11/8/24, 12:06 PM

Sourcing and Procurement

Generated on: 2024-11-08 12:06:19 GMT+0000

SAP S/4HANA | 2023 Latest

PUBLIC

Original content: https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_S4HANA_ON-PREMISE/af9ef57f504840d2b81be8667206d485?locale=en-

US&state=PRODUCTION&version=2023.002

Warning

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Generic Features
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Manage Teams and Responsibilities - Procurement

With this app, you can manage teams or team members associated with certain functions. You can define teams along with tasks
and functions. The application enables you to identify which task can be performed by which member. The teams and team
members can be mapped as responsible for an activity type, for example, in a process step of a workflow scenario.

Prerequisites

You must configure Responsibility Management with the generic app Manage Teams and Responsibilities and set up the team
structure. You must have configured the particular workflow or scenario.

Key Features

With this app, you can do the following:

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Create teams

Delete teams

Copy an existing team and its change attributes

Edit teams

Add a member to an existing team

Delete a member from an existing team

Add a function to an existing team member

Delete a function from an existing team member

Create team types

Create functions

Maintain values for responsibility definitions of teams

View teams in hierarchies

Manage subteams in hierarchy

Scenarios

You can map teams and team members as responsible for a particular activity type across many applications and scenarios. To do
so, you have to do the configuration required for your particular scenario.

Possible Scenarios

Scenario App Details

Situation Handling Manage Purchase Requisitions - For more information, see Manage
Professional Purchase Requisitions - Professional

Workflow Manage Workflows for Purchase For more information, see Manage
Requisitions Workflows for Purchase Requisitions

Supported Device Types

Desktop

Tablet

Smartphone

Related Information
Team Types
Team Attributes and Functions

Team Types
Delivered team types can be used in different scenarios.

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For the Manage Teams and Responsibilities - Procurement app, SAP delivers the team types Operational Purchasing (OPPUR)
and Strategic Purchasing (STPUR), which can be used in many different scenarios. You can also maintain your own team types.

Delivered Team Types

Operational Purchasing

Team Name Team Type Team Category

Operational Purchasing OPPUR Procurement PROC

Strategic Purchasing

Team Name Team Type Team Category

Strategic Purchasing STPUR Procurement PROC

Team Attributes and Functions

Delivered team attributes and functions can be used to maintain values for defining the responsibilities of teams and team
members.

For the Manage Teams and Responsibilities - Procurement app, SAP delivers team attributes and functions. By assigning the
relevant attributes and functions to your teams and team members, you can define their responsibilities.

Example
You define a team that is responsible for purchasing activities related to the purchasing organization "EMEA purchasing" for the
material group "computer hardware". In this case, you define the attributes PURCHASINGCATEGORY and MATERIALGROUP for
the procurement teams.

Team Attributes

Operational Purchasing

Team Type Team Category Attribute Names Effects and Restrictions

OPPUR PROC MATERIAL When you select a value related

to one of the team attributes,

MATERIALGROUP you restrict your team's

responsibilities to this specific
purchasing activity. You can
PLANT
select one or more activities or
ranges.
PURCHASINGCATEGORY
If you leave a field empty, your
team is then responsible for all
PURCHASINGGROUP
activities in this area.

PURCHASINGORGANIZATION If you don't need an attribute,

you can edit the list of
attributes and delete the ones
SUPPLIER
that you don't want to use.

Strategic Purchasing

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Team Type Team Category Attribute Names Effects and Restrictions

STPUR PROC MATERIAL See the table for Operational

Purchasing.
MATERIALGROUP

PLANT

PURCHASINGCATEGORY

PURCHASINGGROUP

PURCHASINGORGANIZATION

SUPPLIER

Team Functions
SAP delivers the following functions for procurement that you can assign to members of a team to perform different tasks. You can
use the set functions directly or change them to meet your needs.

You also have the option of creating your own functions in the relevant self-service configuration user interfaces. To do so, log on to
the SAP Fiori launchpad in the SAP S/4HANA Cloud system. Navigate to Implementation Cockpit Manage Your Solution
Configure Your Solution . The following configuration UIs are provided for procurement:

Define Functions

Define Team Categories

Define Function Profiles

Operational Purchasing

Team Type Function Profile Function Description

OPPUR PROC OP_PURCH Operational Purchasing

WF_ADMIN Workflow Administration

Strategic Purchasing

Team Type Function Profile Function Description

STPUR PROC ST_PURCH Strategic Purchasing

WF_ADMIN Workflow Administration

Flexible Workflow
The flexible workflow allows you to define approval processes for documents in Sourcing and Procurement according to your
requirements and has been introduced in SAP S/4HANA as a set of enhancements for the SAP Business Workflow. By using the
flexible workflow, you can simplify your configuration.

The flexible workflow is based on a set of predefined implementation objects, such as workflow scenarios, activities, start and step
conditions, and agent determination rules. It integrates the functions of Email notification, deadline overdue monitoring, and
exception handling during approval. The Manage Workflows app allows a business process expert to model workflows based on the

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business requirements using predefined objects and integrated functions. Here you can configure the process flow, configure start
conditions, assign recipients, and define exception handling. It is possible to model one-step or multi- step approval processes. The
relevant approval tasks are made available for the approvers in the My Inbox app. The flexible workflow supports the simulation
function and provides a reusable workflow component to display approval details including completed and planned approval steps.

