This section describes the technology components that are required to run SAP Document Builder.
SAP Document Builder runs on SAP NetWeaver Application Server (SAP NetWeaver AS). SAP NetWeaver AS is a Java-based or an ABAP-based application platform that supports the following:
SAP Document Builder (/IPRO/WD_DOCB)
Document Builder Cockpit (/IPRO/WD_COCKPIT), which is linked to the Document Builder Element Management application (/IPRO/WD_ELEMENT)
While the SAP Document Builder application enables you to control the document lifecycle, Document Builder Cockpit focuses on element management and related tasks.
Prerequisites
You have installed SAP Business Suite Foundation 7.31.
Result
After you configure SAP Document Builder, you can create a shortcut on your desktop.
You use SAP Document Builder (/IPRO/WD_DOCB) to manage documents and templates.
Prerequisites
You have completed the following:
Assigned users to the relevant roles using transaction Role Maintenance (PFCG)
Created shortcuts for all users on the SAP Easy Access menu
When you initiate SAP Document Builder, the workspace is divided into the Document Data and the User Workspace tab pages.
Document Data Tab Page
This is the standard workspace and contains the following:
Search
The Search area is the initial screen in SAP Document Builder.
You select the relevant content and an item from the worklist to find existing documents, systems, user templates, and user elements.
You can perform a simple search based on a single criterion or an extended search based on multiple criteria. You can select the desired document or template for editing.
You can search for elements by description, but you cannot search standard elements in the Search area. You can perform this search under the Document Summary tab page while authoring a document.
You can search templates by content modifier, document selection, or configured attributes. For more information, see Customizing for Document Builder Content Management under .
Toolbar
The SAP Document Builder toolbar enables you to perform the following:
Action |
Result |
|
Use Create Document or Create Template to create a document or system template. Use Create User Template or Create User Element to create a template or element for one user. User templates and elements are displayed on the User Workspace tab page. |
Edit |
Enables editing options |
Copy |
Makes a copy of a document or template before saving it as a user template |
Save |
Saves the document in draft mode |
Save as User Template |
Saves the document as a user template |
Release |
Releases a document for approval |
Refresh |
Starts building your document |
Delete |
Deletes a document or template from the database |
Revert |
Reverts to the previously saved version of the document |
Log Off |
Logs you off SAP Document Builder Note
You must save your document or template. |
Document
The Document area displays details about the selected document, template, or element.
User Workspace Tab Page
You use this tab page to manage user templates and elements.
SAP Document Builder provides the Document Builder Cockpit application (/IPRO/WD_COCKPIT) and the Document Builder Element Management (/IPRO/WD_ELEMENT) applications for managing elements.
Prerequisites
You have assigned users to the relevant roles using transaction Role Maintenance (PFCG).
You have created shortcuts for users under the SAP Easy Access menu.
Activities
Start the Document Builder Cockpit application. If you want to create an element or if you select an element to edit or display, the Document Builder Element Management application is started.
This section describes the toolbars displayed when you access the Document Builder Cockpit application (/IPRO/WD_COCKPIT).
The toolbar on the Document Builder Cockpit overview screen enables you to perform the following:
Action |
Result |
|
Exports the element list to Microsoft Excel |
Create |
Creates an element |
Edit |
Enables editing options |
Display |
Displays an element |
Copy |
Copies an element |
New Version |
Creates a new version |
|
Deletes an element with or without associated alternate elements |
Find Element |
Enables you to find an element |
|
Changes the status of an element; active elements are assembled |
This section describes the toolbars and tab pages displayed when you access the Document Builder Element Management application (/IPRO/WD_ELEMENT) from Document Builder Cockpit (/IPRO/WD_COCKPIT). The tab pages displayed depend on your Customizing settings.
Toolbar
The toolbar in the Document Builder Element Management application enables you to perform the following:
Action |
Result |
Edit |
Enables you to edit an element |
Edit Full Text |
Enables you to edit the full text of an element |
Save |
Saves an element |
Release |
Releases an element |
Additionally, you can specify the language of the element.
Tab Pages
The following tab pages are available in the Document Builder Element Management application:
Header
Displays the element attributes.
You can perform the following:
Enable the workflow function; you must specify the element category
Save the element as an alternate element
Save the element as a user element
Specify the output type
Specify the owner
Add comments
Change the purchasing organization, if applicable
Change the element format, if applicable
Enter additional information pertaining to element format and inclusion
Full Text
Displays the full text
Associated Rule
Displays rules associated with the element
Prescription
Displays the instructions associated with the selected element
Guidance
Displays additional instructions associated with the selected element; you can enter more than one guidance for each element
Workflow
Displays the workflow status and enables the author to add new approvers or remove existing approvers and reviewers; approvers are assigned to categories
Alternate Elements
Displays the alternate elements assigned to the selected element; you can add new alternate elements or delete existing ones
Attachments
Displays the related attachments; attachments are returned in their original format; no conversion is performed
You can create elements using Microsoft Word 2003 or Microsoft Word 2007 as your default word processor.
