Workflows Stopped In-Process

Wed Jan 9 04:35:01 EST 2002

Hi Jody,
Keep going with OSS re your original problem.
I'm pretty sure the parked document problem you mentioned was
raised at the start of last year on the SAP-WUG but I can't
remember the solution. You might find something in the SAP-WUG
archives or perhaps someone else who's been through this before
can comment?
Regards,
Jocelyn.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jody Chassereau [mailto:drcakes at hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 8 January 2002 3:08 AM
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Workflows Stopped In-Process

Hi Jocelyn...

Thank you for your response.  I definitely scoured the technical log and
container values looking for any kind of error or warnings, but was unable
to come up with anything.  I included some of this info in my message to
OSS, but I am sure they will end up wanting to take a look directly anyway.

I would tend to believe that you are correct that the problem may revolve
around versioning, I just have not been able to get a clear pattern on when
and why.  The current workflow does continue to work in some cases I look
at, so I'm hoping that this will not be something that continues in many
examples.

I do have one other related problem that I would be interested to see if you
have any thoughts on.  In a parked document workflow, I have a step before
posting that runs a batch input program to change the posting date to the
current date.  This was a requirement due to invoices being parked in one
posting period, but not approved for posting until a later one.  This has
worked fine... until the year changed.  Now we have a case where changing
the posting date across the fiscal year assigns a new document number.  The
post step then tries to execute with the original number (which no longer
exists).  Do you have any thoughts on how to deal with needing to execute a
posting on a different object instance than what the workflow was running
on?  This was not the way I wanted to begin this year.

Thanks in advance, Jody
drcakes at hotmail.com

>From: "Dart, Jocelyn" <jocelyn.dart at sap.com>
>Reply-To: SAP Workflow Users' Group <SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
>To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: Re: Workflows Stopped In-Process
>Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 23:41:38 +0100
>
>Jody,
>Have you checked the technical log (i.e. "log with technical details")
>for any error messages? Even warnings can give a clue.
>The graphical log usually isn't much help in these situations as
>it only shows a subset of the technical information.
>
>"Freezing" has been known to happen with:
>* versioning problems - e.g. workflow started on old version, old
>version overwritten with new version, workflow instance is confused
>* race problems - e.g. two or more workflow paths that meet happen to
>finish at the same time
>* binding problems - e.g. data doesn't exist or invalid format when
>next step creation is attempted
>* rule resolution problems - e.g. rule resolution terminates when next
>step creation is attempted
>
>Most of these problems can be overcome by improving the workflow
>design and versioning/transport procedures however you need to
>identify the problem first.  Do continue with your OSS problem -
>if the problem is intermittent it can be very difficult to track it
>down, but the technical log is your best bet as a starting point.
>
>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: Huba H [mailto:huba.horompoly at amd.com]
>Sent: Saturday, 5 January 2002 2:48 AM
>To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: Re: Workflows Stopped In-Process
>
>
>Did you define the next dialog step as transaction without going into the
>user inbox, or does it have to go to the inbox first waiting for execution
>?
>HH
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jody Chassereau [mailto:drcakes at hotmail.com]
>Sent: Friday, January 04, 2002 7:41 AM
>To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: Re: Workflows Stopped In-Process
>
>
>Thank you for your response.  I can't seem to see anything related to your
>suggestions showing on our system.  I have no problem seeing the nodes
>identified in the graphical builder and the run-time info looks OK to me.
>When I look at the technical data for the container on the current work
>item, it looks like the user chose the 'Approve' result in the user
>decision.  It just does not progress to the next step (a dialog activity).
>
>I have opened a message with OSS, but would appreciate any other
>suggestions
>anyone might have to look for.  Thanks...
>
>Jody Chassereau
>drcakes at hotmail.com
>
>
> >From: Huba H <huba.horompoly at amd.com>
> >Reply-To: SAP Workflow Users' Group <SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
> >To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> >Subject: Re: Workflows Stopped In-Process
> >Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2002 19:00:06 -0800
> >
> >Hi Jody,
> >In my eyes a classical problem of the graphical wf builder. I had these
> >issues tons of times: you change the existing wf by creating a new step
> >(mostly while loop, etc.), and the wf builder does not generate the
> >phisical node id, so the wf won't find anything to step to next, and
>thinks
> >that this is the end of the flow.
> >You can verify this by double clicking on the very next step after the
>one
> >that was last executed (mostly an 'OR', or while, or ...), and if you do
> >not see the yellow band jumping on any step on the upper left window of
>the
> >step list, then this is the issue. (Also, the wf run-time table has an
> >entry of a weird number (like 99952) for the last step, instead of a
>valid
> >step number).
> >Remedy: create a new step before the damaged one, and copy everything
> >one-by-one from after the damaged step below the newly created step.
> >(please check whether the new step - and any neighboring operator as
>'OR',
> >'XOR' - has a valid step number in the above mentioned window of step
> >list).
> >Hopefully I was clear.
> >Somebody from SAP: any remedy for this issue in the future ?
> >Rgrds, happy new year
> >Huba Horompoly
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Jody Chassereau [mailto:drcakes at hotmail.com]
> >Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2002 6:39 PM
> >To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> >Subject: Workflows Stopped In-Process
> >
> >
> >Happy New Year - nothing like a new problem to start the year out on for
> >me...
> >
> >I am seeing some odd behavior in a custom 4.6c template used for MM-IV
> >invoice approvals that I was hoping someone may have an idea on what to
> >look
> >for before I involve OSS.  The problem is this: I am starting to see a
> >number of workflow instances that stay in a Started status even after the
> >current step is Completed.  The workflow does not proceed to the next
>step
> >and basically seems to be stuck somehow.
> >
> >The scenario is this: an invoice is Saved as Completed and the workflow
>is
> >triggered.  It is routed to a 'requisitioner' level approver based on a
> >role
> >that determines the person responsible for the PO involved.  This step is
>a
> >User decision that gives the approver the ability to choose Approve or
> >Reject -- the invoice is displayed based on a Before method for this
>step.
> >There is also a Requested End deadline based on the timeframe of 6 days
> >from
> >the beginning of the workflow.  Any deadline message would be sent to the
> >WF-Initiator involved.
> >
> >The problems I am seeing are on ones where the approval has been
>performed
> >and the work item says Completed.  However, the workflow never continues
>to
> >the next step.  It does not show any Error status or anything like role
> >resolution problems.  The graphical display shows it reaching that step,
> >but
> >no further.  There are 'Wait for...' branches in the workflow (if the
> >document is posted, deleted, etc.), but it does not appear to have hit
>any
> >of these conditions.
> >
> >This workflow has worked successfully, currently and in the past.  It has
> >worked fine proceeding after the deadline was passed.  There have been
> >modifications that have caused new workflow versions, but I have seen
>this
> >behavior in the current template version and the previous version.  I
>have
> >no clue at this point how it could just freeze like this (without some
> >apparent reason in the technical display logs) and have not experienced
> >this
> >in other workflows developed.  I am used to dealing with errors that need
> >restarting or executing in background to push along problem workflows.
> >There is nothing in Error here that would allow me to reprocess.
>Obviously
> >users are asking what is happening to these cases where the invoice
>doesn't
> >get posted through the w/f.
> >
> >Any suggestions on what to check or why this might occur?  Thanks...
> >
> >Jody Chassereau
> >drcakes at hotmail.com
> >
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