The flexible workflow offers a range of extensibility options. It is possible to define custom conditions, custom agent rules, and a
list of possible recipients when forwarding tasks. You can define logic to set the task priority, the list of excluded processors, and
the values of custom attributes provided in the My Inbox app.

Using the apps for workflow administration, an administrator can search for workflows with errors, display errors, and perform
troubleshooting.

Enablement

Workflow Configuration (Optional): In your configuration environment, the flexible workflow must be activated.

Workflow Definition (Mandatory): In the Manage Workflow app, the business process expert has to define the workflow as
follows:

Define Start Conditions.

Define approval Steps with Step Conditions and recipients (agent determination via BADI).

Define Deadlines and, if needed, notifications.

Define Exception Handling (depends on the step type).

Activate workflows.

Define the order in which the workflows are checked for matching start conditions.

Business Process

This is a general overview for a typical business process:

1. You create a purchasing document, for example a purchase requisition, a purchase order, or a supplier invoice.

2. If the preconditions are fulfilled, the relevant workflow starts. You can view the approval process in the Approval Details tab
in the purchasing document to display the executed, current, and planned steps of the workflow.

3. The approval task comes in the approver's My Inbox. By default, the approvers are informed by means of notifications in
the SAP Fiori launchpad and, if configured, by email notifications.

In the My Inbox app, approvers can display and process approval tasks. The following actions are available:

Approve and Reject.

Claim: Only the current approver can process an approval task.

Suspend: Hide and postpone the processing of the approval task to a defined later point of time.

Forward: Send approval task to another approver.

Show Log: Display approval history.

4. As a final result, the approver has approved or rejected the purchasing document.

If configured, relevant persons (such as the creator of the purchasing document or previous approvers) can get email
notifications about the result of the approval process.

Further Information
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Related Information
Business Workflow

Documents Supporting the Flexible Workflow

In SAP S/4HANA, you can use the flexible workflow for approving procurement documents, such as purchase requisitions,
purchase orders, or supplier invoices. The flexible workflow enables you to define approval processes according to your
requirements. SAP S/4HANA supports both the SAP Business Workflow (which you may know from the SAP Business Suite) and
the the flexible workflow. However, we strongly recommend that you use the flexible workflow to make use of features such as the
Fiori apps Manage Workflows for <procurement document> and the display of Approval Details in the procurement document
apps.

The flexible workflow for the approval of documents in Sourcing and Procurement is based on a set of predefined workflow
scenarios and tasks. For an overview, see Workflow Scenarios and Tasks.

For more information about the flexible workflow compared to the SAP Business Workflow, see the following blogs:

SAP S/4HANA Flexible Workflow Overview and Comparison with SAP Business Workflow
https://blogs.sap.com/2018/12/05/sap-s4hana-flexible-workflow-overview-and-comparison-with-sap-business-
workflow/

Transition from SAP Business Workflow to Flexible Workflow with SAP S/4HANA
https://blogs.sap.com/2019/07/03/migrating-from-sap-business-workflow-to-flexible-workflow/

To configure the flexible workflow for documents in Sourcing and Procurement, you perform several steps as described in the
below linked documents.

 Note
If you are newly installing SAP S/4HANA, many of the Customizing settings may have already been deployed in your system
with the SAP Best Practices Content.

Requests For Quotations (RFQs)

Manage Workflows for RFQs

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for RFQs

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for RFQs

Supplier Quotations

Manage Workflows for Supplier Quotations

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Supplier Quotations

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Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Supplier
Quotations

Scheduling Agreements

Flexible Workflow for Purchase Scheduling Agreements

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Purchase Scheduling

Agreements

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Purchase

Scheduling Agreements

Central Purchase Contracts

Flexible Workflow for Central Purchase Contracts

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Central Purchase

Contracts

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Central

Purchase Contracts

Purchase Contracts

Flexible Workflow for Purchase Contracts

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Purchase Contracts

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Purchase

Contracts

Purchase Requisitions

Flexible Workflow for Purchase Requisitions

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Purchase Requisitions

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Purchase

Requisitions

Centrally Managed Purchase Requisitions

Flexible Workflow for Centrally Managed Purchase Requisitions

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Centrally Managed

Purchase Requisitions

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Centrally

Managed Purchase Requisitions

Purchase Orders

Flexible Workflow for Purchase Orders

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Purchase Orders

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Purchase

Orders

Centrally Managed Purchase Orders

Flexible Workflow for Centrally Managed Purchase Orders

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Centrally Managed

Purchase Orders

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Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Centrally
Managed Purchase Orders

