Dynamically adding *possible* agents to a task
Rickayzen, Alan
alan.rickayzen at sap.com
Fri Aug 17 01:25:47 EDT 2001
Hi Jocelyn,
Yes, I agree. That is what I was suggesting in my mail. But you're right to
think it one step further - not just an agent determination rule (as they're
called nowadays because "role" refers to the mySAP role) but also the org
units e.t.c. There other considerations such as excluded agents and whether
or not it should be done at the step or task level (step if we take into
account excluded agents).
I'm not sure about the global flag. We'd have to discuss that in more
detail.
In Release 6.10 you can already specify no forwarding allowed.
Alan
-----Original Message-----
From: Dart, Jocelyn
Sent: Freitag, August 17, 2001 3:43 AM
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Dynamically adding *possible* agents to a task
Hi Alan,
If we could set up agent determination for forwarding that might solve
some of the authorization problems - especially when people want to restrict
the forwarding list but still make the task a general task.
My suggestion would be to allow the forwarding agent determination to be
entered
aka deadline/notification agents. I.e. allow the full range of expression,
org object or role/rule to be entered. However additionally following
should
apply:
a) Default forwarding agents are all possible agents
b) An option for "no forwarding allowed"
It would be helpful if we could also set the default "forwarding agent" for
all
workflows globablly to either "all possible agents" or "no forwarding
allowed".
Then you would just override this at the workflow level. Could put this in
with
the other global runtime settings.
What do others think?
Regards,
Jocelyn Dart
Consultant (EBP, BBP, Ecommerce, Internet Transaction Server, Workflow)
SAP Australia
Email jocelyn.dart at sap.com <mailto:jocelyn.dart at sap.com>
Tel: +61 412 390 267
Fax: +61 2 9935 4880
-----Original Message-----
From: Rickayzen, Alan
Sent: Thursday, 16 August 2001 11:06 PM
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Dynamically adding *possible* agents to a task
Hi Frank,
You're correct that this function could help. But in effect you're
reassigning the workitems's agents and NOT the task's agents which is what
Nicholas was suggesting originally. I think Nicholas wanted to reassign the
possible agents on the fly to prevent someone forwarding the work item to
someone who was not on the approval chain. The ideal solution would be a
separate agent assignment rule for forwarding (as opposed to receiving) work
items. I.e. determining who the work item can be forwarded to at run time.
Has anyone else required this feature?
Anyway back to the suggestion:
The advantage of using SWW_WI_AGENTS_CHANGE_S would be that no new work item
is created. The disadvantage is that this function module is not an SAP_WAPI
module so it is only intended for internal use and may need to be replaced
in a future release.
There might also be problems with buffering and with whether or not the work
item is displayed in the inbox if the user is not assigned to the task. This
will vary from release to release.
If you do use this function you could still call it from the
customer-specific tabstrip (option 3) which would be an elegant way of
providing this "forwarding" option.
I'd be interested to learn which method Nicholas chooses. I suspect a lot
will depend on how the customer wants the flow to behave (especially from
the security point of view).
Kind regards,
Alan Rickayzen
-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Reichenbach [mailto:frankreichenbach at dontgotmail.com]
Sent: Donnerstag, August 16, 2001 1:52 PM
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Dynamically adding *possible* agents to a task
Hi Nicholas, Hi Alan,
are you really sure that it's not possible to user
function module (I'm on 46c) to change them? I haven't really looked at
this module in detail but it does something related to your question on a
workitem basis.
Hope this helps...
Regards,
Frank
--- Nicholas Brand <nicholas.n.brand at uk.pwcglobal.com>
> wrote:
>Memo from Nicholas N Brand of PricewaterhouseCoopers
>
>-------------------- Start of message text --------------------
>
>Alan,
>
>Thank you for your swift response.
>I'll now engage the client!
>
>
>Kind regards,
>Nicholas.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>"Rickayzen, Alan" <alan.rickayzen at sap.com>@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> on 13/08/2001
>17:30:25
>
>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
>
>
>Nicholas,
>That is correct. And don't forget that work items are created
>simultaneously
>so a global change will affect all work items created at that time (not to
>mention buffer problems...).
>DETAI,
>Alan
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Nicholas Brand [mailto:nicholas.n.brand at uk.pwcglobal.com]
>Sent: Montag, August 13, 2001 6:23 PM
>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 --------------------
>
>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.
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>
>--------------------- 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.
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>The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to
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>--------------------- End of message text --------------------
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>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
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>--------------------- End of message text --------------------
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>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
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