/Unit4 by rapha Torres

Unit 4 People Integration with SAP NetWeaver Unit Overview This unit consists of five lessons, the first three of which deal with the SAP Enterprise Portal component. The first lesson provides information about logging on to the portal and about the portal interface, and you will learn about role-based content in the SAP Enterprise Portal (SAP EP). The second lesson describes how you can connect systems with SAP EP. Finally, lesson three deals with the possibilities of Knowledge Management and Collaboration in the SAP EP. Following these three lessons, you will know that the portal contains Employee Self-Services and a manager workplace. Lesson four shows you how you can implement a type of “administrator workplace” in your company, if required. To do so, you use SAP Records Management, the SAP record tool. People Integration not only refers to employees with a fixed workplace, but also integrates those employees who work in the mobile sales force. For this purpose, SAP NetWeaver uses the tools from SAP Mobile Infrastructure (SAP MI). Lesson five describes the basis of SAP MI in more detail.

Unit Objectives After completing this unit, you will be able to:

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Log on to the portal

Explain the design of the end-user view of the SAP Enterprise Portal

Explain the concept of role-based user and content management

Find Business Packages and explain their benefits

Outline how SAP applications are generally integrated into an SAP Enterprise Portal

Integrate applications based on Business Server Pages

Integrate BW queries

Explain what Knowledge Management means in the context of the SAP Enterprise Portal

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Describe the concepts behind collaboration

Define the architecture of SAP MI

Describe the different forms of mobile business applications

Explain how the SAP MI components cooperate

Describe application areas for SAP RM

Evaluate the benefits of SAP RM for your company

Name the delivery cycle for SAP RM

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Unit Contents Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Overview and End-User View .........147 Exercise 7: Logging on to the Portal and Personalization ............161 Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Integration of SAP Applications .......166 Exercise 8: Creating iViews: Integration of “Submit Travel Request” Business Server Page Application ......................................175 Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Knowledge Management and Collaboration.....................................................................181 Exercise 9: Knowledge Management....................................191 Exercise 10: Collaboration ................................................197 Lesson: SAP Mobile Infrastructure ...........................................201 Lesson: SAP Records Management: An Integrated “Administrator Workplace” ......................................................................206

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Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Overview and End-User View

Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Overview and End-User View Lesson Overview The lesson uses a business scenario to show the various different end-user requirements that you can satisfy with an enterprise portal. This enables you to increase satisfaction and effectiveness. An enterprise portal is the interface with end users. From an end-user perspective, the lesson will therefore help you understand what role-based user and content management means, and how you can access the data you need from many different systems using a single, intuitive interface. It will also show how Business Packages allow you to considerably reduce the work involved in implementing a portal.

Lesson Objectives After completing this lesson, you will be able to: ·

Log on to the portal

Explain the design of the end-user view of the SAP Enterprise Portal

Explain the concept of role-based user and content management

Find Business Packages and explain their benefits

Business Example You are using many different applications in your company. Each employee has to log on to these applications, and then log off from them, several times a day. Forgotten passwords mean extra work for both employees themselves and for the IT department. In meetings, managers at your company have frequently expressed a desire for a central overview of the company's applications, both for their employees and for themselves. This includes both self-service applications and the systems that employees use in their daily work. Furthermore, in employee satisfaction surveys, many employees complain that they often cannot find particular information when they need it, even though they know that the information does exist. They say that there are no practical search functions, or that search functions are of little use when several systems are involved. They complain of an “information overload:” There are too many intranet pages, and too many local servers with too many files. And every time a new project is started with employees from different locations, employees renew their calls for a system that allows them to communicate with each other faster ('online,' so to speak), and which enables them to view new documents on the spot.

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Motivation Behind Enterprise Portals

Figure 70: The Challenge: Complex System Landscapes

The above business scenario describes some of the “flags” that indicate when it might be useful to introduce an enterprise portal. The following list describes what users most frequently want from an enterprise portal.

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Desire for a uniform overview of many different applications

Desire to be given only the content and functions required for your own particular job

Desire for a clear management of corporate information

Desire for helpful search functions that put the right information at your fingertips

Desire for tools to improve both collaboration during projects and the management of project information

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Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Overview and End-User View

Figure 71: Solution: mySAP Enterprise Portal

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SAP Enterprise Portal meets all of these requirements by offering the following features: 路

An infrastructure that allows you to call up, and edit, data from various information sources within your company and on the Internet using small programs called iViews. SAP delivers iViews templates but you can also create your own customer-specific iViews. iViews can access data in your company's applications, and on any Web sites, in any documents, e-mail, and so on. iViews offer a personalized picture of all elements that are relevant to your responsibilities.

路

Enhanced functions for finding and categorizing information SAP Enterprise Portal provides high-performance search functions that you can use to selectively and intuitively call files and documents from many different information sources (for example, from local database applications, Web sites, or pools with company documents). The Knowledge Management functions integrated into the SAP Enterprise Portal allow you to access documents that are stored in different repositories. As well as text documents, these can also include resources in a multitude of media types.

路

Collaboration functions that you can use to communicate with other portal users, and to work in distributed teams on cross-team projects Collaboration functions allow you to use common resources and common content. The individual tools and services include, for example, virtual project rooms and tools that allow real-time interaction, irrespective of geographical location. Discussion forums allow you to exchange data and information with colleagues who work elsewhere - perhaps even in a different time zone

In summary, we can say that a portal gives the right user the right information and the right functions at any time, from anywhere in the world. We will conclude this section with a few words on the technical background of the SAP Enterprise Portal. SAP Enterprise Portal's core functions are written in Java. You need a J2EE runtime environment, as provided by the SAP Web Application Server with Web AS Java. SAP Enterprise Portal is based on an open architecture and supports standards such as SOAP, UDDI, and XML. The portal has efficient security functions including the full support of directory services, digital certificates, and SSL (Secure Socket Layer) protocol. The SAP Enterprise Portal is highly scalable and can therefore accommodate a large number of users. Mobile devices are also supported by the portal.

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Role-Based User Management In the last section, we told you that “SAP Enterprise Portal brings the right content to the right user.” How does this statement relate to the design of the SAP Enterprise Portal? Every employee in a company has particular roles for which they require different functions and information for their daily work. SAP Enterprise Portal provides role-based functions and information. That is, company roles to which content is assigned are mapped in the portal. Each employee is assigned to the roles that provide the content required for his or her daily work. Once employees log on to the portal, they will then see only the content that is relevant to their roles. The figure below shows the objects that connect portal content and users.

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Figure 72: Objects and Typical Object Assignments

Note: The most important content objects are: iView Program that retrieves data from content sources in your company and on the Internet, and displays it in the SAP Enterprise Portal content area. Page Layout of one or several iViews. Workset A specific collection of tasks, services, and information that are part of a role. Worksets consist of iViews and pages organized in a directory structure that defines the navigation paths. Role Roles determine which content (defined by the iViews and pages it contains) can be accessed through which navigation paths (defined by the directory structure). Roles can be assigned to individual users or groups of users.

