Alloy allows you to flexibly expose Decision Workflows onto your Lotus Notes client. Each Decision Workflow step can have its individual Notes Form on the client side to visualize the related information and to offer the available decision options to the end-user. Such a Form could e.g. show a Purchase Order with some header attributes and an item grid with the products submitted for approval.

This gives you a good flexibility to meet individual business needs by creating specific Notes Forms for each Decision Workflow step. Depending on how generic the Notes Form is, you can also re-use it in different Workflow Applications. A good example for this is the default approval Form "(ERPApprovalWorkflow)" which shows some attributes of the Workflow Step as well as the Task description long-text.

 

 

An even more generic approach is shown in this blog (see picture above). The assumption is that you want to expose Decision Workflows to Lotus Notes that consist of Header attributes and optionally a grid with Line Items. An example for this could be the above mentioned Purchase Order, a Sales Order, an incoming Invoice, or any other business object that falls into this structure.  

The trick is that the Notes Form only has place holders for the mentioned attributes. Via an easy protocol we pack all attributes we want to send to the client with the help of an ABAP outbound handler into a generic Header and Item field. These attributes are unpacked during runtime by the Notes Form and displayed accordingly. There is no need to change the Notes Form if you want to add or remove fields from/to the header or item grid. The only development work you need to do is to create an outbound handler (function module) that reads the business object(s) from the workflow and packs it into the generic fields. The generic Notes Form remains the same and does not need to be changed.

 

Let's take the already mentioned Purchase Order example and show how this generic approach works. The current blog explains what you need to do on the SAP side. Please see Dirk Lehmann's blog for handling the Notes/Domino side. If you need general information on how to expose a Decision Workflow to Alloy, please read this blog first.

Starting point is an existing workflow template with a decision step that gets triggered when a new Purchase Order is being created (or released). Via the regular "Workflow Pattern Customizing" in the "Information Worker Implementation Guide" you subscribe yourself to this decision step of your workflow template.

In the "Workflow" node of the Workflow Pattern Customizing you also add a custom outbound handler (in this example Z_S_OSP_WF_PO1_CH_OB) that is being called prior to the default outbound handler S_OSP_WF_PAT_DEFAULT_CH_OB (the order is important!). The custom outbound handler has to have the same interface as the default outbound handler. A good suggestion is to copy the default handler and to remove the copied coding (instead of creating the interface from scratch).

The interesting part takes place inside the custom outbound handler. As mentioned above we pack the header and item information of the underlying business object(s) into 2 dedicated fields via an easy protocol. This easy protocol works as follows:

Header attributes are inserted as concatenated Label-Value pairs. Separator between the Label and the Value is a semicolon. Separator between such Label-Value pairs is a colon. The name of the header attribute is WF_HEADER. The syntax looks as follows:

 

WF_HEADER = <Label1>;<Value1>:<Label2>;<Value2>:<Label3>;<Value3>:...:

Example:   WF_HEADER = "Purchasing Document;4500000396:Created by;DREES:Created on;14.09.2009:Vendor;HT_500-High Tech Supplier:Purchasing Doc. Type;NB:Purchasing Group;001:"

 

You can of course use different separator characters - in that case you just need to adjust the coding on the ABAP and on the Notes/Domino side accordingly.

The item information works similar - with the difference that you only provide the column Labels once and not again for each line. Therefore the generic item field WF_ITEMS lists at first all column labels, and then the line items one by one:

 

WF_ITEMS = <Label1>;<Label2>;<Label3>;<Label4>;...:
                       <Value1.1>;<Value1.2>;<Value1.3>;<Value1.4>;...:
                       <Value2.1>;<Value2.2>;<Value2.3>;<Value2.4>;...:
                       <Value3.1>;<Value3.2>;<Value3.3>;<Value3.4>;...:
                       ....:

Example:   WF_ITEMS = "Item;Material;Short Text;PO Quantity;Net price;Net order value:00010;HT_001-1;Office Calendar;4 EA;10,00 USD;40,00 USD:00020;HT_001-2;Note pad with hard cover;8 EA;12,00 USD;96,00 USD:00030;HT_001-3;Laser Printer Paper 1000 sheet;12 KG;16,00 USD;192,00 USD:"

 

As you can see in the example strings for header and item, all data (labels and values) are already prepared in a ready-to-display format. The advantage of this is that the client does not need to care about data type handling. Disadvantage might be that this is not a clear separation of business logic and visualization - but I guess it's a good compromise. For the language of the labels and the number/date/currency formatting, the backend language of the recipient is taken (read via module BAPI_USER_GET_DETAIL). Field labels are read in our sample coding from the ABAP Data Dictionary (via modules DDIF_NAMETAB_GET and DDIF_DTEL_GET).

Before the header and item attributes can be packed into the 2 generic fields, the Workflow at first needs to be queried for the related Business Objects. This happens via the Workflow API SAP_WAPI_GET_OBJECTS. In the resulting list we filter on BUS2012 as this is the BOR Object type for Purchase Orders and this is what we expect here. Finally module BAPI_PO_GETDETAIL is used to retrieve all attributes from the Purchase Order.