Service Entry Sheets - Lean Services

Flexible Workflow for Service Entry Sheets - Lean Services

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Service Entry Sheets -

Lean Services

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Service Entry

Sheets - Lean Services

Supplier Invoices

Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoices

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoices

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Supplier

Invoices

Awarding Scenarios

Manage Workflows for Awarding Scenarios

How to Configure Flexible Workflows for Awarding Scenarios

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Awarding

Scenarios

Sourcing Projects

Manage Workflows for Sourcing Projects

How to Configure Flexible Workflows for Sourcing Projects

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Sourcing

Projects

Supplier Lists for Sourcing

Manage Workflows for Supplier Lists for Sourcing

How to Configure Flexible Workflows for Supplier Lists for

Sourcing

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Supplier Lists

for Sourcing

Related Information
Workflow Scenarios and Tasks

Workflow Scenarios and Tasks

In some of the configuration activities for the flexible workflow, you will need to specify the workflow scenario ID, sometimes in
combination with the IDs of the standard workflow tasks. Below, please find an overview of these IDs for all workflow scenarios in
Sourcing and Procurement.

 Note

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The IDs of tasks for the automatic release are not listed, as they don't need to be used in any configuration settings.

Workflow Scenario ID Workflow Name Standard Task ID Task Name

WS00800157 Overall Release of Purchase TS00800547 Overall release of PR

Requisition
 Note
This scenario will not be
enhanced in future releases.
We recommend that you use
WS02000458

WS00800173 Release of Purchase Requisition TS00800548 Release of PR Item

Item
 Note
This scenario will not be
enhanced in future releases.
We recommend that you use
WS02000471

WS00800193 Workflow for Supplier Quotation TS00800462 Release Supplier Quotation

WS00800238 Workflow for Purchase Order TS00800531 Release of Purchase Order

(Manual)

WS00800251 Workflow for Blocked Invoice TS00800538TS01800372 Release of Blocked Invoice

Rework Invoice

WS00800302 Workflow for RFQ TS00800576 Release RFQ

WS00800303 Workflow for Parked Invoice as TS00800577 Release Complete Invoice

Complete
TS00800585 Rework Invoice

WS00800304 Workflow for Purchase Contract TS00800578 Release of Purchase Contract

(Manual)

WS00800305 Workflow for Scheduling TS00800580 Release of Scheduling

Agreement Agreement

WS00800321 Workflow for Service Entry TS00800593 Release SES

Sheet

WS00800333 Workflow for Centrally Managed TS00800600 Release of Centrally managed

PO PO

WS00800346 Workflow for Central Purchase TS00800607 Release of Central Contract

Contract

WS02000434 Overall Release of Central PR TS02000677 Overall Release of Central PR

WS02000438 Release of Central PR Item TS02000687 Release central PR Item

WS02000458 Overall Release of Purchase TS02000702 Overall release of Purchase

Requisition Requisition

WS02000471 Release of Purchase Requisition TS02000714 Release of Purchase Requisition

Item Item

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Workflow Scenario ID Workflow Name Standard Task ID Task Name

WS02000485 Approve Centrally Managed PR TS02000734 Release of Centrally Managed

- Overall Purchase Requisition

WS02000494 Workflow for Centrally Managed TS02000737 Release of Centrally Managed

PR Item Purchase Requisition Item

WS01800213 Workflow for Awarding Scenario TS01800284 Release of Awarding Scenario

WS01800160 Workflow for Sourcing Project TS01800212 Release of Sourcing Project

WS02000090 Workflow for Sourcing Supplier TS02000136 Release of Sourcing Supplier

List List
TS02000145
Release of Sourcing Supplier
List with Adaptations

Generic Features of the Flexible Workflow

Manage Workflows apps configure approval workflows for different business objects. They offer consistent, generic features.

The flexible workflow, also known as approval workflow, is used in different business areas. The Manage Workflows apps are
configuration apps that are used to make the workflow settings for the approval of business objects. All apps use the same
underlying structure. This results in a number of generic functions that remain consistent across all workflows.

 Note
Some of the generic features are not available for all workflow scenarios because they require a specific technical setup that is
not accessible for all business objects.

Generic Features

Step Priority

You can create an implementation for the relevant Business Add-In (BAdI) for your business object in the Custom Logic
app: This enables you to view the priority indicators for all work items in the task list of the My Inbox app.

For more information, see the Configure topic for your business object under Documents Supporting the Flexible Workflow.

Recipient Assignment

In the workflow step definition, you need to assign recipients. This could be a role, or one or more specific users.

 Example
The recipient of a step can be defined in the Recipients section. Here, you can choose whether the task step is to be
completed by one or all recipients:

For the Role option, you can assign an agent rule or team function that calculates the corresponding recipient.
For example the Persons responsible for all used cost centers.

For the User option, you can assign one or more specific users.

Exception Handling

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You can decide what should happen if a workflow step is not completed successfully, for example, if an approval is rejected.
You can set this up when defining a workflow step in the Exception Handling section of the Manage Workflows app.

Depending on step type, you can specify a required action (and also recipients and deadlines) and an action result.

For more information, see the Flexible Workflow topic or Manage Workflow topic for your business object under Documents
Supporting the Flexible Workflow. If your entry point is the Flexible Workflow topic, then navigate from there to the
respective Manage Workflows topic.