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The content is made available by roles. The following roles are generally provided in the portal: ·

Administrator roles (these are part of the installation) –

Administrators for organizing content

–

Administrators for user management

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Administrators for system management in the portal

Roles for users of many different types (are created or imported subsequently) –

Managers

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HR staff

–

CRM/SD staff

–

Master Data Administrators (MDM)

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Occasional users

–

...

Users either use the portal as their central work center to access many different applications, or they use it as their user interface within a particular application. This is the case in SAP Master Data Management (SAP MDM), for example, and in the SAP xRPM xApp for multi-project management or in the manager self service workplace. The roles for managing users and for managing content are entirely separate. Administrators for users and roles define both objects according to company requirements in the system and assign roles to the users. Content administrators define what content the system contains, manage it as appropriate, and determine what role can work with what content. Hint: For more information about user, role, and content maintenance, see course SAP EP and follow-on courses such as EP200 and EP300. A distinction must be made between authorizations in connected systems and role maintenance in the portal. The portal uses the authentication procedure of the application in question, and does not need to transfer a permission profile to the portal. This increases security and reduces user management effort. It also ensures that users can access only the data and information that corresponds to their authorization profile. To avoid duplicate maintenance, you can copy roles between the portal and an SAP system. However, this only involves storing the menu of the role on the portal side. The corresponding authorization data from the SAP system is not stored. This is in the backend.

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Benefits of Business Packages in the SAP Enterprise Portal In addition to around 100 roles, SAP also delivers standard content in Business Packages. Business Packages contain predefined portal content that can be used to call the transactions and reports in many different system types. It also contains documents and information, based on the roles for users, managers, and experts. Business Packages help your content manager to work, and considerably reduce the implementation time for your Enterprise Portal because they allow portals to be built without any additional development work. So while your competitors are still trying to program their enterprise portal platform, you are already enjoying the benefits of using SAP Enterprise Portal.

Figure 73: Target Groups for Business Packages

Business Packages are classified by the following target groups: End users, specialists, and managers. Business Packages for users This package contains the tasks that a portal user may perform in the portal, regardless of the user's other roles in the company. The tasks help beginners to familiarize themselves with the portal as quickly as possible and thereby accelerate acceptance of the Enterprise Portal. The content contains functions relating to e-mail, task lists, calendar management, travel expenses, management of benefits, employee self-services, e-learning, and searching the employee register.

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Business Packages for managers The content of these packages allows decision-makers to perform efficient analyses and to obtain the information they need to make decisions. They also provide tools that allow managers to plan and manage their staff and budget. Departmental heads, team managers, and project leaders can thereby reduce the amount of time they spend on administrative issues so that they can concentrate on strategic tasks. The most common Business Packages for managers include the manager self-services (MSS). Business Packages for experts These Business Packages are designed for experts in all of the various departments in your company such as Sales, Human Resources, Marketing, Finance, and Production. They provide the appropriate analysis tools which enable users to act quickly, based on the right information. However, they can also provide operational tools such as campaign management for marketing staff. You can obtain the Business Packages using the iViewStudio, which is a central marketplace for portal content. You can find the iViewStudio at https://www.sdn.sap.com/sdn/contentportfolio.sdn (previously at www.iViewStudio.com). As a registered user, you will find the individual packages there. You can display and download the content under the corresponding roles. You must follow basic steps before you can use a Business Package: 1.

Download a Business Package from the iViewStudio

Upload a Business Package into an SAP Enterprise Portal

Add delivered worksets to customer roles or adjust delivered roles

Provide system object(s) and change the alias(es) if required

Documentation for each Business Package is also available in the iViewStudio. This documentation tells you which further settings you need to make, if any, to be able to work with the new content.

Logging On to the SAP Enterprise Portal To conclude this lesson, let us look at logging on to the SAP Enterprise Portal and designing the portal for the user. The system can be accessed using a Web browser.

Hint: Compare the Platform Availability Matrix (PAM) for a list of the Web browsers that are supported. You can find the PAM for SAP Enterprise Portal 6.0 on SAP Service Marketplace at service.sap.com/pam60.

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To do this, you: 1.

Open your Web browser

Enter the URL of the portal. The typical format is http(s)://<name of the portal server>.<domain>:<port>/irj

Enter your user ID and password.

Choose "Log On" or "Enter" and wait until the start page has loaded.

Hint: SAP Enterprise Portal protects key company data by using proven technology and supporting appropriate standards. ·

You can authenticate yourself on the SAP Enterprise Portal using a predefined user (“anonymous” user). This procedure is often used for public portals. However, you can also log on after self-registration, by entering a user name and password and by using digital certificates (X.509 standard). Various third-party authentication technologies (JAAS standard) are also supported. Single Sign-On means that you have to log on to the enterprise portal only once.

The user master records of the portal users are in a user directory that can be located in a directory server (LDAP server), the portal database or an SAP system (SAP Web AS 6.20 or higher).

For content administrators, you can determine which operations (such as create, change, delete, and so on) you can perform on which objects (iViews, pages, roles, and so on). SAP EP 6.0 offers the Delegated Administration function. In multinational companies, this allows you, for example, to decide that one content administrator is to define the content for Europe or even for particular countries in Europe, and that another is to define the content for Asia and North and South America. In SAP EP 5.0, you could define only a global content administrator, whose rights had no restrictions.

Common security protocols (such as HTTPS and SNC) prevent unauthorized persons from accessing the transferred information.

Design of the Portal Desktop The 'portal desktop' refers to the entire portal screen, including its content and layout. It also comprises the tools that users require to personalize their portals. The portal desktop is divided into three main areas: The header area, navigation panel, and content area.

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Figure 74: SAP Enterprise Portal User Interface

The header area is the part of the portal desktop that does not change when you navigate from one page to another. It contains the masthead and the top-level navigation bar. The masthead usually displays the company name and logo, a greeting, and the name of the user who is logged on, as well as links to functions such as Personalization, Help, and Log Off. The top-level navigation bar consists of tab pages that depict the first two levels of the portal hierarchy. Deeper levels of the hierarchy can be accessed in the navigation panel using the detailed navigation in the panel, which works in much the same way as the SAP Easy Access Menu in the SAP system. When the user calls a particular portal hierarchy using the Navigation functions, the content area changes. This is the actual user interface for performing tasks. A page appears with several iViews or a whole-page iView.

The portal is effectively a type of “personalized newspaper.” The Content area displays the pages of the newspaper containing the articles (or iViews ). Just like real articles, iViews cover news and events from lots of different sources. However, unlike newspaper articles, iViews are not just static links with words and figures. iViews allow you to investigate the story further by using follow-on questions to find relevant real-time information.

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Personalization in the SAP Enterprise Portal SAP Enterprise Portal gives users many opportunities for personalization: ·

Global settings using the Personalization function in the SAP Enterprise Portal

Role-based content selection by the portal administration

If allowed by the portal administrator: Individual user assignment of role-based content This includes setting the layout of individual pages and selecting and assigning iViews.

Some iViews also offer personalization options (for instance, you can select columns in a list display).

