SAP-Workflow-Components

What is SAP Workflow, SAP Workflow is a mechanism that automates business processes. SAP Business Workflow is a cross application tool that makes it possible to integrate business tasks/ processes between applications. Here in this post we are going to provide information about SAP Workflow and it's components. Refer this post for more details. Click on read more read this article.

SAP Workflow Components

What is SAP Workflow, SAP Workflow is a mechanism that automates business processes. SAP Business Workflow is a cross application tool that makes it possible to integrate business tasks/ processes between applications. Here in this post we are going to provide information about SAP Workflow and it's components. Refer this post for more details.

SAP Workflow:

–Ensures adherence to that process

–Transparency of users and process

–Process data available at your finger tips

–Reporting exposes bottlenecks and inefficiencies

1.Ensures adherence to that process because workflow definition of that process is in the system. The workflow pushes that work right to the users. It does not (usually) require the users to move it to the next stage (throw out those in-trays!). No need to get up from your desk and walk over a piece of paper to someone's in-tray.

2.Using the log, workflow stores who executes what action (e.g. approval) as well as other data such as date/time etc. Each business process that is a workflow is now measurable and measurements can be derived for how long it takes to complete a particular business process. E.g. Leave request approval, customer complaint, etc

3.Data is pushed straight to the users screen via the use of attachments. E.g. a request for leave can appear in a manager’s inbox. Attached with it could be the employee record (along with previous leave requests etc). The manager does not need to search for this information. It is all a single mouse click away.

4.Using deadline monitoring, workflow can expose bottlenecks. Which employee is overworked, has slow turn-around of work, etc. furthermore, we can recognize which workers have some slack (work could be routed to them instead).

Workflow Components

                   

From a technical point of view, a SAP workflow consists of 3 main components 

The workflow :

•A series of tasks which represents a business process (e.g. Leave Approval Business Process)

•Defines what tasks are executed (sometimes based on outcomes of previous tasks)

A task :

•Usually akin to a specific step in a process (ie. Display Employee Leave History)

•Define Agents (which users can and cannot execute the step)

•Deadline monitoring is defined here

An object method :

•The ABAP which actually executes the task. (ie. SQL, etc)

•This could be straight ABAP

•Or Call Transaction (dialog task)

•Call to a FM, subroutine, etc

Triggering Mechanisms

•Events (publish and subscribe mechanism)

–Status Management

–Change Documents

–User Exits and  others

•Manual Triggering

–Various Function Modules

Majority of workflow are triggered by events. A developer will register a workflow for a particular event. When this event occurs (ie. Sales Order.Created, Parked Document Deleted) the subscribed workflow will be triggered (ignoring Check FMs and starting conditions)

Discuss mechanisms that SAP has provided to raise events

•Status Management

•Change Documents

•User Exits – need to manually raise events yourself

Implementation Tips

•Use Check Function Modules\Start Conditions

•Use caching algorithms when writing custom BOR methods

•Don’t create superfluous container elements

•Objects - not simple variables

1.Performance issues are easily addressed by Check FMs and Start Conditions due to the prevention of kicking off many unnecessary work items

2.If you retrieve a value for an attribute then cache it to reduce load on system and maximise efficiency of workflow

3.This results in a messy workflow container which is difficult to maintain. Instead of creating a container elements try and bind through attributes of objects

4.Try and deal with objects only as they make your workflow easier to maintain when requirements change (and they will change!) give example – using parked documents or purchase requisition

Important Workflow Transactions

•Workflow Builder (SWDD)–Development Environment

•Workflow Log (SWI1)–Administrative/Debugging Tool

•Business Workplace (SBWP)–SAP Inbox

•Business Object Builder (SWO1)

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