Dynamically adding possible agents to a task

Mon Aug 13 12:23:22 EDT 2001

Memo from Nicholas N Brand of PricewaterhouseCoopers

-------------------- Start of message text --------------------

Alan,

Thank you for those top tips!

Just to confirm my understanding: you seemed to be saying that technically
it's not possible to alter the *possible* agents of a task dynaically, i.e.
so that each workitem has different possible agents - is this correct?
(I mean technically possible as opposed to good business practice)

Thank you again.

Kind regards,
Nicholas

"Rickayzen, Alan" <alan.rickayzen at sap.com>@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> on 13/08/2001
11:25:19

Please respond to SAP Workflow Users' Group <SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>

Sent by:  SAP Workflow <Owner-SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>

To:   SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
cc:

Subject:  Re: Dynamically adding *possible* agents to a task

Hi Nicholas,

I always treat the possible agents as those people having the necessary
skills to perform the tasks.  It is the role resolution that determines who
gets the work items according to the run-time data. In other words work
items are assigned via a role according to skills related to the particular
data being handled.
Looking at it this way, forwarding is not the answer to your requirements.

The cleanest way of handling your scenario is to add an option in your
workflow task to "reroute" the work item to another manager. In other words
the manager would select a manager from the list of managers up the chain.
The original work item would be completed and the next work item assigned
to
the selected manager (probably via a container element). This also ensures
that substitutions will work.

You will have to decide how to add this additional step to your workflow.
This could either be
1.>     an additional generic decision
        (cumbersome if it is only used in exceptional
        circumstances) or

2.>     a function that is called directly from the
        approval transaction (e.g. reroute instead of approve) or

3.>     the customer specific tab-strip of the work item display
        or preview display (neat but make sure the managers know
        about it and make sure they will be using the SAP inbox,
        otherwise you must use option 2).

Having said all that, a cheap solution would be to include the names of the
Manager's to whom the work item can be forwarded in the work item text (via
an attribute). Lists in the work item text are supported in you Release. It
is up to your manager to forward it to the correct manager according to
this
list. You could even combine this with option 3 above.

Kind regards,

Alan Rickayzen
http://service.sap.com/webflow

-----Original Message-----
From: Nicholas Brand [mailto:nicholas.n.brand at uk.pwcglobal.com]
Sent: Sonntag, August 12, 2001 10:37 AM
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Dynamically adding *possible* agents to a task

Memo from Nicholas N Brand of PricewaterhouseCoopers

-------------------- Start of message text --------------------

Thank you for the swift response.

Unfortunately, roles don't affect the possible agents of a task, only the
responsible agents of a workflow activity and hence the selected agents
(the union of the possible and responsible agents).

I'm looking for a method or an apporach whereby I can dynamically change
the *possible* agents of a task. This is needed in order to restrict who
the receivers of the workitem can forward it to.
The list of people a workitem can be forwarded to is based on the possible
agents of the underlying task.

Are the any top tips out there?

BTW we're on v4.6C and there will be an org structure in place using
PD-Org.
Thanks again.

Kind regards,
Nicholas

"ASSY, SOSTHENE" <S.ASSY at AFDB.ORG>@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> on 10/08/2001 17:48:41

Please respond to SAP Workflow Users' Group <SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>

Sent by:  SAP Workflow <Owner-SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>

To:   SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
cc:

Subject:  Re: Dynamically adding *possible* agents to a task

Hi Nicholas,

*       You can use different roles  168 (for superior) of the staff who is
travelling  etc...
*       You can also create a new role SUPERIOR OF SUPERIOR

NB : check if the reporting structure is good.

Mr. Sosthene Assy
African Development Bank
Tel : 20-20-53-03

> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Nicholas Brand [SMTP:nicholas.n.brand at uk.pwcglobal.com]
> Sent: Friday 10 August 2001 16:18
> To:   SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject:      Dynamically adding *possible* agents to a task
>
> Memo from Nicholas N Brand of PricewaterhouseCoopers
>
> -------------------- Start of message text --------------------
>
> Hi,
>
> Here's an interesting problem:
>
> I'm building a travel expense approval workflow.
> Up to 3 managers may have to approve a claim.
> We want to restrict the people to whom each manager can forward the
> approval workitem to those managers ahead of him in the approval chain.
> This will obviously vary with each claim.
>
> I've found that the group of users that a workitem can be forwarded to is
> based on the *possible* agents of the task (as opposed to the responsible
> or selected agents).
>
> Here's the question:
> How can I dynamically set the *possible* agents for a task?
>
> I've found various function modules that allow me to set the selected
> agents or to retrieve the possible agents of a task, but not one to *set*
> the possible agents.
>
> Any clues or suggestions either on this approach or an alternative way
> that
> you may have used?
>
> Thank you for you time.
>
>
> Kind regards,
> Nicholas Brand
>
> --------------------- End of message text --------------------
>
> The principal place of business of PricewaterhouseCoopers and its
> associate
> partnerships is 1 Embankment Place, London WC2N 6NN where lists of the
> partners' names are available for inspection. All partners in the
> associate
> partnerships are authorised to conduct business as agents of, and all
> contracts for services to clients are with, PricewaterhouseCoopers. The
UK
> firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers is authorised by the Institute of
Chartered
> Accountants in England and Wales to carry on investment business.
> PricewaterhouseCoopers is a member of the world-wide
> PricewaterhouseCoopers organisation.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> 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.

--------------------- End of message text --------------------

The principal place of business of PricewaterhouseCoopers and its associate
partnerships is 1 Embankment Place, London WC2N 6NN where lists of the
partners' names are available for inspection. All partners in the associate
partnerships are authorised to conduct business as agents of, and all
contracts for services to clients are with, PricewaterhouseCoopers. The UK
firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers is authorised by the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in England and Wales to carry on investment business.
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a member of the world-wide
PricewaterhouseCoopers organisation.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.

--------------------- End of message text --------------------

The principal place of business of PricewaterhouseCoopers and its associate
partnerships is 1 Embankment Place, London WC2N 6NN where lists of the
partners' names are available for inspection. All partners in the associate
partnerships are authorised to conduct business as agents of, and all
contracts for services to clients are with, PricewaterhouseCoopers. The UK
firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers is authorised by the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in England and Wales to carry on investment business.
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a member of the world-wide
PricewaterhouseCoopers organisation.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.