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Workflow Definition
SAP Business Workflow® is a cross-application tool that makes it possible to integrate business tasks/processes between applications.
This tool was introduced in R/3 Release 3.0A, and received a substantial facelift in the Enjoy Release, 4.6A, which warranted the new name Workflow Builder.
Need for Workflow
A business process can consist of several steps. Historically, the tasks have been coordinated manually or by some informal means of communication (sticky note, e-mail, shouting, and so on).
The common problem in these approaches is :
Inefficiency
Each lacks a way to trace where a task is
Who executed (or is executing it),
How much time it required.
In contrast, the workflow ensures that the right work is sent to right person at the right time in the right sequence with the right information.
Why SAP Workflow?
Tool for the automization of business processes
Not tied up to any particular application
Operates uniformly across applications
Coordinate all participating tasks
Provide users with active support
Workflow Boundaries
The component uses the existing transactions & function modules. The functionality and operability of the existing transactions and function modules are neither changed nor restricted by the workflow control.
SAP Business Workflow does not intervene in the programmed processes within a transaction
The component makes the R/3 System easier to operate, which is particularly useful for inexperienced or occasional users.
Workflow
A workflow consists of a sequence of steps, which are processed either by people or automatically by the system.
Workflow Builder
Modeling tool for creating a workflow definition.
Creating and process workflow definition
Test and activate a workflow definition
Workflow Definition
Technical description of a workflow
Workflow definition is made up of individual steps and events with one step and one or more events making up one unit. These units can be arranged in sequence or in parallel.
The workflow definition is the set of rules that determine the path that the process takes. For example, how a purchase requisition is processed, from the initial request to the creation of the purchase order
Workflow Instance
A Workflow Instance, which is often simply referred to as the workflow, is a single workflow run. For example, the processing of a single purchase requisition for computers.
Task
The Tasks are the steps in the process, which have to be performed either by people or automatically by the software. For example, to check for the availability of the spare computers in the company.
During runtime a tasks is represent as a Workitem.
Following tasks exist in the workflow context:
Single-step task
Activity in which an object method is executed on a specific object
Multi-step task (Workflow)
Activity whose description includes reference to a workflow definition
Work Item
A Work item is the task instance that is performed as a single workflow step. For example, check that there are no spare computers available in the company.
Agent
Agents are the people who process the tasks (via the work items). For example, requisitioner and a member of the purchasing department.
A system user who participates actively in SAP Business Workflow and executes work items
Types of agents available
Possible agent
User who is organizationally authorized to start a task and execute the associated work item
Responsible agent
User assigned locally to a step in the workflow definition
Excluded agent
User who is excluded from processing a work item
Container
Container is the place where all the data used in the workflow is collected.
Basic common data structure of the various definition.
Containers have container elements for holding the following:
Values (Constants)
Structure
Object references
Complex types
The container elements can be used to control the execution of work items and workflows.
Types of container:
Workflow container
Task Container
Event Container
Method Container
Rule Container
Binding
Binding is the set of rules that define which data is passed to which part of the process.
Assignment of values to a container element at runtime.
Binding definition:
Specification of assignment rules describing the assignment of data to a container element or the exchange of data between two container element.
Business Object Builder
Tool for creating and processing business object types.
Can be used to access the definition of an object type
Subtypes can be created for existing Business object type
Object Type
Business objects integrate the data and functions of business applications into your workflows.
They enable workflow engine to communicate with business applications with all the flexibility and robustness required for a production environment
Description of data (objects) in the system created at definition time in the Business Object Builder
Object types are described and implemented by specifying the following components:
Basic data
Key fields
Attributes
Methods with parameters, result and exceptions
Events with parameters
Implementation program
The Object type must be defined before its data (Objects) can be used in the system.
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