Can I use just the BPM from PO suite?

[Former Member]

Hello people!

    Im new to PO and i have a doubt: I have to develop a BPM trigered from SAP ERP, show a UI to approve a document and then to go back to the ERP with the approval. The question is...I need to create interfaces in PO to send data to the BPM(from the PO suite) and to enable the BPM to send the approval to the ERP? If not, I mean using just the BPM, how can I make the communication ERP->BPM and BPM->ERP possible?

If both approches are possible...which is the best or recommended?

Thanks all!

[former_member191643 · Accepted solution]

What exactly do u mean by ERP?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Sorry Siddhant, I meant SAP ECC. Thanks

[former_member191643 · Accepted solution]

Technically, how do you plan to interact with ECC from BPM? Or even vice versa?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

The idea is to call the BPM from a BADI or user exit on SAP ECC(via proxy, rfc or ws), then the BPM should sent a Notification with a link to a UI so that the user can approve the document, and finally the BPM should enter the approval back to the ECC(also via proxy, rfc or ws)

As I am new to PO I dont know which approach is better or possible to develop this scenario.

Thanks!

[former_member191643 · Accepted solution]

Its simple. BPM is called via a WS. So its not an issue to call a WS and start the BPM process from ECC.

In the BPM process design, add a Human Activity which has the UI for the Approval Task. In the properties of this Human Activity, click on the 'Task' property, create a 'New' task from the dropdown and name the task. Click on Finish:

Once the task is created, save the project. Then, you will see a link 'Task' in the Task-property.Click on it :

Once the properties of the Task are open, check the following checkbox:

Checking this task will ensure that the potential owner(s) of the task will receive an email notification that a task has been created in their universal worklists. This email contains 2 links; one which redirects the owner to the universal worklist, and one which redirects them directly to the created task.

In the completion event of the Task-UI, you can call a WS to return to ECC. Or may be, after completion of the task, you can create an Automated Activity in the BPM Process Design which can call an RFC or a WS. So, your BPM design should probably look something like this:

Hope this helps in some way.

All the best.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Siddhant!

In case I go for the ECC->BPM->ECC...I have a doubt about the configuration in the NWDS. The server must be added in the SAP AS Java Server tab or in the tab "PI tools Configuration->Connections".

I dont know which steps I must follow before creating the BPM..for example create a SC, DC, etc...where and in which order so that I can create correctly the BPM and deploy it where it should.

Sorry for some many questions and thanks again.

[former_member191643 · Accepted solution]

Yes. In your NWDS, enter the server details in the following places for configuration under 'Window-->Preferences' before you start your development:

1. Development Infrastructure-->System Landscape Directory

2. PI Tools Configurations-->Connections

3. SAP as Java (For Deployment and UME)

4. Web Services-->Enterprise Service Browser

5. Web Services-->Services Registry

Make sure these things are in place and you are good to go.

[Former Member]

Hi Frederico,

You could use either option:

1. ECC -> PO(PI) -> PO(BPM) -> PO(PI) -> ECC
   In this scenario PI would act as the bridge between ECC and your BPM process.  You would likely develop ABAP proxies in the ECC system to call the PI interface, which in turn would call the BPM via a WS (please bear in mind that all BPM processes can be published and therefore called via a WS.)
2. ECC -> PO(BPM) -> ECC
   In this scenario you are simply removing the extra steps of going through PI and making ECC and BPM talk to each other directly, probably via WS.  You can call an external WS via ABAP quite easily in your ECC system, and then you would likely create an RFC in ECC and publish it as a WS for BPM to call back with the response.

The decision as to which is best to use will likely come down to your organisations larger strategy and architecture standands for interfacing.  If you are only going to create a couple of BPMs that integrate with ECC, you might not need/want the full hit of PI as well.  However, the benefit of PO is that you have all of the tools of BPM and PI at your disposal and indeed, longer term your organisation may like to make use of these tools.  Therefore, it might be best to build this admittedly simple solution using the full architecture to ensure a standard architecture is applied.

Another question could be, if your approval is in the ECC system, have you considered if just SAP Business Workflow would be adequate for your requirements?

Hope this helps,

G.

[Former Member]

Thanks a lot Gareth! The decision of going for BPM in stead of Business Workflow is based on a recommendation that the organization from SAP that we should use the BPM from now if there is a PO in the landscape.

Another question...in case I go for the ECC->BPM->ECC...I have a doubt about the configuration in the NWDS. The server must be added in the SAP AS Java Server tab or in the tab "PI tools Configuration->Connections"

If we decide to go with the scenario ECC->PI(PO)->BPM(PO)->PI(PO)->ECC, can I develop a UI in the to make the approval or this is not possible when you mix PI(PO) and BPM(PO) in the same scenario?

Again thanks a lot!