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Workflowproblems?Readthisfirst!

Version4

createdbyRickBakkeronJul26,20153:13AM,lastmodifiedbyRickBakkeronMar17,20169:48AM

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AttentionSAPBusinessWorkflowfans!

IfyouarehavingaSAPWorkflowproblem,pleasetakeafewminutestodothesesimplechecks.

Itcouldsaveyou(andus)alotoftime.AlmosteverydayweattheSAPBusinessWorkflowforum
getalengthythreaddescribingbizarreerrorswhichleaveusscratchingourheadsuntilit'srevealedonpage3

that,oh,WFBATCHonlyhastheSAP_NOOBroleorthat,oops,theDeadlinejobisn'trunninginSWU3.

Afteryouhavecheckedandtriedallofthesesuggestions,pleasefeelfreetopostyourquestion
we'realwayskeentoseeinterestingnewproblemsthatwemaywellencounterourselvesnextweek.
Pleaseindicatethatyouhavemadethesebasicchecks.LetmeknowwithaLikeoraCommentif
thisdocumentdidindeedsolveyourproblem.

I'llkeepupdatingthisdocumentwithmorechecksastimegoeson.Suggestionsareverywelcome!
Iwilltrytoputthechecksinorderofusefulness.

ThisisnotaFAQ(FrequentlyAskedQuestions),morelikeanFPS(FrequentlyProvidedSolutions).
I'llkeepitbriefbecauseyouhaveaproblemtosolve.

1.SWU_OBUF
Thissolvesthemostproblemsofall,especiallyafterachangeoratransport.Tryit,itcan'thurt.

Nowtryagain.

2.GeneralTask
ManypeoplesetDecisionTaskstoGeneralTaskbutthismaynotgettransportedwiththetask,depending
onyoursystemsettings.Result:nobodyisreceivingthatworkitem.Comparethesourceandtargetsystem.
OnewaytocheckforGeneralTask:transactionPFTC_DIS,enterTSnumber

ClickonthespectaclesthenAdditionaldata>Agentassignment>Display

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3.ST22shortdumps
AlwaysworthcheckingforshortdumpsintransactionST22ifyou'rehavingstrangeproblems,especiallyabackground
workflowstepstayinginstatus"InProcess".LookforuserWFBATCH.

4.WFBATCHsettings
It'samazingthevarietyofproblemsyoucangetifWFBATCHdoesn'thavefullprivileges.Doeveryoneafavourand
checkthatithasSAP_ALL.OnewaytodothisisbylookingintransactionSU01DforuserWFBATCHand

checktheProfilestab:

(Update:ThankstoColleen(seecommentsbelow)InowknowthatSAP_NEWis*not*necessary.Sopleaseignore
thatinthescreenshot)

Ifyoudon'thaveaccesstoSU01DthenhavecheekylookinSE16attableUST04whereBNAME='WFBATCH'.

Whileyou'relookingatWFBATCH,checkifithasanOutputDeviceset(SU01D,tabDefaults,ortableUSR01field
SPLD).Noneedtopanicifit'snotsetbutworthtryingifyou'restumped.Here'sablogSueKwroteabouthow

thatsettingcanreallyruinyourday:
MasterDatawillalwaysbiteyou

5.SU53authorizationproblems
ThisisageneralSAPtipthatalsoappliestoworkflow.Ifyou'rehavingproblems,checktransactionSU53toseeifyour

useridismissingsomenecessaryauthorizations.Itshowsthemostrecentlyfailedauthorizationchecksso
youcancut&pasteitandsendittoyourfriendlySAPSecuritygalorguy.

6.SWI1workflowlog
Ifyourworkflowisn'tdoingwhatyouwantittodothenyoushould,ofcourse,checktheworkflowlog(transaction
SWI1).HowmanytimeshaveIhadtosaythat...Theamountofinformationisamazing,youcan(almost)see

everythingthathappened.Forthebestresults,makesureyougototheChronologicalLogintheViewWith
TechnicalDetails:

BewaryoftheGraphicalLog,itcan'tbetrustedtobeentirelyaccurateanditgivesverylittleinformation.Ifthere'san

errormessageintheChronologicalLogandit'sabitvaguethenalwaystryExtras>AllErrors
(seetopofpicture,above).


