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Former Member

This document is a continuation of the previous document which talked about automatic task determination. http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-55763

This is demonstrated the below topic with screen shots. The detailed concept at SAP Help is at Define Follow-Up Actions for Tasks - Notification - SAP Library

1. Follow up action for Notification Task

2. Action Box

The difference between notification task and activities is as below.

Notification TaskNotification Activities
Task is created when we plan to execute a work stepActivity is created after execution of a work step.
It has control over the notification completion, if some outstanding task(s) exist(s).No such control.
Hence it has got a status management and it has got a life cycle. OSTS(Task Outstanding), TSRL(Task Released), TSCO(Task Completed), TSSC(Task successful).It doesn't have any status management, any life cycle as it only documented after execution.
For the same purpose, it has got a planned start date/time and planned end date/time.

Obviously it does not have any planned date.

It has got a follow up action which we are going to discuss in this document in detail and work flow associated with which makes it very powerful for integration with other module and sometimes other system(an interface can be triggered based on status change or an action like task release)Obviously it does not have any such abilities.
A person(partner) can be assigned to a taskIt stores the person who record the documentation.
It has got completion date/time and completion by(free text as well as )It has got one execution start date/time and end date/time
Table: QMSMTable: QMMA
Can be extended with exit QQMA0011, in addition default values can be populated during task addition QQMA0027Can be extended with QQMA0012

Authorization: I_VORG_MEL for task status business operation

B_USERSTAT : for user status management

B_NOT_TASK : Display and processing of task

--

Note: Task is comparatively much more powerful, however they have been available for different purpose and requirement. While monitoring a work step, for the same work step task and activity need not to be created together.

Task is created through QS41 with standard catalog type '2'. But we can create as many number of catalog type based on our requirement keeping in mind below structure.

Catalog

          -->

               Code Group

                                 -->

                                        Catalog Code

Let's say we have a requirement as below.

As soon maintenance work has been identified, we need to make a customer visit for site survey. the result of the site survey has to be summarized as a PDF report and sent by the site engineer to Pricing department for Quotation and so on and on.........

1. This clearly needs one notification with customer details with a task 'Undertake Site Survey'.

2. The task can be assigned to a specific engineer

3. Upload the PDF report as DMS document into notification.

4. Once he completes the task a email can be sent to pricing department with PDF attachment.

In this case we can have multiple tasks which can be created sequentially based on the progress of the process.

1. USSV     Undertake Site Survey - Once it is completed, a follow on task can be created for below step.

2. PDVR     Pricing department verification: Once this is completed, then only Quotation can be complete.

In this way a chain of step can be achieved by task and follow on task as part of standard follow up action functionality.

We can also create a custom table to control the relationship between tasks.

Follow up action needs to be created as below in SPRO.

Plant Maintenance and Customer Service>Maintenance and Service Processing> Notification Processing>Additional Functions>Define Follow-Up Actions for Tasks>Define follow-up actions.

We have to copy EXAMPL_1  and create our own follow up action.

Create a function module by copying QM10_COPY_REFERENCE_FORM and if we check all structure related task and notification header are available as import parameter of function module.

Populate the customer function module as below.

based on the setting the customer function module gets executed when the follow up action 'ZFOACTN' associated task is completed.

In this function module we can write ABAP code to send mail, etc etc.

In notification, when the task is completed, One system status FUAC(Follow-up action completed) gets set and this shows that the functional module is executed.

Action Box:

Action Box is used to do following.

1. Various actions can be structured during notification processing. It can make a chain of actions which can be sequenced.

2. Based on a action, a task can be created or one activity can be documented automatically.

3. One Function Module in case of activity and two function modules in case task are available to code(ABAP). These function modules can be copied from SAP (QM06_FA*  Function modules for activities, QM06_FM*  Function modules for tasks,QM06_CO*  Function modules for changes to the workflow container). This FMs are executed during processing of the action box items

4. It can also have dependent action linking.

5. Workflow can be triggered based on the clicking on the action box.

6. It can be coupled with follow up action of the task which is being originated from the action box processing.

7. A dialog pop-up can also be programmed for the user

These above configuration makes the action box functionality very powerful.

At one of the client place, action boxes are used to do following.

  • it creates a PDF/Excel file and attach the same as a DMS document in notification.
  • It serves the purpose of sequencing the activities. Custom ABAP code used to help for any error handling.
  • A completed task was created for a record of the action. The list of tasks are used to monitor about the sequence of the tasks that have already been taken care and list which are yet to be taken care.
  • It triggers interface and creates Idocs.
  • Dialog pop up screen for changing the email id(if required) of the customer while sending the quotation.

More documentation regarding the 'dependent follow on function' is available at FM QM07_MERGE_ACTIONBOX and one example is demonstrated as below.

Adherence to a Sequence of action can be configured in following way.

Example:

Step 1: Inform and Send mail

Step 2: Initiate Approval

Step 3: Initiate Follow up

Condition of sequence:

StepsSequenceRemarks
Step 1 to be active and performed first1At this stage, step 2 and 3 are to be inactive. Once step 1 is performed, the same should be made inactive
Step 2 to be active & performed2At this stage, step 1 and 3 are to be inactive, Once step 2 is performed, the same should be made inactive
Step 3 to be active & performed3At this stage, step 1 and 2 are to be inactive, Once step 3 is performed, the same should be made inactive i.e all are inactive and the end of the process.

Configuration:

Plant Maintenance and Customer Service>Maintenance and Service Processing> Notification Processing>Additional Functions>Define Action Box>Define Follow-Up Functions (Generated Tasks/Activities)

Action Box ItemAction Box Item Description

Completed Task Radio button

Only performed Once Check box

Dependent Follow up

Function check box

Dependent Follow up

Function

0010Inform and Send mailXX0020
0020Initiate ApprovalXXX0030
0030Initiate Follow upXXX

At the end of the 3rd step, the notification will have all the 3 tasks completed and all the 3 action box items are grey and inactive which is end of the process. This is as below.

Initiation: Notification creation

After 1st step execution,

After 2nd step execution.

after 3rd step execution and last step.

Action box Item color code

Grey: Performed once

Black: Inactive

Blue Underlined if curser focused: Active

Hope the above document helps.

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