Table Of ContentSAP
Workflow Business
Process Automation
by
Sudipta Malakar
FIRST EDITION 2019
Copyright © BPB Publications, INDIA
ISBN: 978-93-88176-53-8
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Published by Manish Jain for BPB Publications, 20, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi- 110002 and Printed him at Akash Press, New Delhi.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 SAP Business Workflow Introduction
1.1 What is SAP Business Workflow
1.2 Need of SAP Business Workflow
1.3 Why to use SAP Business Workflow
1.4 Benefits of SAP Business Workflow
1.5 When to use Workflow
1.6 How to use Workflow
1.7 Workflow Components
1.8 Business Process & Workflow
1.9 SAP Workflow – Technical Principles
1.10 SAP Workflow – How it Works
1.11 SAP Workflow – Architecture
1.12 SAP Workflow – Best Business Practices
1.13 Steps in Workflow implementation
1.14 Implemented scenario for Workflow
1.15 Troubleshooting with Workflow
1.16 Steps types in Workflow?
1.17 Find a Standard Business Object – Which Relates to the Desired Master Data
1.18 Create a Business Object
1.19 Create an Event
1.20 Create a Method
1.21 Create Key Field
1.22 Implement Business Object
1.23 Create Workflow Task
1.24 Set Up Containers
1.25 Assigning Agent to a Task
1.26 For this Demo Example, you will Trigger the Event by Writing a Custom Code
1.27 A Single Step Task
1.28 How are Workflows Created in a System?
1.29 How Workflow gets Executed
1.30 Workflow Toolbox – SWUS
1.31 Object Types and Workflow
1.32 Interfaces and Workflow
1.33 Key Fields and Workflow
1.34 Attributes & WORKFLOW
1.35 Methods & Workflow
1.36 Events and Workflow
1.37 Types of Event Creation
1.38 Using Customizing for Event Trigger
1.39 Event Creation of Change Document
1.40 Event Creation of Status Management
1.41 Event Creation of Message Control
1.42 Using ABAP Code
1.43 Event creators, receivers, and event linkage
1.44 Type Linkage Entry
1.45 Agent – Workflow
1.46 Types of Agents – Workflow
1.47 Tasks: Possible Agents & Default Roles – Workflow
1.48 How are selected agents determined with and without a default role?
1.49 How are Selected Agents Determined with a WF Agent?
1.50 Rule Basics – Workflow
1.51 Rule definition in an activity step type – Workflow
1.52 Rule definition with Responsibility: Example
1.53 Evaluation path as Rule
1.54 Role resolution
1.55 Role resolution with function modules: Example
1.56 Execution of a Role Resolution via Organizational Objects
1.57 Tasks: Possible Agents & Default Roles
1.58 How are Selected agents Determined with and without a default Role
1.59 How are Selected Agents Determined with a WF Agent
1.60 Organizational Structure Business Scenario
1.61 Organizational Management
1.62 Create Organizational Plan
1.63 Assignment Workflow Task Organizational Objects
1.64 Transaction – PPOCW
1.65 Event Trace- SWEL
1.66 Event Trace – SWELS
1.67 Event Log Details
1.68 Workflow log-SWI2_FREQ
1.69 Workflow log-SWI2_FREQ – Normal View
1.70 Agents involved in Workflow
1.71 Workflow log-SWI2_FREQ – Graphical View
1.72 Workflow log-SWI2_FREQ- Technical View
1.73 Some Important Jobs – WORKFLOW
1.74 Workflow Explorer – SWDM
1.75 Test your Knowledge – Workflow
1.76 Work item Types – Workflow
1.77 Business Object Repository (BOR)
1.78 Some common Business Objects and Interfaces
1.79 Object Type – Release Status & Workflow
1.80 Subtype & Workflow
1.81 Delegation & Workflow
1.82 Objects in the Workflow
1.83 Business Objects – Programming and Workflow
1.84 Writing/Reading container elements defined as field values – Workflow
1.85 Container Macros & Workflow
1.86 Single and Multistep Tasks and Workflow
1.87 Task Definition – Synchronous and Asynchronous Methods and Workflow
1.88 Defining a Task & Workflow
1.89 Setting for Tasks – WORKFLOW