And here you can find the sample custom outbound handler that does all this:

FUNCTION z_s_osp_wf_po1_ch_ob. *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- *"*"Local Interface: *" IMPORTING *" VALUE(IT_WORKITEM_DETAIL) TYPE SOSP_TT_WF_RUNTIME_INFO OPTIONAL *" EXPORTING *" VALUE(EV_ERROR_FLAG) TYPE S_OSP_DT_FLAG *" VALUE(ET_WORKITEM_DETAIL) TYPE SOSP_TT_WF_RUNTIME_INFO *" VALUE(ET_RETURN) TYPE BAPIRETTAB *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- * Values taken from LS_OSP_WF_PATTERN_DEFLT_CHTOP+LS_OSP_WF_PATTERN_RUNTIMETOP CONSTANTS: gc_approver TYPE s_osp_dt_role_type VALUE 'APPROVER', gc_bound_gpwobj TYPE s_osp_dt_obj_sub_type VALUE 'BND', gc_task TYPE s_osp_dt_obj_type VALUE 'TASK', fd(1) TYPE c VALUE ';', "field delimiter ld(1) TYPE c VALUE ':'. "line delimiter DATA: lt_objects TYPE swrtobject, ls_objects TYPE swr_object, ls_swotobjid TYPE swotobjid. DATA: ls_add_data_xprops TYPE sosp_s_xprop, ls_workitem_detail TYPE sosp_s_wf_runtime_info, ls_client_gpw_info TYPE sosp_s_client_gpw_info. DATA: lt_add_data_xprops TYPE sosp_tt_xprop, lt_client_gpw_info TYPE sosp_tt_client_gpw_info. DATA: lv_purchaseorder TYPE ebeln, ls_header TYPE bapiekkol, lt_items TYPE bapiekpo_tp, ls_item TYPE bapiekpo, ls_ekpo TYPE ekpo, lv_prefix(10) TYPE c, lv_numc3 TYPE numc3, lv_totalvalue TYPE nwertbapi, lv_str TYPE string, lv_numstr(30) TYPE c, lv_label(55) TYPE c, lv_lang TYPE tcp0c-langu, lv_cntry TYPE tcp0c-country, lv_mod TYPE tcp0c-modifier, ls_defaults TYPE bapidefaul, lt_return TYPE TABLE OF bapiret2. * Pre-populate Export table et_workitem_detail = it_workitem_detail. * Pick the "APPROVER" item LOOP AT et_workitem_detail INTO ls_workitem_detail WHERE wi_task_role_type EQ gc_approver. * Set Language to recipients language GET LOCALE LANGUAGE lv_lang COUNTRY lv_cntry MODIFIER lv_mod. CALL FUNCTION 'BAPI_USER_GET_DETAIL' EXPORTING username = ls_workitem_detail-wi_recipient_id IMPORTING defaults = ls_defaults TABLES return = lt_return. IF NOT ls_defaults-langu IS INITIAL. SET LOCALE LANGUAGE ls_defaults-langu. ENDIF. * Get table of BOR-Objects from the Workitem CALL FUNCTION 'SAP_WAPI_GET_OBJECTS' EXPORTING workitem_id = ls_workitem_detail-parent_wi_id TABLES OBJECTS = lt_objects. LOOP AT lt_objects INTO ls_objects. ls_swotobjid = ls_objects-object_id. * We expect a Purchase Order Object CHECK ls_swotobjid-objtype EQ 'BUS2012'. lv_purchaseorder = ls_swotobjid-objkey. * Use standard BAPI to read header+items of PO CALL FUNCTION 'BAPI_PO_GETDETAIL' EXPORTING purchaseorder = lv_purchaseorder items = 'X' IMPORTING po_header = ls_header TABLES po_items = lt_items. * Put Header fields together. Format: Label1;Value1:Label2;Value2:...: CLEAR lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKKOL' 'PO_NUMBER' 'L' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_label fd ls_header-po_number ld INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKKOL' 'CREATED_BY' 'L' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd ls_header-created_by ld INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKKOL' 'CREATED_ON' 'L' CHANGING lv_label. WRITE ls_header-created_on TO lv_numstr. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd lv_numstr ld INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKKOL' 'VENDOR' 'L' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd ls_header-vendor '-' ls_header-vend_name ld INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKKOL' 'DOC_TYPE' 'L' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd ls_header-doc_type ld INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKKOL' 'PUR_GROUP' 'L' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd ls_header-pur_group ld INTO lv_str. ls_add_data_xprops-name = 'WF_HEADER'. ls_add_data_xprops-value = lv_str. APPEND ls_add_data_xprops TO lt_add_data_xprops. * Put Item fields together CLEAR lv_str. * We start with the table caption. Format: Label1;Label2;Label3;...: PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKPO' 'PO_ITEM' 'H' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKPO' 'MATERIAL' 'H' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKPO' 'SHORT_TEXT' 'H' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKPO' 'QUANTITY' 'H' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKPO' 'NET_PRICE' 'H' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label fd INTO lv_str. PERFORM get_label USING 'BAPIEKPO' 'NET_VALUE' 'H' CHANGING lv_label. