Agenda

• Brief Background
• Prerequisite Workflow Specific Configurations in MDGIMG
• Change Request Specific Configurations in MDGIMG
• Setting up Out of the box Financial Workflow
• Setting up Out of the box Supplier Workflow
• Rule Based Workflows using BRFPLUS
• BRFPLUS Workflow Terminology
• Building Two Step Rule Based Workflow Scenario
• Enhancements in Rule Based Workflows
• Troubleshooting and Q & A
Background

• SAP Business Workflows can be used to define business processes that are not yet mapped in the SAP system. These may be
simple release or approval procedures, or more complex business processes such as creating a material master and the
associated coordination of the departments involved. SAP Business Workflow is particularly suitable for situations in which
work processes have to be run through repeatedly, or situations in which the business process requires the involvement of a
large number of agents in a specific sequence
• SAP Master Data Governance uses advanced workflow capabilities by combining the SAP Business Workflow with the SAP
Business Rule Framework Plus (BRFplus) in execution of effective BRFplus Workflows.
• MDG Workflows can be configured using two methodologies
• - Rule Based Workflows
• - Other Workflows
Workflow Usage by MDG Domain
Flexible Change Request Process Configuration
Connected to the Data Model and User Interfaces
Flexible Change Request Process Configuration
Connected to the Data Model and User Interfaces

The Services in the work center (Links to User Interfaces) are assigned to a Business Activity.

The Business Activity defines:

• Data Model
• Change Request Type (several Change Request Types can be assigned to one Business Activity. In that case, the
user has to select the Change Request Type that he wants to use.)

The Change Request Type defines:

• Workflow (which defines WF Steps/Tasks )
• Change Request Steps (which define the Processors)

There can be many UI Configurations for a Data Model, defining UI Building Blocks (UIBB) for Entity Types.
Which UI Configuration is used depends on several configuration steps.

Status of CR and WF Step are part of WF Container, which determine possible actions on UI. The next step number
will be determined depending on the user action.
Prerequisite Workflow Specific Configurations in MDGIMG

• Complete Basic Workflow Customizing in Tcode SWU3

• Configure Workflow Tasks in MDGIMG for each of the components CA-MDG-AF ,CA-MDG-APP-FIN , CA-MDG-APP-BP, CA-
MDG-APP-SUP by choosing Assign Agents.

• Activate event Linkage for business object type BUS2250 and event CREATED . Refer the attachment for detailed steps.

• Create the change request type and assign workflow template WS60800086 for which you want to specify rules , for a rule-based
workflow. For the rule-based workflow, we integrate rules from the Business Rule Framework plus (BRFplus) with the workflow.

• Create the change request type and assign either out of the box standard ABAP workflow template WSxxxxxxx or Custom ABAP
workflow(Copied from Standard and modified) to use other MDG workflow (for example, the standard workflow templates for
business partner/supplier or Financials).

Pre-Requisite
Workflow Configurations
Change Request Specific Configurations in MDGIMG

• Define Change Request Type

• Define Change Request Step numbers

• Define/Edit Change Request Statuses

• Define Actions for UI

• Define Step Types and Assign Actions

• Configure BRFPLUS Decision Tables for a Change Request

Change_Request_
Specific_Configurations
Define Change Request Type
Create Change Request Type
• Change Request Type determines the Process (Create/Change/Delete/Block-Unblock) of the Change request
• Menu Path General Settings  Process Modelling  Change Requests  Create Change Request Types
Define Change Request Step Numbers
Define Change Request Step Numbers
• Change Request Step Numbers determine the steps in the workflow
• Menu Path General Settings  Process Modelling  Workflow  Rule Based Workflow  Define Change Request Steps for Rule-Based Workflow
 Define Change Request Statuses
Define/Edit existing Change Request Statuses
• Change request Status provides the status of the change request at any given point of time
• Menu Path General Settings  Process Modelling  Change Requests  Edit Statuses of Change Requests
Define Change Request Actions
Define Actions
• Actions are the Push buttons available to the user to perform required action.
• Go to General Settings Process  Modelling  Workflow  Define Actions for Change Request UIs
Define Step Types and Assign Actions
Define Step Types and assign Actions
• Step Type determines the Actions the user will be able to perform
• Go to General Settings  Process Modelling  Workflow  Define Step Types and Assign Actions
Other MDG Workflows
SAP delivers Out of the Box ABAP workflow templates for business partner/supplier or Financials , which are ready to be used. We can create a copy of the
template and modify the workflow as required.
Workflow Specific Pre-Requisite settings and Change Request specific Configurations are common for both Rule Based and Other Workflows.

