Chapter 2

Central User Access:

The Integrated Inbox
SAP Business Workflow work items are accessed from the R/3 Integrated
Inbox. The Integrated Inbox is a universal access point for all external and
internal mail, notifications and workflow items. The list of the "work" to be
completed by an employee, their work list, is displayed and managed in the
Integrated Inbox.

Integrated Inbox

Work Items and Mail in a Common Inbox

In addition to the work list, the documents in the SAPoffice Inbox are also
displayed in the Integrated Inbox (E-mail, Internet mail and fax). In this way,
an employee's access to important information is significantly simplified.

E-Mail, Internet-mail and Fax

There is no need to access different information channels by logging on to

various systems, and to use various dialogs and user interfaces.

Processing of Work Items

SAP Business Workflow work items are placed in the R/3 Integrated Inbox
for processing.
These work items (the individual tasks in the work list) can be directly processed by a simple click of the mouse that starts the appropriate application.
For example, when a worker reviews a purchase requisition for approval,
clicking on the requisition work item in the Integrated Inbox launches the
R/3 purchase requisition application and populates the screen with all of the
necessary data for that work item.

Work Items

Fig. 2-1: The Inbox

2-1

Central User Access: The Integrated Inbox

The database-orientated approach of SAP Business Workflow allows a work

item to be assigned to and viewed by several participants with the appropriate organization authorization. If, for example, in the organization model
several participants are authorized to review and approve the requisition,
the work item appears in the Integrated Inbox for each authorized participant. From there the work item is displayed and can be executed. Only one
participant, however, at a time can actually take on and execute this work item
for processing. Once the work item is accessed and executed by any one of
the authorized parties, it is removed from the Integrated Inbox of the others.
The Integrated Inbox then becomes the most important interface for a
knowledge workers to their daily work. Inexperienced or occasional R/3
users can quickly and easily access and execute workflow work items. It is
not necessary to know menu paths and transaction codes. The worker accesses the work item from the Integrated Inbox and, with a click of the
mouse, begins the valuable review and decision making process. This allows
the worker to concentrate fully on the effective and productive aspects of
applying their knowledge to the completion of the work step.
In the event the work item needs to be redirected to another individual, the
worker can use the ad hoc routing capability of Business Workflow. Adhoc
processing is supported from the Integrated Inbox:
Work items can be provided with attachments.
While a work item is being processed, mail can be generated to make
inquiries or obtain clarifications directly related to the item in process.
Application objects can be linked to work items so that an employee in
charge of follow-up processing can also process these objects by selecting them.

Continuation with Immediate Dialog

Once the worker completes the processing of a work item, and if there is
another similar type work item waiting to be processed, it is automatically
presented. The worker is not required to return to the Integrated Inbox work
list to execute the next item. Business Workflow will automatically launch
the work item and the appropriate business application.

Task Description: The Intelligent Job Instruction

Task Description

Workflow can be used to its fullest by an inexperienced or occasional user of

the R/3 system because part of the task definition is a textual task description. Integration with R/3 business objects also allows object attributes to be
incorporated into the text as case-specific data.
Using the same technique, notifications can be created under event control
and simply sent to anybody within or outside the company via E-mail, fax,
Internet or simply as a print-out.

2-2