Workitem visualization

[Former Member]

Hi everybody,

I'm looking for some help on the mechanics of workitem visualization.

We have a workflow workitem that exists on the ABAP stack of an XI server. This workitem needs to be displayed to the EP Portal user in a screen with a web page look consistent with a web application now in use by the customer.

We have configured the Universal worklist and are now displaying the workitem in the default SAP Gui for HTML visualization. This is working fine and acts just like it does in ABAP. You get the transaction screen, do your thing and off you go.

In order to make a more "web looking screen" I understand we need to create an IVIEW that has the look and feel that the customer is used to and then via configuration in the worklist, associate that IVIEW with that specific workflow task number.

That seems simple enough at a high level but I'm a long time ABAP guy and a rookie Java guy. What I can't seem to find out is this: If I have java IVIEW, there will be fields on that IVIEW that must be mapped somehow to a corresponding field on the ABAP screen of the workitem transaction. How is this connection made and how does the ABAP transaction screen know that Screen Field A on the IVIEW maps to Screen Field VBAK-VBELN on the ABAP transaction screen?

I would appreciate any direction anyone could give me.

Thanks,

Brent

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Jocelyn,

Thanks so much for your reply. Here is where we stand on the technical setup

Portal 6.0 sp14

XI 3.0

WAS 6.40

Netweaver 04

I think I’m starting to get the picture of the options.

I’d like to confirm that I am on the right track as I understand it here are the options:

1. ABAP TRANSACTION

Use the default visualization which is the SAP Gui for HTML data transfer happens as in any ABAP workitem via the normal binding and transaction logic. Learn to love the SAP Gui

2. IVIEW

Transaction SWFVISU set the task visualization to IVIEW

Data is passed back and forth via BAPI calls.

3. JAVA WEB DYNPRO

Transaction SWFVISU set task visualization to Java Web Dynpro

Data is passed back and forth via mapping Web Dynpro screen elements to the container parameters from the task

4. ABAP WEB DYNPRO

Not available on Netweaver 04

5. OUTSIDE WEB APP

Transaction WF_EXTSRV generates the task from the web app configuration in the transaction. Transaction SICF is necessary to turn on “wshandler” service and test with transaction WF_HANDCUST. Data is passed via BAPI calls.

Does this sound correct to you or am I missing some pieces somewhere?

Thanks again for your help,

Brent

[Jocelyn_Dart · Accepted solution]

Hi Brent,

Yes there are a couple more types but those are the main ones. There's some good blogs by Ginger Gatling on this stuff in SDN so take a look at those. Particularly at how the workitem id is passed as a dynamic parameter.

Apart from the SAPGUI approach, you usually need to pass the work item id so you can read other data from the workitem container (function module SAP_WAPI_CONTAINER_READ) and also to tell workflow the work is done (SAP_WAPI_COMPLETE_WORKITEM or SAP_WAPI_CREATE_EVENT).

Enjoy.

Regards,

Jocelyn

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Jocelyn,

Thanks again for your help. I really appreciate it. I looked at Ginger's blogs and I think we are off and running.

Thanks again,

Brent

[Former Member]

Hi Brent,

As Jocelyn said, you should check out the correct <i>ENTERPRISE PORTAL Standard Application</i> for displaying the content. And then use the <b>SWFVISU</b> or <b>WF_EXTRSRV</b> options.

I also feel that VISULIZATION gets better when you use <b>EXTERNAL ITS</b>.But nothing better that WEB Application.

Regards,

<i><b>Raja Sekhar</b></i>

[MarkusKlein]

Hello,

one question. Do you have to generate at transaction WF_EXTRSRV for each service a task? Because when using a Task in a Workflow of BOR-type "WEBSERVICE", i cant set the paramter ServiceName.

regards,

Markus

[Jocelyn_Dart]

Markus,

Yes each webservice gets its own task id. They all

have the object WEBSERVICE, the method tells workflow if its a dialog/background/etc. type of call and the task id points to the webservice id in WF_EXTSRV is to be used.

You can see and adjust which task relates to each webservice in table SWLSSTPID.

Regards,

Jocelyn

[Jocelyn_Dart]

Hi Brent,

You don't mention the release of your portal and XI systems?

In any case, you don't have to use an iview - you just need a web app of some kind. Preferably an SAP web technology of course, but even that's not necessary.

Check out transaction SWFVISU - here you can specify the SAP web technology web app to use for your task.

Also check out transaction WF_EXTSRV - this let's you call any web app and specify parameters. (If you use this option make sure you also turn on the "wshandler" service in SICF and test the handler through transaction WF_HANDCUST).

When the work item is launched, container elements defined in the task can be mapped to your application parameters.

It's a good idea to pass in the work item id itself, so your application knows it is being called from workflow and can call WAPIs e.g. SAP_WAPI_COMPLETE_WORKITEM or SAP_WAPI_CREATE_EVENT to tell workflow that the task has been completed successfully.

Also your web app should really be a UI that calls BAPIs to get/pass the data from/to SAP - i.e. don't use a BDC approach of passing values to SAP screens.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Jocelyn