Workflow for Document Approval

[Former Member]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie to SolMan and is trying to figure out how to implement a workflow for document approval. A similar question has probably been posted in the past, but I can't find a definite solution, only some hints.

Basically, what we're trying to achieve is the following:

When a document is uploaded using SOLAR02, and the creator of the document changes the status to ready for sign-off, we would like to trigger a workflow which will send an email to a couple of persons who are responsible to approve the document. We already implement the digital signature, we just want to add an automatic email notification to be sent to the approvers.

Based on my research, it seems that this is not supported by SolMan and hence we have to do a custom development.

There's an object key called SOLMANDOC and we should raise an event (something like SIGNATURE_PROCESS_START) to send an email notification to the approvers. Can somebody confirm whether my understanding is right ? Does anybody know the name of the BADI that we can modify to achieve our goal ?

FYI, we're using SolMan Rel 7.01 SP 19.

Thanks in advance

Lara

[philip_kisloff]

Hi Lara,

I've also seen a lot of comments suggesting the only way to trigger a workflow event is by using an enhancement point. Actually, they are wrong, the event SOLMANDOC SIGNATURE_PROCESS_START is triggered automatically once configuration is completed.

After Signature Strategy Configuration, you have to configure the status schema, and then it will work.

IMG path is Cross-scenario settings > Document management > Status for documents > Define Document Status schemes.

The set up is quite tricky, but for a typical IN_PROGRESS, REVIEW, RELEASED, DECLINED type flow, the document should be locked for REVIEW and RELEASED and the previously configured signature strategy name assigned to the REVIEW status, with RELEASED and DECLINED for the corresponding end statuses.

Hope this clear, but get back if you have problems.

Also be clear on the naming of everything, because you'll need to use these names in the authorization objects.

Phil

[Former Member]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for your reply. We already configured the digital signature workflow using the signature strategy configuration. What we want to achieve now is to add automatic email notifications to be sent to the approvers to notify them that there is a document waiting for their action. The email is to be sent automatically once the creator of the document sets the status to something like "Ready for approval" and should contain the link to the document to be approved in SolMan.

Please let me know if you have any idea on how to achieve this.

Thanks,

Lara

[philip_kisloff]

OK, I might have misunderstood. I'll try not to make too many more assumptions

If the configuration is complete then SOLMANDOC events should appear in the event log SWEL. If not, check SWEL logging is switched on and transaction SWU3 runtime configuration has all green ticks.

There is not, unfortunately, a standard recipient to link to the SOLMANDOC event that will send an email. You'll have to use object SELFITEM method sendtaskdescription to create your own task.

As for the link to document to be approved, this is an attribute that can be added to the email message. However, my personal opinion is that approval directly of a document without the context of where it has been placed in the SOLAR02 hierarchy or tabs is unsatisfactory. I would recommend as an alternative that report SOLAR_EVAL is run, as this would show if the document is in the correct place too.

There are a lot different elements to this solution, and you don't want to hear things you already know, so let me know if I've still not answered your question.

Best regards

Phil

[Former Member]

Thanks Phil for the information. You said:

There is not, unfortunately, a standard recipient to link to the SOLMANDOC event that will send an email. You'll have to use object SELFITEM method sendtaskdescription to create your own task.

Where can we find this object SELFITEM method sendtaskdescription in SOLMAN ?

I read another posting which said that the enhancement spot "SOLAR_DOCUMENT_EXITS" and that the SOLMANDOC object key can be used: [http://mailman.mit.edu/pipermail/sap-wug/2008-February/027797.html]

What do you think ?

Thanks

Lara

[Former Member]

Hi Phil,

I'm facing with problems with creating a simple 2 steps release strategy.

the problem is I cant approve the last step of the release.

This is what I did:

In spro Digital Signature->Signature strategy:

in "Define Authorization groups" I create this entries:

1. EING

2. VERIF

in "Define Individual Signatures" I create this entries:

1. S1 EING

2. S2 VERIF

in "Define Individual Strategies: I create this entries:

SigStrat: ZSIGSTR

Signature Method: R

Display comment: X Required

Display Remark: X

Display document: X

Verification: not checked

in "Assign individual signatures"

CtrIn Indiv.SIG. AGrpDIG

1 S1 EING

2 S2 VERIF

Display Predecessor for Ctrln is 2 is 1

for "Display release statuses" an entry with one line with the value 1

and in "Display individual signatures there 2 entries 1 and 2.

in spro "Define Document status schemes"

stat scheme "ZSIGSTR"

4 status:

Status init status Sequence Low High lock Signature schma End status Cancel status

COPY_EDITING X 10 10 20 -

REVIEW 20 10 40 X ZSIGSTR RELEASED DECLINED

RELEASED 30 10 40 X

DECLINED 40 10 20

I created two roles with object c_sign_bpr one with the value "EING" and the other with the value "VERIF"

I assign this status scheme to a document type in my project.

I tried to release a document the first step was the author of the document move the status to "REVIEW" and I got a window that i need to enter my password and it worked ok.

The problem is in the second step that I need to release the document (now is in a REVIEW status) When I press on the icon in order to release I didn't get the option to release only to cancel there is no "V" option in the small window.

Can you please tell me if I did a correct customization? also can you tell me if my problem is maybe missing authorization? Can you direct me to reading material or to an example?

Best regards

Lior Grinberg

Edited by: Lior Grinberg on Nov 28, 2011 6:22 PM

[Former Member]

hello,

We did DIGITAL SIGNATURE STRATEGY and SWE2, and we are getting workflow for first level ( As doument status chnaged workflow will there in reviewer's inbox) bit,once reviewer is signed workflow is not trigger for second level ( approver)

Please let us know if you have any idea on how to achieve this.

Regards,

Ashish

[former_member367476]

Hi Lara,

I have a identical case of you but I not find a solution.

Did you get a permanent solution?

Thanks!

Christian Thomaz