Prerequisites
You have performed the following:
DOCX
Activated business functions /IPRO/FND_DOCUMENT_BUILDER and /IPRO/FND_DOCB_WORD2007 in SFW5
Set FORMAT to DOCX in Customizing for Document Builder Content Management under
Installed Microsoft Word 2007
WordML
Activated business function /IPRO/FND_DOCUMENT_BUILDER in SFW5
Set FORMAT to WORDML in Customizing for Document Builder Content Management under
Installed the Developer Support Office Framer Control ActiveX to support WordML editing
Configured your browser to support ActiveX
Installed Microsoft Word 2003 Professional SP02 or higher or Microsoft Word 2007
Implemented the following BAdIs for Document Builder Content Management:
/IPRO/EDITOR) to support Microsoft Word in SAP Document Builder
(/IPRO/ASSEMBLY_DEF) to assemble documents in WordML format
(Procedure
To create elements, start the Document Builder Cockpit application (/IPRO/WD_COCKPIT) and proceed as follows:
Select the relevant content.
Click Create.
Enter the required data and click OK.
On the toolbar, click Edit Full Text.
Microsoft Word starts in a separate window.
Enter the name of the element and type the full text for the element.
Click Save.
Click OK to close the window and to return to the Document Builder Element Management application.
On the Document Builder Element Management application toolbar, click Save.
Return to Document Builder Cockpit and click Refresh to display the element.
You can edit elements using Microsoft Word 2003 or Microsoft Word 2007 as your default word processor. You can use the BTF editor to edit elements in HTML.
Prerequisites
You have selected the Editable checkbox for the elements you want to edit in Customizing for Document Builder Content Management under .
Procedure
To edit elements, start the Document Builder Cockpit application (/IPRO/WD_COCKPIT) and proceed as follows:
Select the relevant content.
Click Edit.
Make the necessary changes.
Save your changes.
This process describes how elements are approved when you activate the related workflow.
Prerequisites
You checked the element approval workflow and the related tasks using transaction Workflow Builder (SWDD).
You activated the workflow in Customizing for Document Builder Content Management under .
You defined element categories and assigned users in Customizing for Document Builder Content Management under Standard Elements:
Define Element Categories
Assign Users to Element Categories
Process
The element approval workflow is as follows:
The author creates an element; the element status is set to Draft.
The author edits the element; the element status is set to Held.
The author releases the element for approval; the element status is set to In approval.
The user can approve or reject the element in the UWL. If approved, the element status is set to Active.
When you make changes to an element that belongs to a released template, a new element version is created in draft mode, and submitted for approval. The new template is activated and the old template is deactivated.
Data exchange between SAP Document Builder and other SAP or non SAP system can be synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous communication uses Web services for data exchange; asynchronous communication requires installing and configuring SAP NetWeaver XI.
Web Services
You use a Web service to enable SAP Document Builder to be used by other applications. Contrary to SAP NetWeaver XI, Web services are ready-to-use and do not require an additional server.
SAP NetWeaver XI
You use SAP NetWeaver XI to do the following:
Connect SAP and non SAP systems in a heterogeneous system landscape
Transform message content between sender and receiver systems using proxies
More Information
For more information, see the SAP Document Builder: Business Scenario Configuration Guide.
You can edit texts in Microsoft Word 2007 in DOCX format, in WordML, which is the standard XML schema for Microsoft Word 2003, or in HTML.
The following table describes the differences:
DOCX |
WordML |
HTML |
|
|
|
Prerequisites
To set the default text format, you must perform the activity in Customizing for Document Builder Content Management under and enter DOCX, WORDML, or HTML in the FORMAT parameter.
You can create interactive forms using SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe that enable you to enter data that are processed by the system.
More Information
For more information, see SAP Library for SAP NetWeaver at http://help.sap.com .
You assemble business documents in DOCX, in PDF, or in WordML based on the element list you consolidate during the dialog process.
PDF Assembly
Document assembly in PDF requires a server and preliminary configuration of an RFC destination. The RFC connection must be type G (HTTP connection to external server). The solution you chose is installed, configured, and managed by an IT specialist.
For more information, see the documentation shipped with your assembly tool and the following SAP Notes, which contain information on how to configure specific assembly tools using the BAdI Assemble Documents (/IPRO/ASSEMBLY_DEF):
Information about Apache PDF renderer
Information about Microsoft Word
Information about Adobe LiveCycle
DOCX and WordML Assembly
DOCX and WordML do not require an assembly server.
You can use other editing and output formats. You change the code using BAdI: Generic Output Interface (/IPRO/OUTPUT) in Customizing for Document Builder Content Management under .