Circular workflow

[Former Member]

Hi,

I am implementing a process where the workflow needs to come back to a previous step if required. Consider a scenario where an approver needs additional information for which he sends the job back to previous step.

I've simplified the flow so anyone can implement it to suggest a solution:

Start Step --- Process1 --- Merge Step -

---

Process2 --- Branch --- Process3 --- Merge Step

Note that Process3 connects to the same Merge Step to create a cercular workflow. Second branch of Branch step may be connected to Stop Step. A validation is used to direct flow on Branch step.

Question:

1. When a job takes the straight route to stop, everyrhing goes fine. When the job takes the circular route, it gets stuck on Process3. Please explain the behaviour.

2. How can i create a circular flow if this is not the right way to do it?

Thanks in advance.

-yasir

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Yasir,

I am doubt that we can make a circular workflow design in SAP MDM5.5

cheers

Alexander

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your response Alexander.

If it is not possible with straight forward way, can we try some workaround? Or is it entirely out of question to have a circular workflow with MDM 5.5?

I would be very greatful if anyone can provide any hint or pointer in this regard.

thanks in advance.

-yasir

[Former Member]

See if this helps a little...

By default, if you have an Approve step, and if the approver does NOT approve certain records, then the workflow job is kicked back to the previous step.

You can use the branch step of the workflow to branch the workflow based on valdiations.

Lets assume you have two branches.

Each of these branch step can have a separate Stop step.

For each STOP step, you have a <b>Launch</b> Property. By setting the launch property, you can call the another Workflow (which does the same thing as the original workflow definition).

This way you can call workflow2 from workflow1.

By definition both the workflow does the same thing.

Worflow1 -> calls workflow2 -> calls workflow1

[Former Member]

Thanks Adhappan,

This is a nice workaround. The only problem is that you need to break your workflow on technical grounds which might not be a logical division of your workflows. I can see process maintenance problems if customer needs to update the process.

Thanks for your answer. I think this is the best possible thing we can do with current MDM implementation. I'll keep my question unanswered just in case someone comes up with another brilliant idea.

Regards,

Yasir Rizwan Saqib

[Former Member]

Hi ,

In SP5 there is a new workflow process step called connect - with this step you oculd connect to any part of your workflow process as required - will this help ?

Regards,

Anita