Using Workflows for Recipes

Add workflows to recipe types so predefined processes can be triggered directly from recipes—automatically through status changes, or manually by users.

Prerequisites

  • You've subscribed to the SAP Build Process Automation. For more information, see What Is SAP Build Process Automation?

  • You've configured the destination of your workflow. For more information, see Configuring a Workflow Destination.

  • You've configured the Monitor Workflows and the My Inbox apps. For more information, see Configure SAP Build Work Zone Content.

  • To add workflows to recipe types, you must be assigned the ProcessAutomationAdmin role template. For more information, see Role Templates for Formulation.

  • To enable a user to view tasks in the My Inbox app and execute them (for example, approve or reject workflows created for recipes), the administrator must assign the ProcessAutomationParticipant role template to the user.

Purpose

Workflows help ensure that recipes follow a consistent, predefined process during product development. By assigning workflows to a recipe type, you make sure that all recipes created with that type automatically follow the same steps.

Assigning Workflows

In the Recipe Types app, you can configure workflows that can be triggered from a recipe in two ways:

  • Manually by the user

  • Automatically based on recipe status changes

Manually Triggered Workflows

  1. Open or create a recipe type.

  2. Go to the Workflows tab.

  3. Choose Add under Manually Triggered Workflows. A new row appears.

  4. In the Workflow field, select the workflow you want to add.

    • The Workflow Environment field is filled automatically based on the selected workflow.

  5. (Optional) In the Name in Recipes field, enter an alternative name for how the workflow will appear in recipes.

  6. (Optional) Select the navigation icon at the end of the row to open a side panel where you can add translations for the Name in Recipes field.

    • You can switch between added workflows using the (next) and (previous) buttons.

    • After adding translations, choose Apply to save them.

  7. Save your configuration by saving the entire recipe type.

Automatically Triggered Workflows

  1. Open or create a recipe type.

  2. Go to the Workflows tab.

  3. Choose Add under Automatically Triggered Workflows. A new row appears.

  4. In the Workflow field, select the workflow you want to add.

    • The Workflow Environment field is filled automatically based on the selected workflow.

  5. Select a status. The available options come from the status profile assigned to the recipe type.

  6. Save your configuration by saving the entire recipe type.

Using Automatically Triggered Workflows in Environments Other Than Public

To use automatically triggered workflows in environments other than the public environment, the following configuration steps are needed:

  1. Configure an API key in SAP Business Process Automation. This API key triggers automatic workflows in those environments.

  2. Add the API key to the sap_process_automation_service destination as an additional property using the key plm.spcmgmt.bpa.api.key.

Automatic workflows triggered by recipe status changes include an optional parameter: sourceBusinessStatusId. This parameter provides the unique ID of the previous status. It enables workflow scripts to implement error handling and revert a specification to its prior status if the workflow fails, ensuring data consistency. The parameter is automatically passed during status-change triggers and is available to all workflow steps.

For more information, see Environments and API Keys.