Planning, Adding & Approving Lean Services Using Flexible Workflow in SAP S/4HANA Asset Management.

[Pardhasaradhi_Reddy_Chelikam]

This blog outlines adding , planning and approving lean services using flexible workflow with regard to SAP S/4HANA Asset Management business processes. In fact, this blog is in continuation to my earlier blog, which briefs about "Phase Based Maintenance Process With Lean Services in SAP S4 HANA Asset Management", where I emphasized on executing phase based reactive maintenance process with lean services.

Please find below link to understand lean services in phase-based maintenance process.

Phase-Based Maintenance Process With Lean Services in SAP S4 HANA Asset Management. 

In the above blog, I could not bring the service entry sheet creation and approving it using flexible workflow. So, would like to walk through the process of both procuring planned and unplanned lean services in this blog.

To begin with I will walk through the configuration steps required to plan lean services and moving ahead, will outline adding lean services to the phase based maintenance order and then finally will brief about leveraging flexible workflow to approve service entry sheet - lean services.

Let us dive in...

Lean services differ from materials by their product type group, i.e. 2 - Services.

• Ensure Material Type : SERV - Services with product type group 2-Services is set.

• Activate enhanced procurement mode for the combination of Maintenance Order Type and Maintenance Planning Plant.

• Ensure Purchase Requisition Document type has "E-Enhanced Limit" item category (P.R document type that is defined for generating P.Rs through maintenance order) 

• Ensure following standard item categories are available in the system to add lean services to the maintenance order.

Now, let us add lean services to the Maintenance Order 4000230. For Instance, I have added planned and unplanned lean services. Product ID "587 - Hot Kiln Alignment" is added as planned lean service and  has Non-Stock Item (N) as item category . A service description, i.e. Resurfacing Of Supporting Rollers is added as  unplanned lean service and has Enhanced Limit (E) as item category.

For unplanned lean services, we can specify the product ID or a short description with "E" as a item category by specifying values for the "Expected Value" and "Overall Limit ".

Now, let us configure flexible workflow for lean services - This step brings certain mandatory checks, viz:

• Activate flexible workflow for service entry sheet.

• Ensure automatic customizing is active for the workflow functionality.

• Activate Flexible Workflow scenario

• Define step names and decision options in My Inbox

• Define Visualization Metadata for My Inbox

Once, the configuration settings are set, let us proceed for manage workflows for service entry sheets - lean services.

Define the title of the workflow for lean services.

Define the workflow properties.

Define the start condition to trigger the workflow.

Define the steps for the workflow.

once the steps are defined, activate the workflow.

Note: Use the feature "Automatic Release of Service Entry Sheet" delivered by SAP as a fall back option.

workflow for lean services has been set up, Now, I will proceed for creating service entry sheet and approve it.

I have a valid purchase order 4500000095 having planned and unplanned lean services.

All the required services(lean) were performed and now, I record the lean services against above mentioned Purchase Order.

Input the general information,

select the desired items,

Now  I have selected the planned lean service item and filled the service details.

As the P.O 4500000095 is account assigned(F - Order), system displays the maintenance order.

System even displays the cost particulars.

And, I have created a note for approver, so that he gets overall idea about the incurred services.

When it comes to unplanned lean services, and as per the P.O 4500000095, expected value is 6000 EUR and Overall Limit is 7000 EUR. If I change the net order price to 6500 EUR, system populates the warning message as it exceeded the expected value of the P.O item for the unplanned lean services.

If I change the net order price to 7500 EUR, system populates the error message as it exceeded the approved overall limit of the P.O item for the unplanned lean services..

I have updated the net order price as per approved P.O item value,

Under "Approval Details", system displays the approver details, so that user can follow up with the approver.

Under "Process Flow", system displays the service entry sheet process flow details.

Now, I have submitted the service entry sheet for approval - System changes the status to "In Approval"

Now, I go to My Inbox and approve the service entry sheet.

Approver can check item details of lean services.

and also can read the note provided by the service entry sheet creator.

and can even check the deadline to approve it.

also, process flow can be viewed during service entry sheet approval process.

Finally , I approved the service entry sheet with a decision note.

then the service entry sheet status gets updated as "Approved" and generates "Goods Receipt Document" for the approved Items.

Once the service entry sheet is approved, the actual cost of the maintenance order gets updated.

and also P.O history gets updated.

This brings to the end of Planning, Adding and Approving Lean Services using flexible workflow with regard to Maintenance process.😊 I hope this blog proves useful to the maintenance team.

I look forward to seeing maintenance team using the lean services as part of reliability centered maintenance.

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Yours Sincerely,

Pardhasaradhi Reddy.C

My LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/pardhreddyc