Workflow - DAY 1

SAP Business Workflow
India Delivery Centre
Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 1

Agenda – Day 1
• Course Overview
• Introduction
• Organization Structure
• Business Workplace
• Workflow Configuration
• Workflow Definition
• Exercises
• Introduction to Workflow

Introduction to Workflow
Problems of Office & administration process

 Long lead times due to high transport and wait times
 Lack of transparency of processes connected to high work
distribution
 Historically grown task assignments
 Inefficient communications between process participants
 Data entered more than once
Goal
 Reorganize your business process
• Introduction to Workflow
Goals of reorganizing Business
Process
 Increase transparency of procedures used

 Increase employees responsibility
 Focus on the interest of the customer
 Better quality management

Why SAP Business Workflow?
Is tailored to customer needs and developments

Is a tool for the automization
of business processes
Is not tied to any particular application
Operates uniformly across applications
Coordinates all participating tasks
Provides users with active support
SAP Business Workflow
SD FI
MM CO
PP AM
QM
R/3 PS
PM WF
HR IS

 You can use the SAP Business Workflow system to

support your enterprise processes in R/3
 The SAP Business Workflow system is able to combine
steps from different applications into one process
 The SAP Business Workflow system supplies the end
user with all the information required for the next step

 SAP Business Workflow is a cross-application tool that

makes it possible to integrate business tasks across
departments, applications and system boundaries
It is a tool that automates business processes in a flexible

and transparent way and maps the individual tasks to the
users so that a push technology informs and helps the users
through the process. Steps which do not require user
intervention are carried out automatically, along with
business logic and escalation procedures.
Designed to handle all process dimensions
The Process (Business)
The People(Organization)
The Impact (Process
Information)

Business Workflow Features
 Workflow provides a number of tools for defining and

analyzing workflows as well as for monitoring
operation. They are:
» Workflow Builder
» Business Object Builder
» Business Workplace
» System Admin Tools

Business Workflow Features
 Workflow Builder
It is for displaying and making changes to workflows. We can make
Small extensions directly to the original workflows supplied by SAP,
such as carrying out your own agent assignments or changing
deadline monitoring.
Business Object Builder

Business Objects are used to make the functions of the R/3 Systems
available to a workflow, this objects can be defined and analyze here.
These business objects are made available to the workflow in reusable
tasks, thus introducing object Orientation
 Business Workplace
This is the area where the end user receives information about the
activities they are to carry out. This provides them with a central
overview of all the activities that they are authorized to carry out.
They can commence the activities from here.
What can a Workflow
Management System Do?
A Workflow Management System facilitates the

electronic processing of structured processes which
 include a range of activities,
 always occur in a similar or identical form,
 involve several people or departments and
 require a high degree of coordination.
 workflow Management Systems control processes
 according to a predefined model and are especially
 suited to structured organizations.

Workflow Benefits for the End
User
Faster, simpler access to information
Less effort for administrative tasks
Easier learning and understanding of

processes
Workflow Benefits for
Management
Better control Flexible change

 of information 
of processes

of deadlines 
of organizational structure

of service levels 
of underlying technology

of processing costs

Workflow Benefits for the
company
Problems of Office and Administration Processes
Increase production
 Clearing
SAP backlog
Business Workflow
 Distribution of information and work:

Every user gets his work list automatically from the system
Accelerating the processes

 You will get cash discount more often
 Better/quicker reaction to errors
Customers are more satisfied

 Processes are more quickly finished
 Better return on information

Workflow is Not ..!!!!
Simply document administration and imaging;

although Workflow uses both!
Standard E-mail and groupware – although Workflow
uses these! -
Data distribution across multiple systems: EDI / ALE is
used for this purpose but Workflow can support this
option
Screen sequence management within a transaction

Workflow is Not ..!!!!
Management of temporary data, management of “one

time” processes
Repetitive work of a single type, e. g. goods
movements
A tool to fill functionality gaps!

Advantages of Using Workflow
Problems of Office and Administration Processes

Transparent business processes
 SAP Business Workflow
For modeling
When? and defining

Rules, templates

Organizational principles

At runtime

Current status

of a certain business object

the entire process

Afterwards

Weak point analysis

Optimization and adaptation
Advantages of Using Workflow
.
 Deadline
SAP monitoring (max. processing time)
Business Workflow
When?
 Automatic notification
Task assignment according to responsibility

 Along the organizational structure
 Job description, requirements profile
 Inheritance hierarchy
 Dynamically
 Organizational principles
 Attributes of business objects
 Task assignment according to responsibility

Organization Plan .
Organizational Plan
–Representation of the task-related, functional structure of the
enterprise.
An organizational Plan is made up of

–an organizational structure, with which the reporting structure
and task distribution are created using organizational units
(departments, for example).
– Staff assignments for each organizational unit, in which the
current persons (employees), users and vacancies are listed.

