Deadline Monitoring

Use
The runtime system allows the deadlines to be monitored for the execution of work items and the overall workflow. The deadline monitoring functionality provided by SAP Business Workflow is independent of the application functionality. This is the first time that the system provides a work item for processing. The other dates (requested end, latest start, latest end) require a user action or a certain event.

Integration
Deadlines can be set and monitored for certain steps in a workflow definition. These steps are the following: Activity User decision Wait step

Activity

You can set the deadlines manually when you start a task online and make changes to them in the work item display.

Prerequisites
The deadlines are only monitored if they are defined accordingly.

Features
You can set the following deadlines: Requested start The requested start is a technical setting and is implemented by the workflow system. Processing is not possible before this date. Latest start Start by Processing of the work item must have started by this date. The system uses the latest start, requested end, and latest end to monitor the progress of the work item and compares these dates with the current dates that result from processing the work item. The system triggers the actions described below if the work item has not been processed by these dates. For further information on the specific dates and

deadlines of a work item, please refer to Current Dates of Work Items. Requested end Processing of the work item should have been completed by this date. Processing of the work item must have been completed by this date.

Latest end

The dealines are always set relative to a reference point. This reference point can be The creation date/time of the work item. The creation date/time of the workflow containing the work item. A date that is derived from the context of the application when the specific workflow instance is executed. This date is defined via an expression containing a reference to the workflow container.

A work item which is in the in process status and is then forwarded has the reserved status again for the new agent. Since the work item has already had the status in process, deadline monitoring is not carried any longer regarding the start deadline.

Notification When a Deadline is Exceeded

When a deadline is exceeded, a notification (type D work item) is generally created with an individual text for the deadline agent and is placed in his or her inbox. If a deadline is exceeded, the activity/user decision involved has not yet been completed. Notification of the deadline agent or the steps following a deadline event are therefore carried out asynchronously and do not complete the original activity/user decision.

Modeled Deadline Monitoring

If you do not want to use this "standard solution", you can also specify explicitly in the workflow definition which actions are to be taken in response to an exceeded deadline. For further information on the difference between modeled deadline monitoring and the standard mechanism, please refer to Modeled Deadline Monitoring vs. Standard Escalation

Modeled Deadline Monitoring/Standard Escalation

The runtime system allows the deadlines for executing work items to be monitored. Deadline monitoring is a functionality provided by SAP Business Workflow and is independent of application functionality.

Standard Escalation: Deadline Agent Notification of Deadline Items

If one of the deadlines which has been set is exceeded, the deadline agent responsible is notified. This notification is implemented as a work item which appears as such in the agent's work list. The notification text used is standard. To enter another text for the notification, enter a long text (deadline item) when the single-step task being monitored is defined. It is possible to replace text variables with elements from the task container at runtime.

When deadline monitoring is performed for wait steps, it is not possible to use an individual long text in the manner described. How this can be achieved nevertheless is described in the next section. When the work item for notifying the agent is processed, information on the monitored and late work item is displayed. If a deadline is exceeded, the monitored work item has not yet been completed. The status and agent assignment of the monitored work item are not changed by the exceeded deadline and notification of the agent. To implement deadline monitoring in the way described, maintain the data on responsibility (deadline agent) and deadlines in the definition of an activity, user decision, or wait step. Do not enter an event description for the deadline to be monitored.

Modeled Deadline Monitoring

Mail: Informing an Agent via SAPoffice When a deadline is exceeded and the agent cannot or is not to be informed in the manner described above using a work item, it is possible to use the SAPoffice functionality to send the notification that a deadline has been exceeded by mail or as an external document.

In the case of deadline monitoring for wait steps, the procedure described below is the only way of sending an informative text to notify the agent. The procedure of using the long text of a single-step task is not possible. Proceed as follows:

1. Maintain the data for deadlines. An event description must be entered for the deadline to be 2.
monitored. For further information, please refer to Deadline Monitoring. Then insert the steps which are required to determine the recipient and send the text after the "exceeded deadline event". For further information, please refer to Sending a Text as a Mail.

Bear in mind that the monitored work item has not yet been completed. The status and agent assignment of the monitored work item are not changed by the exceeded deadline and notification of the agent.

Fully Modeled Case: Exceeded Deadline Completes Step If one of the deadlines set is exceeded, modeled follow-up actions are to be executed making further processing of the monitored work item redundant. For example, this may be necessary if the activity which is to be executed no longer needs to be carried out or if it is to be dealt with by other agents.

To implement deadline monitoring in the way described, it is necessary to do the following in the definition of the monitored activity, user decision, or wait step: select the exception processing obsolete and implement appropriate follow-up steps, if required maintain the deadlines data. An event description must be entered for the deadline to be monitored A process control step must be defined after the exceeded deadline event in which processing of the monitored work item is set to "obsolete". For further information, please refer to Step Type Process Control. The deadline agent is not notified automatically.

Deadline Monitoring
Use
To monitor whether particular steps are executed at a particular point in time, you must first define a deadline.

