Question about Purchasing Documents and Workflows

[Mithun_Kr]

Hi experts,

I'd like to understand a specific basic concept about the workflow and PR/PO link. When we create a PR/PO, and a workflow is triggered, we can see this workflow instance when we open the said PR/PO under the Approval Details tab.

Now I'm trying to understand, at which time is this link established between the PR/PO and the workflow instance?

1. Is the link created at the time of creation of the PR/PO and starting of the workflow? If so, then it must be stored in some DB table. Do you know which is it? and which FM or class-method saves this link?
2. Or is the link dynamic and the workflow instance is determined only when the PR/PO is opened? In this case, do you know which FM or class is responsible for this determination?

Moreover, I'm assuming the above should be similar in case of both classic and flexible workflows. If it's different, in both cases, I'd be more interested to learn specific to the Flexible workflows.

[Dominik_Tylczynski]

Hi mithun2kr

Consult SAP Help on technical details and implementation of the workflow scenarios in purchasing:

• Releasing a Purchase Requisition (MM-PUR-REQ)
• Releasing External Purchasing Docs. (MM-PUR-GF)

For example the release purchase order workflow contains the following steps:

As described in Workflow: Release of Purchasing Documents (MM-PUR-GF), it's WS20000075 workflow. You can display the workflow in PFTC_DIS transaction and check "Triggering events" tab - the workflow is started with RELEASESTEPCREATED event of BUS2012 object type.

The event is your link between the application to maintain purchase orders and PO release workflow. When PO is maintained the application check release strategy configuration. If the PO is release relevant, the application creates RELEASESTEPCREATED event, which starts the workflow.

Best regards

Dominik Tylczynski

[Mithun_Kr]

Thanks Dominik.

However, my question is a bit on the technical side. I'm aware of the process of start event that initiates the workflow. But once an instance of the workflow is already initiated, where's the link between the current instance and the current PR/PO being stored?

For example, you see this... an instance of workflow running for the PO. Which table contains this link between the PO and the particular workflow instance, and which FM or class method fetches it?