SAP CRM and SAP DMS

[Former Member]

Hi Experts.

I'm currently performing an analysis to evaluate if SAP CRM and DMS are the ideal tools to replace a legacy system which has workflow and document management capabilities.

Thus I've been consulting the Documentation at http://help.sap.com regarding CRM , Knowlege Provider (from SAP WAS) and Document Management.

However I've been having some dificulties acquiring answers to some points, so I'm here trying to ask if you can provide me with information/documentation/links that would enlighten me on the refered points.

I'll will list the requirements that we're supposed to achieve and I would like to know if it is possible

to implement them using CRM and DMS

Requirements:

- any given workflow is started upon arrival of a requisition at the application (the requisition is digitalized and sent)

- the workflow moves trought different departmens/users, each with their own set of permissions

- at any given time in the flow, a user can add a note to the flow. This note will become read-only for the next steps in the flow

- the user will receive visual alerts (blinking windows, different colours in the process title-header) regarding

process priority, new process arrival, process deadline

- the current application allows to send e-mails

- they require the abbility to extract reports and statistics from the processes

I have the following ideas from what I've read:

- i've seen a post where someone talked about DMS workflow. Does DMS allows to create workflows such as : document goes to one department for analysis,other for approval and another for release?

- I also read that it is possible to create different status for a document and also a status network? Is this

the workflows that DMS creates or something else that can be used in parallel

- I know we can define responsibles for documents in DMS. Can this be used to set permissions?

- Every reference I saw to DMS, I never find a reference to a front-end besides trough the KM in the Portal

( the enterprise Portal is not an option to be used at this time and probably in the future)

- Is it possible to integrate DMS with CRM's Interaction Center WebClient

- When I go to SPRO in my CRM instalation, I find in the SAP IMG-> SAP WAS-> Knowledge Management -> Document Management Service. Does this means that I can use DMS at will or must I install something more?

- Is the meccanism of adding notes to process capable of being implemented in DMS? The user must be able to add more one note.I was thinking if the mechanism of Logical Documents in DMS would allow to add simple .TXT files thus emulating the added note.

I would be greatly appreciated for any help you could provide me on these questions Obviously, good answers

will be rewarded accordingly.

Thanks in advance.

JF

[christoph_hopf · Accepted solution]

Hi Joaquim,

In reference to your DMS questions I can give you the

following information:

<i>- i've seen a post where someone talked about DMS workflow. Does DMS allows to create workflows such as : document goes to one department for analysis,other for approval and another for release?</i>

Yes, it's possible to use workflows to send DMS documents to different recievers. But the Workflow itself is not created by the DMS. You are able to create a workflow and determine that specific documents will be send to specific users or departments for further processing.

<i>- I also read that it is possible to create different status for a document and also a status network? Is this

the workflows that DMS creates or something else that can be used in parallel</i>

By creating a status for a document type you can also determine special functions (like automatic check in of originals or release and lock functions). The status network allows you to define a processing strategy for a specific document type by using status with different status types. For example there are status which lock a document or other archive the document and so on.

I hope this information will help you. For the other question I will search for usefull informations as well and come back then.

Best regards,

Christoph

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thx Christoph. Altough I still have pending questions at least two of them are answered by you. I would just like to add a thing. WHen you say Workflow is it a R/3 or CRM workflow? I'm rather new at this so I'm not sure if there is any difference between them.

[christoph_hopf · Accepted solution]

Unfortunatly I'm not quite sure if there is a difference between R/3 workflow and CRM workflow. As I'm in the SAP DMS department my know-how is not so detailed regarding workflow issues.

If you need detailed answer on your question I would recommend you to open a Support message under component BC-BMT-WFM.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

OK Christoph.

If you do manage to find any more information regarding my other questions I would be most gratefull

Regards

JF

[Former Member]

<b>- i've seen a post where someone talked about DMS workflow. Does DMS allows to create workflows such as : document goes to one department for analysis,other for approval and another for release?</b>

Yes - This is possible. There are standard SAP workflows / tasks for this. However, you can develop your own workflow to meet your specific requirements.

<b>- I also read that it is possible to create different status for a document and also a status network? Is this

the workflows that DMS creates or something else that can be used in parallel</b>

This is regardless of workflows. Status network is defined for each document type. That means, you can have different status network for different document types. For example, document type 'Presentation' may have only statuses 'Created' and 'Released', whereas document type 'Design Drawing' may have statuses 'Created', 'In Process', 'Approved', 'Rejected', 'Released', 'Obsolete' etc... It is all configuration. Status "network" defines other constraints among statues i.e. Only 'Released' documents can be set to 'Obsolete' or 'In Process' document can be set to only 'Approved' or 'Rejected'. Workflows can be developed to route the document as per defined status network.