1.90 Work item Text – Workflow
1.91 Workflow definition steps
1.92 Types of Containers – Workflow
1.93 Workflow Container
1.94 Task Container
1.95 Other Types of Container – Workflow
1.96 Binding – Workflow
1.97 Container & Dataflow – WORKFLOW
1.98 What is a Container
1.99 Defining Container Elements
1.100 Some Standard Container elements
1.101 Some Key features
1.102 Container Marcos – Workflow
1.103 Writing/Reading Container Elements Defined as Field Values
1.104 Macros for object definition and declaration
1.105 Workflow and ALE
1.106 Workflow and Error Notification
1.107 Active Monitoring
1.108 Setting up Inbound Process via Workflow
1.109 Notification of Successful Posting
1.110 ALE error handling
1.111 Some important Transaction codes / tables – Workflow
1.112 Workflow Customizing – SWU3
1.113 Workflow log-SWI2_FREQ
1.114 Maintain Start Conditions for Workflow: SWB_COND
1.115 Some Important Diagnosis Transactions – Workflow
1.116 Some Important Tables
1.117 Workflow with Function Modules and Reports
1.118 Standard Rules
1.119 Some Important Jobs
1.120 Some Workflow Concepts
1.121 Automatic Email Sending Functionality in Workflows and Customization
1.122 Debugging a Background task in SAP Business Workflow
1.123 Business Workflow Administration – SAP – Simple Procedure
1.124 SAP Workflow log
1.125 Work Item Monitoring
1.126 Error Monitoring, Analysis and Restarting
1.127 Workflow Error Log Notification
Chapter 2 SAP Business Workflow Introduction
2.1 Purpose of the Document
2.2 Benets to Business
2.3 Attributes of developed report
2.4 Technical Details
2.5 Test Results
2.6 Reference Documents
Chapter 3 SAP Business Workflow Terminology
3.1 Purpose
3.2 Glossary
Chapter 4 SAP SAP Workflow with Function Modules and Reports
4.1 Purpose
4.2 Details
Chapter 5 SAP Workflow Review Checklist
5.1 Purpose
5.2 Business object / Class object
5.3 Task
5.4 Workflow Template
5.5 Configuration
5.6 Performance checks
Chapter 6 Demo – SAP Workflow for Credit Memos
6.1 Business Requirement
6.2 Credit Memo Workflow
6.3 Organization structure
6.4 Positions
6.5 Users
6.6 Raising a Credit memo
6.7 Editing Organizations / Positions
6.8 Setting the Credit memo level on a Position
6.9 Assigning Users
Chapter 7 Demo – SAP Business Workflow – Substitution
7.1 Substitution
7.2 Defining Substitution Profile
7.3 Defining Task Classes
7.4 Assigning Task classes to Substitution Profiles
7.5 Assigning Task classes to Dialog task
Chapter 8 Demo – When a FI Document is Parked then Trigger Custom Workflow
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Business Scenario
8.3 Notifications
8.4 Business object used
8.5 Creation of Workflow – Steps
8.4 FI Parking Workflow Configuration Steps
8.6 Summary
Chapter 9 Demo – Goods Returns Workflow
9.1 General Information
9.2 Business Needs and Requirements
9.3 Issues
9.4 Selection Screen Details
9.5 Current Functionality
9.6 Desired Functionality
9.7 Technical Details
9.8 Starting Conditions
9.9 Security Requirements/ Authorization Details
9.10 Data Mapping Tables
9.11 Desired Report Design/Layout
9.12 Report Example
9.13 Custom Tables/Structure in Sap
9.14 Recovery and Restart
9.15 Language of Texts
9.16 Currency and Units of Measure
9.17 Assumptions
9.18 Error Handling
9.19 Testing Scenarios
Chapter 10 Demo – Workflow for MRP Purchase Requisitions
10.1 Business Requirement
10.2 Solution
10.3 Business Process Flow
Chapter 11 Workflow Management System Best Practices
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Purpose
11.3 Best Practices – General
11.4 Best Practices for Design and Development
11.5 Best Practices for Support and Maintenance
11.6 SAP Best Practices & Lesson Learnt
Chapter 12: Earn value – Overview
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Overview .
