Preface

19

Target Audience

19

Objective of This Book

20

How to Read This Book

21

1 Getting Started

23

1.1 Workflows in SAP S/4HANA

23

1.1.1 Evolution of Workflows from SAP ERP to SAP S/4HANA

24

1.1.2 Workflow Options

27

1.2 Workflows in SAP Business Technology Platform

32

1.3 Workflow Development Tools

34

1.3.1 Tools for Classical Workflow

34

1.3.2 Tools for Flexible Workflow

38

1.3.3 BRFplus Development Tools

38

1.3.4 Tools for SAP Business Technology Platform

43

1.4 Identity and Access Management

45

1.4.1 Roles and Authorizations in SAP S/4HANA

45

1.4.2 Roles and Authorizations in SAP Business Technology Platform

47

1.5 Summary

48

2 Introduction to Classical Workflows

51

2.1 Evolution of Classical Workflows

51

2.2 Standard Workflows

53

2.2.1 Searching for Standard Workflows

53

2.2.2 Commonly Used Standard Workflows

55

2.3 Configuring the SAP Business Workflow System

56

2.3.1 Maintain Runtime Environment

57

2.3.2 Maintain Definition Environment

64

2.3.3 Maintain Additional Settings and Services

66

2.3.4 Classify Tasks as General

68

2.4 Activating and Deactivating Standard Workflows

70

2.5 Configuring Agents for Standard Workflows

72

2.6 When to Develop a Custom Workflow

73

2.7 Summary

75

3 Building Methods and Tasks

77

3.1 Business Object Repository Approach

78

3.1.1 Business Object Type Definition

79

3.1.2 Defining a Custom Business Object Repository Object Type

88

3.1.3 Creating Key Fields and Attributes

91

3.1.4 Creating Methods and Defining Properties, Parameters, and Exceptions

97

3.1.5 Creating Business Object Repository Events

105

3.1.6 Testing a Business Object Repository Object Type

106

3.1.7 Creating a Subtype of a Standard Business Object Repository Object Type

108

3.1.8 Delegation

110

3.1.9 Business Object Repository Programming

111

3.2 ABAP Class Approach

116

3.2.1 Creating a Workflow Class

116

3.2.2 Defining Key Attributes and Non-Key Attributes

118

3.2.3 Creating Methods and Defining Attributes, Parameters, and Exceptions

120

3.2.4 Adding New Methods for Dialog and Background Tasks

123

3.2.5 Method Exceptions

124

3.2.6 Creating Events

128

3.2.7 Testing an ABAP Workflow Class

129

3.3 Task Definition

130

3.3.1 Defining Standard Tasks and Task Settings

131

3.3.2 Work Item Text and Description

135

3.4 Summary

137

4 Defining Workflows and Adding Steps

139

4.1 Workflow Builder

139

4.2 Common Workflow Steps

144

4.3 Adding Tasks

154

4.3.1 Adding an Activity Step

155

4.3.2 Adding a Send Email Step

157

4.3.3 Adding a User Decision Step

158

4.4 Containers and Bindings

160

4.4.1 Types of Containers

160

4.4.2 Binding Definition and Binding Operators

165

4.4.3 Custom Transformations in Binding

166

4.5 Multiline Elements and Dynamic Parallel Processing

167

4.6 Deadline Definition

169

4.7 Summary

176

5 Defining and Triggering Events

177

5.1 Event Triggering Techniques

178

5.1.1 Event Trigger via Change Documents

178

5.1.2 Event Trigger via Status Management

185

5.1.3 Event Trigger via Message Control

188

5.1.4 Event Trigger via ABAP Code in User Exits, Business Add-Ins, and Custom Programs

193

5.2 Event Creators, Receivers, and Event Linkage

198

5.3 Start Conditions in Workflows

203

5.4 Terminating Events and Instance Linkage

207

5.5 Check Function Module and Receiver Function Module for Events

210

5.6 Summary

212

6 Agent Determination

213

6.1 Different Types of Agents in Workflow

214

6.1.1 Possible Agents and Responsible Agents

214

6.1.2 Excluded Agents

217

6.1.3 Actual Agents

218

6.1.4 Deadline Agents

219

6.1.5 Notification Agents

219

6.2 Agent Determination Rules

220

6.2.1 Rule Definition

221

6.2.2 Rule Container

222

6.2.3 Binding to the Rule Container

223

6.2.4 Rule Types

224

6.3 Possible Agents in Tasks and Default Rules

234

6.4 Organizational Structure Definition and Linking to Workflow Agents

237

6.5 Summary

239

7 Email Notifications and Other Runtime Jobs

241

7.1 Prerequisites for Setting Up Email Notifications in Workflow

241

7.1.1 Setting Up Email IDs for SAP Users

242

7.1.2 Setting up SAPconnect

242

7.2 Classical Work Item Email Notifications via Program RSWUWFML2

244

7.3 Extended Notification Configuration with Program SWNCONFIG

252

7.3.1 Overview of the Notification Process

252

7.3.2 Detailed Customizing

254