Supplier/Customer Out of the box Workflows Financials Out of the box Workflows
Change Request Type Description Workflow Change Request Type Description Workflow

SUPPL1P1 Create Supplier WS54300005 0G_ALL 0G: All Entities WS75700027

SUPPL2P1 Inefficient
Process Supplier WS54300007
* All Other Financial CR Types
WS75700040,
WS75700043
SUPPL5P1
Management of
Block/Unblock Supplier WS60800059
MD
SUPPL6P1 Mark Supplier for Deletion WS60800068

CUST1P2 Create Customer (parallel WF) WS54400001

CUST2P1 Process Customer WS54300003

CUST5P1 Block/Unblock Customer WS54300003

CUST6P1 Mark Customer for Deletion WS54300003

Local Maintenance: Create

CUSTHI01 WS46000023
Customer

Local Maintenance: Process

CUSTHI02 WS46000027
Customer
Setting up Out of the box Financial Workflow:
When creating a change request, assign the workflow templates to be used (for example, the standard workflow template) for Financials WS75700027,
WS75700040, WS75700043 or WS72100012) to your change request type in Customizing activity in Create Change Request Type.

• Depending on which workflow you selected , assign agents thru one of the Customizing Activity.

• For WS75700027, WS75700040, and WS72100012 assign under General Settings  Process modeling  Workflow  Other MDG
Workflows  Assign Processor to Change Request Step Number (Simple Workflow) to one or more processors to each workflow step.
AGENT_FILTER = STANDARD.
Setting up Out of the box Financial Workflow:

• For WS75700043 assign one or more processors under Master Data Governance for Financials  Workflow  Assign Processor to Change Request
Step Number (Extended Workflow) to each workflow step . AGENT FILTER = ZVSTANDARD
Setting up Out of the box Supplier Workflow:
Setting up Out of the box Supplier Workflow:

• When processing a change request, assign any of the standard out of the box workflow templates provided for Supplier to your change request type
in Customizing activity in Create Change Request Type.

• Where the Assignment of Processor to Workflow Step Number for Supplier is done depends on whether MDG runs on Foundation Layer
or MDG runs on ERP.

• A Standard BADI determines the layer and sets the value of AGENT_FILTER.

• AGENT_FILTER is set to ‘STANDARD’ if layer is Foundation, and agents assigned in MDGIMG.

• AGENT_FILTER is set to ‘MDGS_ERP’ if the layer is ERP, and agents assigned in BRF+ Decision Table
Agent Filter:
 Assignment of Processors if MDG runs on Foundation Layer:
• In Customizing activity Assign Processor to Workflow Step Number (Simple Workflow), assign one or more processors to each workflow step, under
below link.
MDGIMG->Master Data Governance  General Settings  Process Modelling  Workflow  Other MDG Workflows
 Assign Processor to Workflow Step Number (Simple Workflow)
Assignment of Processors if MDG runs ERP:

• In Customizing activity navigate to MDG for Supplier and assign one or more processors to each workflow step under below link.

• MDGIMG  Master Data Governance for Supplier  Workflow  Assign Processor to Change Request Step Number in BRFplus for Supplier

• Or Else run Transaction BRF+ , and search for Application MDG_BS_ECC_SUPPLIER_WF_CUSTM , in search result expand
Expression  Decision Table->GET_AGENT and maintain agents here.
Create Supplier – Standard Out of the box Process:
Create Supplier – Partial Approvals:
USMD_WF_AGENT BADI for Other Workflows:
Rule Based Workflows using BRFPLUS

BRFplus is the business rules system of SAP NetWeaver ABAP. It is a comprehensive framework which helps business and IT users to
model rules used for automatic decision support in business cases of all kinds. In addition, a flexible open API facilitates experienced IT
users to extend the framework to their specific needs. Advanced features such as browser-based UI, traceability, and simulation eases the
effort and time invested in implementing policies and rules.

We can use the Business Rule Framework plus (BRFplus) tool to create our own rule-based workflows that enable us to easily define the
workflow rules and make the required settings for your master data governance tasks.

