03_01WhatIsWorkflow

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SAP Workflow Course

Section 03-01: What is Workfow

November, 2001


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SAP Workflow CourseSection 03-01: What is Workflow 1

Introduction

Contents:

What is SAP Business Workflow?

Benefits of Workflow

Introduction to Workflow Terminology

Advantages of Using Workflow


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Introduction: Section Objectives

At the conclusion of this section, you will be able to:

Describe SAP Business Workflow concepts

Define the basic SAP Business Workflow terminology


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Problems of Office and Administration Processes

Long lead times due to high transport and wait times

Lack of transparency of processes connected

to high work distribution

Historically grown task assignments

Paper and microfiche archives without

quick and secure access

Inefficient communication between process participants

Data entered more than once

Goal: Reorganize your business processes


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Goals of Reorganizing Business Processes

Increase the transparencyof the procedures used

Increase employeesresponsibility

Focus on the interests

of the customer Better quality management

Focus on net product

of processes

Workflow systems can help

you to reach the goals


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Designed to handle al l process d imension s

The Process (Business)

The People (Organization)

The Impact (Process Information)

SAP Business Workflow


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What Can a Workflow Management System Do?

A Workflow Management System facilitates theelectronic processing of structured processes which:

Include a range of activities

Always occur in a similar or identical form

Involve several people or departments

Require a high degree of coordination

Workflow Management Systems control processes

according to a predefined model and are especially

suited to structured organizations



Use of workflow - Business Process Reengineering

Potentials for saving according to surveys 50-90% work time

10-75% increase in production

20-40% reduction of handling charges

30-50% reduction of office space

Example:

If you use workflow in the context of

document management, you can often

reach the return of investment after 6 - 8 months



Workflow Benefits for the End User

Faster, simpler access to information

Less effort for administrative tasks

Easier learning and understanding of processes



Workflow Benefits for Management

Better control

of information

of deadlines

of service levels

of processing costs

Flexible change

of processes

Of underlying technology



Workflow Benefits for the Company

Increase production

Clearing backlog

Distribution of information and work:Every user gets his worklist automaticallyfrom the system

Accelerating the processes

you will get cash discount more often

better/quicker reaction to errors

Customers are more satisfied

processes are more quickly finished better return on information



Workflow is NOT ...

Simply document administration and imaging;although Workflow uses both!

Standard E-mail and groupware:although Workflow uses these!

Data distribution across multiple systems: EDI / ALE is used for

this purpose, but Workflow can support this option!

Screen sequence management within a transaction

Management of temporary data

Management of one time processes

Repetitive work of a single type, e. g., goods movements

A tool to fill functionality gaps!



Approval procedures- purchase requisition

- park invoice

- notification of absence

- notification of travel

Optimize the

distribution of

information

Managing

single

processes

Workflows to

manage complex

processes

Deadline monitoring-Escalation procedures

Error/exception handling- incorrect EDIs

- follow-on functions on expensive

orders

- follow-on functions regarding

credit limit

- follow-on functions if defined

limits reached

Automatic system activities- print and send reports

- automatic archiving of data

- automatic booking of data(see CATTs)

Information flow- on field changes

- on status changes

- on changes of sensitve data

Document handling- early archiving

- procedures based on forms

- use of circulars

Automatic help- customizing help

- help in cases of error

Internet ScenariosMaster data maintenance- customer master

- material master

- vendor master

Cross-application processes

- administration of applicants- check quotations

- process change service

Domains of workflow



SAP Business Workflows Purpose

To Streamline a Business Process

Ensure Correct Business Processes are Followed

Formally Define and Implement a Business Process



A Business Process as a Workflow in SAP

SD-Clerk

Application

Change Customer

Master

Change

document

Workflow

FlexibleLink

... new

major customer Prod. Manager

Credit-clerk

Sales Rep.

Change

Production

plan

Adjust

Credit limit

Arrange

visit



SAP Business Workflow Terminology

Object Agent

Task RoleStep

Event

WorkflowWorkitem Business

Workplace


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Who Should? Do What?

To What? When?

In What Order?

Five Questions for Each Part of a Business Process


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Workflow Definition Controls the Business Process

Consists of steps Can be triggered by events

In What Order?


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Workflow Definition: Workflow Builder (In What Order?)

Workflow -Definition

Triggering

Event

Step

Symbol for

start and end

of Workflow

Workflow Builder:

Navigation and display area

Print: local / R/3 spool / file

Checking and activating


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out-

come3out-

come1

out-

come2

Event

Outcomeshows different results of a step

When?

Tells the workflow that something hashappened

Workflow can be started (triggering event)

Step can be ended (terminating event)

Wait step for reacting to an event Step type Event creator


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Events can start and terminate workflows or tasks

These events are public events, since they belong

to an object type.

Event: Examples (When)

Parked document posted

Order canceled

Customer master data changed

Budget limit reached

Requisition approved


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Do What? To What?

Activity/Task

Execute a Transaction

Execute a Report

Execute a Function Module

Run a Routine in an ExternalSystem

Update a Spreadsheet

Document generation

User decision

automatic control steps

Event


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Examples of Object Types (What?)

SAP Business Object types Invoice

Requisition

Material

Archived documents EDI messages (IDocs)

Documents from PC office applications

Object Methods (Do What?)

Post (the invoice)

Approve (the requisition)

Change (the material)

Display (the image)


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Single-step Task: Examples

Post invoice

Release requisition

Change material master

Approve absence


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Who Should?

Organizational Plan and Roles

To Decide who Should Receive a Work Item and Perform a

Task


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Putting the Pieces Together...

Workflow-

Definition

Workflow

Task

agent

Object typ

Method

The process design must...

... be defined as task or

workflow in SAP R/3

Individual activities in the process

must be available as tasks beforebeing included in workflow definitions

A single-step task refers to

an object type and one of itsmethods...

... which enables access to

existing SAP functionality!

Event


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Advantages of Using Workflow (1)

Transparent business processes For modeling and defining

rules, templates

organizational principles

At runtime current status

of a certain business object

the entire process

Afterwards

weak-point analysis

optimization and adaptation


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Deadline monitoring (max. processing time) Automatic notification

Task assignment according to responsibility

Along the organizational structure

Job description, requirements profile

Inheritance hierarchy

Dynamically

Organizational principles

Attributes of business objects,task assignment according to responsibility


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Seamless handling procedure

Easy to use (e.g., occasional users)

No navigation

Provides the task and all the available information directly to

the user

Explanations and instructions are supplied with the task


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B i Obj t d E t d i W kfl


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Customer

Material

Vendor

Order

Purchase

order

Business Objects and Event-driven Workflow


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Introduction: Section Summary

Active flow of information

to the right people

at the right time

in the right format

in the right quantity

A Better Return on Information


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SAP Workflow Course

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worldwide PricewaterhouseCoopers organisation.

2001 PricewaterhouseCoopers. All rights reserved.

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