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_label ld INTO lv_str. * Now all Values Line by Line. * Format: Value1.1;Value1.2;..:Value2.1;Value2.2;..:Value3.1;Value3.2;..: LOOP AT lt_items INTO ls_item. CONCATENATE lv_str ls_item-po_item fd INTO lv_str. CONCATENATE lv_str ls_item-material fd INTO lv_str. CONCATENATE lv_str ls_item-short_text fd INTO lv_str. WRITE ls_item-quantity TO lv_numstr UNIT ls_item-unit LEFT-JUSTIFIED. CONCATENATE lv_numstr ls_item-unit INTO lv_numstr SEPARATED BY space. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_numstr fd INTO lv_str. * Convert currencies back, because of decimal handling CALL FUNCTION 'BAPI_CURRENCY_CONV_TO_INTERNAL' EXPORTING currency = ls_header-currency amount_external = ls_item-net_price max_number_of_digits = 10 IMPORTING amount_internal = ls_ekpo-netwr. WRITE ls_ekpo-netwr TO lv_numstr CURRENCY ls_header-currency LEFT-JUSTIFIED. CONCATENATE lv_numstr ls_header-currency INTO lv_numstr SEPARATED BY space. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_numstr fd INTO lv_str. CALL FUNCTION 'BAPI_CURRENCY_CONV_TO_INTERNAL' EXPORTING currency = ls_header-currency amount_external = ls_item-net_value max_number_of_digits = 10 IMPORTING amount_internal = ls_ekpo-netpr. WRITE ls_ekpo-netpr TO lv_numstr CURRENCY ls_header-currency LEFT-JUSTIFIED. CONCATENATE lv_numstr ls_header-currency INTO lv_numstr SEPARATED BY space. CONCATENATE lv_str lv_numstr ld INTO lv_str. ENDLOOP. ls_add_data_xprops-name = 'WF_ITEMS'. ls_add_data_xprops-value = lv_str. APPEND ls_add_data_xprops TO lt_add_data_xprops. * Put xprops into Export-table lt_client_gpw_info = ls_workitem_detail-client_gpw_info. * The Groupware client entry with "APPROVER","BND","TASK" needs to receive * the xprops LOOP AT lt_client_gpw_info INTO ls_client_gpw_info WHERE recp_role_id = gc_approver AND gpw_object_sub_type = gc_bound_gpwobj AND gpw_object_type = gc_task. ls_client_gpw_info-task_details-xprop_list = lt_add_data_xprops. MODIFY lt_client_gpw_info FROM ls_client_gpw_info. ENDLOOP. ls_workitem_detail-client_gpw_info = lt_client_gpw_info. MODIFY et_workitem_detail FROM ls_workitem_detail. ENDLOOP. "lt_objects SET LOCALE LANGUAGE lv_lang. ENDLOOP. "et_workitem_detail ENDFUNCTION. *&---------------------------------------------------------------------* *& Form get_label *&---------------------------------------------------------------------* * Get Label of a DDIC Structure Field *----------------------------------------------------------------------* * -->PV_STRUCTURE Name of the DDic Structure * -->PV_FIELDNAME Name of the field * -->PV_LABELTYPE Which label (H)eader,(S)hort,(M)edium,(L)arge * <--PV_LABEL Determined Label *----------------------------------------------------------------------* FORM get_label USING pv_structure pv_fieldname pv_labeltype CHANGING pv_label. DATA: ls_field_values TYPE dfies, ls_dataelement_values TYPE dd04v. CLEAR pv_label. CALL FUNCTION 'DDIF_NAMETAB_GET' EXPORTING tabname = pv_structure lfieldname = pv_fieldname IMPORTING dfies_wa = ls_field_values EXCEPTIONS not_found = 1 OTHERS = 2. IF sy-subrc EQ 0. CALL FUNCTION 'DDIF_DTEL_GET' EXPORTING name = ls_field_values-rollname langu = sy-langu IMPORTING dd04v_wa = ls_dataelement_values EXCEPTIONS illegal_input = 1 OTHERS = 2. IF sy-subrc EQ 0. pv_label = ls_dataelement_values-reptext. IF pv_labeltype EQ 'S'. pv_label = ls_dataelement_values-scrtext_s. ELSEIF pv_labeltype EQ 'M'. pv_label = ls_dataelement_values-scrtext_m. ELSEIF pv_labeltype EQ 'L'. pv_label = ls_dataelement_values-scrtext_l. ENDIF. ENDIF. ENDIF. ENDFORM. "get_label

As mentioned above, please check Dirk Lehmann's blog for the necessary development on Notes/Domino side.