Work Flow Scenarios in Material Management of SAP ABAP Part Seven

Steps in a Workflow (MM-PUR-GF)

If the release code with which the document is to be processed according to the release strategy is workflow-relevant, a workflow is started and a release work item generated. If a user whom workflow control identifies as being responsible for this release code logs on to the system, this user will see this work item in his or her SAP Business Workplace inbox.If, for example, a job is assigned to the release code as a processor ID and several users are allowed to work with this release code, all of these users will see the same work item in their in boxes.An individual workflow is started for each workflow-relevant code.


The processing of the work item results in the event Release effected. This event terminates the task Release . The entire workflow is ended when the person who created the document receives a confirmation per work item and has processed this work item.The terminating event significantly changed can also occur outside the workflow process.

Changes After the Start of the Release Procedure Changes can only be made to a document if no other user is currently processing the document and no follow-on document has yet been generated (such as an RFQ from a purchase requisition, or a PO from an RFQ).In the following, we discuss what happens when a document for which the release procedure has already commenced is changed. The following possible situations may arise:

Changes that do not necessitate a different release strategy
Significant changes necessitating a different release strategy
Since the first case does not necessitate another release strategy, it will not be discussed further here.If the change is significant, the right-hand path in the graphic would thus be taken, and the workflow terminated due to the occurrence of an event external to the workflow process. This has the following consequences:

If the document has already been released for follow-on processing, it is blocked again by the application and must be processed in accordance with the new release strategy.If a work item was generated, it is no longer visible in the processor’s SAP Business Workplace inbox.

Workflow Definition: Details (MM-PUR-GF)

The following details are of interest in connection with the workflow definition. Look at the definition in the system.

Data Flow

The following data flow is defined for each of the steps Release , Confirmation of cancellation, and Confirmation of release:
Task container Workflow container _WI_Object_ID <-
ReleaseCode <- ReleaseCode The elements and ReleaseCode have been created in the workflow container in addition to the elements available in the standard system and are supplied from the triggering event.

Determining the Processor

The processor determination facility is stored in the tasks Release and not in the workflow definition.
Result of Processing and Termination of Workflow

Once the user has processed the document using his or her release code, the document counts as “released”. This status information is placed in the SAP Business Workplace inbox of the document creator (Initiator) as a work item. When this work item has been processed, the workflow is terminated.The terminating event significantly changed can also occur outside the workflow process.


Use

Several other specific customizing steps are necessary for this workflow template in addition to the general customizing that is necessary to make sure that the workflow system functions properly.Classification Document release (approval) using SAP Business Workflow necessitates a link to the classification system, that is to say all characteristics used in the release conditions (such as plant, purchasing group, account assignment category etc.) must be made known to classification.

Defining the Organizational Structure (MM-PUR-GF)

Various users are able to release documents. These users must be identified in Customizing for SAP Business Workflow. They can also be assigned to various organizational units.Organizational units are a means of subdividing an enterprise according to various business criteria (for example, most enterprises are made up of different departments).Set up your organizational structure as follows:

Perform the customizing activity (Basis Components _ Business Management _ SAP Business Workflow) _ Edit Organizational Plan.

Performing Task-Specific Customizing (MM-PUR-GF)

Here you list all organization management objects that are generally allowed to effect releases with workflow-relevant release codes (e.g. jobs or positions) and classify the general tasks.

Procedure

1. Perform the customizing activity (Basis _ Business Management _ SAP Business
Workflow _ Perform Task-Specific Customizing).
2. Then, under Materials Management _ Purchasing, choose the activity Assign Tasks to
Agent (Processor).
3. Assign the task Release to the processors (“agents”) who effect release via workflow in your enterprise.
4. Classify the task Release Effected as a general task.


Activating Event-Receiver Linkage (MM-PUR-GF)

The event ReleaseStepCreated for the relevant object types is the triggering event for the associated workflow and is entered in the event linkage table as such in the standard system. For the workflow to actually be started, the linkage between the triggering event and the workflow as receiver of the event must be activated in Customizing for SAP Business Workflow.

Procedure

1. Perform the customizing activity (Basis _ Business Management _ SAP Business
Workflow _ Perform Task-Specific Customizing).
2. Activate event linkage for the workflow template Workflow for Release
(Materials Management _ Purchasing _ Activate Event Linkage).
(Alternatively, you can activate event-receiver linkage by processing the workflow directly.)

Application-Specific Customizing (MM-PUR-GF)

In Customizing for Purchasing, you define:
Which release codes are relevant to workflow
Who may effect release with which code. This assignment is plant-dependent. You have the option of defining either a direct or an indirect user assignment:

Direct

You enter a user name directly.

Indirect

You enter a job or a position, for example. At run time, the system then determines the processing staff member responsible.Take care to ensure that this assignment is compatible with the processor assignment in Task-Specific Customizing for SAP Business Workflow. If, you enter a user, for example, the latter must also be the holder of a position in Task-Specific Customizing. If you enter a position, precisely this position must also be defined in Task-Specific Customizing and have users assigned to it.

You can implement an enhancement (user exit M06E0005) for a release code if you wish to have a different role resolution than the one defined in the standard system. You make these settings via the Customizing activity (Purchasing _ Purchase Requisition _ Release Procedure _) Procedure with Classification.

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