Concepts in Workflow Release Strategy

Why a Release Strategy is required ?

The procurement department of a company consists of multiple buyers who are responsible for
buying goods from the market.

Since purchase order is a legal document and it goes to the vendor, it is very much important to
control the process to avoid any errors or unauthorized transaction.

Because of the legal implications of Purchase orders, it is very much required to control the
procurement process by introducing approvals

There is a hierarchy of people like the buyer who creates the order and different levels of
purchasing managers to supervise and control the procurement process.

Advantages of SAP Business Workflow:

Workflow helps in reduction of process time as it automates the business process.

Can be integrated with the email system so that approvers do not have to wait or enquire about
status of particular transactions.

Workflow allows process owners to keep an eye on deadlines, provides statistics on the length
of time to complete work processes, determine the workload with regard to individual
employees and save processing time.

Workflow helps to enhance quality of work as it reduces manual intervention.

Example : Suppose we are given following scenario:

The Release Strategy would be triggered for the following criteria:

Document Type NB, Purchasing Org 0001, Purchasing Group 001, 002, 003, 004, 005.

We have 4 different Approval Levels depending on the PO Net Value :

Level 1 : 0.00 – 20,000.00 INR

Level 2 : 20,000.00 – 50,000.00 INR

Level 3 : 50,000.00 – 1,00,000.00 INR

Level 4 : > 1,00,000.00 INR

The Release Approval Workflow is as follows:

Level 1 : 0.00 – 20,000.00 INR – Approver1

Level 2 : 20,000.00 – 50,000.00 INR – Approver2

Level 3 : 50,000.00 – 1,00,000.00 INR – Approver3 / Approver4 / Approver5

Level 4 : > 1,00,000.00 INR – Approver6 (can delegate to any Approver1 / Approver2 /
Approver3 / Approver4 / Approver5)

We need to go through the following Customization path in order to configure Release Strategy
:

SAP Easy Access -> Materials Management -> Purchasing -> Purchase Order -> Release
Procedure for Purchase Orders

Step 1 : Edit Characteristics – (Tcode CT04)

Business Requirement:

We need to define which fields would be used to determine the release strategy. This fields
constitute the Characteristics in Release Determination. We need to create a Characteristic for
every field.

The following characteristics have been created in our case :

ZPO_BSART – Purchase Order Type (NB) – Datatype CHAR 4

ZPO_EKORG – Purchasing Organization (001) – Datatype CHAR 4

ZPO_EKGRP – Purchasing Group (001, 002, 003, 004, 005) – Datatype CHAR 3

ZPO_GNETW – Total Net Order Value – Datatype CURR (15, 2) Unit INR

For a full list of fields that can be used to determine the release strategy, use tccode SE11
communication structure CEKKO.

If we want to make use of a field which is not available in CEKKO, we add that field in structure
CEKKOZZ available within CEKKO, we would need to make use of the user exit M06E004 ->
Changes to communication structure for releasing purchasing document. The field added in
CEKKOZZ should be reflected in Header Data of transaction code ME21N -> Create Purchase
Order.

We have maintained default values for ZPO_BSART, ZPO_EKORG & ZPO_EKGRP

Step 2 : Edit Class – (Tcode CL02)

The characteristics have been grouped together to form the following class – ZPO_HPPTCL

Note: We can create any new Class assigning it to the relevant Characteristics but the Class
Type should always be 032.

Step 3: Define Release Procedure –

The Release Group, Code and Strategies need to be defined here.

Configuration Path : SPRO -> Purchasing -> Purchase Order -> Release Procedure for
Purchase Orders -> Define Release Procedure for Purchase Orders.

Select Release Groups – Create a new entry for release group 02

Select Release Codes –

There would be 6 Approvers involved in the Release Procedure. Hence, 6 Release Codes W1,
W2, W3, W4, W5, W6 are created.

The Workflow Role has been selected as 1 from the dropdown list, since this is related to
workflow release strategy without using a user exit.

Select Release Indicator

We would use 2 Release Indicators –

0 – Blocked

2 – Released.

Changeable indicator determines how the system would react when a purchasing requisition
or purchasing document is changed after the change of the release procedure.