Custom start and step conditions by Business Add-In (BAdI):

If required, you can define your own preconditions for the start of workflows and for workflow steps. You do this in the app
Custom Logic by creating an implementation for the BAdI that is relevant for your business object.

For more information, see the Configure topic for your business object under Documents Supporting the Flexible Workflow.

Central forwarding as part of Workflow Administration app:

Using the Workflow Administration app, you can forward the tasks of one particular user to another agent.

For more information, see the Configure topic for your business object under Documents Supporting the Flexible Workflow.

Define predefined decision reasons in My Inbox app:

In the My Inbox app, you can select predefined decision reasons for rejecting or approving a document. As a prerequisite,
you, as a configuration expert, must define decision reasons in the customizing.

For more information, see the Customizing for the Flexible Workflow topic for your business object under Documents
Supporting the Flexible Workflow: In the mandatory section for step names and decisions options in My Inbox, you can find
more information about the Customizing activity Maintain Task Names and Decision Options. Also see Customizing
activity: Edit Decision Reasons.

Configure deactivation of specific workflow inbox actions:

As a configuration expert, you can deactivate actions such as Forward and Substitute in the My Inbox app. For more
information , see Customizing activity: Edit Profiles to Deactivate Inbox Actions.

View approval details in application UI:

You can display the workflow details in the Approval Details tab of the Manage app of your business object. The availability
of these details may vary depending on the business object - they may be displayed during creation or only afterwards.

Related Information
Business Workflow

My Inbox in Sourcing and Procurement

For more information about the app My Inbox, see My Inbox. For information about approval of procurement documents using the
flexible workflow, see Documents Supporting the Flexible Workflow.

Redistribute Workload

Use

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With this application, you can facilitate the purchaser to transfer the workload from one purchasing group to another, based on
personnel availability. From the list of available or searched documents, you can select one or more multiple documents and
reassign the purchasing group.

This app uses the business role SAP_BR_PURCHASER.

Key Features
With this app, you can do the following:

Facilitate the purchaser to transfer workload from one purchasing group to another.

Search for the purchasing document to which you want to reassign the Purchasing Group with the following search filters:

Creation Date

Document Number

Document Type

Purchasing Organization

Purchasing Group

Document Category

Manually assign the following documents to the Purchasing Groups responsible for processing them:

Contract

Purchase Order

Purchase Requisition

Request for Quotation

Reassign the Purchasing Group.

View the Change Log to see changes performed on the Purchasing Group.

Supported Device Types

Desktop

Tablet

Smartphone

Material

Use

You can use this app for the following purposes:

To display an overview of the material data

As a starting point to navigate to additional information relevant in your business context, such as detailed information
about related business partners, related master data, or related documents.

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To navigate to apps with additional functions, such as editing or analyzing related business data.

Key Features
Display the following data for Material Master Data records

Supplier(s) of the material (purchasing view)

Purchase Orders (purchasing view)

Sales Orders (sales view)

Key facts relevant in the business context. Key facts are important data prominently displayed in the app. This app
shows the key facts such as Material type and Material group.

Supported Device Types

Desktop

Tablet

Smartphone

Relevant Business Catalog

This app is available for the following roles:

Purchaser

Customer Project Manager

Accounts Payable Accountant

Warehouse Manager

Warehouse Clerk

There is a sales view of the app and a purchasing view. It depends on your role, whether you can see sales-related data or
purchasing-related data.

Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoices

The flexible workflow is a general function that allows you to define condition-based workflows for approval processes. The flexible
workflow for supplier invoices allows you to define one-step or multi-step approval processes for supplier invoices according to
your requirements. Approvers can then approve or reject corresponding work items in the app My Inbox.

The following scenarios are available:

Workflow for Blocked Invoice

Workflow for Parked Invoice as Complete

You can configure that an email notification is sent to the recipients of a work item when the work item is available in the app My
Inbox.

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 Note
In the back-end system, you have further workflow options. For more information, see Document Parking and MM - Materials
Management: Workflow Scenarios.

Related Information
Flexible Workflow
My Inbox
How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoices
Manage Workflows for Supplier Invoices

How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoices

The flexible workflow allows you to define approval processes for supplier invoices according to your requirements.

 Note
While the SAP Business Workflow that you may know from the SAP Business Suite is also available, we strongly recommend
that you use the flexible workflow that is based on predefined workflow scenarios. Otherwise important features such as the
app Manage Workflows for Supplier Invoices will not be available, and the display of Approval Details in the supplier invoice
apps will not be supported. For more information, see Documents Supporting the Flexible Workflow.

To configure the flexible workflow for supplier invoices, you have to perform the steps and step groups shown in the interactive
graphic below. The steps shown in blue fields are optional, the steps shown in gold fields are mandatory.

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Technical Information About Apps

For more information about apps, such as the required roles, see the reference library for SAP Fiori Apps under
https://fioriappslibrary.hana.ondemand.com/sap/fix/externalViewer/.