SAP has delivered one generic Rule-Based Workflow Template WS60800086 that uses the Business Rule Framework plus (BRFPLUS)
to dynamically control the MDG Approval Processes. This Template can be used across all MDG Domains (MM,BP,0G and any Custom
domain).
Configure Default Step Numbers for any CR Type using Rule Based Workflow 60800086

• Due to technical limitations, step number settings are not included in BC –Set Processing, and so the below default steps should be
configured manually for any Change Request Type that uses standard out of the box BRFPLUS Decision Tables.

Launch Configure Rule Based Workflow

• Menu Path General SettingsProcess ModellingWorkflowRule-Based WorkflowDefine
Change Request steps for Rule-Based Workflow
Configure Decision Tables for a Change Request Type

• Standard out of the box solution offers ready to use Rule-Based Workflow Templates for Material Domain. This presentation guides
through the required configurations to set up Rule Based workflows to any CR Type. For Example we will consider Create Supplier
Custom CR Type ZSUPPL1.

Launch Configure Rule Based Workflow

• Menu Path General Settings  Process Modelling  Workflow  Rule-Based Workflow 
Configure Rule-Based Workflow
Rule Based Workflow Decision Tables

Process flow of a rule based workflow is defined in the below 3 decision tables, where XXXX stands for the Change Request Type.
Transaction BRF+ or USMD_SSW_RULE.

• Single Value Decision Table (DT_SINGLE_VAL_XXXX)

This is the master workflow table for material creation. This table lists the
workflow steps and references the other two tables when necessary

• Non-User Agent Decision Table (DT_NON_USER_AGT_GRP_XXX)

This decision table contains a list of system tasks. The tasks can be referenced by
the DT_SINGLE_VAL_MAT01 decision table when it requires a system action.

• User Agent Decision Table (DT_USER_AGT_GRP_XXXX)

This decision table contains a list of user assignments to workflow tasks. This
information here is also referenced by the DT_SINGLE_VAL_MAT01 decision
table when it requires user action.
Single Value Decision Table

Has 14 columns*

Input Columns

• Previous Step
• Previous Action
• Change Request Priority
• Change Request Reason
• Change Request Rejection Reason
• Change Request Parent Step
• Change Request Parent Step Agent Group

Result Columns

• Condition Alias
• New Step
• New Change Request Status
• Hours to Completion
• Merge Type
• Merge Parameter
• Dynamic Agent Selection Service
Single Value Decision Table

• Determines the workflow steps.

• Entries for DT_SINGLE_VAL_ZSUPPL1
 Condition Alias  unique ID
 Previous Step + Previous Action  determines the New Step + New CR Status
 Every Condition Alias needs to be handled at least once by either a User Agent or a Non-User Agent activity
User Agent and Non-User Agent Decision Tables
Dialog Step Agent Decision Table (User Agent Decision Table)
• Has 5 columns*

Input Columns
• Condition Alias
Result Columns
• Agent Group
• Step Type
• Agent Type
• Agent Value

Background Step Type Decision Table (Non-User Agent Decision Table)

• Has 4 columns*

Input Columns
• Condition Alias
Result Columns
• Agent Group
• Processing Pattern
• Service Name
User Agent Decision Tables

• Determines the user steps in the workflow

• Handle all Condition Alias , either User activity or automated
• Entries for DT_USER_AGT_GRP_ZSUPPL1
- Condition Alias  unique ID
- User Agent Group
- Step Type  Determines the actions for the user
- User Agent Type  US (User)/SU(Special user e.g. Initiator)
- User Agent Value  User Name
Non-User Agent Decision Tables

• Determines the background steps in the workflow

• Handle all Condition Alias, either User activity or automated
• Entries for DT_NON_USER_AGT_GRP_ZSUPPL1
- Condition Alias  unique ID
- User Agent Group
- Process Pattern  Determines the Background Activity
BRFPLUS Workflow Terminology

• Step Number / App Step

The change request steps to be executed in a rule-based workflow for a particular
change request type. These are the logical numbering we provide for the processing
steps.

• Actions
Action code is the pushbutton on the Change Request UI. Actions are assigned to
step types that are then used to control the visibility of pushbuttons on the UIs
displayed during the workflow process. We use the Customizing activity Define Step
Types and Assign Actions to assign actions to step types

• Step Type
Step types have actions assigned to them. Step types are assigned to non-background
workflow tasks where the step types determine the visibility of buttons and the
associated actions on the UI.
BRFPLUS Workflow Terminology

• CR Status
Statuses are the codes that define which statuses the change requests can have and
which processing options are enabled for each of those statuses.

