SAP Records

Management

Starting a Workflow in a Record by

Entering Import Parameters
May 4, 2004

Starting a Workflow in a Record by Entering Import Parameters

Contents
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 3
2 Prerequisites .................................................................................................................. 3
3 Setting Up an Element Type in the Service Provider for Workflows ......................... 3
4 Implementing a Function Module for the Connection Parameter
FUNCTION_START_WORKFLOW ................................................................................. 3
4.1 Differences from the Standard Function Module .................................................................................... 4
4.2 Calling a Dialog for Entering Import Parameters .................................................................................... 4
4.3 Example Code ............................................................................................................................................. 4

5 Testing the Scenario ...................................................................................................... 9



 
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Starting a Workflow in a Record by Entering Import Parameters

1 Introduction
The following tutorial is aimed at consultants who are implementing Records Management. Prerequisites are
a working knowledge of Records Management, SAP Business Workflow, and ABAP objects.
Customers often want user workflows to be triggered directly from a record. This tutorial shows you a user friendly way of meeting this requirement.
Take the following scenario: you want a record to start a workflow in which the record itself is sent to another
employee. The user who starts the workflow needs to see a dialog box in which he or she can enter the
employee who receives the record. The user also needs to enter a deadline by which the recipient of the
record must process it.
This can be realized as follows: the service provider for workflows provides the
connection parameter
FUNCTION_START_WORKFLOW. You can set this parameter to the name of a function module that starts
the workflow. We want to use this connection parameter and implement a function module that calls a dialog
box for entering the import parameters and starts the workflow.

2 Prerequisites
You have created a workflow template that enables the record to be forwarded to another user while
specifying a deadline. The workflow template has the following input parameters:

User: This parameter must be typed as a DDIC reference, such as T77UA- UNAME.

Deadline: This parameter must be typed as a DDIC reference, such as SWWWIDEADL -WI_LED.

Record: The technical name of the parameter must be RECORD, and the parameter must have the
object type RECORD.

You integrate a standard task into the workflow template. This task calls the RECORD.DISPLAY method.

3 Setting Up an Element Type in the Service Provider for

Workflows
Create a new element type in the service provider for workflows. Make the following entries on the
Connection Parameter tab page:

Connection parameter FUNCTION_START_WORKFLOW: name of a new function module for starting

the workflow, to be implemented by you (see below)

Connection parameter WF_DEFINITION: ID of the workflow template that you want to exe cute (see
above)

Connection parameters RFC_DESTINATION and RFC_DESTINATION_CALLBACK: NONE

Implementing a Function Module for the Connection

Parameter FUNCTION_START_WORKFLOW

The standard SAP system already includes the function module SRM_SP_WFL_START_WO
RKFLOW,
which you can enter for the connection parameter FUNCTION_START_WORKFLOW. The interface of your
own function module must match the interface of the standard function module. To guarantee this, copy the
standard function module SRM_SP_WFL_START_WORKFLOW to your own function module.



 
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Starting a Workflow in a Record by Entering Import Parameters

4.1 Differences from the Standard Function Module

We do not use the standard function module since it triggers a dialog box for entering import parameters that
is not very user-friendly.
You use the standard function module on ly if the input parameters set by the user have complex data types
(for example, business object types, structures, or tables) and the workflow is started typically by an
administrator. If the input parameters of the workflow are scalar parameters that are
typed as ABAP
Dictionary references, then we recommend that you implement a separate function module. You can adopt
some parts of the standard function module when you do this.
For more information about the standard function module, see the
Records Manag ement documentation
under Customizing Service Provider for SAP Business Workflows.

4.2 Calling a Dialog for Entering Import Parameters

To call the dialog box for entering the import parameters, use the POPUP_GET_VALUES function module.
When you specify DDIC references, this function module provides you with a screen that includes F1 help
and F4 help.
In the FIELDS parameter of the POPUP_GET_VALUES function module, you have to specify the DDIC
references of the fields you want to display. Before you do this, use the definition of the workflow container to
see which import parameters have a DDIC reference. Extract the DDIC information ( tabname, fieldname)
and send it to the POPUP_GET_VALUES function module. The function module now generates the input
dialog box with the appropriate fields, field labels, F1 help, and F4 help (if they exist). However, the input is
not tested.
In our case, User Name (for work item recipients) and Latest End are displayed as input fields.

4.3 Example Code

The following is an example of the code for a function module that starts the workflow.
Notes:

Most parts of this example are taken from the standard function module
SRM_SP_WFL_START_WORKFLOW, but we have given them new comments to make them easier to
understand. The new parts have bee n given the comments Enhancement BEGIN and Enhancement
END.

This example has been implemented in WebAS 6.20, and is only guaranteed to be valid for this release.

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5 Testing the Scenario

1)

Within a record, create an element for the element type created in step 3.
workflow import parameters appears.

The dialog box for entering

2)

Enter the parameters. In the test, use your own user name.

3)

Open the Business Workplace (transaction SBWP) . You should have received a work item.

4)

Double-click the work item. The record should now be displayed.

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