Related Information

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Manage Workflows for Supplier Invoices
Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoices
Define Visualization Metadata for My Inbox (for Supplier Invoices)
My Inbox
Business Workflow

Perform Customizing for the Flexible Workflow for Supplier

Invoices
As a prerequisite for using the flexible workflow, you have to perform several customizing activities. In some of them, you will need
to specify the workflow scenario ID, sometimes in combination with the IDs of the standard workflow tasks. For an overview of
these IDs for all workflows in Sourcing and Procurement, see Workflow Scenarios and Tasks.

 Note
This topic is for overview purposes only. Check the exact details in the corresponding configuration activities in the back-end
system.

Mandatory: Check automatic workflow customizing

What to do Ensure that the automatic customizing is active for the workflow functionality

Where to do it In transaction SWU3 or in customizing for SAP NetWeaver under Application Server Business
Management SAP Business Workflow Maintain Standard Settings . Depending on whether you
have previously used a workflow functionality, proceed as follows:

If you have previously used a workflow functionality (either SAP Business Workflow or flexible
workflow), check whether all customizing steps listed have a green checkmark. If not, click
Redo Automatic Customizing or select one of the activities and click Execute Activity to make
the required settings.

If you have not used any workflow so far, click Automatic Workflow Customizing to make the
settings.

More information For more information, see Automatic Workflow Customizing.

Mandatory: Activate flexible workflow scenarios

What to do Activate the workflow scenarios for a type of business document, e.g., purchase requisition

Where to do it In Customizing for SAP NetWeaver under Application Server Business Management SAP
Business Workflow Flexible Workflow Scenario Activation

How to do it Add the workflow scenario IDs that you want to use and activate them. To find the workflow scenarios
IDs for approval workflows in Sourcing and Procurement, see Workflow Scenarios and Tasks.

Mandatory: Define step names and decision options in My Inbox

What to do Check step names and decision options to be used in the app My Inbox.

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Where to do it In Customizing for SAP NetWeaver under SAP Gateway Service Enablement Content Workflow
Settings Maintain Task Names and Decision Options

How to do it
1. In the Step Name: Overview, check whether the entries listed below are available. If not,
choose New Entries and create the settings below, as required. The step names are used in the
app My Inbox to group the approvers' work items.

Workflow ID Step ID Step Description

WS00800251 0000000010 Release of Blocked Invoice

WS00800251 0000000034 Rework Invoice

WS00800303 0000000019 Release of Completed Invoice

WS00800303 0000000030 Rework Invoice

The columns Icon MIME Repository Path and Comment must be empty.

2. In the view Step Name: Overview, select one of the combinations of workflow scenario ID and
step name and enter the corresponding data shown in the table below.

Workflow Scenario Key Decision Text Nature

and Workflow Step ID

WS00800251 and 1 Release POSITIVE

0000000010
2 Reject NEGATIVE

WS00800251 and 1 Rework done POSITIVE

0000000034

WS00800303 and 1 Release POSITIVE

0000000019
2 Reject NEGATIVE

WS00800303 and 1 Rework done POSITIVE

0000000019

The columns Icon MIME Repository Path and Comment must be also empty.

3. Repeat this step for all workflow scenarios and steps that you intend to use.

Mandatory: Define visualization metadata for My Inbox

Please see the separate document from where you can copy the required data: Define Visualization Metadata for My Inbox (for
Supplier Invoices)

Mandatory: Deactivate event type linkages for SAP Business Workflows

What to do Deactivate workflows based on old workflow scenarios and check entries for new workflow scenarios

 Note
As a rule, activating flexible workflow scenarios (see above Activate flexible workflow scenarios) is
sufficient to override old workflow scenarios. To be on the safe side, you can additionally deactivate
any old workflow scenarios you may have used previously.

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Where to do it In transaction Event Type Linkages (SWETYPV)

More information See the product assistance that is linked from the transaction.

How to do it Workflow for Blocked Invoices

If you activate the flexible workflow WS00800251 (Workflow for Blocked Invoices), you must maintain
the entries in transaction SWETYPV as follows:

1. Deactivate the standard workflow WS20000397 (Workflow for Blocked invoices for Price
Reasons):

Navigate to the line with object type BUS2081 (Incoming Invoice), Receiver Type
WS20000397, and Event BLOCKEDPRICE.

Deselect the checkbox Type linkage active.

2. Deactivate the standard workflow WS20000397(Workflow for Blocked Invoices for Quantity
Reasons):

Navigate to the line with object type BUS2081 (Incoming Invoice), Receiver Type
WS20000397, and Event BLOCKEDQUANT.

Deselect the checkbox Type linkage active.

3. If you have activated the event type for the flexible workflow (see below Generalize tasks and
activate event type linkages for flexible workflow, you can check the following entry:

Object Category: ABAP Class

Object Type: CL_MRM_WF_OBJECT

Event: POSTED

Receiver Type: WS00800251

Type linkage active: selected

Enable event queue: not selected

Note, that the following functions modules must be available in the detail data :

Receiver Function Module: SWW_WI_CREATE_VIA_EVENT_IBF

Check Function Module: SWB_2_CHECK_FB_START_COND_EVAL

Workflow for Completed Invoices

If you activate the flexible workflow WS00800303 (Workflow for Completed Invoices), you must
maintain the entries in transaction SWETYPV as follows:

1. Deactivate the standard workflow WS20001004 (Release the Completed Invoice Document):

Navigate to the line with object type BUS2081 (Incoming Invoice), Receiver Type
WS20001004, and Event COMPLETEDTORELEASE.

