Activity Types

If you are a developer and have written a new activity, you must classify it with a type. The following table describes these types:

Type	Description
EJB	Enterprise JavaBeans implements HookableInterface (by extending HookableInterface in its Interface class). HookableInterface requires that the Bean class implements an `execute()` method. This method is what the system executes when a hook point occurs. This is used primarily in non-GUI situations. Java Class activities are simpler than these EJB activities, but the EJB activities have more capabilities.
Java Class	A basic class that implements HookableInterface. HookableInterface requires that the implementing class implements an `execute()` method. This method is what the system executes when a hook point occurs. This is used primarily in non-GUI situations.
Standalone GUI (.jsp)	Any non-hook point, non-plug-in .jsp. These are activities listed in the Activity Manager. For example, Shop Order Maintenance, Create and Release SFC Number, and SFC Status report.
Button/Plug-In GUI (.jsp)	Button (.jsp): A .jsp file that executes when the user chooses a particular button in the POD. The file is associated with the button by the activity name entered in the Activity column on Buttons tab page of POD Maintenance (see Defining POD Buttons and Button Groups). Note There is a special case when the activity ID is not used in POD Maintenance. In that case, the actual file name is used in the Plug-In Default field on the Main tab page. End of the note.
Native Executable	A native program or script (server only) that is executed when this unit is triggered. This could be a batch (.bat) file or an executable (.exe) file on a Windows system or a script or executable file on a UNIX system. These files are run from the command line and cannot be used as GUI activities.
Collaboration Data Acquisition Plug-In	A Collaboration plug-in (Java class) that acquires data in addition to the standard data that a system triggering action publishes. These are non-GUI activities that are used when collaborating with external systems such as an ERP system.
Collaboration Format Plug-In	A Collaboration plug-in (Java class) that formats the data that a system triggering action publishes, and any additional data acquired, if a Data Acquisition plug-in is specified in Collaboration Directive Maintenance (seeCollaboration Directive Maintenance). These are non-GUI activities that are used when collaborating with external systems such as an ERP system.
Collaboration Transport Plug-In	A Collaboration plug-in (Java class) that sends the data that a system triggering action publishes using a specific transport mechanism. This data may include additional data if a Data Acquisition plug-in is specified in Collaboration Directive Maintenance. This data may also be in a particular format if a Formatting plug-in is specified in Collaboration Directive Maintenance. These are non-GUI activities that are used when collaborating with external systems such as an ERP system.
Collaboration Callback Plug-In	A Collaboration plug-in (Java class) that facilitates the reusability of the business logic for parsing and processing responses from remote systems. If specified, the callback is triggered immediately after the Transport plug-in. The Callback plug-ins make it possible to create generic transport plug-ins that deal only with transport aspects. These are non-GUI activities that are used when collaborating with external systems such as an ERP system.
Process Workflow Manual Activity	An activity that is used exclusively for Message Board processing. Activities of this type construct process workflows that are applied to the message types. Users need to perform some action in the processing of a message to trigger and complete the workflow activity.
Process Workflow Automatic Activity	An activity that is used exclusively for Message Board processing. Activities of this type construct process workflows that are applied to the message types. The system performs the action and closes the workflow activity.
Service	An activity that executes an SAP ME service. The service is either an SAP ME public API or a service extension (see Service Extension).
WPMF Plug-In	An activity that is used as a POD plug-in.
POD Selection	An activity that is used exclusively for POD Selection area plug-ins.
External URL	An activity that is assigned to a button in POD Maintenance to open an external URL in a new browser window when a user chooses this button in the POD. Some customers have web sites that they want to allow employees to have access to while running the POD. These web pages might not be running on the same servers that the POD is running on. For example, a customer may have a web site that contains company policies or procedures that the employee needs to be able to see while running the POD.
Mobile View	An activity that is assigned to a button in POD Maintenance to launch a mobile application when a user chooses this button in the Mobile POD (see Mobile POD).