Introduction to Work Flow & Web Forms

Table of ContentsIntroduction to Work Flow & Web Forms...................................................................................................1

Web Forms - Introduction...........................................................................................................................2

Overview.................................................................................................................................................2

Concepts in Web forms...........................................................................................................................3

Structure of BSP Application....................................................................................................................4

Controller............................................................................................................................................5

View.....................................................................................................................................................5

Accessing BSP Application:......................................................................................................................6

Processing BSP Application:.....................................................................................................................7

Work Flow - Introduction............................................................................................................................9

Overview.................................................................................................................................................9

Concepts in Work flow............................................................................................................................9

Work flow Terminology.........................................................................................................................11

Event..................................................................................................................................................11

Object................................................................................................................................................11

Task....................................................................................................................................................12

Business Workplace & Work Item.....................................................................................................13

SAP Workflow Agent..........................................................................................................................14

SAP Workflow Step............................................................................................................................15

Rule....................................................................................................................................................16

Web Forms - Introduction

Overview Web Forms are nothing but BSP applications in SAP. Business Server Pages (BSPs) are HTML pages that contain the actual application logic and

presentation logic. BSPs define the Web user interface and determine the elements of user interaction.

A Business Server Page (BSP) application is a complete functional application, like a classic SAP transaction. However, this application is executed in a Web browser rather than in the SAPGUI.

BSP applications can be accessed from transaction SE80.

Concepts in Web formsA BSP application consists of a user interface and business logic that is assigned to a logical unit. The user interface of BSP applications includes:

Static Web sites Dynamically generated Web sites, which are BSPs or templates that contain server-side scripting

that is executed dynamically at runtime to generate a static Web site BSPs can either be pages with flow logic or views.

Various MIME objects, such as pictures, icons, sound files, style sheets, and so on, that are parts of a typical Web application

BSP application class is used to encapsulate the business logic functionality in BSP application. The business logic can be accessed from the BSP application using the typical methods, such as BAPIs, function modules, or class libraries.

Structure of BSP ApplicationA BSP application can consist of one or more controllers and Business Server Pages, as well as known elements such application classes, MIME objects and themes.

A BSP can have different characteristics. It is either a page with flow logic or a view or a page fragment. Within a BSP application, there can be several controllers, several views and several pages with flow logic.

Controller

A controller is the instance of a central controller class. There is a URL for every controller that can be addressed externally, such as using a browser. A controller can therefore be used as the initial point of entry to a BSP application. The mapping of the URL to the controller class is determined in the BSP application.

A controller is the controlling instance in the MVC design pattern, where it also acts as the controlling mechanism. It carries out the following tasks:● It provides the data● It is responsible for selecting the correct layout● It triggers data initialization● It executes input processing● It creates and calls a view instance

ViewViews are only responsible for the layout; they visualize the application data. Views are very much like pages, although they do not have event handlers, auto-page attributes, or their own URL. Unlike auto-page attributes, normal page attributes can be used that are then filled by the controller. Controllers should control calling views and communicate with a model.

Accessing BSP Application:

A BSP application is addressed and executed through HTTP using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).HTTP or HTTPS is the protocol used to access the application across the network, thus allowing the use of standard products like firewalls and proxy servers.

Processing BSP Application:When a BSP application is being processed, the individual BSPs and their components are run, and the corresponding processing steps are executed according to the code.

Every controller class automatically inherits all methods and attributes from central basic class CL_BSP_CONTROLLER2. Among all the methods inherited, some methods needs overwriting for processing the HTTP request.

Method DescriptionDO_REQUEST central method in a controller class

handles both input and output processing

DO_INIT This method is called once at the start and is used for initialization.This method behaves like a constructor method.

DO_HANDLE_DATA Reacts to user input.Processes data input for this component.

DO_HANDLE_EVENT Reacts to user input.Processes events if the component contains them.Exactly one view controller is called to handle the event, which contains an event such as a save button, for example.

DO_FINISH_INPUT Ends the input processing.

In Method, DO_REQUEST, WORK FLOW for Down payment will be triggered by passing all the Data entered by the User in Web form after validations.

