SAP Workflow - Integrating with external systems

[Stephan Becker]

Hi Warwick,
 
development class SWR contains the WAPI interfaces. They are according to
the WAPI specification by the Workflow Management Coalition; have a look at
http://www.aiim.org/wfmc/.
 
If it fits into your architecture to use an existing wrapper (I'm assuming
Visual Edge does just that), it will of course save you work, so it makes
sense. With an OO wrapper you have the advantage that you can work
object-oriented, as Adrian remarked, external objects can be depicted as SAP
business objects.
 
If you want to use the API function modules directly, you can in essence use
any method that can make a remote function call (rfc) to SAP.
 
Stephan
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: SAP Workflow [mailto:Owner-SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of
Warwick Hill
Sent: 08 March 2000 10:22
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: SAP Workflow - Integrating with external systems
 
 
Stephan,
 
Can you tell me a little bit more about how to access these APIs and what
the development class is ?
 
Also if you've used the API's would you say that it's best to use them
directly or use a product like
Visual Edges Madrid which as you say probably wraps around the APIs ?
 
thanks
 
Warwick.
 
> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Stephan Becker [SMTP:stephan.becker at walldorftech.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, 7 March 2000 15:24
> To:   SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject:      Re: SAP Workflow - Integrating with external systems
>
> also, the SAP Business Workflow engine is equipped with a set of APIs with
> which you can integrate almost any external system. Visual Edge probably
> wraps around those APIs. There is a development class in SAP that pools
> all
> or most of the Workflow APIs.
> Stephan Becker
>
> -----Original Message-----
>> From: SAP Workflow [mailto:Owner-SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of
> Adrian Samuels
> Sent: 28 February 2000 18:25
> To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: Re: SAP Workflow - Integrating with external systems
>
>
> Warwick,
>
> The Visual Edge Madrid for R/3 product is aimed at enabling external
> objects to
> participate in SAP Business Workflows. These objects then appear as SAP
> Business Objects.
> In this scenario Business Workflow remains the only workflow engine.
>
> See http://www.visualedge.com/papers/madridwhitepaper.pdf for an overview.
>
> Good luck, Adrian.
>
>
>
>
> Warwick Hill <Warwick.Hill at WaterCorporation.com.au> on 28/02/2000 09:20:08
>
> Please respond to SAP Workflow Users' Group <SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
> To:   SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> cc:
> Subject:  SAP Workflow - Integrating with external systems
>
>
>
>
>
> I had a query from a client the other day asking if SAP Workflow can
> manage
> tasks in external systems as well as in SAP.
>
> The scenario is that a company would have SAP and other systems supporting
> it's various applications. If the company wants to use a "workflow"
> solution,
> I would assume they can either implement the various workflow packages on
> the different systems or have one workflow package which can
> access/control
> each of the systems.
>
> >From work that has been done so far I understand that it's possible to
> have
> SAP issue commands to other systems but that the other system will not
> allow
>
> SAP to make direct changes. The other system will receive the command from
> SAP and then manage the change itself.
>
> Has anyone had experience in this and is there a best standard approach if
> we want to use SAP Workflow as the main controller of the tasks ?
>
> many thanks for any advice,
>
>
> Warwick Hill
> Senior SAP Consultant
> CSC-ITS
>
> 9420 2620
> 0417 994 043
>
> Categories:
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to
> which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged
> material.  Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or
> taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
> entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.   If you
> received
> this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any
> computer.