Release Strategy – Changeable Indicator : Possible values

Changeable, new release in case of new strategy

1 Cannot be changed

2 Changeable, no new determination of strategy

3 Changeable, new release in case of new strategy

4 Changeable, new release in case of new strategy or val. change

5 Changeable, new release if new strategy/outputted

6 Changeable, new rel. if new strategy or value change/outputted

Select Release Strategies

Since we have 4 approval levels, We would create 4 new Release Strategies – R1, R2, R3, R4.

Configuration for Release Strategies are as follows :

Approval Level R1:

Approval Level R2:

Approval Level R3:

Approval Level R4:

Step 4: Maintain Classification – The Classification data can be maintained from the
Classification Tab in Release Strategies or from Transaction Code CL20N.

Step 5: Maintain Workflow –

After configuring the release strategies, the Workflow Role Assignment for the respective
Release Codes needs to be done.

Select Workflow from the Activities Screen. Create Assignment for the agent Codes W1, W2,
W3, W4, W5, W6.

Note: Release Approval can be made position based instead or person by making reference to
the HR Org Structure which would require considerable amount of customization, has not been
covered in this section.

Step 6: Configure the Workflow –

Go to transaction SWU3 or use the following menu path :

SPRO -> SAP Netweaver -> Application Server -> Business Management -> SAP Business
Workflow -> Maintain Standard Settings

Activate all the lines if they are not already activated

Go to Agent Assignment -> Create from Menu and assign the relevant Approver IDs

Go to Transaction SWDB – Workflow Builder – Create Workflow

Choose Workflow for Release of Purchase Order (WS20000075) from Workflow Box

Click on Header -> Start Events Tab

Check whether object category BO and Object Type BUS2012 are assigned and is active.

From Menu, Go to -> Agent Assignment for Task

Go To Agent Assignment -> Create

Create The Users

Assign the users and generate.

Go back to initial screen and Activate the workflow builder and Save.

Step 7: Type Linkages

Go to Transaction SWETYPV – Type Linkages

Check whether linkage is activated for object type BUS2012 Receiver type WS20000075 by
clicking on detail button.

Substitution in PO Workflow:

In SAP, the inbox is generally the “SAP inbox” accessed via transaction code SBWP. SAP also
lets you flow the tasks into Lotus Notes and Outlook.

Business Requirement

Substitutes are essential so that a users work items can be seen and executed by a defined
replacement user. This ensures that work is not left unattended if someone is out of the office
unexpectedly.
A workflow sitting unapproved in the inbox of a manager who is on a month-long vacation could
be a problem for the organization.

To address such issues, SAP workflow provides a substitution mechanism. The

manager/approver nominates a substitute for the duration of his or her absence.

Substitutions can be of 2 types:

Active substitution (for eg. for absence due to vacations): In this case, the items belonging to
the absent person are automatically assigned to the substitutes inbox (in addition to his own
work items).

Active substitution is where User A is going on vacation and specifies User B as their substitute
and activates the substitution.

Passive substitution (for example, for absence due to illness): the substitute must explicitly
assume the substitution and will only view the items of the absent person in this mode.

If Passive substitution is used then the substitute (User B) only sees the work items of User A.
User A sets up the substitution but does not activate it, then User B can Adopt the substitution if
User A is out of the office unexpectedly.

In order to configure Substitution in PO Workflow, Task Classes & Classification Profileneed

to be defined in Customization.

Business Requirement:

In SAP Business Workflow system, there might be multiple Workflows activated at the same
time , e.g. PO Release Approval, HR Time Sheet & Leave Approval, Approval for QM
Notifications and so on. In order to map a substitution rule for a particular Work Item / Activity,
we need to define Task Classes and Classification Profile and make the relevant assignment.

The customization steps for substitution are as follows :

Step 1: Define classification labels for tasks

To define classification labels, go to SPRO -> SAP Netweaver -> Application Server -> SAP
Business Workflow -> Basic Settings -> Maintain Task Classes.

