Flexible Workflow Steps

[Ruthvik_Chowdary]

Dear SAP Friends,

Welcome to another interesting topic, Flexible Workflow



In this blog will see steps on how to activate Flexible workflow. at the end demo video also linked 

Just a quick overview of Flexible workflow

1.       It’s a Release strategy of PR & PO

2.       Easy to maintain & Understand no Transport Requests are required

Note:- TR will be generated when we activate Flexible workflow in IMG and remaining are non-TR based. System wise we can maintain.

3.       Only one Release strategy can be used at a time either classic or Flexible Workflow

4.       Need to Activate Flexible Workflow

5.       FWF is maintained in Fiori “Manage Workflows for Purchase Order”

FWF- Flexible Workflow

Refer SAP S/4HANA Flexible Workflow Overview and Comparison with SAP Business Workflow by alan.rickayzen

Now let's see first how to activate FWF

1.       Go to IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing → Purchase Order → Release Procedure for Purchase Orders → Activate Flexible Workflow for Purchase Orders

2.       Activate which document type you want to have FWF

-         It's based on document type for ex:- NB we can have FWF and UB we can have Classic Workflow



3.       Once done save. Transport request will be generated

4.       Now open “Manage Workflows for Purchase order” App



5.       Choose add



6.       Give Workflow name and description for understanding purpose



Even we can set timelines for PO release status



7.       Go to start conditions tab



As per business requirement, we can select the precondition to start the workflow

Only if the condition met then only created PO will be coming to workflow or else it will be released automatically



We can have more conditions as per business requirements.

8.       Go to step sequence and choose add to maintain more conditions like a responsible person, PO values etc.



9.       By default, Step type will be set to Automatic release of PO drop down and change to release of PO



10.  Go to Recipient and select Role / User as per business

-         User means we can select specific user-id

-         Role means, that role has to be assigned to responsible person user-id



Note in order to have responsible persons User ID’s and there Names to be displayed in users list means we need to create Employee and assign to Business partner refer to https://blogs.sap.com/2019/07/17/employee-as-a-business-partner-and-synchronization-with-hr-data/



Select a responsible person from the user's list



If you selected multiple users for release, we have an option like one of the recipient approval is enough or all approvals is required, we can select as per requirement

11.  Go to step condition to add conditions like Currency, PO value, Material group, Company Code etc,





If wanted we can keep or else leave blank as we already maintain precondition in the initial stage.

12.  Once done click on add

13.  And then save

14.  And then activate



Once it's activated we can’t edit only deactivate or delete



With this, we completed all the required steps

Now, let's check we maintained all correctly or not.

Will create PO



During Workflow creation we maintained 2 conditions

-         Document type = NB

-         PO Value greater than 20 USD

Both conditions our PO fulfil’s



PO created

Now if I open PO in change mode will get below information





It triggered FWF.

Now let's Approve / release PO

Open My Inbox App.

As one PO is in my bucket for approval on tile only we can see notifications ?





We have the following options

-         Approve

-         Reject

-         Show log

-         Claim (initiate process)

-         Forward

If you feel it must be approved by someone else, not by you, we can do it.



-         Suspend (Hold)



Now let’s Approve PO



It's done



If you are going on vacation like how we keep out of office mail with backup contact person ? same, we can do hear as well

In my inbox app click me area and select manage my substitutes



By selecting planned leave or unplanned leave ? Click add new substitute



By selecting from date and to date



Save

Now whatever PO is create and triggered to FWF it will go to my substitute



If you want to see all the list of POs’ that you approved so far there is an app for that as well

My Outbox





Note:- all above content doesn’t have sensitive info so don’t waste your time for reporting

If the same My Inbox App is configured in mobile means, see the beauty of SAP Fiori



Encourage Fiori and get the most advanced features of it and make life easy and smooth.

https://youtu.be/bTDxkNGUV5I

 

Please share, Like and Comment anything else you want to share or add points.

Thanks & Regards

Ruthvik Chowdary

SME – S/4 HANA Manufacturing & Procurement

SAP Ariba P2P

[former_member809569]

Document is simply superb but i had few question if you can clearify.

if we add multiple user in step 10 as explained by you which user will get WF 1st how we are going to control over that?

And if we are using Net value as step criteria and PO is created in other currency will it be auto converted in currency set in manage workflow step and PO Release strategy will trigger accordingly or we have to set condition of each currency separately.

There seems all condition as And is there option to enter or conditon there?

[marmiletholmos]

Hi Dear ruthvik.chowdary2

 

Just a doubt , Can I activate FWF for GL Document type? Accounting Type + Cost Center? it is apply for this scenario?

[kent_2804]

Dear ruthvik.chowdary2

After release, PR/PO still can be change, so how to configuration to prevent change after released ?

Thanks.

 

[mario5874]

Dear Ruthvik, when I create my PO after customize the workflow, an error message appears when I save:

 

An exception has raise Message class SY530. Would you please help me?

 

Thanks

 

 

[dsamir96]

I couldn't find step type: Release of Purchase Requisition Item.

 

Can any one help?

 

[sanan123]

Hi -  I activated Flexible workflow for PR but now I need to restricts the Price and Qty field. Once the PR is approved so then no one can edit these two fields. How to achieve this?

 

Thank you,

Sanan Afridi

[Ruthvik_Chowdary]

in Flexible Work flow for PR in that begning only you need to select which type you need PR Release for header or PR release for line item

[lucianoklos]

Check SAP note

3021489 - Message SY530 "An exception was raised" occurs when creating purchase orders

OB08 inform missing currency conversions.

[vkonathala]

Hi Ruthvik,

 

Nicely Explained, and also simplified. However, in one of my projects the requirement is in step condition to add conditions like Currency, PO value, Material group, Company Code etc, other than that they want vendor also to be include is it possible as there is not selection in dropdown or can we implement if any.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Regards,

vijay

[mblasini_73]

Hi Ruthvik,
Nicely Explained, however, I have this crazy question: can we have triggering release strategy and FWF at the same time in a Document Type?

Example: I have a PO and I would like to someone release it at the low level with release strategy at GUI and in a high level release it with FWF at FIORI

Is that possible?

[paulblouis]

Thank you for this super informative blog Ruthvik.

Just want to add:

By default, the flexible workflow for purchase orders is active only for the document type NB (standard purchase order). To activate flexible workflow for any other document type, the settings have to be updated as required.

Thanks again.