SAP Business Workflow Architecture

OrganisationalLevel

Process Level

Business Object Level

Person Job Org Unit

WF Step

Attributes

Task

Object Definition

reference

WF Definition

TriggerTrigger

Call & result

Events Methods

Role

SAP Workflow Architecture

Tasks of a Workflow Management System

Workflow Definition Architecture

Explanation A –> B = A uses BExample:Step definition uses attributes (container operation), events (wait steps), methods (secondary methods).Task uses workflow definition (in multistep tasks) or methods (in single-step tasks).

Business Object Definition and Implementation

ƒ SAP Business Workflow has been developed on an object-oriented basis.

ƒ Workflow is a combination of events and methodsƒ Events will be linked to the actions performed to trigger

workflow during the business processesƒ Methods are designed to perform a specific task to

execute the workflow

Business Object usage in Workflow

Object Types

ƒ Basic data ƒ Key fields ƒ Methods (operations on objects) with parameters, resultƒ Attributes (object properties) and exceptions ƒ Events with parameters

Object types are defined and implemented by specifying their components in the Business Object Repository(BOR)

• SAP application– Invoice– Requisition– Delivery note– Material– Customer master

• Non-SAP application– Archived documents– EDI messages (IDOCS)

• PC documents– Word processing documents– Spreadsheets

Examples of Object Types

SAP

documents

Master data

ƒ Objects are the specific instances of an object type, which have been assigned values.

ƒ An appropriate object type must be defined before an object is first used.

ƒ Objects refer to actual things.ƒ Object types are the abstract and general descriptions

(definitions) of the components of objects.

Objects

Object Types & Objects

I amwhat Iam..

An object is any type of related information which can be accessed uniquely under an identifying key.

KUNNR (Key)

NAME

123 Unique Customer

KNA1 : Customer MasterCustomer Object

Business Objects

Application Area 2

Customer Object 3a1 (subtype)SAP Object 3a (subtype)

SAP Object 3 (supertype)Customer Object 2SAP Object 1

Navigating to the Business Object Builder

& Repository

Object Type Components

Interfaces

Key fields

Attributes

Methods

Events

Object type (supertype/parent)

Basic data

Synchronous Method

Asynchronous Method

•In order to define an object in SAP, it must have a key. Normally, this is done with reference to some database table via SAP's data dictionary (DDIC). The key may be comprised of one or more fields. If more than one field, the object key is then a concatenation of the fields.

Key Fields

•The attributes of the object are any other non-key data related to the object. Again, this is defined via the data dictionary. If so, SAP will generate the code necessary to retrieve the data.•Attributes can also be freely defined by using the Virtual option. In this case, the developer must write the code in order to retrieve the attribute's value.

Attributes

Object Type Component - Interfaces

•Interfaces are predefined components inherited by the object. This is SAP's mechanism by which Virtual functions may be implemented. •The 'Interface' object has a number of methods. These methods are then inherited by the Object. •In order to use the methods, the Interface object must be extended and code added to the method in order to handle the particular object.

Interfaces

Object Type Component - Events

GO

EventParameter

Event = Colour Changed

•Events generally occur within a particular context. In this case, related to the Object under which it is defined. An event must be defined in order to be published (External event). In order to publish the event, the object's key must be specified in order to define the context. The event may also carry with it other data components. This is done by defining the event's parameters.

Events

•Events (publish and subscribe mechanism)Majority of workflow are triggered by events. A developer will register a workflow for a particular event. When this event occurs (ie. Sales Order.Created, Parked Document Deleted) the subscribed workflow will be triggered (ignoring Check FMs and starting conditions) Status Management Change Documents User Exits and others•Manual Triggering

–Various Function Modules

Triggering Mechanisms

Object Type Component - Methods

Implementation Program Select X ….

Call transaction ‘XYZ’

Call function

Submit report

ABAP/4 code

Transaction

Function module

Report

Dialog module Call dialog ‘ABC’

Action performed on an

object

Call API functionAPI Function

•Methods define which functions an object can do. Methods are coded. They may call any existing functionality in SAP. It has Import, Export, Table, Exception and Results parameters. •A method can be viewed as a Remote Function Module (RFC), although it actually is executed as a tRFC (Transactional RFC) or aRFC (Asynchronous RFC).

Methods

Method Parameters, Results

and Exceptions

ImportParameters

METHOD

Results

ExportParameters

Exceptio

ns

Implementing Synchronous Methods

Implementing Asynchronous Methods

Synchronous/Asynchronous Methods

Synchronous Method

Asynchronous Method

Returns back to the workflow

when processed

Does not automaticallyreturn back to workflow

when processed

Workflow needs at least one terminating event to report

backthat method has executed

with in the transaction

Object Type / Object Type Component Status Levels

ƒ Modeled Not accessible at runtime.

ƒ Implemented Only in test or internal use, possibly

unstable.ƒ Released

Released for use by the customer.ƒ Obsolete

The functionality has been replaced. The old functionality is still supported for two releases.

Business Object Repository (BOR)

Delegation

ƒ Customers use their own object extensions with the tasks, events, etc. supplied by SAP

ƒ Without having to redefine existing tasks, you can use standard objects with customer extensions