Workflow approval process outside SAP

[Dart, Jocelyn]

Hi Swami,
Be very careful about the license issue - if these vendors are logging into SAP at all
they must still be covered by a license.  Creating them as SU05 users doesn't negate
the need for a license and has serious limitations and implications around security
and authority checking.  Even if you use generic users (which I do NOT recommend for security reasons) they require
special licensing to cover all the users who can log in under that user id.  You can't use
a user id based on a single user license to log in multiple people.
 
Please make sure you talk to your SAP account manager/sales rep/whatever.
Just because something is technically possible doesn't mean it is legally defensible.
 
Regards,
        Jocelyn Dart
Consultant (SRM, EBP, Workflow)
and co-author of the book
"Practical Workflow for SAP"
SAP Australia
email: jocelyn.dart at sap.com
phone: +61 412 390 267
fax:   +61 2 9935 4880
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Soady, Phil
Sent: Friday, 22 November 2002 12:21 AM
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Workflow approval process outside SAP
 
 
Hi Swami,
you could try sending and receiving XML messages from and back into the workflow.
in 46c, the ITS is used to receive the post back XML messages. As of 6.1 no ITS needed.
Dare I suggest "the" book or just the online docu for help on setting up the XML loop.
 
If your business partner can easily participate in XML then you could opt for a simple mail
sent and returned.
 
However you must programmatically process the inbound EMAIL.
 
Basically with a subtype of WIMAILREC, inside the method receive,
you get handle to the inbound mail.
You then read the mail document and decide which WI you plain to "advance"
perhaps by way of call to one of the functions WAPI_*.
 
Eg triggering an event.
Use So28 to define the inbound mail "recipient". In this case your new Method.
 
 
On you other comment, Check with your SAP rep regarding licensing.
Are you sure your license is the same for occasional external users
and internal users.
 
Under some licenses there is a restricted license at a reduced rate for very simple
external users. Check your particular contract and license.
So if you have a small number of business partners, it may be worth the license if the
business process is important enough and you benefit from timely and accurate input.
If not, go ahead and build the e-message handler.
 
hth
 
 
 
Phil Soady
Senior Consultant
Business Technologies
SAP Australia
* : 0412 213 079
* : phil.soady at sap.com
 
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Swami Bala [mailto:swam_in at hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, 21 November 2002 4:31 PM
To: SAP-WUG at mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Workflow approval process outside SAP
 
 
Hello All,
 
We have Qmanagement notification sent out to suppliers/vendors in case of material defect through workflow. The supplier receives the email sent out by workflow with defect information etc.,We have also designed webgui screen which will facilitate the supplier to login in to our SAP workflow inbox - through internet - whenever he has taken corrective action on the defective material. Is this a right approach ? I feel that by providing SAP user access to suppliers we have already wasted some of our SAP license ( we have only license for 100 SAP users. ) .Is there a better solution like creating a web interface between SAP and vendors ? I am not that familiar with ITS interface. Since it involves SAP workflow I thought I would put up this question in Workflow forum.
 
Any replies are appreciated.
 
Swami Bala
 
 
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