Organization Plan Terminology
Root Organizational Unit

The highest organizational unit in an organizational structure is the
root organizational unit.
Additional Organizational Unit
Depict the functional units of an enterprise with organizational units
Jobs
Jobs simplify the procedure of creating positions. Jobs are
classifications of functions in an enterprise (administrator, for
example), which are defined by the assignment of characteristics. Jobs
serve as job descriptions, that apply to several positions with similar
tasks or characteristics.
Organization Plan Terminology
Positions
-Positions are specific to your organization
-Multiple positions may perform similar job tasks
-Represents a post which can be occupied by a person (employee) in the
staff assignments of an organizational unit, purchasing administrator, for
example.
-Positions differ from jobs.
-The position automatically inherits the tasks and characteristics of the
job.
Users
By assigning a user to a position you determine
- where an R/3 user is functionally assigned in your enterprise
- which tasks an R/3 user performs
- which R/3 users are to be forwarded tasks in a workflow
Example for Organizational
chart
C om pany P Q RS Additional
Organizational Unit
F I D e p ra tm e n t P u r c h a s in g D e p a r tm e n t H u m a n R e s o u rc e s
A c c o u n t s P a y a b le C le rk P o s it i o n f o r c o n t r o l l e r o f P l a n t A A d m i n is t r a t i o n
Position User
s M s A M r X F a c ilit ie s a n d s e r v ic e s
P o s i t io n f o r C o n t r o l l e r o f P l a n t B
M s B M r Y
User Positions Additional Organizational Unit Root organizational unit

Steps to create Organizational
Plan
Create root organizational unit
Create additional organizational

units
Create Positions
Create Jobs
Assign Users/Holders

Create Organizational Unit
Search Area
Overview Area
Detail Area
Selection Area
Uses of Organizational
Management
Workflow refers to current organization

Automatic routing adjustments are made for
employee changes or reassignments
High flexibility with regard to organizational changes

Configuration
Configuration

Configuring Workflow
The function automatic customizing allows you

to maintain SAP Business workflow standard
settings.

Terminology
Object Event Agent
Step Task Role
Work Workflow Business

item Workplace

Five Questions….?
Who Should ? Do What ?
To What ?
?In What Order?
When ?

Do What? To What?
Step
 Activity / Task
 Execute a Transaction
 Execute a Report
 Execute a Function Module
 Run a Routine in an External System
 Update a Spreadsheet
 Document generation
 User decision
 automatic control steps

Who Should?
Process Organization Business Workplace

Workflow Definition
Org. unit
Job
Dynamic work list at
Position logon! Work items are
User ID runtime versions of
Agent
tasks.
Role
function
Previous
workflow
agents

In What Order
 Workflow Definition
 Controls the Business Process
 Consists of steps
 Can be triggered by
events

When?
 Tells theworkflowthat something has happened

Event  Workflow can be started (triggering event)
 Step can be ended (terminating event)
 Wait step for reacting to an event
 Step type Event creator
Outcome
shows different results of a step
out- out- out-

come1 come2 come3

Business Workplace
Business Workplace
 Work items are displayed to the user for execution in

their Business Workplace. Work items are instances of a
workflow at runtime. Their are various types of work
item. Only certain types are displayed in the Business
Workplace.
Work list as interface for end
user

Business Workplace
Business Workplace -
Display Replace Forward Resubmit

Reserve
Execute

Work Item - Functions

Execute the work Item

Display Workflow Log
Workflow Log

Workflow Log

View With Technical Details
Tech details
Graphics

Graphical Log

Work Item Display

Technical Work Item Display

Unit Test Workflow
Test

History of Work Items

Problem with Workflow?

Required Workflow
Authorizations
S_WF_ALL - All SAP Business Workflow

authorizations
S_WF_PROCORG - Template of a profile for a
process organizer
S_WF_USER - Template of a profile for a
task agent
S_WF_WFADMIN - Template of a profile for a
workflow system
administrator

Workflow - DAY 1

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SAP Business Workflow

India Delivery Centre

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 1

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 2

Problems of Office & administration process

 Increase transparency of procedures used

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 4

Is tailored to customer needs and developments

SAP Business Workflow

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 5

 You can use the SAP Business Workflow system to

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 6

 SAP Business Workflow is a cross-application tool that

It is a tool that automates business processes in a flexible

Designed to handle all process dimensions

The Process (Business)

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 8

 Workflow provides a number of tools for defining and

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 9

Business Object Builder

A Workflow Management System facilitates the

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 11

SAP Business Workflow

Faster, simpler access to information

Less effort for administrative tasks

Easier learning and understanding of

Better control Flexible change

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 13

 Distribution of information and work:

Accelerating the processes

Customers are more satisfied

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 14

Simply document administration and imaging;

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 15

Management of temporary data, management of “one

A tool to fill functionality gaps!

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 16

Problems of Office and Administration Processes

Task assignment according to responsibility

 Attributes of business objects

 Task assignment according to responsibility

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 18

An organizational Plan is made up of

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 19

Root Organizational Unit

User Positions Additional Organizational Unit Root organizational unit

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 22

Create root organizational unit

Create additional organizational

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 23

Workflow refers to current organization

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 25

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 26

The function automatic customizing allows you

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 27

Object Event Agent

Step Task Role

Work Workflow Business

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 28

Who Should ? Do What ?

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 30

Oct 17, 2008 Introduction to SAP Workflow V1.0 31

SAP Business Workflow