Starting Workflows Manually

Starting workflows

The screen for starting workflows has two parts. On the left-hand side, all the workflows are listed for which you are a possible agent. The description of the workflow selected on the left is displayed on the right.

You can use the standard toolbar to go to the workflow outbox and the Business Workplace.

You can start a workflow by selecting it and then choosing either in the left screen area or the Start function in the right screen area.

Starting with details

The function Start with details can be used to add information such as attachments, notes, or deadlines to the workflow using three tab pages. The attachments and notes that you have added are available to all agents of the workflow.

• Tab Page Properties

  You can maintain the priority of the workflow, its latest end and its requested start here. If you set the indicator Create flag for started workflow in inbox, you get a work item in your inbox when the workflow is started, which calls the relevant workflow log during execution. The system deletes this flag automatically when the workflow is terminated.

• Tab Page Note at Start

  The note that you create here is added to the workflow as an attachment.

• Tab Page 0 Attachments

  Here you can create (), display (), import (), and delete () attachments for the workflow.

You start the workflow with the function Start workflow.

Workflows with start or form transaction

If a start transaction or a form transaction is defined for the workflow, the defined transaction is started instead of detail maintenance.

As with detail maintenance, you can change the priority, add attachments, and maintain deadline data by choosing . In contrast to detail maintenance, you cannot create any new attachments. However, it is possible to create ad hoc objects (in contrast to attachments, these are assigned to the container element _Adhoc_Objects).

Make the entries required in the input fields you have created. This assigns values to the import elements of the interface of the workflow to be started. Use the F4 input help if required.

Starting workflows with object references

Starting a workflow with an object reference allows you to extend a process at runtime and initiate additional subsequent activities on an ad hoc and flexible basis.

This function is not available everywhere. The function assumes that the system recognizes as a reference object a particular application object (for example document, invoice, item of master data) that you are processing. This involves the following process:

1. The system establishes a reference object from the current call context.

   Example

   The current call context is, for example, a work item selected in the workflow inbox of the Business Workplace. This work item can then contain the notification of absence xy as a reference object.

2. The system establishes the object type for this reference object.

3. The system displays all workflows that refer to this object type so you can make your selection. This uses the same function as Starting workflows (see above).

4. The system starts the selected workflow and passes the reference object to the task.

   For more information, see Starting Workflows with Object References: Details.