Deselect the checkbox Type linkage active.

2. If you have activated the event type for the flexible workflow (see below Generalize tasks and
activate event type linkages for flexible workflow, you can check the following entry:

Object Category: ABAP Class

Object Type: CL_MRM_WF_OBJECT

Event: COMPLETED

Receiver Type: WS00800303

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Type linkage active: selected

Enable event queue: not selected

Note, that the following functions modules must be available in the detail data :

Receiver Function Module: SWW_WI_CREATE_VIA_EVENT_IBF

Check Function Module: SWB_2_CHECK_FB_START_COND_EVAL

Mandatory: Generalize tasks and activate event type linkages for flexible workflow

What to do You have to ensure that the system events are linked to your workflow scenarios, and you have to
define the potential agents of workflow tasks to clearly define the organizational responsibility for
processing work items. Perform the Customizing steps described below.

Where to do it In Customizing for SAP NetWeaver under Application Server Business Management SAP
Business Workflow Perform Task-Specific Customizing .

More information To generalize your workflow tasks, navigate to the required SAP application component, MM-IV-INT-
WF - Logistics Invoice Verification and proceed as follows:

1. Click Assign Agents

2. Select a standard task for your business object. (The IDs of tasks start with TS). See Workflow
Scenarios and Tasks. Do not select a background task.

3. Click Attributes and select General Task.

4. Leave the other settings unchanged and click Transfer.

To activate the event linkages, proceed as follows:

1. Click Activate Event Linking

2. Select a workflow scenario for your business object. (The IDs of workflow scenarios start with
WS).

3. Expand the hierarchy to display the relevant event.

4. Activate the linkage for the listed event.

Mandatory: Register gateway service for value helps

What to do You have to register an OData service to enable the value help in the flexible workflow.

Where to do it In transaction Activate and Maintain Services /IWFND/MAINT_SERVICE (enter

/n/IWFND/MAINT_SERVICE) or in Customizing for SAP NetWeaver under SAP Gateway OData
Channel Administration General Settings Activate and Maintain Services .

More information
1. On the Activate and Maintain Services screen, choose Add Service.

2. On the Add Selected Services screen, use the value help of the System Alias field to select the
required back end system. (It must be a SAP S/4HANA system).

3. Add the technical service S_INVOICEWORKFLOWVH_CDS (Value helps for manage INV
workflow app), and click Get Services.

The service is displayed below.

4. Select the service and click Add Selected Services.

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5. On the subsequent Add Service screen, enter the required data and continue.

Mandatory: Activate flexible workflows

What to do By default, for supplier invoices the flexible workflow is not active. You can activate the following
flexible workflows:

Workflow for Parked Invoice as Complete

Workflow for Blocked Invoice

Where to do it In Customizing for Materials Management under Logistics Invoice Verification Incoming Invoice
Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoices Activate Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoices

More information See the system documentation available for this Customizing activity.

Define Visualization Metadata for My Inbox (for Supplier

Invoices)
When you use the flexible workflow for the approval of procurement documents, you have to ensure that the app My Inbox is
available and set up for your approvers. To do this, you have to enter the data listed below in Customizing for Materials
Management under Logistics Invoice Verification Incoming Invoice Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoice Client-
Dependent Configuration . Proceed as follows:

1. As Worklist Client, select SAPUI5 My Inbox or My Inbox, (you see either of the two, depending on your system settings).

2. Select the Task tab and choose Create New Line.

3. Enter the data listed below.

If you want to use workflow scenario WS00800251, create the following line for task TS00800538 (Release Blocked
Invoice) and for task TS01800372 (Rework Invoice):

Task Visualization Type Parameters

TS00800538 INTENT

TS01800372 INTENT

If you want to use workflow scenario WS00800303, create the following line for task TS00800577 (Release Completed
Invoice) and for task TS00800585 (Rework Invoice).

Task Visualization Type Parameters

TS00800577 INTENT

TS00800585 INTENT

Choose Parameters for task TS00800538, for task TS00800577, and for task TS00800585 and create the following
settings for each task:

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 Note
Do not fill the column Dynamic.

Parameter Name Dynamic Visualization Parameter Value

SEMANTIC_OBJECT SupplierInvoice

ACTION display

QUERY_PARAM00 SupplierInvoice=
{&_WI_OBJECT_ID.MV_BELNR&}

QUERY_PARAM01 FiscalYear=
{&_WI_OBJECT_ID.MV_GJAHR&}

Manage Workflows for Supplier Invoices

App ID: F2873

With this app, you can configure workflows to optimize the approval process for supplier invoices. For example, a blocked invoice
must be released for payment by one or more persons responsible. The app provides several options for determining the approver,
such as the approval by the cost center responsible, but you can also assign specific users. If a workflow with one or more steps is
activated and the configured start conditions are fulfilled, the approval process is initiated.