7.4 Adding Inbox and Work Item URL Links to Workflow Work Item Notifications

262

7.5 Additional Workflow Runtime Jobs

264

7.6 Summary

265

8 Workflow Administration, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting

267

8.1 Workflow Log

268

8.2 Workflow Administration

274

8.3 Workflow Error Diagnosis and Resolution

279

8.4 Workflow Inbox and Features

283

8.5 Substitution and Automatic Forwarding

289

8.5.1 Substitutions in SAP GUI

290

8.5.2 Substitutions in SAP Fiori

297

8.6 Display Dynamic Labels for Tasks to Display in Business Workplace

299

8.7 Event Trace and Event Queue Administration

301

8.8 Process Incoming Documents with ArchiveLink

305

8.9 Summary

310

9 Application Link Enabling and Reporting

313

9.1 Error Handling during IDoc Processing

314

9.1.1 Business Requirements for Inbound IDoc Error Handling

314

9.1.2 Handling the Inbound IDoc Error

315

9.1.3 Notification of Successful Posting

320

9.1.4 Testing Procedure

323

9.1.5 Setting Up an Inbound IDoc Process via a Workflow

326

9.2 Active Monitoring

327

9.3 Common Workflow Data Tables

329

9.4 Common Workflow Application Programming Interfaces

330

9.5 Workflow Reporting

331

9.6 Implementing Program Exits to Capture Data from Workflow Steps

335

9.7 Summary

339

10 BRFplus

341

10.1 Introduction to BRFplus

341

10.1.1 Business Rules Management Systems

342

10.1.2 Rule Modeling

342

10.1.3 Rule Execution Engine

346

10.2 Integrating BRFplus Applications in SAP Business Workflow

347

10.2.1 BRFplus Application Overview

348

10.2.2 Attach a BRFplus Function in a Business Workflow

348

10.2.3 Executing the Workflow

352

10.3 Summary

356

11 Integrating Workflows with User Interface Applications and External Applications

357

11.1 My Inbox App Overview

357

11.2 Workflow Task Integration with User Interface Applications

359

11.2.1 Set Up a Scenario-Specific My Inbox Tile

359

11.2.2 Create and Maintain User Attributes: Adding Additional Attributes for a Task

365

11.2.3 Launching SAPUI5 Applications from Workflow Tasks

368

11.2.4 Launching Web Dynpro Applications from Workflow Tasks

371

11.3 Email Templates in SAP S/4HANA

373

11.4 Integrating External Applications with SAP Business Workflow

373

11.5 Summary

374

12 Migrating SAP ERP Workflows to SAP S/4HANA

375

12.1 Migration Options from SAP ERP to SAP S/4HANA

376

12.2 Conversion Projects (Brownfield)

378

12.2.1 Handling System Upgrades for Standard and Custom Workflows

378

12.2.2 Migrating Your SAP ERP Workflows to SAP S/4HANA

381

12.3 New Implementation Projects (Greenfield) and Selective Data Transition

384

12.3.1 Selective Data Transition Overview

384

12.3.2 Managing the Technical Migration of In-Process Workflows

386

12.3.3 Migrating User Data and SAP Office Settings from SAP ERP to SAP S/4HANA

387

12.4 Summary

389

13 Workflow in SAP Master Data Governance

391

13.1 Introduction to SAP Master Data Governance

392

13.1.1 Data Models in Central Governance

393

13.1.2 Change Request in Central Governance

394

13.1.3 Business Object BUS2250

397

13.1.4 Standard Dialog Tasks Used in Workflow Templates

399

13.1.5 Standard Dialog Tasks

401

13.1.6 Standard Background Tasks

402

13.1.7 Agent Determination

403

13.1.8 Workflow Container Used by Workflow Templates

405

13.1.9 Workflow Log for Change Requests

406

13.1.10 Rule-Based Workflow Template

407

13.1.11 SAP Master Data Governance, Consolidation and Mass Processing

418

13.2 Business Partner Workflows

419

13.2.1 Business Partner Data Model and Approach

419

13.2.2 Change Requests for Business Partner Master Data

421

13.2.3 Workflow Templates Used in Business Partner Change Requests

422

13.3 Finance Workflows

431

13.3.1 Finance Data Model

432

13.3.2 Change Request Types in the Finance Data Model

433

13.3.3 Workflow Templates Used in Finance Change Requests

433

13.4 Material Workflows

436

13.5 Summary

437

14 Introduction to Flexible Workflow

441

14.1 Authorizations and SAP Fiori Applications Required for Development

442

14.2 Flexible Workflow Scenarios

443

14.2.1 Standard Flexible Scenarios

444

14.2.2 Custom Flexible Scenarios

444

14.2.3 Comparing Flexible and Classical Workflows

444

14.2.4 Choosing Between Classical and Flexible Workflows

445

14.3 Migrating to Flexible Workflows

446

14.4 Setting Up a Standard Flexible Workflow Scenario

447

14.4.1 Finding Standard Workflows on SAP Help

447