Step 2: Define Substitution Profiles

To define substitution profiles, go to SPRO -> SAP Netweaver -> Application Server ->
Business Management -> SAP Business Workflow -> Basis Settings -> Substitute Profile ->
Define Substitute Profile.
A substitution profile defines what tasks a substitute approver sees in his/her inbox

Step 3: Group the Classification into Profiles

In the previous step, we just defined names for substitution profiles. In this step, we assign the
classifications to the profiles and make their definition complete.

To assign the classifications to profiles, go to SPRO -> SAP Netweaver -> Application Server –
> Business Management -> SAP Business Workflow -> Basic Settings -> Substitute Profile – >
Assign Substitute profile.

One or more classifications can be assigned to a profile.

Step 4: Classify the Workflow Tasks

The final step, though not technically a customizing activity, is classifying the tasks. Tasks are
classified in transaction code PFTC.

Open up a task in change or display mode in PFTC.

To classify it, go to Additional Data -> Classification -> Create. Drop down on the classification
field and pick one of the available classifications.

Setting up substitutions:

An approver can pick a substitute for a given time period and assign the substitute a profile.

To pick a substitute from SBWP, go to Settings -> Workflow settings -> Maintain substitute
Click on your name and select Create Substitute (F5)

Select the user ID, use a validity period, Add the ‘substitution profile’ 0003 and check on
‘Substitution Active’
PO Workflow Approval Media:

Business Requirement:

Once a PO is created and it is subject to release strategy based on the defined criteria,
Workflow is triggered. There are several ways for an appropriate approver to release the PO for
further processing.

Directly from R/3 System logon using a transaction code

From email – Offline or Online

Offline Approval – when an approver can approve the PO without SAP GUI installed in his
system / outside the office network

Online Approval – when an approver gets a link in his email notification to release a PO with
the help of which he is directed to the SAP transaction to approve the PO.

Using Mobile Apps based on SAP Fiori

1. From System Logon – Relevant Approvers can approve the PO from R/3 system using
transaction ME28 for list of releases or ME29N for single release.

The notification also appears in SAP Inbox which can be accessed using transaction SBWP
2. Directly from email –

Through an SMTP setup, which is generally done by basis, an approver can APPROVE or
REJECT a workflow work item directly from email without logging into SAP. The approver may
not have SAP GUI installed in system.

The list of email IDs to which the workflow items have been sent can be viewed in SAP through
transaction SOST.

3. From SAP Fiori / Mobile Apps

SAP Fiori enable you to use your tablet, iPhone or any Android phone to access SAP
applications.

You can view pending purchase orders and approve them using SAP Fiori. If necessary, you
can forward approvals to a different employee for further processing.

Key Features

You can search for specific purchase orders.

You can display details for each purchase order, for example, the line items with detailed
information, such as account assignment and conditions.

You can approve or reject purchase orders, and you can forward them to a colleague.

Prerequisites

Configuration of release strategy is done with Workflow

Fiori Add-On Components are installed on

your system

SAP Gateway to use add-on component

Same configurations need to be done as before through SPRO customizations.

The Fiori App Details for configuring PO Approval in App based devices can be obtained from
following link.

Fiori Apps Library

Approval steps would be as follows:

1. Log on the website link using any browser or configure your Fiori App on your Android
system

2. Enter Username and password

3. Scroll down to “Buyer” Section and Click “Approve Purchase Orders” logo

Select the Purchase Order number on Left side to look into details

You can also see the items details such as Price, Discount and any other information.

Now user have option to click on “Approve” Button or “Reject” Button or “Forward”button.

Approver can also maintains his comments while approving the purchase order and these
comments get maintained in the purchase order header level text

In SAP, the Text PO Approval Note is maintained in Header Text.

Escalation Mechanism – Deadline Monitoring:

Deadline monitoring defines the time span with in which a job is scheduled to End.
Business Requirement:

If a workflow task (say, approval of the PO) is not executed within the specified time, Escalation
happens. It may be required to inform his/her immediate superior / colleague regarding the
activity if the approver misses on the deadline.

The particular work item is then terminated and the subsequent step (Mail) is executed.

