Unit 7: Including "Check Notification of Absence" in the Workflow Definition

Calling the Workflow Builder

1. Choose Tools  Business Workflow  Development  Definition Tools  Workflow Builder.

   The Workflow Builder is then launched in change mode with the workflow that was processed last.

2. Work through the following steps to display your workflow for this tutorial in change mode.

   1. If a different workflow is displayed, check whether the workflow you created is listed in the My workflows and tasks area. Double-click it and choose . Go to step 3.

   2. Enter the full ID directly in the Workflow field in the information area. Alternatively, you can also enter the workflow abbreviation. Enter either the full abbreviation or just the first few characters (for example: <i*>). Choose . The search result is then displayed. Choose your workflow by double-clicking it. The workflow is then loaded in change mode.

3. Choose to display the entire workflow in the workflow area on the screen.

Creating a container element in the workflow container

You need an additional container element in the workflow container to store the name of the user who will execute this step. This user name is to be used later in the notification text that is sent to the requester.

1. Choose Workflow Container in the object area and there double-click on the entry < Double-click to create>.

   The dialog box for entering a container element is displayed.

2. Make the following entries on the Data Type tab page:

   • Element: Approver

   • Name: Approver

   • Short text: Approver of the absence request

3. Choose .

   The Select predefined data type dialog box is displayed.

4. Choose Agents by double-clicking.

   You return to the creation of a container element. The system has made the required entries for a container element that is to contain an agent.

5. Choose .

   You have now added a local container element to the workflow container, which is ready to take an agent name, based on its data type reference. However, you have not yet determined a value for this container element.

Creating an activity as a step in the workflow definition

1. Choose under step type. The cursor changes shape.

2. Position the cursor on the Undefined step that follows the outcome Request completed and click.

   By doing so, you add an activity to your workflow definition. The step definition is shown in the right-hand part of the screen. You are on the tab page Control.

Entering basic data for control

1. In the Task field, enter the abbreviation ( TS< 8-digit number>) of the task Check Notification of Absence that you defined in the previous unit. Choose .

   If you no longer know the full abbreviation, you can use different methods to search for it:

   • Use the F4 input help to search using the object type and method of the task.

     This displays the Search and Find: Tasks dialog box.

     On the Obj. type and method tab page, enter the object type FORMABSENC and the method APPROVE.

     Then double-click your task in the list. You should recognize your task from your initials in the abbreviation. Choose .

   • Enter a character string in the abbreviation or description and choose .

     A list is then displayed from which you can choose the required task or workflow by double-clicking.

     At this point, the unique reference to this task or workflow is entered. The identification is made up of an abbreviation (T, TS, WF, or WS) followed by an 8-digit number.

     If you choose a workflow (WS or WF) as a task, you include a subworkflow and the activity is marked by in the graphical display. If you choose a task (TS or T), your activity is marked by in the graphical display.

   You go to a dialog box in which the system proposes a binding from the workflow container to the task container.

   Here, the object reference to the notification of absence is transported from the workflow container (container element AbsenceForm) to the task container (to the container element _WI_Object_ID).

2. Choose to confirm the proposal.

Add the binding definition

Now define another binding using which the actual agent of the work item (the superior) is stored in a container element of the workflow container.

1. Choose Binding (present).

   The Binding for Step 'Check notification of absence (ini)' dialog box is then displayed. If the first column is entitled Element, choose to display the element description.

   The system has created the following binding definition from the workflow container to the task container:

   Abwesenheitsmitteil. &AbsenceForm&

   This binding ensures that the correct notification of absence is checked in the task.

2. Choose .

   All of the container elements in the task container are now displayed on the left-hand side. You can define a binding from these container elements to the workflow container.

3. Position the cursor in the lower half of the screen in the empty input field beside the container element Agent and call the F4 input help.

   The Expression dialog box is displayed. All container elements that have a data type that is compatible with the target element have a green background.

4. Double-click Approver.

   In addition to the bindings already existing, the following binding is now defined:

   Bearbeiter/in &Genehmigender&

   Choose .

Determining outcomes

The method APPROVE of the object type FORMABSENC, to which you refer in the standard task definition, is defined with a result. The three possible values of this result are offered on the tab page Outcomes as outcomes of this step:

• Approved

• Rejected

• New

The indicates that these outcomes have already been transferred to the workflow definition. The outcome New is not really appropriate at this point. At this stage of processing, the notification of absence cannot be "new" anymore. It should therefore not be incorporated in the definition.

1. Switch to the Outcomes tab page and click on in front of the outcome New.

   The symbol changes to .

   The outcome Form not available results from the exception defined for the method APPROVE. You could include this outcome into the workflow definition and would then have to model appropriate subsequent steps. However, you do not model anything for the purposes of this tutorial and accept that your workflow will have an error at runtime if this exception is raised.

2. Change the name of the active outcomes. Name the outcomes Notification of absence approved and Notification of absence rejected.

3. Choose .

   Two branches are now inserted in your workflow definition for the two marked outcomes Notification of Absence Approved and Notification of Absence Rejected.

Inputs for the agent

If you are working through this tutorial alone, do not specify anything for responsibility at this point. If it is processed when the workflow is executed, therefore, this step will be "offered" for processing to all employees declared as possible agents of the task Check notification of absence. This means all users whose positions are described with the job head of department.

In your organizational plan, there is only one user who is a possible agent and that is you yourself.

• You have maintained the organizational plan with jobs, positions, and user assignments in Unit 1: Organizational Plan.

• You have defined the task Check notification of absence and have assigned the possible agents in Unit 6: Creating Task "Check Notification of Absence".

Concluding the step definition

Choose

The workflow definition is checked, saved, and, provided it does not contain any errors, activated. The system displays a message if problems are encountered during the test.