Definition of Options for Starting a Workflow (SAP Library

Definition of Options for Starting a Workflow

Use

Workflows can be started manually by users or automatically by the SAP System. For a manual start the user must be one of the possible agents of the workflow.

To start a workflow automatically, you have to define one or more triggering events for it.

You have the following options for starting a workflow manually:

Starting the workflow directly

Calling a start transaction

Calling a form transaction

Integration

You start a workflow manually by choosing Development ® Business Workflow ® Development ® Runtime Tools ® Start Workflow. Start transactions or form transactions are taken into consideration when workflows are started. For more information, see Starting Workflows in Dialog.

For a workflow that has triggering events to be started, the event must be created by an application.

Prerequisites

For a form transaction to be defined, the workflow container must contain an import parameter that refers to a structure. This structure must contain all the fields that the start form is to contain.

Features

Triggering events for a workflow

You define and process triggering events for a workflow in the version-dependent basic data on the tab page Start events.

To define a triggering event, you enter the relevant object type and the event into the appropriate fields in a line. You can use the F4 input help. To make the event data available to the workflow, you can process the binding from the event container to the workflow container. You must activate a defined triggering event for it to be taken into account by the event manager.

Note

You can process the properties of a triggering event by selecting it and choosing This graphic is explained in the accompanying text .

You can create start conditions for each triggering event defined. The workflow then only starts if the triggering event has occurred and one of the start conditions defined for it is fulfilled. You use the condition editor to define the start condition. For more information, see Binding Definitions from the Event Container and Start Conditions for Workflows. If a start condition is defined for a triggering event, This graphic is explained in the accompanying text is displayed in the line of the triggering event.

Start transactions for a workflow

You process existing start transactions for a workflow in the version-dependent basic data on the tab page Start forms.

Existing start transactions for the workflow are displayed in the area Start transactions. This start transaction is executed if you start the workflow manually. There are input fields in the start transaction, in which you can assign data to the import parameters of the interface. You can process the layout of the start transaction generated in the Screen Painter.

Note

You can only process existing start transactions. In future, if you need a transaction for starting a workflow, use a start form.

Start forms for a workflow

You define and process start forms for a workflow in the version-dependent basic data on the tab page Start forms.

In the area Start forms you can create a start form for the workflow. A wizard helps you to create the start form. This start form is used if you start the workflow manually. The start form refers to an import parameter of the workflow container, which refers to a structure. It contains input fields for all fields of the structure referred to. You can process the layout of the start form generated in the Screen Painter.

Note

You cannot generate start forms until you have created the container element required in the workflow container. This container element must be designated as an import parameter.