Procurement Release Process - Licenses and users for releasing managers

[Ernst, Karsten]

Hi all!

We are thinking of a system support for the release process for purchase requisitions and purchase order. One solution approach could be the SAP Business Workflow, creating the respective document in our ERP system  (SAP ECC 6.0).
Most of the relevant releasing managers are today not using SAP and therefore do not have a SAP user and license. My idea is to send them the workitem with all required information (content of the purch. requisition, material description, text, quantity, value etc) as text and if possible as PDF attachment into their outlook exchange system. So they can send back a YES / NO answer from Outlook without signing-in to SAP.
Now my questions on this approach:
1) Is this a valid approach, which could work? Is there anybody who has implemented a WF like this?
2) Do I need a license / user for every release manager or is there an alternative way if the release step is the only activity they have? Is it possible to have a person maintained in the organization model just with a name and email address but without a SAP user?
3) Do I need to implement Duet for this? Or is there an alternative?

I appreciate every feedback and idea and would like to get in contact with everybody who is facing a similar issue and has a solution proposal.

Best regards

Karsten


Karsten Ernst
IT Project Manager
Supply Chain Management Processes & Systems
FHP KG
Im Technologiepark 19
69469 Weinheim
Germany
Tel.:   +49 6201 80-87 1 178
Fax:    +49 6201 88-87 1 178
Mobile: +49 172 634 1910
eMail:  Karsten.Ernst at fhp-ww.com


________________________________
Freudenberg Haushaltsprodukte KG

Sitz der Gesellschaft: D 69469 Weinheim
Amtsgericht Mannheim HRA 430838
Registered Office: D 69469 Weinheim
Commercial Register Number: HRA 430838
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: winmail.dat
Type: application/ms-tnef
Size: 12236 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mailman.mit.edu/pipermail/sap-wug/attachments/20100519/42f491ca/attachment.bin