Arghadip Kar provides a tutorial on developing a purchase order workflow in SAP. The tutorial covers: 1) understanding SAP workflow and its components like business objects, events, methods, and workflow templates; 2) using transaction codes to develop a purchase order approval workflow; and 3) testing the workflow template from a purchase order transaction. The goal is to build a real-life workflow that requires approval for purchase orders over $25,000 and provides automated notifications.

1. Click to edit Master title style
Developing
Purchase Order Workflow in SAP
with Arghadip Kar
SAP Workflow Expert

2. Click to edit Master title styleMeet your Instructor
Arghadip Kar
Currently an SAP ABAP Architect in the energy
industry – I work developing new reusable tools to
help business with SAP features used in everyday
work activities. Developing programs where
production monitoring is minimal and optimizing
ABAP coding to add flexibility across SAP modules.
Previously worked at IBM Global Services as an SAP
ABAP Workflow/Open Text Consultant.

3. Click to edit Master title styleLink to Tutorial
• https://www.michaelmanagement.com/sap-training-
course/developing-purchase-order-workflow-in-sap

4. Click to edit Master title styleAgenda
• Understanding SAP Workflow Development for Purchase Order
Process
• How to use transaction codes for SAP Workflow Development
• Programming in Business Objects for Workflow
• Using Workflow Builder to build a Workflow Template

5. Click to edit Master title styleIntroduction
What is SAP Workflow?
• Tool available inside SAP ECC 6.0 and SAP S/4
Hana environments
• Used to automate business processes
• Manages all approval processes for Transaction
Data and Master Data

6. Click to edit Master title styleIntroduction
SAP Workflow Development
• If you are running SAP, you will have SAP
Workflow. In this course, you will step through
the process for Purchase Order Approval in SAP.
• An SAP Workflow Developer is expected to have
knowledge in SAP ABAP so that they can
perform the ABAP programming required for
building
SAP Workflow.

7. Click to edit Master title stylePurchase Order Workflow Requirement
SAP Purchase Order Workflow Scenario
• Purchase Order should go for Approval only if the dollar value is
more than 25,000 Currency.
• Purchase Order below 25,000 Currency is Auto Released.
• Approval will be sent to a group of Users who can Approve or
Reject the order.
• If PO is Approved then the PO is Released and Notification email
is sent to Purchase Order Creator/Changer.
• If the PO is Rejected the approver enters a reason of rejection and
the reason is sent to Purchase Order Creator/Changer.

8. Click to edit Master title stylePurchase Order Workflow Design
SAP Purchase Order Workflow Scenario

9. Click to edit Master title styleTransaction Codes
Transaction codes used for Purchase Order Workflow Development
• ME23N: Display Purchase Order
• ME21N: Create Purchase Order
• SWU3: Automatic Workflow Customization
• SWO1: Business Object Builder(Workflow Coding)
• PFTC: Create Workflow Template
• SWUS: Test Workflow
• SWEL: Event Trace
• SWE2: Event Linkage
• SBWP: Business Workplace
• SWIA: Administrative Forward
• SWI2_FREQ: Work Items per Task

10. Click to edit Master title styleDownload to SAP Favorites
• On your course page, locate the download file
in the Appendix section.
• Save the SAP PO Workflow Development.txt file
to your desktop.
• Rename the file Extension to .file instead of .txt
• Login to your SAP session
• Click on Favorites in the SAP Menu tree
• Click Favorites on the top Menu bar -> Upload from PC
• Select the local file
• The transactions codes are saved
in Favorites

11. Click to edit Master title styleDownload to SAP Favorites – Demo
KAR – Insert your MP4 file here

12. Click to edit Master title style
• Go to ME23N
• Click on Other Purchase Order-> Enter the Purchase
Order number and click on Other documents button
• Click on the Header->
Display Purchase Order

13. Click to edit Master title styleDisplay Purchase Order- Demo

14. Click to edit Master title style
• Go to ME23N
• Click on the Header->Release Strategy Tab
Release Strategy in Purchase Order

15. Click to edit Master title styleRelease Strategy in Purchase Order- Demo

16. Click to edit Master title style
• Go to ME23N
• Click on the Service Toolbox icon and select-
Workflow->Archived Workflows
Business Objects for Purchase Order

17. Click to edit Master title styleBusiness Objects for Purchase Order - Demo

18. Click to edit Master title styleWorkflow Customizing
Workflow Customizing needs to be maintained
before you start developing!
SAP Basis Team will need to setup -
SWU3: Automatic Workflow Customization

19. Click to edit Master title styleWorkflow Customizing - Demo

20. Click to edit Master title styleWorkflow Development Terms and
Methodology
• Container: Placeholder which stores different
Variables/Elements.
• Container Element: A variable that refers to a Field/Business
Object/Table/Structure which stores data and is used to
pass data to another entity.
• Binding: Data Migration to and from between two entity
using Container operation.