12.3 Project Managers Cost Formulas
Chapter 13 Basic OData Services Using SAP NetWeaver Gateway 2.0
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Required Skills
13.3 Optional Skills
13.4 Software Pre-requisites
13.5 Objectives
13.6 SAP User Experience Journey
13.7 SAP NetWeaver Gateway Architecture
13.8 Deployment Option
13.9 REST definition
13.10 What is OData
13.11 Entity Data Model
13.12 Service Development
13.13 Live Demo – SAP Netweaver Gateway
13.14 Use Case
13.15 Solution
Chapter 14 SAP NetWeaver Gateway – Transaction Codes Usage and Purpose
14.1 Overview
14.2 Solution
Chapter 15 SAP NetWeaver Gateway Basic Configuration
Chapter 16 Demo – Workflow Trigger using HR Tables
Chapter 17 Demo – Workflow Trigger using Status Management
Chapter 18 Demo – Leave Request Workflow
18.1 Overview
18.2 Business Requirements
18.3 Technical Details
18.4 Notes
18.5 Business Solution
Chapter 19 Demo – Integration of Portal and SAP Workflow
Chapter 20 Demo – Integration of Workflow with ALE
Chapter 21 Demo – Attach Link in send mail Step of a Workflow
Chapter 22 Case Study – Advance Workflow Design – Update Sales Document
Chapter 23 Case Study – SAP Workflow Upgrade from 4.6 to 6.0
Chapter 24 Quiz Session – SAP Workflow
Preface
Notice how SAP has changed the world now. Whether you are a newbie or an old-hat, you can learn to design & build simple and advanced SAP
Workflow, SAP NetWeaver Gateway by using this comprehensive artifact. You can also enrich your skillsets with the use new object-oriented
automation business approach. Use this detailed programming referral guide to develop and optimize your applications. You’ll be programming for
SAP in no time. The goal of writing this book is to describe different SAP programming best practices, Tips & Tricks, Real-Time Demos, Case
Studies, Quiz, earn value calculation, troubleshooting & performance optimization techniques taken reference from different SAP, professional &
IBM blogs, books, articles, Global networks, Wikipedia, organizational forums, portals, etc.
The Book is written for SAP Consultants, architects, Managers, Leaders, business executives, Directors & above delegates and for all IT
professionals with the objective to provide practical and deep insights on SAP Workflow, SAP NetWeaver Gateway, practical exercises for
programming in SAP Business Workflow for all the major SAP applications, Hard coding – categorization & recommendations, step-by-step
instructions for adapting data flows, agent determination, event definitions, & more, examples, problem solutions, and tips and tricks for daily
practice including SAP Workflow upgrade from 4.6 to 6.0.
This book promises to be a very good starting point for beginners and an asset for those having insight towards programming.
I am indebted to my Father (Shri Ganesh Chandra Malakar, Retired Professor) as without his support it was not possible to reach this Milestone.
It is said “To err is human, to forgive divine”. Although the book is written with sincerity and honesty but in this light, I wish that the shortcomings of
the book will be forgiven. At the same the author is open to any kind of constructive criticisms and suggestions for further improvement. All
intelligent suggestions are welcome and the author will try their best to incorporate such in valuable suggestions in the subsequent editions of this
book.
Acknowledgement
No task is a single man’s effort. Cooperation and Coordination of various peoples at different levels go into successful implementation of this book.
There is always a sense of gratitude, which everyone expresses others for their helpful and needy services they render during difficult phases of
life and to achieve the goal already set.
At the outset I am thankful to the almighty that is constantly and invisibly guiding everybody and have also helped me to work on the right path.
I am son of Retired Professor (Shri Ganesh Chandra Malakar). I am indebted to my Father as without his support it was not possible to reach this
Milestone.
I am very much thankful to my parents, spouse, son and family for their guidance which motivated me to work for the betterment of consultants by
writing the book with sincerity and honesty. Without their support, this book is not possible.
I wish my sincere thanks to colleagues who helped and kept me motivated for writing this text.
We also thank the Publisher and the whole staff at BPB Publication, especially Mr. Manish Jain for motivation and for bringing this text in a nice
presentable form.
Finally, I thank everyone who has directly or indirectly contributed to complete this authentic work.
