WF-XML vs XML

[Dart, Jocelyn]

Hi Abby/Thomas,
FYI, in 6.20 it is possible to use workflow rules to translate XML formats - so you
aren't tied to Wf-XML formats alone.
However, choosing the best interface is not simple and is not something that can be
answered quickly.
Abby, I suggest you organise for some help.
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: Zmudzin,Tomasz,VEVEY,GL-IS/IT [mailto:Tomasz.Zmudzin at nestle.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 6 May 2003 5:25 PM
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: WF-XML vs XML
 
 
Abby,
 
WF-XML is a format for transferring WF technical data that is required for
the two (or more) WF systems to cooperate. Assuming your document contains
real application data this approach would rather not be useful -- but again,
it depends.
 
There are two aspects of this problem:
1. using the incoming document as a trigger to WF
2. using the document's content within the WF (or subsequent processing)
 
The first one can be tackled in several ways.
- One is some process checking for new input and starting the WF upon
receipt.
- Another one would be using ALE for your XML input.
- A third one would be asking the provider of your document to call a Web
service you install on your SAP instead of simply making the document
available wherever it's put now. The Web service can be provided via SOAP,
but you'd need to have Basis 6.20 for that...)
 
The second aspect can be tackled by using XSLT transformations (or any other
kind of XML rewriting, e.g. by middleware / business connector/...) on your
source XML document to fit the WF-XML format & content. And then, submitting
the document to SAP will also result in a start of WF -- but that's not the
cleanest alternative, so I'd not recommend it.
 
If you're on 6.20, I'd definitely shoot for the Web service (because it's
nice and can be useful for other purposes in the future) or ALE [because
it's proven :-)]. If you're below 6.20, I'd rather use ALE.
 
Kind regards,
Tomasz
 
P.S. You may also consider things like feeding back processing results to
the party requesting the WF etc.
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Dywan, Abby [mailto:adywan at clarkstonconsulting.com]
Sent: Monday,5. May 2003 22:26
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: WF-XML vs XML
 
 
Hi workflow users!
 
I've been asked a very interesting question which I don't have the answer to
and so I thought I would throw it out here to see if anyone has a good
solution.
 
We would like to accept incoming XML documents from one of our vendors and
kick off workflow that way.  However, I am not positive that this xml
document we are receiving will be in wf-xml format.  If it is not, can we
still use it?  How?
 
Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thanks so much!
Abby  :)
 
Abby Dywan
 
Clarkston Consulting
adywan at clarkstonconsulting.com
cell:  (404) 808-3974