As a user, you can adjust the SAP Enterprise Portal interface to your own requirements. Use the Personalization link in the header area of your portal client. Personalization essentially involves the following areas: ·

Portal theme

Portal language

Employee assignment

User profile

Password maintenance

WorkProtect function

The functions for changing the password or for setting the portal language are self-explanatory. You can use the Agent Assignment function to assign a user name and password for systems that you want to access and which do not allow you to log on using single sign-on. User Profile allows you to maintain user-specific data such as address data, telephone number, department, and so on. Portal Theme personalization allows you to define the general layout of the portal interface such as its colors, fonts, and logos. You can create your own portal themes for each customer. SAP also delivers two special portal themes for visually-impaired users (high-contrast). Some iViews and applications contain forms with fields for entering data . If you leave the active window of one of these applications when working in the portal to go to another page, data you have entered in these iViews, or your changes to these iViews, are lost. The WorkProtect function allows you to prevent unsaved data from being lost when you navigate. When you activate the WorkProtect

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mode, all navigation links are started in a new window. The active window with the unsaved data is retained. The prerequisite for this is that the application used supports this function. If you are a user with the necessary authorization, you can also adjust the layout and content of the pages in your portal. For example, you do not want to display all iViews that are assigned to a page or you want to have a wider column for some iViews. You might also want to add iViews. Customizing is carried out in the personalized page environment. You can call this by clicking the Options icon in the masthead area and selecting Personalization from the dropdown menu. This brings you to a new window with the layout and content of the page you want to change.

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Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Overview and End-User View

Exercise 7: Logging on to the Portal and Personalization Exercise Objectives After completing this exercise, you will be able to: ·

Log on to the portal

Use some Personalization functions

Business Example The project team for implementing the portal has developed a pilot system. You are asked to test a number of basic user functions.

Task 1: Logging On Logging on to the SAP Enterprise Portal 1.

Start a Web browser (for these and the following exercises, we will assume you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer).

Enter the URL of your training portal. The typical format is http(s)://<Portal server>.<Domain>:<Port>/irj, for instance, http://twdfp000.wdf.sap.corp:50000/irj. Your instructor will give you the details. If possible, save the address under your Favorites in Internet Explorer.

Log on with the user SAPNW-## (where ## is your group number) and the password initial. You are prompted to change your password.

Result You are now logged on to the SAP Enterprise Portal.

Task 2: Personalization Call a number of Personalization options 1.

Change the default logon language for your portal user to English.

Change the preset theme for your portal user.

Continued on next page

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Task 3: Setting the Auto-Detect Status Set the auto-detect status so that other users can access portal functions such as Send Instant Message. 1.

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Set the auto-detect status for your user, that is, specify that you are logged onto the portal.

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Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Overview and End-User View

Solution 7: Logging on to the Portal and Personalization Task 1: Logging On Logging on to the SAP Enterprise Portal 1.

Start a Web browser (for these and the following exercises, we will assume you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer). a)

Internet Explorer must be opened from different places (on a local PC or using the Windows Terminal Server) and in different ways, depending on the training environment. Typically, you find the program in the Windows Start menu or as an icon on the Desktop.

Enter the specified URL in the Address field in the Internet Explorer.

To save the URL in your Favorites, choose Favorites → Add to Favorites...Give your new entry a suitable name, for instance, the name of the training portal. In future, you will now be able to use your Favorites to quickly access the URL of your training portal.

Log on with the user SAPNW-## (where ## is your group number) and the password initial. You are prompted to change your password. a)

Fill the User ID and Password fields as described.

Change your password on the following screen: Old_Password: initial New_Password: training Confirm Password: training

Press Enter on your keyboard.

Result You are now logged on to the SAP Enterprise Portal.

Continued on next page

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Task 2: Personalization Call a number of Personalization options 1.

Change the default logon language for your portal user to English. a)

Choose the Personalize function in the masthead.

Under Portal Language in the new window, select English as the language and choose Save. Then close the Personalization window.

Usually, you just need to refresh the window with the portal display (F5) to display the changes. If this does not work, log off from the portal and log on again.

Change the preset theme for your portal user. a)

Choose the Personalize function in the masthead.

Under Portal Language in the new window, select a theme and choose Save. Then close the Personalization window.

Usually, you just need to refresh the window with the portal display (F5) to display the changes. If this does not work, log off from the portal and log on again.

Task 3: Setting the Auto-Detect Status Set the auto-detect status so that other users can access portal functions such as Send Instant Message. 1.

Set the auto-detect status for your user, that is, specify that you are logged onto the portal. a)

Open the Collaboration Launch Pad by choosing Collaboration in the top left-hand corner of the screen.

Click the triangle beside Suppress Status in the right-hand corner of the screen.

Choose Auto-Detect Status. The little man next to "Suppress Status", that symbolizes the logon user, is assigned a green checkmark (this represents the online status). Now other users can send instant messages to your user, for example.

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Lesson Summary You should now be able to:

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Log on to the portal

Explain the design of the end-user view of the SAP Enterprise Portal

Explain the concept of role-based user and content management

Find Business Packages and explain their benefits

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Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Integration of SAP Applications Lesson Overview This lesson provides an overview of how different SAP applications can be integrated into the SAP Enterprise Portal.

Lesson Objectives After completing this lesson, you will be able to: ·

Outline how SAP applications are generally integrated into an SAP Enterprise Portal

Integrate applications based on Business Server Pages

Integrate BW queries

Business Example Your company carries out processes with different companies across different systems. Your reporting is currently performed in the individual systems. Some of your business processes work on a workflow-controlled basis. You want to call applications on an interface and execute the reporting. You also want to be able to call and process the different workflow-controlled work items centrally from different systems.

SAP Applications and the SAP Enterprise Portal In principle, all applications that run in SAP systems can be integrated simply into the SAP Enterprise Portal. SAP provides iView templates for the different application types.

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Figure 75: Integration of SAP applications

The application types supported include ·

SAP transactions (using one of the following SAP GUI variants) –

SAP GUI for HTML

–

SAP GUI for Java

–

SAP GUI for Windows

–

...

Internet Application Components (IAC)

Business Server Pages (BSP)

Web Dynpro Applications

SAP BW Reports

...

Each of these applications has its own user interface that is subsequently displayed in the portal in the form of iViews.

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Furthermore, customers or partners can also write their own portal application programs and new iViews can be created using the portal components that form the basis of these portal applications. These portal applications are programmed in Java. They implement new interfaces in the portal and can use any number of functions in SAP systems (such as BAPIs). Note: BAPIs are based on RFC-compliant function modules that can be called from external systems.

Figure 76: iViews and SAP Systems

Applications in a company usually run on several SAP systems (different system types such as SAP R/3 or SAP CRM, different releases, and so on). How are these systems integrated into an SAP Enterprise Portal? The system landscape, that is, a collection of system objects maintained by the system administrator, is used for this purpose in the portal. This type of system object describes all the relevant technical specifications of a system. These include the following for SAP systems:

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Client

Server on which the SAP system is running

Logon procedure

Server name and port for BSP applications (ICM process)

Server name and port for IAC applications (SAP ITS)

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An individual iView, which calls an application in an SAP system (for example, transaction SE80 in the SAP GUI for Windows), uses an alias to control this system. You therefore do not have to define any system details for the iView because the symbolic alias name used here (for example, SAP_CRM) is sufficient. You can assign one or more aliases to a system object. To be more specific, the iViews delivered in the SAP Business Packages also contain aliases. For example, the Employee Self Service (ESS) iView includes the SAP_HumanResources and SAP_Financials aliases. Some customers perform Human Resources and Accounting functions in the same SAP system (two aliases would be defined in the portal for the same system object) while others use separate SAP systems (represented in the portal as two system objects with separate aliases).