7.SWU3thebackgroundjobs

AttransactionSWU3,makesurethenecessaryworkflowbackgroundjobsarerunning.
Under"MaintainRuntimeEnvironment"youshouldseeattheveryleast:

Ifyoudon'thaveaccesstoSWU3,youcanalsolookintransactionSM37forSWWERREandSWWDHEX(deadlines).
Ifthesejobsarenotrunningthenyourworkflowdeadlinesareuselessandatemporaryerrorcouldbringyour
workflowstoahalt.

8.Don'tforgetUS
Averyfrequentsolutiontopostedproblemsisasuggestiontocheckifthe"US"prefixwasforgottenwhenspecifyinga
useridasa(dynamic)workitemrecipient.

9.Thebindings,alwayscheckthebindings.
Manyproblemsarecausedbyincorrectbindings,especiallybetweenthestartingeventandtheworkflow.Lookat
eachofyourbindingscarefully,tomakesuretheyaredoingwhatyouwantandnonehavebeenmissed.Alsocheck
thateachcontainerelementhasbeencorrectlyspecifiedasImport,Exportand/orMultiline.Makesurethedataypes
matchaswell,oneachsideofthebinding.Youaregivenalotoffreedomtogetitwrong.

Tobecontinued...

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Products:sap_business_workflowTags:workflow,workflow_basics

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25Comments
ModakGuptaJul26,20155:18AM

GoodoneRick!!!
Like(0)

RickBakkerJul26,20155:28AM(inresponsetoModakGupta)

ThanksModak.I'mhopingifwelinktothisoftenenoughthenthevolumeofquestionswill
godownandthequalitywillgoup!CanyouthinkofagoodNumber10?
Like(0)

ModakGuptaJul26,20155:46AM(inresponsetoRickBakker)

Wecanadd'AgentDeterminationCheck'UsersshouldcheckforAgent
Determinationmethod/Ruleinsilosoftheworkflow(iftheWFisnotgoingtothe
intendedpeople).

Anotherone:maybeanextensionofpoint6....thatifthereadershavegone
throughtheabovepointsandstilltheyfaceanissue....thequestionshouldbe
postedwithascreenshotofthe'StepHistory'fromthetechnicalworkflowlog(of
themainWFandthestepinquestion).

Regards,
Modak
Like(0)

ModakGuptaJul27,20151:12AM(inresponsetoModakGupta)

OnemoreimportantpointistocheckimportofCustomizingrequeststo
therespectiveclients.Peopledevelopinoneclientandactivatethe
linkagetherehowevertheytestinadifferentclientandforgettodoan
import(SCC1)ofthecustomizingTRtheeventlinkage.
Like(0)

PaulBakkerJul26,201511:56PM

You'regoingtoputusalloutofan(unpaid)job!

Iwouldalsoaddthat,toavoidproblemsdowntheline,WFBATCHshouldhaveanemailaddress
configured(like noreply@<yourcompany.com>)

Paul
Like(2)

TripurariRaiJul27,20152:50AM

NiceoneRick.ThanxforRemindingallthesenecessarythumbrulesforbasicSAPworkflow
Development&maintenance
Like(0)

AnjanPaulJul27,201511:04AM

ThanksRick,oldrulebutgoodhandbook
Like(0)

RickBakkerJul29,20151:27PM(inresponsetoAnjanPaul)

Thanksall!
Like(0)

RobDielemansJul29,20152:59PM

NicelistRick,

IthinkthebehaviouruponerrorfeedbackinSWE2isonethatWFconsultantswillfaceearlyintheir
careers,IadmitIhavemessedstuffupwitheventcontainerswhichstoppedbigprocessesfrom
workinginproduction.