Key Features
You can use this app to:

Choose the required workflow scenario. The following scenarios are available:

Workflow for Blocked Invoice

Workflow for Parked Invoice as Complete

Add a new workflow or copy an existing workflow and modify it according to your requirements. You can configure the
workflow as follows:

Define properties such as a description and a validity period

In the tab Start Conditions, define start preconditions for the new workflow. These criteria must be fulfilled for the
workflow to start. For example, you can define the following:

The company code of the supplier invoice

 Note
You can only define one company code in the start conditions. If you want to have more than one
company code defined in the start conditions, you can create a new workflow for each company code
required.

The account assignment category that is used, for example, category Cost Center, or WBS Element

The blocking reason, for example, quantity variance and price variance.

 Note

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If an invoice is approved by one or all the recipients from their work items, it is released for payment at
the header level but in the item level the indicator for blocking reason remains set. If you want to delete
the blocking reason, use the app Release Blocked Invoices.

In the tab Step Sequence, add one or more workflow steps and assign recipients, step preconditions, and, if
necessary, actions for the exception handling:

Workflow Step Configuration

The Notifications tab is available if you maintain the corresponding email templates in the app Maintain Email
Templates. In this tab, choose the workflow result and the email template and assign the recipient. After the
workflow is approved or rejected, the email is sent to the recipient automatically.

 Note
If you have defined Rework Invoice as Required Action for the exception Rejected, an email is not sent in case of
rejection, because there is no workflow completion.

Activate or Deactivate a workflow

Once you have activated the workflow, you can copy, deactivate or delete it, but you can no longer edit and change it.

Define the Order in which the start preconditions of existing workflows are checked

If you have defined several workflows, the start preconditions are checked in the order you have defined. As soon as the
start preconditions for a workflow are met, this workflow is used. This ensures that only one workflow in the list of your
defined workflows is started, even if several workflows have matching start conditions.

Ensure that a fallback workflow is activated

If you use the workflow scenario Workflow for Blocked Invoice, you can use the workflow Release blocked Invoice
by Accounting Responsibles delivered by SAP as a fallback option.

If you use the workflow scenario Workflow for Parked Invoice as Complete, you can use the workflow Release
Completed Invoice as a fallback option.

 Recommendation
We recommend to define the fallback workflow as the last one in the order. So, it is started if none of the other workflows
applies. You can also configure your own workflow that is to be used as a fallback option.

Delete a workflow if it is no longer required.

Configuration

To activate the flexible workflow functionality, you must make the required settings in the Customizing activity Activate Flexible
Workflow for Supplier Invoices in Customizing for Logistics Invoice Verification.

Supported Devices
Desktop

Tablet

Related Information
My Inbox
How to Configure the Flexible Workflow for Supplier Invoices

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Workflow Administration
Generic Features of the Flexible Workflow

Workflow Step Configuration

In the section Step Sequence, you can add one or more workflow steps and assign recipients, step preconditions and, if necessary,
actions for the exception handling. You can also choose the step type Automatic Release of Complete Invoice, which is applicable
only for Workflow for Parked Invoice as Complete scenario but for Workflow for Blocked Invoice scenario, only available step
type is Release of Blocked Invoice.

 Note
If the step type is Automatic Release of Complete Invoice then, the recipients are determined automatically. In the app Manage
Supplier Invoices, the new approval status Approved automatically and approver Determined automatically are available if
automatic release of invoice is triggered.

Recommendation: We recommend that you use the step type Automatic Release of Complete Invoice with care.

What to Assign How to Assign

Recipients To each step, you can assign a specific user as the approver, or a role (for example, Manager of Last
Approver, Persons responsible for all used cost centers). If there are several recipients available, you
can choose if the step must be completed by one of the recipients or by all of the recipients.

 Note
Ensure that all employees / users you want to assign as approver are currently employed in your
company.

Step Properties In the section Exclude Restricted Agents, you can select either of the three options to exclude agents
from approval flow of the work item:

Do Not Exclude – No agents will be excluded from approving or rejecting the work item.

Exclude Workflow Initiator – The creator of invoice, the user who changed the invoice most
recently and the initiator of the work item will be excluded from approving or rejecting the
same.

Exclude Restricted Agents Determined by BAdI – A Business Add-In (BAdI) Configuration of

Agents to be Excluded for Supplier Invoice (MRM_WF_EXCLUDE_AGENTS) is provided to the
customers so that they can add their own logic to exclude the agents they want from approving
or rejecting the work item.

 Note
For more information on Business Add-In (BAdI) , see the documentation available in the
app Custom Logic. See the details in Custom Logic.

In the section Is Optional Step, you can mark a workflow step as optional. The dropdown offers below
options:

No - The workflow step will not be an optional step and cannot be skipped.

Yes - If a workflow step is marked as optional and an approver cannot be determined for the step, then
the step gets skipped and the workflow automatically moves to the next step, if any.

