03 01 whatisworkflow

SAP Workflow Course

Section 03-01: What is WorkfowNovember, 2001

SAP Workflow Course – Section 03-01: What is Workflow 2

Introduction

Contents:

• What is SAP Business Workflow?

• Benefits of Workflow

• Introduction to Workflow Terminology

• Advantages of Using Workflow


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


Problems of Office and Administration Processes

Long lead times due to high transport and wait times

Lack of transparency of processes connectedto high work distribution

Historically grown task assignments

Paper and microfiche archives withoutquick and secure access

Inefficient communication between process participants

Data entered more than once

Goal: Reorganize your business processes


Goals of Reorganizing Business Processes

Increase the transparencyof the procedures used

Increase employees’responsibility

Focus on the interestsof the customer Better quality management

Focus on net productof processes

Workflow systems can helpyou to reach the goals


Designed to handle all process dimensions

The Process (Business)

The People (Organization)

The Impact (Process Information)

SAP Business Workflow


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 oftenreach 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 automatically from 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 tomanage 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 Workflow’s 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 CustomerMaster

Changedocument

Workflow

FlexibleLink

... newmajor customer Prod. Manager

Credit-clerk

Sales Rep.

ChangeProduction

plan

AdjustCredit limit

Arrangevisit


SAP Business Workflow Terminology

Object Agent

Task RoleStep

Event

WorkflowWorkitem BusinessWorkplace


Who Should? Do What?

To What? When?

In What Order?

?Five Questions for Each Part of a Business Process


• Workflow Definition– Controls the Business

Process

• Consists of steps• Can be triggered

by events

In What Order?


Workflow Definition: Workflow Builder (In What Order?)

Workflow -DefinitionWorkflow -Definition

TriggeringEvent

Step

Symbol forstart and endof Workflow

Workflow Builder: • Navigation and display area

• Print: local / R/3 spool / file

• Checking and activating


out-come3

out-come1

out-come2

Event

Outcomeshows different results of a step

When?

– Tells the workflow that something has happened

– Workflow can be started (triggering event)

– Step can be ended (terminating event)

– Wait step for reacting to an event

– Step type Event creator


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


Do What? To What?

• Activity/Task

– Execute a Transaction

– Execute a Report

– Execute a Function Module

– Run a Routine in an External System

– Update a Spreadsheet

• Document generation

• User decision

• automatic control steps

Event


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)


Single-step Task: Examples

• Post invoice

• Release requisition

• Change material master

• Approve absence


Who Should?

• Organizational Plan and Roles

– To Decide who Should Receive a Work Item and Perform a Task


Putting the Pieces Together...

Workflow-Definition

Workflow

Task

agent

Object typ

Method

The process design must...

... be defined as task orworkflow in SAP R/3

Individual activities in the process must be available as tasks before being 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


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



• 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



• 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


Customer

Material

Vendor

Order

Purchaseorder

Business Objects and Event-driven Workflow


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

SAP Workflow Course

PwC ConsultingTM refers to the management consulting services businesses of the member firms of the worldwide PricewaterhouseCoopers organisation.

2001 PricewaterhouseCoopers. All rights reserved.

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03 01 whatisworkflow