Configuration:

Use transaction SWDD Workflow WS20000075 -> Go to User Decision step, click on the Latest
End Tab

By default, no Deadline Monitoring is Active,

Choose the “Work Item Creation” from the List Box.

After selection “Work Item Creation”, choose an offset of 5 minutes. This means that work item
must be executed within 5 minutes of the creation, if not this would trigger.

Enter recipient details to whom the message to be escalated, if the work item is not executed
within 5 minutes after work item creation.

Save and Activate the Workflow Definition.

Use transaction code SWWA to check how the deadline monitoring program is scheduled in
program.

Status Monitoring

Business Requirement:

In order to monitor a PO status at a particular time point, for eg., with which approver a PO is
stuck, or the workflow steps undergone by a particular PO, we need to run some standard
reports which enables Status Monitoring of the Work Items.

Status Monitoring of PO’s awaiting approval can be viewed using transaction SWI6.

Go to transaction SWI6 and give Object Type BUS2012

The report provides information on Status of PO s for which release strategy has been
triggered.

Audit Trail:

Business Requirement:

As part of Audit Requirement, one might be interested to see who all are involved in approving a
given PO. It is required to check the SAP User IDs that actually processed the approval
workflow. In order to meet such requirements, there are certain standard SAP transactions
which can be used.

In order to check PO Release History, one can use standard report ME2N
 Select a PO line and click on ‘Changes’

This gives the change history in a give Purchase Order

One can also make use of the standard Workflow SWI6, SWIA, etc to check on the Audit
relevant reports (We can search in TSTC table with transaction code SW* in order to check on
the workflow relevant report transactions)

Workflow Notification Automatic Deletion:

Report for Deleting Completed Notifications

Business Requirement:

Completed notifications are not deleted immediately but are initially assigned the statusLogically
Deleted. You can physically delete these notifications from the database by using an
appropriate report. In doing so, you can reduce the size of the relevant database table. This can
result in reduced database-access times. Furthermore, you can reduce the amount of memory
required.

Standard Report RSWNNOTIFDEL can be scheduled as a background job or execute it

immediately.

If we schedule it as a background job, it is executed once daily and deletes all notifications that
have been set to logically-deleted for more than 10 days. To change the number of days, we
have to use transaction Schedule Background Job Job (SM36) .

If we execute the report immediately, we can also enter the number of days.

Transaction Code SWWL can also be used to delete Workflows based on their status.

Note : Execution of SWWL is not recommended in the Production environment.

Transaction SWIA can be used to manually complete the workflow instead of deleting it.

Security Assets – Roles & Authorisations:

Business Requirement:

In SAP, Roles and Authorization plays a vital order in order to restriction a transaction /
Activity to the concerned user only. In PO Approval Workflow as well, it is very important that
the Approvers are provided appropriate role in order to release a PO at a level defined for them
by the management. For eg., A Level 1 Approver should not be authorized to approve a PO for
level 2 or A level 2 Approver does not require interventions to approve PO at level 1.

For this reason, appropriate authorizations need to be set up in the user profiles where they
user/approver would be given access to the relevant Release Code and Release Group only to
which they are authorized to.

This is a Basis activity to provide the appropriate Authorization for release codes to the
approvers.

Procedure to set up Roles & Authorizations:

Step 1: Through transaction Code PFCG, create a new authorization group, say,
ZPO_APPROVER1
Step 2: The authorization group should contain the object M_EINK_FRG. The object needs to
be added manually. First, select the object MM_E. Under that, select M_EINK_FRG.

Step 3: Assign values to the following as per release strategy

Release code: FRGCO

Release group: FRGGR

Step 4: Use Transaction Code SU01 to provide the rights to the approver as required. The
appropriate Release code and release

group combination needs to be used for every user Authorization.

I have tried to explain the basic settings for configuring a PO workflow release strategy.
Although the basic workflow configuration may be done by a Functional Consultant, help of a
workflow consultant would be required in order to accommodate more complex business
scenarios. This blog would give you a basic idea on the functionalities we can perform parallel
to configuring the business workflow.

I hope you have enjoyed going through the configuration steps and scenarios. Any suggestions
to this would be highly appreciated.