time that are used by the SAP System can be maintained here.

Schedule Background Job for Missed Deadlines:

Background Job SWWDHEX is executed regularly as per the time interval maintained in this

activity to check whether new deadlines have been missed since the last time it ran.

Schedule Background Job for Work Items with Errors

There are 3 possible error types in Workflow namely Temporary error, Application error and

System error.

Temporary Error:

Error that occurs when certain system resources are not available. For e.g. Personnel no to be

processed by approver is already being processed by another user.

Application Error:

Error that occurs when an error exists in the called application. For e.g. There is no authorization

to edit the object.

System Error:

Error that occurs if there are inconsistencies between the business object type definition and

the method call.

For e.g. Mandatory method parameters for the method call have not been set.

Background Job SWWERRE is executed regularly as per time interval maintained in this activity to,

• Notify workflow system administrator in the event of application errors and system errors• Restart background workitems with temporary errors

Schedule Background Job for Condition Evaluation:

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Conditions for work item start and work item end is checked via a background job. Background job

SWWCOND is scheduled with the standard parameters in this activity.

Schedule Background Job for Event Queue:

Events used to trigger workflow are managed via Event queues. The background job for the event

queue is scheduled with the standard parameters in this activity.

Schedule background job for clearing report:

Background job SWWCLEAR is used to deletes all job logs of the following background job:

SWWCOND Work item rule monitoring

SWWDHEX Work item deadline monitoring

SWWERRE Work item error monitoring

After scheduling, the background is executed once a day at 00:00 hours.

Maintain Prefix Numbers:

An example WF template id will look as WS92100001. WS is the prefix which refers to Workflow

template id. Remaining 8 digits are made up of 2 parts. First 3 digits should be maintained manually

in this activity. Remaining 5 digits are generated automatically by SAP which is a running no. We can

define one prefix number per system (DEV/QAS/PRD) and client (100/200 etc...).

Check Number Ranges:

This check routine determines whether there is a number range for workflow tasks and customer tasks.

If the status of this check has the status error, we can correct the error as follows:

• Use the report RSCLTCOP to copy all the content of the T77* tables from the client 000 into the

relevant client.• Carry out the Customizing for personnel planning and workflow again.

Check Entries from HR Control Tables:

This check routine determines whether the Organizational Management control tables are complete

which is necessary for the workflow system to be functional. Report RHTTCP77 is executed for the

same. If there are errors in the output of report RHTTCP77 regarding the transport objects PDST or

PDWS, it means that the relevant entries are not maintained in table SOBJ. Report RHSOBJCH

can be used to rectify these errors. Note that with these errors the workflow is executable in the

current system, but crucial information is not transported in the event of transports into other

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systems.

Maintain Additional Settings and Services:

Maintain Web Server:

If we want to execute workflows that use WebFlow functions (separate step type Web Activity

is available in workflow), we have to define a Web Server for the SAP System. This step has to be

maintained manually and cannot be executed automatically using Perform automatic customizing.

Maintain Standard Domain for Internet Mail:

Questions can be created with respect to work items within the workflow system. These questions

can be answered using an e-mail to the relevant work item. The answers are added to the work item's

attachments automatically. A standard domain for the current system is required for this function.

This step has to be maintained manually and cannot be executed automatically using Perform automatic

customizing.

Activate Send to Objects and HR Objects:

If the workflow system is to send work items and mails to business objects and organizational

objects (positions, organizational units, etc.) in the Business Workplace, the relevant functions

must be activated.

Maintain Demo and Verification Environment:

Verification workflow in SWU3 Tcode and all demo workflows are declared as general.

Classify Tasks as General:

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Tasks in task groups related to above scenarios like Test Workflows etc are made as General Task.

Once Perform Automatic Customizing button is clicked, SAP system will maintain the customizing

activities automatically.

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If a particular activity has been executed successfully the icon colour changes from RED to GREEN.

Later user can go to each activity & reset the default value to a different value. For e.g. 3 minutes is

default value for the background job for missed deadlines as below,

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        Based on our requirement we can manually change this value. Note that it’s MANDATORY toensure that Maintain Runtime Environment activity & Maintain Definition Environment are GREEN in colour for

proper functioning of Workflows.

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To perform automatic customizing for Maintain Additional Settings and Services, single click

on it and then click on perform automatic customizing button. Excluding manual activities

          “Maintain Web Server” & “Maintain Standard Domain for Internet Mail” other activities willbe maintained automatically. In case of Classify Tasks as General all 7 sub-activities under this

activity will be maintained automatically.

Verify automatic customization settings:

To verify the customization settings click on Start verification workflow icon as highlighted below,

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This will start a verification workflow which will finally send a mail to our inbox (SBWP Tcode)

to inform whether customizations are correct or not.

Thanks for reading. Please share your valuable comments.8073 Views Tags: sap_business_workflow, workflow_basics, workflow_starters, basics_of_workflow,workflow_starter, new_to_workflow, starting_with_workflow, workflow_guide, workflow_handbook

Aspire WF in response to Nishant Bansal on page 15Mar 18, 2015 5:01 PM

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Thanks a lot for your kind words Nishant. Good Day.

Nishant BansalMar 18, 2015 1:59 PM

Hi,

Thanks for Sharing this document.

Thanks.

Nishant

iQra khanDec 3, 2014 7:36 AM

excellent thanks for sharing

Aspire WF in response to Naresh Patil on page 15Jan 3, 2014 4:22 AM

@Murali, Srini, Raghav, Naresh,

Thanks all for your supportive feedback. I am extremely glad that it was helpful to you.

Cheers

Aspire

Naresh PatilDec 31, 2013 10:01 AM

Hi,

Now a days, I am working on Workflow in PP and this document really helped me.

Thanks & Regards,

Naresh

Raghavender PoosarlaDec 27, 2013 11:49 AM

Good overview on WF customization.

Regards,

Raghav

Srinivas KNov 27, 2013 11:12 AM

Good document for Workflow beginners...

Murali Krishna

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Sep 26, 2013 4:50 PM

Good Document on Workflow Customization ...very helpful for beginners...

Murali...

Aspire WF in response to NAGESWARA RAO K on page 16Sep 25, 2013 10:36 PM

Thanks for your kind words Nag. Glad you liked it.

Aspire

NAGESWARA RAO KSep 17, 2013 1:25 PM

Good Information .Thanks for sharing

Regards,

Nag

Aspire WF in response to Murali Krishnan on page 16Aug 7, 2013 3:36 PM

Murali,

Glad to know that you liked it. Thanks for your

Kind words.

Aspire!

Murali KrishnanAug 7, 2013 9:04 AM

Excellent. Thanks for sharing.

Aspire WF in response to Rahul Tiwari on page 16Jun 26, 2013 7:39 PM

Rahul & Sarath,

Thanks a ton for your kind words. Glad to see that it was helpful to you.

Best,

Aspire

Sarath PulluveettilJun 13, 2013 1:39 PM

Aspire,

Very Good Document on Workflow Customizing

Rahul Tiwari

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Jun 12, 2013 6:11 PM

Aspire,

Great job! for sharing valuable information.

Aspire WF in response to Priyaranjan Gupta on page 17Mar 17, 2013 9:38 PM

Appreciate your kind words. Thank you Priya.

Aspire WF in response to Karthikeyan Kulandhaivel on page 17Mar 17, 2013 9:37 PM

Thanks for your kind words Kumar.

Priyaranjan GuptaNov 20, 2012 11:16 AM

Hi,

This is really a very good document which explains the basic settings (prerequisite) for workflow.

Karthikeyan KulandhaivelJul 6, 2012 4:21 PM

Superp......