<b>- I know we can define responsibles for documents in DMS. Can this be used to set permissions?</b>

Permissions can be set using different authorization objects i.e. Permission for document type, for a specific status etc... ERP 2005 also supports permission for individual document.

<b>- Every reference I saw to DMS, I never find a reference to a front-end besides trough the KM in the Portal

( the enterprise Portal is not an option to be used at this time and probably in the future)</b>

DMS can be accessed through

- SAPGUI, transactions CV01N, CV02N, CV03N, CV04N etc...

- Web Document - a BSP application provided by SAP - 4.7 onwards

- Portal using Business Package

- Easy DMS - an application to be installed on front end, which is integrated in windows explorer

<b>- Is the meccanism of adding notes to process capable of being implemented in DMS? The user must be able to add more one note.I was thinking if the mechanism of Logical Documents in DMS would allow to add simple .TXT files thus emulating the added note.</b>

Alternatively, you can also use 'Create Attachment' functionality in workflows. Once the comments are added, the next person in the workflow can see it. The only thing is... it makes reporting a little complex as comments are stored in workflows and not in DMS.

[Former Member]

Hi Pranav. Thx for your reply. I was thinking of developing my own personal workflow due to clien'ts requirements.

However, the current instalation of DMS resides in the content server associated with DMS. Is it possible to create a CRM WOrkflow (are they any different from R/3 workflows??? I would think not. I'm asking because I never worked with either) and have it acess documents stored in R/3's DMS?

In your last response you mention an alternative. Am I right in considering that my first solution is possible and a valid solution? Its just because there will be need for reports and statistics so it's better to add everything to DMS

[Former Member]

I believe technical components of CRM and R/3 workflows are same. However, it will be very difficult for you to develop workflow in CRM and access R/3 documents. It's just not accessing documents that is involved. Lets take a scenario. Once document is created, it should start the workflow for approval. Workflow starts with Business object (DRAW for Documents) and events. If there is a document in R/3, instanace of business object for that DIR contains all information related to that DIR e.g. Key (DIR Number, Type, Part, Version) and description, status etc... If you try to create a business object instance for R/3 document in CRM, it won't have any information as that perticular document does not exist in CRM.

One more... lets say a user makes all necessary changes to R/3 DIR and changes the status from 'In Process' to 'For Approval'. Workflow finds a proper approver for the document based on predefined logic and delivers a task to the approver. Now when approver double clicks the task in his SAP Inbox, he should be redirected to change of that document, he should be able to view the details, attached files, linked objects etc... and change the status from 'For Approval' to 'Approved' or 'Rejected'. If you develop the workflow in CRM, the task in delievered in CRM Inbox and when approver double clicks the task... it will be difficult for you to redirect him to R/3 and open the document in change mode. You can do it easily by calling standard methods from Business object if you develop it in R/3.

Just to make it clear.... there is no limitation with CRM workflows. But it's easier if you develop the workflow in the system where DMS is implemented i.e. R/3 in your case.

[Former Member]

Forgot about the comments... You may consider attaching .txt files to DIR for comments, but it may be cumbersome for the user i.e. create text file on PC, attach it and checkIn. I would say, consider using Long Text of DIR for the same.

[Former Member]

Many thanks for your explanation Pranav. I think I'm more aligned right now.

Just a extremely n00b question... what is LONG TEXT? Actually what it is is not fundamental. WHat I need is something that allows the user to add a note and make sure it always stays associated with that document. If LONG TEXT does the trick its fine by me

[Former Member]

Long text should work for that purpose. Suggest you to go to transaction CV01N (or CV02N for an existing DIR), and on Basic Data Screen, click the icon next to description field (a notepad and pencil icon). As the description is only 40 CHAR field, you may save additional information as LONG TEXT.

[Former Member]

Once again thanks. If something else comes up I might add it to this thread.

Regards

[Former Member]

Hi PRanav. Just another question I remembered.

The user intends to add several (as unlimited) notes to the process while maintaining all of the previous ones (and this should if possible be as read-only after being created).

How does LONG TEXT cope with this?

Regards JF

[Former Member]

LONG TEXT supports several (as unlimited) notes. But as there is only one place for everyone to put their comments, it cannot be read only after being created. If the next person goes to Long Text to put his comments, he can also change previous comments.

[Former Member]

Got it.

Thanks

Regards

JF

[Former Member]

Hello guys,

Can anyone please guide me on what this CRM content management is meant for...

How can a business object be linked with documents in KM.

I found a link in our help.sap.com portal related to this ,they have given the complete flow but no technical details. Can anyone help me out on this.

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_crm50/helpdata/en/7b/83b842ec0bb111e10000000a155106/frameset.htm

Managing KM Documents

Regards,

Nirmal G