Integration of Business Server Page Applications (BSP Application) The following section provides an example of how an application is integrated into the portal using Business Server Pages (BSPs). A BSP application is a self-contained application that is executed in the browser, not in the SAP GUI for Windows. For our example, we will use a BSP application that the company's employees can use to submit a travel request.

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The relevant system object for the application system in which the BSP application runs has already been created. To integrate the application in the portal, proceed as follows: 1.

Log on to the portal with a user that has at least been assigned to the content_admin_role role.

Call the Portal Content Studio by choosing the menu path Content Administration → Portal Content.

Navigate to the required target folder in the Portal Catalog, right-click to select this directory, and choose New → iView.

From the list of templates, choose SAP BSP iView and then Next.

Enter the name and ID of your iView and choose Next.

Select the BSP application type.

The relevant information is displayed on the screen that appears next. ·

System: Alias of the target system

Business Server Page (BSP) Application: Name of BSP application

Start Page: First HTML page called

Confirm your entries by choosing Next. 8.

Choose Finish to open the editor directly for the iView attributes. You can preview the new iViews here, if required.

Hint: This list describes the main steps required to integrate BW queries and does not replace the online documentation.

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Integration of BW Queries We will now discuss the integration of BW queries, following the model used in the previous section. The relevant system object also already exists for the SAP BW system. We want to integrate a BW analysis to show us how many flights have been approved by the relevant department manager within a particular period. 1.

Log on to the portal with a user that is at least assigned to the content_admin_role role.

Call the Portal Content Studio by choosing the menu path Content Administration → Portal Content.

Navigate to the required target folder in the Portal Catalog, right-click to select this directory, and choose New → iView.

From the list of templates, choose SAP BSP iView and then Next.

Enter the name and ID of your iView and choose Next.

The relevant information is displayed on the screen that appears next. · ·

System: Alias of the target system BEx Web Application Query String: Depending on the BW content, you must enter the following details: –

For BEx Web Application: template_id=<TEMPLATE_ID>

–

For BW query: infocube=<INFOCUBE>&query=<QUERY>

–

For BW bookmark: bookmark_id=<BOOKMARK_ID>

Confirm your entries by choosing Next. 7.

Choose Finish to open the editor directly for the iView attributes. You can preview the new iViews here, for example.

Hint: This list describes the main steps required to integrate BW queries and does not replace the online documentation.

Integration of the Universal Worklist When you control processes using the SAP Business Workflow, you can display and edit all work items from all connected systems using the universal worklist. The universal worklist has automatic caching which you can use to call the work items for roles to be specified from systems to be specified at regular intervals. However, the worklist is not refreshed automatically. To refresh the worklist, choose "Refresh".

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Figure 77: SAP EP - Universal Worklist

As with the display in the SAP GUI for Windows, you can also display a work item and attachments by choosing Display Detail. You can access functions, such as Accept, Transfer, Resubmit, Change appointment, and Send request, for SAP Business Workflow work items by choosing View Detail in SAP GUI. To use the universal worklist, proceed as follows: 1.

Use an SAP EP system definition to specify the systems from which you want to display work items (System Administration → System Configuration).

Assign alias names for the systems (System Administration → System Configuration).

Maintain the user mapping (user administration), that is, specify the logon data for the different systems.

Under System Administration → System Configuration in the Universal Worklist & Workflow - Universal Worklist - UWL Systems Configuration folder, specify the systems whose work items are to be displayed in the universal worklist.

Activate this setting by selecting Universal Worklist Administration.

An iView universal worklist is available by default, which you must assign to the corresponding user roles.

You can use different criteria to program the worklist view.

For more detailed information, refer to the documentation.

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Outlook: iViews Development by Customers and Partners In the lesson “SAP Enterprise Portal Overview and End-User View,” you learned about Business Packages that you can use to set up your portal with standard content without the need for additional development. All iViews are based on Java code that a developer has created. Applications in the portal environment are known as portal applications that consist of portal components (on which iViews are based) and portal services (which provide and use services). The SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio has been developed to create portal applications. This is a complete development environment for comprehensive J2EE applications for SAP NetWeaver (that is, components other than the SAP Enterprise Portal). The SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio is based on the open Eclipse platform, with plug-ins developed by SAP. For more information, refer to the SAP Developer Network (SDN) developer portal at http://sdn.sap.com. In addition to the SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio, you can also use the Portal Development Kit (PDK). From a technical point of view, this is a Business Package that you can also access from http://sdn.sap.com. The PDK contains documentation, examples, and templates for creating iViews.

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Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Integration of SAP Applications

Exercise 8: Creating iViews: Integration of “Submit Travel Request” Business Server Page Application Exercise Objectives After completing this exercise, you will be able to: · ·

Create a folder in the Portal Content Catalog Create iViews for SAP applications

Business Example Your company wants to use the portal to provide functions from existing applications in SAP systems.

Task 1: Integration of a Business Server Page Application Using an iView Create a folder in the Portal Content Catalog and an iView for a BSP application in the SAP system.

Hint: To carry out this task, your instructor must assign the Content Administrator role to your portal user. 1.

Call the Portal Content Studio and navigate to the SAPNW folder provided.

In the Portal Content Catalog, create a new folder with the following settings under the SAPNW folder:

Folder Name

Group ##

Folder ID

folder##

Folder ID Prefix

com.sap.training.sapnw

In your Group ## folder, create a new iView that refers to the Business Server Page (BSP) application ZSAPNW in your XI training system. From the iView quotation, select the iView template for BSPs and make the following entries: iView Name

Travel request_##

iView ID

sapbsp##_1

iView ID Prefix

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Save As

iView

Definition Type

BSP

System

Train_Travel

Customer Namespace

sap

Application Namespace

sap

BSP Application

zsapnw

Start Page

request.htm

Test the new iView.

Task 2: Integration of an iView in a Standard Role Integration of the “travel request_##” iView in the Training Democontent role 1.

Enter the “travel request_##” iView you have just created in the Training Democontent standard role. You can find the role under Portal Content in the SAPNW folder in the Initial_Content subfolder. Refresh the portal by choosing F5.

Task 3: Testing the iView from the Role In the top-level navigation, navigate to TrainingDemocontent, call your travel request_## iView, and enter a request with the following data: Departure location: Frankfurt Destination: New York Date outbound flight: <today's date> + 1 day Date return flight: <today's date> + 3 days Save your data by choosing OK. This saves the travel request in your XI training system and starts an approval workflow. 1.

In the top-level navigation, navigate to TrainingDemocontent, call your travel request_##, and enter a request. Enter a new travel request.