• Condition Alias
This is the Key value that links the Single Value Decision Table to User Agent and
Non User Agent Decision Tables.

• Process Pattern
All the possible processing options in a BRFPLUS WF Decision tables available
under data element USMD_PROCESS_PATTERN.

• Previous Step + Previous Action determines the New Step + New CR Status

• Every Condition Alias needs to be handled at least once by either a User Agent or a Non-User Agent activity (see the following
slide)
BRFPLUS Workflow Terminology

• Standard Task TS60807954

Dialog Task TS60807954 under node 000073 in Workflow 60800086 is used for all
the Foreground approval steps in Rule Based Workflows.

This Task takes in Import parameters ‘Step Number’ and ‘Step Type’ which determines the available buttons and Change
Request Step properties defined under below link.

MDGIMG  Master Data Governance  General Settings  Process Modelling  Change Requests  Configure
Properties of Change Request Step.
Change Request Enhancements and Checks per Step
Change Request Step Field Properties
Rule Based Workflow Scenario

Two Step Process to be Modeled

How does BRFplus Decision tables Work?

• First, find out what my next step is

• Second, where to define the condition alias

SAP MDG BRFplus Workflow

Each step in the diagram needs to contain the following:

Generic Two Step Workflow Scenario

Requestor Submits the Change Request (Step 00). This triggers the workflow.

1. The Change Request is sent to First Level Approver APRUSER1 (Step 10). This approver gets the work item with Step Type 6 having
actions 03(Approve) and 06(Send for Revision). When the First level Approver receives the work item, he should see the CR with status
01(To be considered and approved).

2. First Level Approver (Step 10) can perform two possible actions 03(Approve) or 06(Send for Revision).

a. If APRUSER1 approves (Action = 03), the Change Request should go to Second Level approver APRUSER2 (Step 20). The
second Level approver gets the work item with Step Type 5 having actions 06(Activate) and 10(Send for Revision). When the
Second level Approver receives the work item, he should see the CR with status 04(Final Check to be performed).

b. Else If APRUSER1 Sends for revision (Action = 06), the Change Request should go to the workflow Initiator REQUESTOR1 (Step
95) for revision. The Workflow Initiator gets the work item with Step Type 4 having actions 07(Resubmit) and 08(Withdraw). When
the Initiator receives the CR for revision, he should see the CR with status 03(To be revised).
Generic Two Step Workflow Scenario

3. Second Level Approver (Step 20) can perform two possible actions 09(Activate) or 06(Send for Revision).

a. If APRUSER2 activates (Action = 09), the Change Request should go to background activation step 91 and activate the CR. The
status of CR to be set as 05 (Final Check Approved).
b. Else If APRUSER2 Sends for revision (Action = 06), the Change Request should go to the workflow Initiator REQUESTOR1 (Step
95) for revision. The Workflow Initiator gets the work item with Step Type 4 having actions 07(Resubmit) and 08(Withdraw). When
the Initiator receives the CR for revision, he should see the CR with status 03(To be revised).

4. The Background activity in step 91 for process 06(Activation(Bypass Snapshot)) will have 2 outcomes,
Activation successful with action set by the system as 31, or activation failed with action <> 31(no action will
be set in case of activation failure).

a. If activation was successful (Action = 31), the Change Request should go to background workflow completion step 99 and end workflow
processing. The status of CR to be set as 08(Approved, to be replicated).

b. Else If activation failed (Action <> 31), the Change Request should go to the previous step 20 (Second level approval) to the agent
defined under condition alias 6, last user/agent who processed the CR, for reactivation. The last agent gets the work item with Step Type 5
having actions 09(Activate) and 10(Send for revision). When the Last agent receives the CR for re-activation, he should see the CR with
status 07(Activation Failed).
Final Configured Decision Tables
Final Configured Decision Tables
Enhancements in Rule Based Workflows

Enhancement Spot USMD_SSW_SERVICE_PROCESSOR

• BADI USMD_SSW_RULE_CONTEXT_PREPARE – Enhance BRF+ Decision Tables

• BADI USMD_SSW_PARA_RESULT_HANDLER – Enhancement for Parallel work items

• BADI USMD_SSW_DYNAMIC_AGENT_SELECT – Enhancement for flexible user determination

• BADI USMD_SSW_SYSTEM_METHOD_CALLER – Enhancement to trigger any sub process

• Reference
Troubleshooting:
Questions?