ISBN: 3540404031
TITLE: Management with SAP Flow
AUTHOR: Fletcher, Brahm, Pargmann
TOC:

1 Introduction to Workflow Management 1
1.1 Concepts 1
1.1.1 Process, Business Process 1
1.1.2 Workflow Management, Workflow Management System 2
1.1.3 Types of Workflow 3
1.2 The History of Workflow Management 4
1.3 Integrated vs. Inherent Workflow Management Systems 5
1.4 Application Areas and Objectives in Practice 9
1.5 Standardising the Workflow Environment 11
1.5.1 Workflow Management Coalition 11
1.5.2 Business Process Management Initiative 13
1.6 Other Relevant Aspects 13
1.6.1 Business Process Reengineering and the Workflow Life Cycle 13
1.6.2 Document Management/Archiving 15
2 A Process Model in the Context of SAP WebFlow 17
2.1 Technical vs. Organisational Workflow Projects 17
2.2 The Process Model for an Organisational Workflow Project 19
2.2.1 Requirements Analysis / Strategy Phase 20
2.2.2 Process Analysis and Optimisation Phase 21
2.2.3 Technical Implementation, Implementation and Test Phase 22
2.2.4 Production Phase 23
2.2.5 Typical Mistakes 23
2.3 Software Development Tools 24
3 SAP WebFlow: A Technical Introduction 27
3.1 Introduction 27
3.2 Business Workplace 29
3.2.1 Workflow Settings 31
3.2.2 Remote Worklist 32
3.3 Workflow Definitions in SAP 32
3.4 Workflow Builder 33
3.5 Step Types in a Workflow Definition 37
3.5.1 Activity/Web activity 39
3.5.2 Document from template 42
3.5.3 Event Creator 43
3.5.4 Wait for event 45
3.5.5 Process control 46
3.5.6 Container operation 48
3.5.7 User decision 49
3.5.8 Condition 50
3.5.9 Multiple condition 52
3.5.10 UNTIL loop 54
3.5.11 WHILE loop 56
3.5.12 Fork 58
3.6 Business Objects 59
3.6.1 Business Object Repository 60
3.6.2 Object Type Structure 62
3.6.2.1 Interfaces 63
3.6.2.2 Key fields 63
3.6.2.3 Attributes 63
3.6.2.4 Methods 65
3.6.2.5 Events 67
3.6.3 Event Receiver Linkage 67
3.6.4 Event Creation 69
3.6.5 Run Time Tools 71
3.7 Containers 72
3.8 Organisational Plan 75
3.8.1 Organisational Units 75
3.8.2 Staff Assignments 76
3.9 Roles 77
3.9.1 Defining Roles 78
3.9.2 Role Resolution 78
3.10 Workflow 79
3.10.1 Starting Workflows 79
3.10.2 The Workflow Runtime System 82
3.10.3 Workflow Wizards 83
3.10.4 Workflow Information System 86
3.11 Administration and Reporting 87
3.12 Customising 89
4 Workflow Implementation: An Example 93
4.1 General Representation of the Business Process 94
4.2 Implementing Transactions for the Example Scenario 96
4.3 Organisational Plan 99
4.4 Implementation of the Business Object ZSI 100
4.5 Implementation of the Suggested Improvement Workflow 103
4.6 Real Life Example of the Suggested Improvement Process 108
5 Interfaces for SAP WebFlow 113
5.1 Initial Remarks 113
5.2 Interfaces to Mail Systems 113
5.2.1 Problem Definition 113
5.2.2 Internet Mail Enabling of the SAP System 114
5.2.3 Connecting MAPI Enabled Applications 116
5.2.4 Connecting with Lotus Notes 118
5.3 Connecting Forms to SAP WebFlow 119
5.3.1 Introduction 119
5.3.2 Electronic Forms 121
5.3.3 Web Forms 122
6 Common Technical Problem Areas 125
6.1 Transports to the Production System 125
6.2 Error Analysis 126
6.3 Archiving in the Workflow Context 127
7 Real Life Examples / Best Practice 131
7.1 Maintaining Master Data 131
7.1.1 Problem Definition 131
7.1.2 Critical Success Factors for the Workflow Implementation 134
7.1.3 Technical Approach 135
7.1.4 Cost/Benefit 136
7.1.5 Flexible Workflow Design 137
7.1.6 Hints for Workflow Development 139
7.2 Invoice Veriffication: Three Approaches 140
7.2.1 Problem Definition 140
7.2.2 Initial Concepts in Invoice Verifcation 142
7.2.3 Critical Success Factors for the Workflow Implementation 143
7.2.4 Technical Approach: Using the Standard System 145
7.2.5 Technical Approach: A Customised Solution 148
7.2.6 Technical Approach: A Middle Way 148
7.2.7 Cost/Benefit 149
7.2.8 Hints for Workflow Development 152
7.2.9 Archiving System Hints 153
7.3 Procurement Workflows 154
7.3.1 Problem Definition 154
7.3.2 Critical Success Factors for the Implementation 156
7.3.3 Technical Approach 157
7.3.4 Cost/Benefit 161
7.3.5 Hints for Workflow Development 162
7.4 Information Workflows: Little Effort, High Benefit 163
7.4.1 Problem Defmition 163
7.4.2 Critical Success Factors for the Workflow Implementation 164
7.4.3 Technical Approach 164
7.4.4 CostBenefit 165
7.4.5 Hints for Workflow Development 167
7.5 Workflows for Background Automation 169
7.5.1 Problem Defmition 169
7.5.2 Critical Success Factors for the Workflow Implementation 169
7.5.3 Technical Approach 169
7.5.4 CostBenefit 170
7.5.5 Flexible Workflow Design 171
7.5.6 Hints for Workflow Development 171
8 An Overview of Workflow Examples 173
8.1 Examples of Workflow in Industry Solutions 173
8.1.1 Preliminary Remarks 173
8.1.2 Workflows in IS-RE 173
8.2 Workflows in BBP/EBP 175
8.2.1 Introduction 175
8.2.2 Workflow Elements in EBP 177
8.2.3 Critical Success Factors for the Workflow Implementation 178
8.2.4 Technical Characteristics 179
8.2.5 Cost/Benefit 181
8.2.6 Hints for Workflow Development 181
8.3 Workflows in ESS 182
8.3.1 Introduction 182
8.3.2 Workflow Elements in ESS 183
8.3.3 Cost/Benefit 183
8.3.4 Hints for Workflow Development 183
8.4 Workflows for IDoc Error Processing 184
9 Conclusion 187
10 Appendix: SAP WebFlow - Toolkit 189
10.1 Process Analysis Results 189
10.2 Checklist for the Project Start/Project Kick Off 195
10.3 Workflow Design Guidelines 200
10.4 Quality Assurance Checklist 202
10.5 Workflow Administration Checklist 203
10.6 Naming Conventions 206
10.7 Important Release Developments 210
10.8 The Most Important Workflow Transaction Codes 213
10.9 Technical Documentation of Workflow Implementations 215
10.10 Help and Sources of Information for SAP WebFlow 217
Glossary 219
Abbreviations 249
About the authors 251
References 253
Index 255
END