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Solution 8: Creating iViews: Integration of “Submit Travel Request” Business Server Page Application Task 1: Integration of a Business Server Page Application Using an iView Create a folder in the Portal Content Catalog and an iView for a BSP application in the SAP system.

Hint: To carry out this task, your instructor must assign the Content Administrator role to your portal user. 1.

Call the Portal Content Studio and navigate to the SAPNW folder provided. a)

Log on to the portal with the SAPNW-## user.

Navigate to Content Administration → Portal Content. The Portal Content Studio appears in the Content area.

In the Portal Content Catalog, create a new folder with the following settings under the SAPNW folder: Folder Name

Group ##

Folder ID

folder##

Folder ID Prefix

com.sap.training.sapnw

Right-click the SAPNW folder and choose New → Folder.

Fill the fields as specified. Under Master Language, enter a supported language and a description (optional) under Description. Choose Finish to save your entries.

Travel request_##

iView ID

sapbsp##_1

iView ID Prefix

com.sap.training.sapnw

Save As

iView Continued on next page

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Definition Type

BSP

System

Train_Travel

Customer Namespace

sap

Application Namespace

sap

BSP Application

zsapnw

Start Page

request.htm

Test the new iView. a)

Navigate as the SAPNW-## portal user to the Content Administration → Portal Content → Portal Content → SAPNW → Group ## folder.

Right-click the Group ## folder and choose New → iView.

Select the SAP BSP iView template and select Next.

Fill the following masks as described in the exercise and select Next. Note: Do not change any fields that are not mentioned.

If all the entries are correct, select Finish on the last screen (and leave Open for Editing... selected).

You can now use the Preview function to test your new iView.

Task 2: Integration of an iView in a Standard Role Integration of the “travel request_##” iView in the Training Democontent role 1.

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Refresh the portal by choosing F5. a)

Navigate to the view by choosing Content_Administration → Portal Content and open the folder by choosing Portal Content → SAPNW → Initial_Content.

Select the Training Democontent role and from the context menu, choose the Open → Object function. The role contents are displayed on the right-hand side of the screen.

In the SAPNW folder, open your group-specific Group ## folder. In this folder, select the group-specific travel request_## iView.

From the context menu, choose the function AddiViewtoRole → DeltaLink.

Refresh the portal by choosing F5.

In the top-level navigation, navigate to TrainingDemocontent, call your travel request_##, and enter a request. Enter a new travel request. a)

In the top-level navigation, navigate to TrainingDemocontent.

Click your entry travel request_##. Once you have authenticated yourself for the Business Server Page (user SAPNW-##, password INIT), a window opens that contains the Business Server Page Enter Business Trip.

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Enter a travel request using the data above.

Save the request by choosing OK.

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Lesson Summary You should now be able to:

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路

Outline how SAP applications are generally integrated into an SAP Enterprise Portal

路

Integrate applications based on Business Server Pages

路

Integrate BW queries

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Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Knowledge Management and Collaboration

Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Knowledge Management and Collaboration Lesson Overview Knowledge Management and Collaboration are the key functional components of SAP NetWeaver. This lesson provides an overview of some of the benefits of your company using Knowledge Management in the SAP Enterprise Portal and how it can be used by an end user. The second part of the lesson focuses on Collaboration, which contains functions that allow company employees in different continents and time zones to work together effectively.

Lesson Objectives After completing this lesson, you will be able to: ·

Explain what Knowledge Management means in the context of the SAP Enterprise Portal

Describe the concepts behind collaboration

Business Example A new project team was formed in your company. Some of the employees work from home but they want to make the documents that they create available to the other members of the project team. They would also prefer to receive direct feedback about the working papers. Not only do some of the members of the project team occasionally work from home, they are also based in different locations. You want a virtual working environment in the company, where you can work together in groups regardless of where each employee is located. The project team is also keen to improve the organization of the documents that constitute a part of the company’s numerous business processes and that are stored in several different repositories.

Objective of Knowledge Management No one individual employee can know as much as all the employees together. Therefore, it is important to be able to find and use all unstructured company information efficiently. Unstructured information is text documents, presentations, images, or videos, for example, (unlike structured data, which is stored in tables in database systems). It does not matter in which repositories this information is

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ultimately stored because you can use SAP NetWeaver with a range of Knowledge Management services to help you find the information you need. For example, you can: ·

Access any contents using intelligent search functions and publishing and registration options, or simply by browsing

Manage, classify, and query contents efficiently

Control the publication cycle through online cooperation and workflow functions

Check access to information using corresponding authorization profiles

Search for information in internal and external sources and identify experts for specific topics

Knowledge Management supports the entire life cycle of documents and therefore transforms unstructured company information into company knowledge.

Figure 78: Roles and Activities in Knowledge Management

Classification functions help you to structure and display information and access special topics. Experts can use Knowledge Management services to publish information throughout the company and users can use these services to access relevant information. Users can also use a corresponding registration to automatically receive information about changes and new content for the selected topics.

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Feedback, discussion, and comment functions also enable the users to contact the relevant author(s) directly. Other advantages of creating documents on the Internet are the speed at which you can distribute information and the fact that you can control the content versions. An open architecture also allows you to access existing Content Management systems and therefore protects your existing investments.

Knowledge Management Components Knowledge Management (KM) is a central function of SAP NetWeaver, which is available from the SAP Enterprise Portal. The following areas belong to KM: ·

Content Management: Supports the entire life cycle of documents (for example, creation, approval, publication, reading documents, comments, archiving)

Search and Classification (TREX): Full-text search using different types of documents and their automatic classification Hint: To avoid any misunderstanding: Knowledge Management is not the SAP Knowledge Warehouse. Knowledge Management in the SAP Enterprise Portal is a central, role-specific access point for unstructured information from different data sources. You can also create documents directly within Knowledge Management and store them in the SAP EP database.

Content Management (CM) Users access document using a user-friendly, modifiable user interface. The physical location of documents is not relevant. Content Management uses a range of connectors (repository managers) that are used to connect the various data sources used. Some of the products and protocols supported are SAP CRM (for example, for brochures), File Server, Web Server, WebDAV Server, and document management products from third parties. Note: Both SAP (see the online documentation) and partners (see www.iViewStudio.com or https://www.sdn.sap.com/sdn/contentportfolio.sdn) provide connectors.

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Figure 79: Architecture Overview of Content Management

The contents of the documents may be very different media types, for example:

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Desktop documents

Web pages

Spreadsheets

Database tables

Design drawing from PLM (DVS)

PowerPoint presentations

Text files

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Figure 80: Selected Services for Documents

General services relating to documents are available both for authors and users, irrespective of the specific media type. For example, these types of services include:

Functions for creating, uploading, and changing documents

Enqueue processing prevents several authors from editing the same document

Version management (provided this is support by the repository)

Lifespan specification (for how long can I display the document?)