OvertheyearsIchangedtobeingaproponentofdeactivatingthelinkagewhenanerroroccursin
event>WFbecauseifyouhavesetupeverythingcorrectlyitmeanssomethingseriousonbasis
leveliswronganditisbettertofixthis.
Like(0)

SirajMdJul30,201511:38AM

ThanksalotRick...Goodidea
ItsbetterothergroupmembersshouldprovidethereFPS...
Like(0)

RickBakkerJul30,20151:28PM(inresponsetoSirajMd)

Thankyou,butFPS?
FirstPersonShooter?
FlexiblePaymentSystem?
Like(1)

PaulBakkerJul30,20151:39PM(inresponsetoRickBakker)

FrequentlyProposedSolution!
Like(1)

RickBakkerJul30,20151:53PM(inresponsetoPaulBakker)

Oops,forgotmyownacronym!Justwhattheworldneeds,anotherTLA.
Like(0)

ModakGuptaJul30,20152:55PM(inresponsetoRickBakker)

TLA???
Like(0)

RickBakkerJul30,20153:03PM(inresponsetoModak
Gupta)

ThreeLetterAcronym
Like(1)

ModakGuptaJul30,20153:12PM(inresponseto
RickBakker)

OH!!!....realSAPFan!!!
Like(0)

SusanKeohanJul30,20153:16PM

Thisshouldbestickified,andbeforeanyonecanpostaquestionintheWorkflowspace,theyhaveto
havereadit.
Like(0)

ColleenHebbertJul30,20154:15PM

Nicetipsandtricks...I"mstuckintheworkflowspaceabitatthemomentsoalwaysgoodtogetthe
basic

MysecuritypetpeeveSAP_NEWdoesn'thavetobethere....

Life(profileSAP_NEW),theUniverse(roleSAP_NEW)andEverything(SAP_ALL)

WF_BATCHisabouttheonlyaccountIwon'tattempttorestrictaccessbutit'salwaysatthebackof
mymind.

Ifyoudon'thaveSU01Dthereisahighchanceyouwon'thaveSE16(wellmaybenotwithalotof
supportaccessoutthere).AnotheroptionistogointoSU56andswitchusertogettotheWFBATCH
buffer.

IfaddingSU53tothelist,telltheusertopresssaveintheresoUSR07tableisupdated.Makeit
easiertocheckasdefaultparameterwillnowstorelast100failedchecks.IstoppedrelyingonSU53
yearsagoduetomisleadingchecks.Atbestittellsmewhotheuserisandwhatclienttheyarein

Regards
Colleen
P.s.addingtomybookmarks
Like(1)

SusanKeohanJul30,20154:26PM(inresponsetoColleenHebbert)

@colleen...*stuckintheworkflowspace*???
Like(1)

ColleenHebbertJul30,20154:31PM(inresponsetoSusanKeohan)

SWI2_ADM1(whatgotlostandmissinganagent)andSWI5(whatitemsarewith
theCEO)aremyfriendsatthemoment

NextupishittingtheotherSWI2_*tosaywhyaren'tpeopleprocessingtheir
workflowsbeforetheyescalatetotheClevelmanagement.Let'savoidtheadmin
person'srequestforchocolatepowderforthecoffeemachineneedingtoplevel
approval
Like(2)

RickBakkerJul30,20154:34PM(inresponsetoColleenHebbert)

LotsofinterestinginsideinfothereColleen,thanks!
I'vealwayswonderedhow"New"(asinSAP_NEW)canaddto"All"...
Like(2)

SadiqBashaAug26,20157:17PM(inresponsetoRickBakker)

NiceRick.....Reallyitwillhelp'suslotbyfacingthesekindofissue.

Thanksalotforyoureffortbypostingthis.
Like(0)

SureshMJun18,20168:23AM

ThanksalotRick.Asaworkflowbeginneritwouldhelpmeininitialerroranalysis.
Canyoupleaseletmeknow,inwhichscenariosweuseSWU_OBUFTCode.Inwhatwayithelps
us.
Like(0)

RickBakkerJun18,201611:34PM(inresponsetoSureshM)

AlwaysdoanSWU_OBUFafteraworkflowrelatedtransport,onthereceivingsystem.

It'salsoalwaysgoodtotryifyouseesomethingunexpecteditcan'thurt.Itmakessurethat
changesthathavebeenmadearenoticedbythesystem.
Like(1)

SureshMJun20,20167:34AM(inresponsetoRickBakker)

ThanksalotRickforyourresponse.
Like(0)

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