Work Flow - Introduction

OverviewSAP Business Workflow can be used to define business processes that are not yet mapped in the R/3 System. These may be simple release or approval procedures, or more complex business processes such as creating a material master and the associated coordination of the departments involved.

SAP Business Workflow is particularly suitable for situations in which work processes have to be run through repeatedly, or situations in which the business process requires the involvement of a large number of agents in a specific sequence.

Concepts in Work flow

Workflow Builder: It is for displaying and making changes to workflows. You can make small extensions directly to the original workflows supplied by SAP, such as carrying out your own agent assignments or changing deadline monitoring. Transaction – SWDD

Business Object Build: In order to make the functions of the R/3 Systems available to a workflow, you use business objects, which you can define and analyze in the Business Object Builder. These business objects are made available to the workflow in reusable tasks. The Business Wizard Explorer gives you an overview of all existing tasks. Transaction – SWO1

Business Workplace: The end user receives information about the activities they are to carry out in their Business Workplace. This provides them with a central overview of all the activities that they are authorized to carry out. They can commence the activities from here. Transaction – SBWP

Work flow Terminology

Event An event represents an action in the system. For example, “Creating Down payment” is an ACTION. For this action the SAP Application creates an event. This even in turn triggers a workflow.

Object An OBJECT is a specific instance of the OBJECT TYPE.

Workflow routes the document among different persons. Each person performs certain activities. Whatever goal the workflow is intended to achieve, can be put inside an object type. Consider an Object as a Structure (Abstract Enclosure) with certain data and some logic.

For example, we have Object type ZZBFSEG for Down payment. This is used for Creating Down payments. It has certain data and some logic.

Data is passed by KEY FIELDS ATTRIBUTES

Logic is defined in METHODS EVENTS

Task An SAP workflow task represents an Activity. It serves a purpose here.

Some examples of tasks are Create Down Payment via BDC, Get dates for deadlines, Specify Rejection Reason etc.

The task Create Down Payment via BDC performs a business function – Create Down Payment in Background via BDC.

Now, how does it perform this function? It follows the logic created inside the method of an object type. So, in simple terms, a workflow TASK refers to the method of an object type.

Different task types for a Work flow are:

Customer Task Task Group

Standard Task Workflow Task Workflow template

Transaction PFTC, will take us through different types of Tasks available.

A Workflow can be combination of multiple tasks or a single task, the task type is to differentiate a workflow from a single step Task or Multiple steps joined together to form a Workflow template.

Business Workplace & Work Item Business Workplace is a work area that an SAP user can use to carry out business Processes. The business workplace of a user could be his inbox.

Let us take the example of the Down payment. Once, the Down payment request is submitted, selected approver receives the request in his inbox to approve. The Approver opens it, checks the details and approves the same. The request that the Approver receives in this inbox is called a WORK ITEM.

In technical terms work item is a run time request of a task in real time. Inbox contains not just the work items – it may as well contain simple text message. Examples include Notification messages that need not be acted upon and are just used to inform the Approver.

SAP Workflow AgentAn Agent is a person who executes a work item.

Possible agent is the person who is eligible to execute the work item. The name of the possible agent is mentioned in the workflow task.

Responsible agent is the person who should execute the work item, or who is responsible for acting on the work item. Name of the responsible agent is mentioned in the workflow step.

Excluded agent is the person who should not execute the work item, name of the excluded agent is mentioned in the workflow step.

SAP Workflow Step Steps are the building blocks of a workflow. In other words, a workflow consists of steps arranged in a sequence. A step in general refers to a business activity. A step can therefore refer to an activity where it refers to a task.

Steps that can be inserted in a Workflow.

Rule As discussed earlier, in the workflow task, as a responsible agent, we need to mention the name of the person who should execute the work item of approving absence notification. This method of specifying directly, the user name or job or position is called fixed agent assignment.

But in some cases, we may want to determine the agent at run time, i.e. when the workflow task is actually executed. Then, instead of specifying the manager's name, we specify a RULE 'superior of workflow initiator'.

What does this rule perform? It takes the employee as input, refers to the organizational plan, checks that the superior of the employee is, at that point in time, and sends the work item to his inbox. This method is called RULE RESOLUTION.