Single-level or multi-level approval workflows that influence the visibility of documents

XML-based forms for specific information (for example, company notifications)

Search & Classification (TREX) TREX is a search engine developed by SAP that can also be used within the portal environment (for example, for finding information in the online documentation or in SAP CRM catalogs). When you are logged on to the portal, you can execute a search in the tool area (part of the portal header area). In addition to this simple search query, you can also execute an enhanced query (such as “Search for the words SAP NetWeaver OR SAP Enterprise Portal in all PPT documents of a particular author that are not older than one month.”) using your own iViews or the Show Options function in the hit list.

Hint: TREX supports a variety of document formats (see SAP Note 663630) and languages (see SAP Note 631390).

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In addition to its search functions, you can also use TREX to classify documents. This means that you can assign documents to a taxonomy (hierarchy of categories) based on their content. As a starting point, imagine a large file system with unstructured contents. You now want make these contents easily accessible in different views. For this purpose, you would first create a repository in the content manager with reference to the file system. The directory is then indexed using TREX. For this purpose, you create an index with the directory as the data source. The TREX function is then used to index the repository contents, that is, the file system. As soon as a new document is created in the directory, it is automatically indexed and is then available for the full-text search.

Figure 81: Classification of Documents

For this indexed repository and its contents, taxonomies can then be created that represent virtual views of sets of documents. A user can use a taxonomy (for example Trip → Flight → Carrier → Guidelines) to navigate to documents, regardless of where the documents are physically stored. Two different variants are used to add documents to categories:

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With a query-based classification, documents are assigned using search queries that are defined for the individual categories. The query-based classification determines how well a document matches a search query.

With an example-based classification, documents are assigned by comparing sample documents. The example-based classification determines the similarity between the document assigned in the taxonomy and the sample documents that are used as training material for taxonomy.

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If you want to use taxonomies, you must at least consider the following points: ·

Decide whether you want to use a query-based or example-based classification

You define the categories you want to use in your company

With the example-based classification, you must decide how many and which sample documents you have to specify for the system to compare the similarity between new documents.

With the query-based classification, you must define the categories and their attributes and train your users to maintain these attributes each time they create a document so that the system can find the correct category.

The best variant to use for your company depends on the particular situation, therefore, there is no general consensus on which one should be used.

Collaboration with SAP NetWeaver Today, Collaboration is more important than ever, both within and beyond company boundaries. Companies are more likely to have geographically distributed employees and close integration with partners at all levels. SAP Enterprise Portal provides a comprehensive and flexible environment that users and teams can access according to their needs.

Figure 82: Collaboration

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The following tools and services belong to the Collaboration with SAP NetWeaver component delivered with the SAP Enterprise Portal. ·

You can use the room to define virtual work areas for teams, work groups, or communities. Templates help you with this. All members of a project have access to selected content within their “room” regardless of time or location.

Real-Time Collaboration provides services for interactive online meetings. Portal users can use application sharing to share individual iViews, entire applications, or their entire desktop with other portal users at remote locations. This enables remote presentations, software demos, and IT support for users or training. You can also use the Real-Time Collaboration services instant messaging (to exchange brief messages with other portal users) and chat (to communicate with several other users online).

Collaboration products from third parties can also be integrated seamlessly into SAP Enterprise Portal using groupware services (for example, Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino) or synchronous collaboration framework (SCF) (for example, WebEx or Lotus Web Conferencing).

The Collaboration Launch Pad allows users quick access to all collaboration services. The launch pad can be called up from the masthead at any time.

The room function is also automatically available on the user interface of the SAP Enterprise Portal in the standard xApp xRPM application for global project management. Project teams can use this function to define a virtual work center.

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Figure 83: Collaboration Room in xRPM (Global Project Management)

Broadcasting SAP BW queries is another Collaboration function. As of SAP BW 3.5, you can send queries by e-mail or you can integrate them into SAP EP.

Figure 84: Information Broadcasting

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Exercise 9: Knowledge Management Exercise Objectives After completing this exercise, you will be able to: ·

Place new documents in the portal

Set up an approval workflow

Search for document contents

Business Example Your company has always stored documents in many different systems. Your users want a single point of access to these documents in the portal. You want to create different folders to structure the information. An employee from HR has written a new Travel_Policy document, uploaded it to the portal and initiated an approval workflow for the document.

Task 1: Folders and Documents Create a folder and new documents 1.

Navigate in the portal to the public documents. You will find a folder called SAPNW. Open this folder and create a new subfolder folder_## (## is your group number).

You are working in the HR department and have created a new document about travel policies for flights. Upload this document from your desktop into the Folder_## folder. First export the Travel_Policy document from the shared folders in your SAP system into the work directory of the PC you are using for the course. Upload the document in the exercise.

Task 2: Working with an Approval Workflow Set up a single-level approval workflow 1.

Set up a single-level approval workflow for your Folder_## folder with your neighboring group as the approver. Note: In a real environment, you would not assign individual users. You would assign user groups or portal roles.

Submit for approval the document you uploaded.

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Ask the neighboring group to carry out the approval step for your document. For this purpose, display the document and ask the requester a question. To do so, choose the function Send instance message. Approve the document once you have received a reply.

Task 3: Searching for Documents Execute a document search 1.

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Execute a search (for example, use Travel or Trip as your search term) and check the result.

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Lesson: SAP Enterprise Portal – Knowledge Management and Collaboration

Solution 9: Knowledge Management Task 1: Folders and Documents Create a folder and new documents 1.

Navigate in the portal to the public documents. You will find a folder called SAPNW. Open this folder and create a new subfolder folder_## (## is your group number). a)

As the SAPNW-## portal user, choose Home → Documents → Public Documents.

Select the SAPNW folder.

Click the triangle icon to the right of SAPNW and choose New → Folder....

Enter folder_## as the ID and choose Save. In the SAPNW folder, your new folder, Folder_##, now appears.

Log on to the SAP system as user SAPNW-## in client 821. Choose Office → Work Center → Shared Folders → SAPNW. Select the Travel_Policy document and right-click to choose Export. Save the document in the highlighted directory with the name that is automatically specified. Return to your portal application.

Select your new Folder_## folder to display its contents. Initially, there are no other objects contained here.

Select the triangle icon to the right of Folder ## and choose New → Upload.

Find the Travel_Policy document in your SAP work directory. You have exported this document from the SAP system. Select Upload and choose Done to transfer it.

Display the document in your folder. Continued on next page

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Task 2: Working with an Approval Workflow Set up a single-level approval workflow 1.

Navigate to your Folder_## folder in the Public Documents iView.

Select the triangle icon on the right beside Folder ## and choose Details.

Choose the Settings → Approval function in the new window and then choose Enable Approval Process.

In the Approval area, give the first step a name (for example, Editing). Use the Search function to select a user (the neighboring group) under User Selection. Select the user and choose Add Approver to Step.

After this user appears under Approvers, save the entire approval workflow by choosing Save Approval Process.

You can now close the detail window.

Submit for approval the document you uploaded. a)

Navigate to your Folder_## folder in the Public Documents iView and open the folder.

Select the triangle icon to the right of your document and choose Details.

In progress first appears under Status in the detail window. To submit your document for approval, choose Actions → Approval → Submit for Approval.

You can now close the detail window.

