Designing Mobile ERP Approval Forms for BlackBerry Users

Designing Mobile ERP Approval Forms for BlackBerry Users

SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 2

Introduction

What does this presentation cover? This presentation describes how a real-world SAP customer has used

the SAP ABAP Workbench to create optimized SAP Approval forms for BlackBerry device users within their organization

It covers the following topics:– Understanding the mobile requirements

– Using SAP ABAP Workbench to build optimized web-based approval forms for BlackBerry users

– Key lessons learned

Mobility Requirements

Mobilizing Purchase Requisition Approvals


Typical Mobile Applications

Sales Needs – View and update accounts and transactions

Executives – Remote approval and communication

Business Intelligence – Real-time access to confidential information

Workflow– Target participants could be anywhere


Challenges to be Overcome

Mobility is a fact of today’s business Executive and Sales / Field Service Reps have to be mobile in today’s

global business place

Timeliness Cached information is not sufficient

Real-time workflow is impossible with disconnected or sync-based solutions

Security Typical applications require secure communications

Mobility Requirements

Mobilizing Purchase Requisition Approvals


Purchase Requisition Approval Process

Background IT has its own purchasing department

– Preferred vendors

– Pre-negotiated contracts

– No blanket orders

Purchasing process is efficient

Approvals take multiple days chasing managers


Purchase Requisition Approval Process

IT Help DeskRequest for approval

Requsitioner

Request to Purchase

cost centermanager

Approval forPurchase

$

$

Purchasing

RemedyTicekt

with OrderDetails

SAPPurchase

Requisition

Workflow Level 1 :Basic CC Aproval

Approval

Senior FinancialManager

Special GLApprover

Workflow Level 2:Dollar Value Escalation

Approval

Workflow Level 3Special Cost Element

Escalation

Approval


Application Requirements

SAP Workflow 3 processes: manager approval; $ escalation; special GL approval

SAP Portal SAP authentication

SAP Users for Approvers Appropriate signing authority for escalations

$1 for basic manager approval

SAP Java Connector Object Library and Java Used to build status page and requisition detail


Application Challenge #1

Approval on BB Desired / Authentication (SAP vs. Windows) Two groups of skill sets within existing IT staff:

– Web developers (java / jsp but no SAP)

– SAP developers (abap / bsp)

Significant work required to build application to pass credentials using Java and JCO

SEM already had the ”glue” to bridge login but required SAP knowledge

Compromise = BSP (essentially html wrapper for ABAP)– ABAP can talk to SAP (workflow and authentication)

– Result:- Login to SAP - Talk to SAP workflow : approve/reject/cancel- Look at details of requisitions- Check status of approval process


Application Challenge #2

Travel, Vacation, etc.

Managers away and requisition sits waiting approval

Need to set availability from blackberry

Solution:– Web Interface to SAP workflow to set start / end dates

– Rules established for re-routing

– Administrator access to ”break” loops

- I’m away and redirect it to you

- You’re away and redirect it to me


Approval Request on Desktop

Workflow email from SAP has two links: desktop & blackberry

Links provide:– Purchase approval status info– Requisition details (3 views)– pageview parameter:

- 1 – blackberry (narrow display)- 2 – printable- 3 – normal layout

From: Workflow-System [mailto:[email protected]]Sent: October 19, 2005 10:22To: Elsa PainterSubject: PR 3366 is pending your approval

Purchase requisition # 3366 is ready for approval.

Total value for Cost Centre 202020: $5,500.00

Total value for requisition: $5,500.00

At your desk: To approve/reject this PR, please click on the linkbelow and when prompted, log in using your Windows login and password.Once the page loads, click on your Universal Worklist and selectthe task related to this PR# to approve or reject.http://abc.myco.net:50000/irj/portal

Using your BlackBerry: To approve/reject this PR click on thelink below and when prompted, log in using your SAP login and password.Once the page loads in your BlackBerry browser, click on Approve, Rejector Cancel.http://abc.myco.net:8000/sap/bc/bsp/sap/ZITPRA/prapr.do?PR=3366

WI: 000000503769Step: FIR1GUID: [email protected]


Approval Request on the BlackBerry


Requisition Status and Order Details


Efficiency Gained from Process

Dramatic reduction in turn around time From days to minutes

Sarbanes-Oxley compliance Provides auditable trail of approval process

Supports Mobile Executives Eliminates need to ”delegate” approvals

Can be processed anywhere and anytime


ASUG and SAP: Partners in Education

ASUG, the Americas’ SAP Users’ Group, is the world’s largest, customer-run community of SAP professionals and partners, with 45,000 individual members and 1,700 companies represented. ASUG delivers the highest value to member companies, allowing them to maximize their SAP investments.

Some highlighted benefits include:

– Access to a year-round community for SAP customers and partners

– Diverse mix of educational topics and events through a variety of formats

– Exclusive opportunity to influence SAP future product direction

– Unparalleled networking opportunities with a dynamic professional network

– Unprecedented partnership with SAP

– Access to ASUG Groups and Chapters

To learn more about ASUG, visit the ASUG booth in the SDN Clubhouse, or visit our Web site at www.asug.com.

Documents

Designing Mobile ERP Approval Forms for BlackBerry Users