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Workflow Container Task Container
Binding
Container Elements
Workflow Development Terms and
Methodology

22. Click to edit Master title styleWorkflow Development Terms and Methodology - Demo

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• Business Objects
• Events
• Methods
• Standard Task
• Workflow Template
Different Parts of Workflow Development

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What is a Business Object?
• Each Master data and Transactional Data item is defined in
SAP as a Business Object.
• You can access Business Object by SWO1 transaction code.
• It is an entity which has a following entity and is defined for
only one transactional type.
Example: The Purchase Order Business Object is BUS2012.
Business Objects have other sub-entities.
Different Parts of Workflow Development

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Sub entities defined in Business Objects
• Key Field: Defines the Primary Key of that Data.
Example PO Number in Purchase Order
• Attributes: Characteristics of the Data.
Example Purchasing Group in a Purchase Order
• Methods: Action you want to Perform on the Data.
Example Changing the PO
• Events: An event can be anything from creating a Transaction
document or Changing a Transaction document which is a
Purchase Order in this case.
Different Parts of Workflow Development

26. Click to edit Master title styleDifferent Parts of Workflow Development - Demo

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What are Events?
An event can be anything from creating a Transaction
document or Changing a Transaction document,
which is a Purchase Order in this case.
• Used to Trigger Workflow.
• Also used to Terminate Workflow.
• Used to Save data from Master or Transaction
(Purchase Order) to Event and then Pass this data
to SAP Workflow using Binding process.
• An Event is defined in a Business Object using the SWO1
Transaction code.
Different Parts of Workflow Development

28. Click to edit Master title styleDifferent Parts of Workflow Development - Demo

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What is a Method?
A Method is an action you want to Perform on the Master
or Transactional Data.
• Has its own container by which it passes and retrieves data from
Standard Task and Events.
• Releasing a Purchase Order is a Method.
• Changing a Purchase Order is a Method.
• A Method may be triggering an event.
• A Method can be Dialog as well as Background.
Different Parts of Workflow Development

30. Click to edit Master title styleDifferent Parts of Workflow Development - Demo

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What is a Standard Task?
A Standard Task is always associated with a Method.
• Used to call a Method inside a Workflow Template.
• Passes and retrieves data from a Workflow Container,
Method Container and Event Container.
• Releasing a Purchase Order inside a workflow Template is a
Standard task.
• A Standard Task can be triggered or terminated
by an event.
Different Parts of Workflow Development

32. Click to edit Master title styleDifferent Parts of Workflow Development - Demo

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What is a Workflow Template?
A Workflow Template performs one or more multiple
business function generally involving a Dialog interaction
which can be an approval in this case.
• Passes and retrieves data from Task Container and
Event Container.
• Workflow Template can be comprised of a single or
multiple Standard task.
• A Workflow Template can be Triggered or
Terminated by an event.
Different Parts of Workflow Development

34. Click to edit Master title styleDifferent Parts of Workflow Development - Demo

35. Click to edit Master title styleBusiness Object Builder: Create Subtype
What is a Subtype?
A Subtype (Custom Object usually starts with Z or Y) is a
Child of a Parent Business Object.
• It inherits all of its parents properties.
• You cannot Edit the Subtype.
• You can add more Properties and Characteristics.
Goto SWO1 Transaction Code->
Create Subtype ZZYBUS2012 for
Business Object BUS2012
and do some ABAP coding.

36. Click to edit Master title styleBusiness Object Builder: Create Subtype - Demo

37. Click to edit Master title styleDevelop SAP Workflow Template
Transaction Code: PFTC

38. Click to edit Master title styleDevelop SAP Workflow Template - Demo

39. Click to edit Master title styleTesting Phase Of Workflow
1. Test Business Object
2. Test Workflow Template through Single Testing
3. Test Workflow Template from standard Transaction.

40. Click to edit Master title styleTest Business Object Method
You Can test Business Object method using the
SWO1 transaction code

41. Click to edit Master title styleTest SAP Workflow single Testing
Tcode SWUS

42. Click to edit Master title styleTest SAP Workflow - Demo

43. Click to edit Master title styleProbable Error
The most common error happens when –
the Dialog Task is not mentioned as General Task
and the Attributes are not Transported.

44. Click to edit Master title styleProbable Error

45. Click to edit Master title styleTest Event Linkage and Trace
Tcode SWEL

46. Click to edit Master title styleTest Event Linkage and Trace -
Demo

47. Click to edit Master title styleTest the Workflow Template from the Actual
Business Transaction
Create PO in ME21N

48. Click to edit Master title styleTest the Workflow Template - Demo

49. Click to edit Master title styleTable for SAP Workflow Data
View Table – SWWWIHEAD in data browser
Check SE16 Transaction code

50. Click to edit Master title styleView Workflow Table - Demo

51. Click to edit Master title styleHow to Transport PO Workflow
Every Workflow Template will have 2 transports initially.
• Workbench Request:
Contains Development object like Business Object and Workflow
Template.
• Customizing Request:
Contains Attributes of Standard task and Workflow Template.
Customizing Request also contains the Event linkage between event
and Workflow to pass Data.
Use Transaction Code SE09 to Transport Objects.

52. Click to edit Master title styleView demo Transport PO Workflow

53. Click to edit Master title styleSummary
• What is SAP Workflow Template?
• What are the different portion of SAP Workflow Template?
• Transaction Codes used to Develop the SAP Workflow Template.
• We learned how to build a real life Purchase Order Approval Workflow
from Scratch.
• Transport Workflow to QA system.
• Test the SAP Workflow which is very important.
• Using this Tutorial we can build other Workflow for Purchase Order.
Stay tuned for other Workflow design courses!