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When your neighboring group chooses Home → Work → Overview, it should be able to see at least one entry on the Task tab page. On this tab page, the portal uses the Universal Worklist.

Display the document by selecting the document title in the Subject section.

To send a message, select the icon next to the user in the From section and choose Send Instance Message. In the dialog box that appears, enter any text and choose Send. The sender group now sees a dialog box containing your query and can send a reply that the system displays for you.

To confirm the document select the icon to the right of the document and choose Approve. The document disappears in your Universal Worklist.

Task 3: Searching for Documents Execute a document search 1.

Execute a search (for example, use Travel or Trip as your search term) and check the result. a)

Enter the search term in the Search field (of the masthead) and choose Search. The hit list is displayed in a new window. From here, you can:

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Display the documents found (in a HTML version, depending on the format)

Sort the hit list according to specific criteria

Execute an advanced search

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Exercise 10: Collaboration Exercise Objectives After completing this exercise, you will be able to: ·

Use the portal to send instant messages

Share PC applications with other users

Business Example Your company is based in several different locations. You want the employees in these different locations to be able to share PC applications, without having to use additional software products.

Task: Real-Time Collaboration Using instant messaging and application sharing 1.

Start the Collaboration Launch Pad. Automatically determine your availability status first (this enables the system to check whether you are logged on to the portal). Enter your neighboring group as the collaboration partner and send an instant message to this partner (as soon as it becomes available).

. “”

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Solution 10: Collaboration Task: Real-Time Collaboration Using instant messaging and application sharing 1.

Click the Collaboration link in the masthead. The Collaboration Launch Pad opens in a new window.

Select the Auto-Detect Status setting on the upper right of the screen (if it is not already set).

Click the triangle beside Contacts and choose Add Contacts.

Enter the required user in the Users or Groups field and choose Add.

Select the user and choose Send Instance Message from the Collaboration context menu to send an instance message to this user.

f) A new window opens where you can enter and send a message. You can also add other participants, if required. The group selected can now communicate you, provided that you have also set the Auto-Detect status. 2.

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“”

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Start another application (for example, SAPLogon) on the host PC where you have logged on to the portal (this may be a Windows terminal server).

In the Collaboration Launch Pad, click the icon on the right beside the collaboration and choose Share Application to share an application with the user that is still selected.

A new Select an Application to Share window opens. Select the application you just started and choose OK.

A new Online Session Invitation window opens for the collaboration partner, which you must confirm by choosing Accept.

Your collaboration partner can now share your application. The partner can also request to control the application by selecting Take Control. A message appears that informs you that the required user is involved in the session.

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Lesson Summary You should now be able to: ·

Explain what Knowledge Management means in the context of the SAP Enterprise Portal

Describe the concepts behind collaboration

Related Information

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/nw-km quick link on SAP Service Marketplace

/nw-collaboration quick link on SAP Service Marketplace

SAPEP and EP300 Courses

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Lesson: SAP Mobile Infrastructure

Lesson: SAP Mobile Infrastructure Lesson Overview SAP Mobile Infrastructure can accelerate and improve business processes. What's more, mobile business functions can increase employee satisfaction by allowing users to save time, since they can work with up-to-date data remotely and enter and call up this data offline. In this case, the database is synchronized with the actual system database only occasionally. This lesson describes the basic architecture of the SAP Mobile Infrastructure (SAP MI).

Lesson Objectives After completing this lesson, you will be able to: ·

Define the architecture of SAP MI

Describe the different forms of mobile business applications

Explain how the SAP MI components cooperate

Business Example For problems that have been reported, sales employees want to be able to enter messages offline at the customer site so that they can be accessed by service technicians immediately. The mobile application informs service employees when a customer reports a new service problem and if the customer's place of residence or business is on the employee's route for that particular day. The troubleshooting process can be accelerated, which increases customer satisfaction.

Principles of SAP Mobile Infrastructure In all companies, there are always a particular number of employees who predominantly do not work at a fixed workplace in a specific branch office; this number varies from company to company. For example, drivers delivering products are part of the “mobile sales force” as are consultants, sales, and service employees. Managerial employees, on the other hand, want to call up data during business trips, and some employees may want to be able to enter their trip data in their company's system while waiting at airports and railway stations. The SAP Mobile Infrastructure (SAP MI) is a technological solution in SAP NetWeaver, which provides a basis for SAP Solutions for Mobile Business.

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Figure 85: Mobile Business in SAP NetWeaver

You can now also use SAP MI to make non-SAP applications mobile. SAP MI is installed locally on a mobile device and is equipped with a Web server, a database layer, and its own business logic. This means that employees who are working remotely have online access, rather than having to wait for a network connection to complete time-critical business transactions. To ensure data consistency between mobile devices and the back-end system, SAP MI provides tools for synchronization and data replication. SAP MI can run both on a standard browser and a non-browser-based user interface. In general, mobile applications are written for offline or online operation. To be able to make a decision regarding online or offline operation, you need to consider the following: ·

How large is the data volume to be transferred?

Does the data change frequently?

Do several users need to access the data at the same time?

Can an online connection be ensured at any time?

SAP MI is based on open industry standards such as Java and XML.

The Architecture of Mobile Business Applications SAP MI has a Java Virtual Machine and provides an open programming model for customers to develop their own mobile applications. This type of open system architecture allows both mobile devices and networks to be platform independent, and supports a range of mobile devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), laptops, and Smartphones.

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Figure 86: SAP MI: Architecture

Regardless of whether the applications are offline or online applications, the SAP Web Application Server (SAP Web AS), on which the SAP Mobile Infrastructure Server runs, always acts as the intermediary between the mobile devices and the back end that hosts the system database and the actual application. The mobile client on the mobile devices runs the application. In the case of an offline application, synchronization mechanisms enable data to be exchanged between the back end and the mobile device. Synchronization provides a safe means of transferring compressed data between mobile devices and the back end. During this process, modified data is transferred from the mobile device to the back end, and vice versa, so that both the mobile device and the back end are provided with up-to-date data. When they create a mobile application, application developers can decide which data packages are created for the synchronization process. The following options are available: 路

Generic synchronization

路

Smart synchronization

With generic synchronization, application developers can use Java APIs to parameterize function module calls on the back end. These parameters define the exact volume of data that is transferred during the synchronization process.

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Smart synchronization is a synchronization technique that is tailored to the requirements of complex mobile applications. Once application developers have defined the data models for the synchronization process, the system administrator can configure the system to explicitly specify which data is synchronized and how.

The Development of Mobile Applications SAP MI provides a complete set of tools for developing online and offline applications. The prerequisite is that SAP Web Application Server 6.40 is installed, with both ABAP and Java stack. For online applications, you program a Web Dynpro, which users can use to process the application data on a mobile device. In the case of offline applications, a data model must be created that describes which data from the back-end application is to be transferred to the application on the mobile device. The tool used for this purpose is SYNCH-BO, which runs in the SAP GUI. Once the data model has been defined, it is imported to the SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio. Here, the SAP Mobile Development Kit (MDK), which is also integrated in the SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio, can be used to create the client application. Code for displaying the data can be generated and functions for editing the data must be programmed. Furthermore, the back-end application itself must be mobile-enabled, which essentially means that the interfaces for exchanging the data must be defined. They must also comply with defined formats. Note: In course TMOB40, you can learn how to program mobile business applications, and in course TMOB20, you can learn how to administrate them. Last but not least, you need to define the synchronization mode.

