Unit 5: First Test 

Use

You are now going to start a workflow in dialog for the first time, which will run according to your workflow definition. This workflow definition only contains a step for creating a notification of absence so far.

For further information on starting workflows, refer to Starting Workflows (Test Environment) in the SAP Business Workflow documentation.

Prerequisites

The creation of a notification of absence, which you carry out within your workflow, is reported on a system-wide basis by an event. Other workflows entered as event receivers for this event may therefore be started. The notification of absence created by you (and published by the event) is then also processed with these workflows.

This event is not used in connection with this tutorial.

To ensure that only you work exclusively with the notification of absence, you can deactivate any existing linkages between the event and its receivers. Proceed as follows:

If you carry out the following steps, you prevent other workflows being started unintentionally by your notification of absence.

However, you may interrupt other workflow demonstrations. Therefore, be careful and speak to the colleagues involved if necessary.
  1. Choose Tools ® Business Workflow ® Development ® Utilities ® Events ® Simulate Event.
  2. Enter FORMABSENC in the Object type field.
  3. Enter created in the Event field.
  4. Choose .

    5. The system simulates the event FORMABSENC.Created and establishes which workflows would be started.

  5. If you find one or more entries in the list under the branch Tasks without syntax errors to be started, position the cursor on an entry and choose Event linkage.

    6. The dialog box Event linkage: Triggering events is displayed.

  6. Position the cursor on the entry with the red background for the event and choose .

    7. The linkage between workflow and event is deactivated.

  7. Choose .
  8. Repeat steps 5 to 7 or repeat the whole simulation as applicable.

Procedure

Starting the workflow and filling out the form

  1. If you are still in the Workflow Builder, choose .

    2. The Start Workflow (Test Environment) screen is then displayed. The number of your workflow template is entered.

    If you are no longer in the Workflow Builder, choose Tools ® Business Workflow ® Development ® Runtime Tools ® Start Workflow (Test Environment). Enter the identification of your workflow or use the F4 input help.

  2. Choose .

    3. To handle work processes more quickly, SAP Business Workflow supports Advancing with Immediate Dialog. When a workflow is started in dialog, this means that the first work item of the workflow is made available for processing immediately provided that the user who starts the workflow is also one of the recipients of this first work item. This is the case here because you entered the container element _WF_Initiator as the agent in the step definition.

    The Create notification of absence screen, therefore, is displayed immediately where you can see the notification of absence form. It is the method Create that is executed with the first work item.

  3. Fill out the form with entries of your choice.
  4. Choose .

    5. The Start Workflow (Test Environment) screen is then displayed again.

  5. Choose and exit the Workflow Builder if necessary.

Starting a workflow / Business Workplace

Before you extend your workflow definition, carry out the following test. It will familiarize you with the Business Workplace.

  1. Start your workflow in dialog again. Choose Tools ® Business Workflow ® Development ® Runtime Tools ® Start Workflow.

    2. You go to the screen Start task.

  2. Choose your workflow in the table on the left.
  3. Choose Start on the right-hand side of the screen.

    4. The notification of absence form is displayed.

  4. Do not make any entries and do not save. Instead, choose .

    5. You have now started the workflow but canceled the processing of its first step. But the processing of the work item is not yet completed. You have only broken the processing chain of advancing with immediate dialog.

  5. Choose .
  6. Choose Tools ® Business Workflow ® Development ® Runtime Tools ® Business Workplace.
  7. Open the Inbox node and choose the Workflow folder.

    8. Your workflow inbox now contains (at least) one work item for processing. This is the work item for creating a notification of absence, the processing of which you canceled previously.

  8. Select the work item, if necessary, and choose .

    9. You return to the Create notification of absence screen where the notification of absence form is displayed.

  9. Fill out the form and choose .

The work item disappears from your workflow inbox.

Result

You have now completed this unit and can start the next unit.