Sent an executable mail with SAP Workflow

[Mike Pokraka]

Hi Alon,
Oh I don't think we disagre that much. Whilst I may have gone off on
random tangents about time travel etc, I very deliberately chose the word
"debatable" :)

It is very much a problem in some companies, but equally easily solved in
others just by changing the approach - some of my suggestions have been
used very successfully (Group mailboxes, distribution lists, reducing
recipients and using substitutions etc.). A certain 'nameless' solution I
am a little familiar with can definitely be beneficial. Many ways to skin
a cat was the main point I was trying to make, and many solutions will
work as long as they are consistent across the organization.

Cheers,
Mike

Alon Raskin wrote:
> Mike,
> I have to disagree with you there (surprise surprise). To us this
problem is very 'common' and is definitely one of the main reason why our
customers have chosen the Voldomert solution (he whose name shall not be
spoken).
> There is no doubt that RSWUWFML2 is adequate for most companies (it is
'free' after all!) but those companies that want an enhanced user
experience definitely look for another way...
> Regards,
> Alon Raskin
> e: araskin at 3i-consulting.com <mailto:araskin at 3i-consulting.com>
> p: +1 207 409 4983 (please note new number)
> f:  +61 3 8610 1239
> ________________________________
> From: sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu on behalf of Mike Pokraka
> Sent: Tue 2/28/2006 13:44
> To: SAP Workflow Users' Group
> Subject: RE: Sent an executable mail with SAP Workflow
> Or perhaps Thunderbird, Mutt, Pine, Evolution, KMail, Eudora?
> On a more seious note, the idea of "common" problem is debatable. Email
and workflow 'remove from other's inboxes' functionalities are
> incompatible. Unlike work items, email is one-way communication (as
anyone knows who's ever tried to use Outlook's stupid 'recall'
function), so once it's sent it's gone. Trying to combine that with WF's
> "reserve-item-and-nobody-else-sees-it-anymore" functionality is a bit of
a paradox. We might as well discuss time travel and whether it's
possible for a man to be his own mother (theoretically, yes). RSWUWFML2
> notifications are only good for single-recipient type items, and usually
also only occasional users. If this is a frequent flow then get rid of
them alltogether. Or else replace the notification with a sendmail to a
group mailbox which many people can see.
> An area to maybe look at is improving on the 'shotgun' approach of
sending to everyone. Or else it's also not really that difficult to create
parallel flows for each department/area. Create a dummy
responsibility rule with a DEPARTMENT container element, a
responsibility for each dept, and have a couple of parallel branches (one
required to complete fork), each binding a different hardcoded value to
this rule.
> Cheers
> Mike
> Alon Raskin wrote:
>> What email client are you using Holk? Outlook? Lotus Notes?
>> Alon Raskin
>> e: araskin at 3i-consulting.com <mailto:araskin at 3i-consulting.com> p: +1
207 409 4983 (please note new number)
>> f:  +61 3 8610 1239
>> ________________________________
>> From: sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu on behalf of Schwinge, Holk, HO
>> Sent: Tue 2/28/2006 10:55
>> To: 'sap-wug at mit.edu'
>> Subject: Sent an executable mail with SAP Workflow
>> Dear members,
>> we would like to establish a workflow for following business process:
an inquiery from a customer has to be send to the responsibles of
> different departments, because it is unknown which department will treat
this task.
>> I know two possibilities to realise this demand:
>> 1) send a mail to every responsible with the send mail workflow
element.
> The problem is (as far as I know), that you can't sent an executable
attachment (for example the sales document ) with the workflow-element
"sent mail". To receive only a mail with text and the document number is
considered here to be user-unfriendly.
>> 2) send a workitem and inform the responsibles by mail with an
> executable
>> attachment with the report RSWUWFML2.
>> The problem with this procedure is, that if the first person opens the
> workitem, the others will find no workitem in their workplace when they
execute the attachment. That means, that the other recipients have to
check several times if the first or other recipients have given the
workitem back. This is also considered to be user-unfriendly. As the
number of departements will ofen change, it would be difficult to creat a
>> workflow sending parallel workitems to each of them.
>> I can't believe, that there is no elegant solution for this "common"
> problem and I am sure that one of you has already solved it or has a
good
>> idea for me.
>> Thank you very much in advance for your help.
>> Kind regards
>> Holk Schwinge
>> SAP Competence Center
>> Logistik/Vertrieb und Distribution
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