To do so, insert the step to be monitored in a block and then define a deadline branch for the block. This deadline branch and the steps it contains will be executed if the deadline is not met. This does not affect the remaining steps in the process, however. Note in particular that no steps are terminated automatically. You decide what happens when a deadline is not met by inserting the relevant steps in the deadline branch. For example, you can insert a control step to terminate the process or to trigger an alert for SAP Alert Management.

Activities
1. Define a block and insert the steps that you want to monitor. 2. Use the context menu for the block to insert a deadline branch. 3. Define the required deadline. 4. In the deadline branch, insert the steps that are to be executed when the deadline is not met.

Schedule deadline monitoring

Deadline monitoring on an individual basis Deadline monitoring of work items on an individual basis is performed by a background job that must be scheduled once when the system is started. This background job plans itself each time for the next deadline to be monitored. Recommendation This customizing activity must be carried out if deadline monitoring is to be possible in SAP Business Workflow. Activities Carry out the customizing activity. Further notes If the background job which has been scheduled is terminated, it can be rescheduled using transaction SWWB. This customizing activity for setting up deadline monitoring on an individual basis must be carried out in each client of your production system in which SAP Business Workflow is used. (Alternatively you can also call the transaction SWWB each time.)

Scheduling the background job is part of the settings made in "auto customizing". Since other important settings are also entered in "auto customizing", you are strongly advised to execute this function. You will find "auto customizing" in the Implementation Guide under "Global Settings" -> " Maintain standard settings for SAP Business Workflow". It does not matter if the background job is scheduled several times. Permanent deadline monitoring (optional) Permanent deadline monitoring of work items, as opposed to monitoring on an individual basis, means that the background job scheduled is called periodically at intervals defined in minutes and checks whether deadlines have been exceeded since it was last called. Recommendation Only select permanent deadline monitoring if there are several deadlines to be monitored per minute. Activities 1. The background job must first be scheduled once (see above). 2. Carry out the activity for scheduling permanent deadline monitoring (transaction SWWA), in each client of your production system if applicable. 3. Select the flag for permanent deadline monitoring. 4. Enter an interval. For technical reasons, the interval specified must be at least three minutes.

Modeled Deadline Monitoring or Standard Escalation

The runtime system enables deadline monitoring for work item execution. This deadline monitoring is not dependent on any application functions.

Message recipient for missed deadline (standard escalation)

If one of the deadlines set is missed, the relevant message recipients for missed deadline are notified. All recipients receive a missed deadline work item in the deadline message folder of their Business Workplace. The notification text is displayed. You process it in the definition of the task in question. From the step definition you can go to the relevant task and process the text on the tab page Description.

It is not possible to specify an individual text in the manner described for wait step deadline monitoring. You can implement an individual notification with modeled deadline monitoring (see below). When you execute a missed deadline work item, information on the monitored and now late work item is displayed. If a deadline is missed, the monitored work item does not have the status completed. The status and agent assignment of the monitored work item are not changed by the missed deadline and notification. To implement the deadline monitoring as described, you maintain the reference date/time and the data on the tab page Display text in the step definition.

Modeled deadline monitoring

E-mail to recipients If the notification of the recipients cannot or is not to be implemented as a work item, a missed deadline notification can also be sent as a mail or an external document.

1. Maintain the reference date/time and enter a name on the tab page Modeled. For more
information, see Maintenance of Deadline Tab Pages.

2. Model a step of the type send mail in the newly created branch.
Keep in mind that the monitored work item does not yet have the status completed. The status and agent assignment of the monitored work item are not changed by the missed deadline and notification.

In the case of deadline monitoring for wait steps, this is the only way of sending your own text to notify the recipients. Missed deadline completes step You can terminate the execution of the work item if a deadline is missed. This may be necessary if the activity to be executed no longer needs to be carried out or if it is to be dealt with by other agents. You must also insert a step of the type process control in the new branch.

You can use the Workflow Wizard model deadline monitoring to assist you in the creation of modeled deadline monitoring. Select the step that you want to monitor and choose the Workflow Wizard by double-clicking.

You must make the following settings in the step definition of the step for which deadlines are monitored: Activate the outcome processing obsolete. Process the reference date/time on the relevant deadline tab page and enter a name on the tab page displayed there (Modeled).

Insert a final step of the type process control in the new branch after the outcome deadline missed. In its step definition, specify that the work item of the deadline-triggering step is to be set to obsolete. For more information, see Maintenance of Process Control. In the branch processing terminated, model the steps that are to be executed when the step termination due to missed deadline is executed.

A new branch is created in the workflow definition for each missed deadline type that you activate with a modeled response. Model all steps that are to be executed when this deadline type is missed in this branch. Model all steps that are to be executed regardless of the deadline type missed in the branch processing terminated. The recipient for missed deadline is not notified automatically. If a notification is to be sent, you must model this in the branch after the outcome deadline missed. Use the send mail step type for this purpose.

Step types

http://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/display/ABAP/Brief+Overview+of+Workflow+Step-Types

local work flow http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-3246