14.4.2 Finding Workflows in Scenario Editor and the Manage Workflows App

448

14.4.3 Activating the Scenario

449

14.4.4 Setting Up a Standard Scenario Using the Manage Workflows App

454

14.5 Extending the Standard Flexible Scenario

460

14.6 Summary

461

15 Custom Scenario Development

463

15.1 Workflow Class Development

463

15.1.1 Use Case for Walkthrough of Custom Scenario

464

15.1.2 Classes

465

15.1.3 Interfaces

466

15.1.4 Attributes

466

15.1.5 Events

467

15.1.6 Standard Methods

468

15.2 Business Objects

470

15.2.1 Maintain Business Object Type (V_BO_TYPE)

471

15.2.2 Maintain Object Node Type (SBO_V_NODETYPE)

472

15.2.3 Maintain Core Data Services View (V_SBO_NODE_CDS)

472

15.2.4 Maintain Object Representation

473

15.3 Scenario Development

473

15.3.1 Context Element

474

15.3.2 Process Data

475

15.3.3 Control

477

15.3.4 Activities

478

15.3.5 Conditions

481

15.3.6 Agent Rules

483

15.3.7 Value Helps

485

15.3.8 Email Templates

487

15.4 Create a Workflow Template Using the Manage Workflows App

490

15.5 Initiating the Custom Flexible Workflow

497

15.6 My Inbox Integration

498

15.6.1 Define Step Names and Decision Options

498

15.6.2 Define Visualization Metadata for My Inbox

499

15.6.3 My Inbox for Custom Scenario Walkthrough

499

15.7 Troubleshooting

501

15.8 Summary

504

16 SAP Fiori Applications for Flexible Workflow

505

16.1 Adaptation Transport Organizer Setup

505

16.2 Maintain Email Templates App

507

16.3 Notification Features

510

16.4 Manage Teams and Responsibilities App

514

16.5 Transporting Extensions

515

16.5.1 Configure Software Packages

516

16.5.2 Register Extensions for Transport

518

16.5.3 Transporting Workflow Scenario Content

519

16.6 Summary

520

17 Introduction to SAP Build Process Automation

523

17.1 Overview

523

17.2 Typical Use Cases for SAP S/4HANA

524

17.3 System and Service Requirements

525

17.4 Setting Up the Required Services

526

17.5 Working with the Workflow Cockpit

532

17.6 Security

535

17.6.1 Process Automation Admin

535

17.6.2 Process Automation Developer

535

17.6.3 Process Automation Participants

536

17.7 Troubleshooting

536

17.8 Summary

537

18 Process Development

539

18.1 Workflow Design Techniques

540

18.2 Creating a Workflow Using SAP Business Application Studio

541

18.2.1 Create a Workflow Module

542

18.2.2 Tasks in Workflows

546

18.2.3 Using Gateways

559

18.2.4 Events

562

18.3 Creating a Workflow Using Process Builder

567

18.3.1 Using Process Builder

568

18.3.2 Using Triggers

574

18.3.3 Using Forms

574

18.3.4 Using Approval Forms

576

18.3.5 Using Automation Tasks

577

18.3.6 Using Decisions

578

18.3.7 Using Subprocesses

584

18.3.8 Using Actions

585

18.3.9 Using Mail

590

18.3.10 Using Controls

592

18.4 Building and Deploying the Project

595

18.4.1 Release

595

18.4.2 Deploy

596

18.4.3 Run

597

18.5 Destination Configuration with Authentication

598

18.5.1 Destination Setup

599

18.5.2 Authentication

602

18.6 Transport Management

602

18.7 Using APIs for SAP Build Process Automation

605

18.7.1 Application Programming Interfaces for Workflow

605

18.7.2 Application Programming Interfaces for Decisions

606

18.7.3 Application Programming Interfaces for My Inbox

607

18.8 Design a Process/Workflow for the Use Case

607

18.8.1 Use Case and Solution

607

18.8.2 Design Using Process Builder

609

18.8.3 Design Using SAP Business Application Studio

626

18.9 Summary

634

19 Process Visibility

635

19.1 Configuring Process Visibility

636

19.1.1 Roles

637

19.1.2 Process Preparation

638

19.1.3 Create Visibility Scenario

640

19.1.4 Configure Visibility Scenario

641

19.1.5 Add Process to the Visibility Scenario

641

19.1.6 Configure Phases

643

19.1.7 Configure Status

644

19.1.8 Configure Performance Indicators

647

19.1.9 Release the Project

648

19.1.10 Deploy the Project

650

19.2 Testing the Process Visibility Scenario

652

19.3 Process Monitoring and Real-Time Insights

653

19.4 Add Workflow Actions to the Dashboard

654

19.5 Using Application Programming Interfaces for Process Visibility

660

19.6 Summary

662

20 Task Processing with My Inbox

663

20.1 My Inbox for SAP Business Technology Platform

664

20.1.1 Standard App in SAP Build Process Automation

664

20.1.2 Configure My Inbox in SAP Build Work Zone

665

20.2 SAP Task Center

670

20.3 Summary

673