Preconditions You can define preconditions for each step.

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What to Assign How to Assign

 Note
If you have assigned a role for "persons responsible" under Recipients, you must assign a
corresponding precondition to ensure that the workflow can find the approver, for example:

If you use the role Persons responsible for all used cost centers as the recipient, you must
use the Account assignment category Cost Center is used as precondition.

If you use the role Persons responsible for all used WBS elements as the recipient, you
must use the Account assignment category WBS Element is used as precondition.

Deadlines For each step, you can define a deadline (or a time frame) by which a workflow step must be
completed. For overdue deadlines, you can choose to mark the step as overdue or to send an email
notification to a specific recipient. A step can have multiple deadlines and for each deadline you can
specify the following information:

Time: This is the reference time at which the action is executed. For example, you can specify a
specific time plus a specific number of minutes, hours, or days, as follows:

Creation time of the current workflow step + 5 hours

Creation time of the supplier invoice + 2 days

Reference Date for the Payment - 2 days

For more information on deadline calculation, see the example below: Example:
Deadline Calculation for Workflow Steps

Action: You can choose one of the following actions:

Mark step as overdue

Send mail notification

If you choose the action Send mail notification, you need to specify the recipient of the
mail. For each time definition, you can assign separate, pre-defined emails.

If you define a very tight overdue deadline for a workflow step, you can also use the
email notification as an information about a new work item.

You can navigate to the app My Inbox using the URL provided in the approval email
notification.

 Note
To be able to select mails, your administrator must have created pre-defined emails
in the app Maintain Email Templates.

Exception Handling By default, the workflow is canceled when an exception occurs in its step sequence. Depending on the
workflow scenario, you can choose required actions for these exceptions:

Workflow scenario Workflow for Blocked Invoice:

For the exception Rejected, the default Required Action is Do nothing. In this case, the entire
workflow is set to completed, and the invoice document remains blocked for payment.

You can also assign Rework Invoice as Required Action. In this case, you can choose recipients
and set deadlines as follows:

Recipients: Choose the recipients to whom the supplier invoice is to be sent.

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What to Assign How to Assign

By default, the recipient is determined automatically. The processor who

created or changed the invoice gets the work item in the My Inbox app.

Alternatively, you can assign a specific user as the approver, or a role (for
example, Creator of Purchase Order, Manager of Last Approver, Persons
responsible for all used cost centers).

 Note
Not all displayed roles are suitable as recipients for the rework action. The
recipients must be familiar with the corresponding supplier invoice and
must be able to adjust it as required.

Deadline: Choose the deadline by which the recipients should resubmit the supplier
invoice. If the deadline is exceeded, the step is marked as overdue.

Workflow scenario Workflow for Parked Invoice as Complete:

For the exception Rejected, the default Required Action is Do nothing. In this case, the entire
workflow is set to completed, and the invoice document is parked and completed.

You can also assign Rework Invoice as Required Action.This function works exactly as
mentioned for the scenario above.

In the My Inbox app, the recipients can open and edit the invoice.

If you save the invoice as completed, the work item is no longer available in the My
Inbox app and a new workflow for the changed invoice is started.

If you delete, park, or post the invoice which is currently in the status Parked and
Completed, the workflow is canceled.

 Note
If you do not want to make any changes to the invoice document, but still want to complete
the rework task, you can choose the function Rework Done for the work item in the app My
Inbox. As a result, the workflow behaves according to configuration of the Action Result.

The Action Result that is specified under Exception Handling applies to the entire workflow, not only
to the workflow step where it has been defined. Possible actions results are Cancel workflow,
Continue, Repeat step, and Restart workflow.

For the scenario Workflow for Blocked Invoice, if the Required Action is Rework Invoice, then only
possible Action Result is Repeat step.

Order Definition You can define the order of the steps, and delete unnecessary steps.

If several steps are created, for each step the assigned recipient must process the work item in
the My Inbox app.

If the approver releases the invoice, the workflow checks, if the next step can be created. If all
steps are processed, the invoice document is released (Workflow for Blocked Invoice), or
posted (Workflow for Parked Invoice as Complete) in the background.

 Note
If the blocked invoice is released in the Release Blocked Invoices app, the workflow is
completed.

Example: Deadline Calculation for Workflow Steps

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Context

The graphic below provides an example of the deadline calculation for workflow steps

The approval deadline for the first workflow step is dynamically calculated by selecting the nearest available Cash Discount
Date 1, Cash Discount Date 2 or Net Due Date of the invoice after the creation of the work item. In the example displayed
within the graphic below, the work item was initially created on March 2nd.

In case of an amount split, there can be multiple values (Payment Terms) for the Cash Discount Date 1, Cash Discount
Date 2 and the Net Due Date.

This image is interactive. Hover over each area for a description. Click highlighted areas for more information.

Please note that image maps are not interactive in PDF output.

My Inbox in Sourcing and Procurement

For more information about the app My Inbox, see My Inbox. For information about approval of procurement documents using the
flexible workflow, see Documents Supporting the Flexible Workflow.

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