Designing Mobile ERP Approval Forms for BlackBerry Users

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 2 Introduction What does this presentation cover? This presentation describes how a real-world SAP customer has used the SAP ABAP Workbench to create optimized SAP Approval forms for BlackBerry device users within their organization It covers the following topics: –Understanding the mobile requirements –Using SAP ABAP Workbench to build optimized web-based approval forms for BlackBerry users –Key lessons learned

Mobility Requirements Mobilizing Purchase Requisition Approvals

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 4 Typical Mobile Applications Sales Needs –View and update accounts and transactions Executives –Remote approval and communication Business Intelligence –Real-time access to confidential information Workflow –Target participants could be anywhere

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 5 Challenges to be Overcome Mobility is a fact of today’s business Executive and Sales / Field Service Reps have to be mobile in today’s global business place Timeliness Cached information is not sufficient Real-time workflow is impossible with disconnected or sync-based solutions Security Typical applications require secure communications

Mobility Requirements Mobilizing Purchase Requisition Approvals

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 7 Purchase Requisition Approval Process Background IT has its own purchasing department –Preferred vendors –Pre-negotiated contracts –No blanket orders Purchasing process is efficient Approvals take multiple days chasing managers

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 8 Purchase Requisition Approval Process

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 9 Application Requirements SAP Workflow 3 processes: manager approval; $ escalation; special GL approval SAP Portal SAP authentication SAP Users for Approvers Appropriate signing authority for escalations $1 for basic manager approval SAP Java Connector Object Library and Java Used to build status page and requisition detail

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 10 Application Challenge #1 Approval on BB Desired / Authentication (SAP vs. Windows) Two groups of skill sets within existing IT staff: –Web developers (java / jsp but no SAP) –SAP developers (abap / bsp) Significant work required to build application to pass credentials using Java and JCO SEM already had the ”glue” to bridge login but required SAP knowledge Compromise = BSP (essentially html wrapper for ABAP) –ABAP can talk to SAP (workflow and authentication) –Result: -Login to SAP -Talk to SAP workflow : approve/reject/cancel -Look at details of requisitions -Check status of approval process

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 11 Application Challenge #2 Travel, Vacation, etc. Managers away and requisition sits waiting approval Need to set availability from blackberry Solution: –Web Interface to SAP workflow to set start / end dates –Rules established for re-routing –Administrator access to ”break” loops -I’m away and redirect it to you -You’re away and redirect it to me

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 12 Approval Request on Desktop Workflow from SAP has two links: desktop & blackberry Links provide: –Purchase approval status info –Requisition details (3 views) –pageview parameter: -1 – blackberry (narrow display) -2 – printable -3 – normal layout From: Workflow-System Sent: October 19, :22 To: Elsa Painter Subject: PR 3366 is pending your Purchase requisition # 3366 is ready for approval. Total value for Cost Centre : $5, Total value for requisition: $5, At your desk: To approve/reject this PR, please click on the link below and when prompted, log in using your Windows login and password. Once the page loads, click on your Universal Worklist and select the task related to this PR# to approve or reject. Using your BlackBerry: To approve/reject this PR click on the link below and when prompted, log in using your SAP login and password. Once the page loads in your BlackBerry browser, click on Approve, Reject or Cancel. WI: Step: FIR1 GUID: GrP6Y3bw1CJX00002cMT7m

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 13 Approval Request on the BlackBerry

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 14 Requisition Status and Order Details

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 15 Efficiency Gained from Process Dramatic reduction in turn around time From days to minutes Sarbanes-Oxley compliance Provides auditable trail of approval process Supports Mobile Executives Eliminates need to ”delegate” approvals Can be processed anywhere and anytime

 SAP AG 2006, SAP TechEd ’06 / UPE104 / 16 ASUG and SAP: Partners in Education ASUG, the Americas’ SAP Users’ Group, is the world’s largest, customer-run community of SAP professionals and partners, with 45,000 individual members and 1,700 companies represented. ASUG delivers the highest value to member companies, allowing them to maximize their SAP investments. Some highlighted benefits include: –Access to a year-round community for SAP customers and partners –Diverse mix of educational topics and events through a variety of formats –Exclusive opportunity to influence SAP future product direction –Unparalleled networking opportunities with a dynamic professional network –Unprecedented partnership with SAP –Access to ASUG Groups and Chapters To learn more about ASUG, visit the ASUG booth in the SDN Clubhouse, or visit our Web site at