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Lesson Summary You should now be able to: ·

Define the architecture of SAP MI

Describe the different forms of mobile business applications

Explain how the SAP MI components cooperate

Related Information ·

For more information, visit the Service Marketplace at http://service.sap.com/nw-mobile.

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Lesson: SAP Records Management: An Integrated “Administrator Workplace” Lesson Overview Instant access to information is a key factor for performing business successfully. SAP Records Management (SAP RM), the standard SAP solution for electronic record management, ensures this instant access. In one record, all information objects of a business transaction are grouped together in a transparent hierarchical structure. These objects can originate from different SAP and non-SAP systems. By converting paper records to electronic records, you can enjoy the advantages of a paper-free office. However, SAP Records Management not only provides an electronic representation of the conventional paper record, it also offers functions that far exceed those available for conventional records management: you can control business transactions from one record. SAP Records Management therefore provides the basis for an “administrator workplace.” This lesson describes the principles of the SAP RM.

Lesson Objectives After completing this lesson, you will be able to: ·

Describe application areas for SAP RM

Evaluate the benefits of SAP RM for your company

Name the delivery cycle for SAP RM

Business Example You are increasing your headcount at different locations. To centrally manage HR data, your department wants to switch to an electronic tool to maintain personnel files. In your company, you use Employee Self-Services for your employees and the Time Manager’s Workplace in the portal. Administrators in customer and vendor support have frequently asked whether it is possible to group together their different tasks in a special workplace. Specifically, they want to be able to access a universal, media-independent, and structured view of all the information objects that belong to a particular business process. Employees are also tired of having to navigate through various systems to search for information objects. If possible, they want to be able to process transactions from one view. It would make their work much easier if, for example, circulars could be found again, and not just created. At present, circulars often “disappear” in companies and are only found again when it is too late.

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You have heard about SAP Records Management and want more information.

Introduction to SAP Records Management SAP Records Management replaces paper records with digital records based on electronically stored documents. A record is a collection of information concerning a specific business context. The contents of the record are displayed in a defined record structure. From digital records, you can trigger processes controlled by workflows or send circulars with record contents. Electronic operations (cases) support the processing of business processes. In addition to an operation record, operations contain processing notes for documenting the processing steps. Replacing paper records with electronic records yields the following advantages, among others:

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No/low costs for record storage

No time-consuming and expensive copying costs

No transport of records

Automatic transaction processing through electronically controlled circulation of records

Optimum search for information within the record

Instant access to all record contents from everywhere

Documents from a record can be read by more than one person at a time

Office tools can be used to edit documents

In a record, you can integrate not only documents, but also transactions, business objects, and workflows

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Figure 87: Typical Contents of Electronic Records in SAP Records Management

The objects shown on the figure above are available as standard in SAP Record Management. With SAP Records Management, you get more than just your paper records in electronic form. SAP Records Management offers functions that far surpass what is offered by conventional record management systems. In addition to electronic documents, SAP Records Management offers integration with the following objects: ·

Documents in electronic form

Business objects

Business workflows

Reports and transactions

Documents that are saved by third-party administrators in external storage systems using the SAP ArchiveLink interface and that are linked with SAP documents

Internet/intranet pages

Any object that the customer requires (via a framework)

The elements can be from a local SAP system, other SAP systems, or non-SAP systems. This integration capability allows you to store a complete view of the entire business transaction in the electronic record. If you are using SAP Business Workflow, you can start operations from the record or the record can be the basis for efficient controlling.

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Lesson: SAP Records Management: An Integrated “Administrator Workplace”

Since each application, industry sector, and customer has different requirements concerning the contents, administration, handling, and functionality footprint of electronic records, SAP offers two solution: ·

Creation of tailored records for a specific company

Use of preconfigured Records Management solutions

With SAP Records Management, you can create a solution tailored to your specific company and its business transactions. Some SAP solutions, however, also offer preconfigured Records Management solutions such as mySAP Public Sector, mySAP ERP Financials with SAP Dispute Management, or Case Management in mySAP CRM. Service cases can now also be processed with electronic records, and SAP uses SAP RM to meet the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires companies listed on the US stock exchange to document their financial statements accurately.

Tools in SAP Records Management The Records Organizer is the initial screen in SAP Records Management. To access the Records Organizer, call transaction ORGANIZER. Think of the Records Organizer as your desktop. It displays your records, your documents, your correspondence, your favorites, your resubmissions, and so on.

Figure 88: Tools in SAP RM

You can branch to other tools from the Records Organizer. Open the Records Browser to process records and display record contents. Open the Records Modeler to process record models. Record models define the structure of records.

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Each record is assigned to a record model and via the record model recognizes a defined number of structure nodes (folder icon) which are displayed by the browser in a certain order. The folders can contain documents, transactions, reports, workflows, floating records, and so on. When you open the Records Organizer you see either the standard view or a role-based view. The role-based view is based on the system configuration for your role (position) and must be explicitly created. In the role-based view, you can create documents or search for documents that have already been checked in. In your Favorites, you can create and manage elements and element types. You can use favorites to store the elements and element types that you use most often. All actions can be called from the favorites. These elements could be the records that you are using most frequently at a given time, or they could be other elements (document A, drawing B, report XY). The History view contains the last 30 elements accessed. The element accessed most recently is at the top of the list. You can use the history as the starting point for actions on the element (context menu).

Delivery of SAP Records Management You order SAP Records Management 2.0 as a separate component. SAP Records Management comprises SAP Web AS 6.20 (at least Service Pack 9), SAP Content Server (also contains an SAP Cache Server and an SAP DB), and the full text search engine, TREX. Caution: While transaction ORGANIZER may be available in some systems, you need a separate license to use SAP Records Management.

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Lesson: SAP Records Management: An Integrated “Administrator Workplace”

Lesson Summary You should now be able to: ·

Describe application areas for SAP RM

Evaluate the benefits of SAP RM for your company

Name the delivery cycle for SAP RM

Related Information

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For more information, see http://service.sap.com/recordsmanagement.

In course BIT640, you can learn how to create, manage, and work with electronic records using SAP RM.

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Unit Summary You should now be able to: ·

Log on to the portal

Explain the design of the end-user view of the SAP Enterprise Portal

Explain the concept of role-based user and content management

Find Business Packages and explain their benefits

Outline how SAP applications are generally integrated into an SAP Enterprise Portal

Integrate applications based on Business Server Pages

Integrate BW queries

Explain what Knowledge Management means in the context of the SAP Enterprise Portal

Describe the concepts behind collaboration

Define the architecture of SAP MI

Describe the different forms of mobile business applications

Explain how the SAP MI components cooperate

Describe application areas for SAP RM

Evaluate the benefits of SAP RM for your company

Name the delivery cycle for SAP RM

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