Product Description

Uniprocess®

 

The experience of con4PAS, s.r.o. company staff with enterprise workflow processes on the basis of SAP system is reaching back to 1998. Such knowledge enabled us to fully understand the needs of end users and clients, and create a product named Uniprocess® which facilitates workflow process development to the level of setting a state diagram through simple customization (table setting).

Uniprocess® fully uses the function of standard SAP Workflow solution. It constitutes a system upgrade containing a universal workflow definition which is able to process an optional SAP system business object (standard or customer). Interface for non-SAP solution is a part of the function – it enables the clients to utilize data and process definitions in or out SAP system solution.

Uniprocess® contains:
·        “Uniprocess®“ is a framework for operating the circulation of an optional business object in SAP system environment, the object menu contains their general documentation so that they can be used with other objects, it also contains a prepared implementation solution for processing of the invoices received (all kinds of invoices and credit notes), and advance-payment claims;

·        “Authorization concept“ is a generator of authorizing process using the organizational chart of the company; here serial-parallel authorization is supported;

·        “Uniforms” is a tool for making forms for data collection or imagery for the sake of a particular process, e. g. an invoice dispatch note for itemizing the invoice.

 Major Benefits
·        Unifaces for definition, administration and monitoring of WF processes over standard WF SAP objects;

·        WF process flexible setting through table pre-setting; minimum requirements for development when setting changes are necessary; ·        Tools for monitoring and WF process analysis in troubleshooting; ·        Integration into the organizational structure of the company; promotion of the company signature regulations solution;

·        Unification of authorization screens facilitates introduction of other processes into workflow.

Unified Dialogue
There has been prepared a unified dialogue for those who authorize or process the workflow. This dialogue always advises the user clearly to process the particular workflow tasks properly.

·        The 1st quadrant of the processing screen informs about supplements and processing; ·        The 2nd quadrant bears information about processing data including links to the electronic form of the invoice; ·        The 3rd quadrant serves the users for passing information and comments during the invoice processing; ·        The 4th quadrant offers a possibility to select further processing.

Uniprocess® Principles

Uniprocess® generally distinguishes two ways of the company’s electronic document cycles:

·        Canned cycle resolved through status diagram; it involves a strictly defined area of the processers of a particular document, e. g. accountants, tax advisors, purchasers, etc. ·        Dynamic cycle (authorizing process) when other company staff members are involved into the document processing according to particular attributes, e. g. cost centre, limit, etc.

Authorization Concept
Authorization concept is a generator of authorization processes. To define them, special primary data are used:

Authorizing officer type: This means a specific definition of the authorizing officer – cost object owner, officer authorizing tax costs, officer authorizing non-taxable costs, commodity specialist, etc. process assignment to define the authorizing officer is a part of the definition.

Some special settings might relate to the type of the authorizing officer when some particular object is to be authorized (e. g. a purchase basket) – these may be the following: a possibility to halt the authorization, i. e. to satisfy a purchase request in a different way;

·        Authorizing officer type – specialist: This represents an individual (or small groups of users) who are responsible for a particular part of the process. Specialists are not assigned according to the organizational structure, but according to some specific attribute, e. g. purchase segment, commodity;

·        Authorization process path: authorization process contains a sequence of particular types of authorizing officers. A selection of the right path for the authorization process is conformed by “the assumption of utilizing the authorization path”. If there are more paths which conform to “the assumption”, then it is necessary to define a priority for utilizing the authorization path. If an object contains more items, different authorization paths might be generated for particular items; within the authorization process these paths can run in parallel branches. To choose the right authorization path so called “assumption of utilizing the authorization path” is used; it involves a complex of conditions which determine the selection of the only right path.

Principles
·        Authorization concept is fully integrated with SAP HR, and it uses HR primary data to define Workflow processes, especially the hierarchy of subjects and their responsibility within the organizational structure;

·        Particular authorizations are tied to planned locations or positions through 1208 infotype;

·        Planned location is held by a user or an employee (there is a user linked to an employee within 0105 infotype);

·        Particular cost objects (cost centre, order, etc.) involve a subject responsible for the budget of a particular object (it is always one person);

·        Limited authorization or the type of the processor (accountant, controller, etc.) is tied to 1208 infotype;

·        In case the company does not use SAP HR, or it is impossible to use 1208 infotype, a user table with the same utility, but with less convenience can be used.

Pre-authorizing officers / Substitutes / Successors

Utilizing administrator tools it is possible to set up substitutes for particular SAP system users; it can be carried out at the standard level of an access to workflow items, or at the level of the Uniprocess® application in the following roles:

·        Pre-authorizing officer – he or she will require pre-authorization, then a new role will be generated by the workit, it will serve for the actual authorization carried out by the listed authorizing officer;

·        Substitute – will be offered by the workit for processing to the particular user and the substitute;

·        Successor – will be offered by the workit only to the successor.

Uniforms
Uniforms is a framework for form administration. Basically, it promotes integration with SAP

DMS for storing attribute values within the document classification. It obviously supports customer form definitions (e. g. a dispatch note for liquidation of a received invoice).

Portal Integration
Standard SAP application Universal WorkList (abbrev UWL) serves for integration into SAP Portal.

The application enables to integrate more SAP and non-SAP systems within a single inbox, providing that an appropriate SSO (single sign on) and XML communication is supported.

 UWL supports processing launch with particular tasks through SAP WebGUI, SAP BSP, SAP ABAP WebDynpro, SAP JavaWebdynpro, and also an optional processing within the Intranet non-SAP application when appropriate URL is entered.

Solution Architecture
Uniprocess® represents a complete object solution supporting three-level SOA architecture (Service Oriented Architecture).

·        “Data Provider” ensures working with data of a specific process object;

·        “Service provider” ensures providing services for electronic document circulation; the service recipient is the 3^rd level called “Consumer” which can be solved within SAP and even non-SAP systems;

·        “Consumer” is an application designed to process a particular object; the following items are a part of the supply: o       SAPGUI access to item processing in SAP inbox; o       Batch task processing on the background; o       ABAP WebDynpro GUI designed for processing in SAP Portal.