Introduction to Workflow

Slide 2 Overview What is workflow? What is business process management? Common workflow and process problems The functional organizational structure The role of enterprise systems Introduction to SAP R3

Slide 3 What is Workflow (1)? Workflow is a depiction (model) of a sequence of connected steps Many see workflow as an abstraction of actual work Examples: The route you take to work The exact steps to make a Twinkie The steps to procure raw materials for manufacturing

Slide 4 What is Workflow? (2) We model workflow in terms of what steps are performed who performs those steps what dependencies (relationships) exist between those steps what external resources (information, materials, etc.) are required to complete the set of steps

Slide 5 Modeling Workflow We have tools to model workflow and implement workflow-based software systems BizAgi models business processes UML and UML tools (Visio) model workflow and various types of processes There are several tools and there are different models too We will use BizAgi in this course and a bit of Visio

Slide 6 Modeling Workflow (BPMN) The Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) is used to depict business processes There are formal symbols to depict the actors in the process, the tasks performed, and the relationships between those tasks

Slide 7 A First Workflow Diagram

Slide 8 Modeling Workflow (Visio) Visio supports several modeling tools for workflow Data Flow diagrams model the flow of data through an information system UML diagrams model process state, sequence, and structure

Slide 9 What is Business Process Management? I like this definition: Workflow is concerned with the application- specific sequencing of activities via predefined instruction sets, involving either or both automated procedures (software-based) and manual activities (people work) BPM is concerned with the definition, execution and management of business processes defined independently of any single application

Slide 10 Non-normative Definitions? But let’s not get bogged down in formal definitions I can find several definition of the following terms: Workflow Business Process Business Process Management

Slide 11 Common Workflow and Process Problems Lack of workflow integration across functional units This leads to a silo effect Workflow that is not well understood

Slide 12 The Functional Organizational Structure Purchasing Production Warehouse / distribution Sales and marketing Finance and accounting Human resources Information systems Research and development

Slide 13 The Role of Enterprise Systems Enterprise Systems (Enterprise Planning Systems) ERPs Use best practices to implement cross-functional workflow systems for various industries We try to Eliminate information silos Create a real-time or near real-time view of an organization Establish strong internal controls over data who can access it and who can change it

Slide 14 Common ERP Systems Oracle (JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, Siebel) SAP Microsoft Dynamics IBM BAAN Sage Group Sage, Accpac ERP, Peachtree There are also open source solutions

Slide 15 Introduction to SAP SAP R3 (System Analysis and Program Development) is a client-server application made up of core business modules and optional add-on modules A central relational database sits behind the server ( SAP HANA, Oracle, SQL Server, …)

Slide 16 The SAP Business Suite SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (SAP ERP) SAP Supplier Relationship Management (SAP SRM) SAP Customer Relationship Planning (SAP CRM) SAP Supply Chain Management (SAP SCM) SAP Product Lifecycle Management (SAP PLM) SAP NetWeaver supplies the client user interface

Slide 17 SAP – The Company SAP AG Founded in Walldorf, Germany in 1972 World’s Largest Business Software Company World’s Third-largest Independent Software Provider Company Statistics Over 45,000 employees in more then 50 countries 1,500+ Business Partners 95,000+ customers in more then 120 countries 12 million users 100,000+ installations

Slide 18 SAP – Industries (1) Designed to satisfy the information needs for all business sizes (small local to large all international) Multi-lingual Multi-currency Multi-balance (parallel G/L Accounting)

Slide 19 SAP – Industries (2) Aerospace & Defense Automotive Banking Chemicals Consumer Products Defense & Security Engineering, Const. Healthcare High Tech Higher Education Industrial Machinery Insurance Life Sciences Logistics Service Prod.  Media  Mill Products  Mining  Oil & Gas  Pharmaceuticals  Postal Services  Professional Services  Public Sector  Railways  Retail  Telecommunications  Utilities  Wholesale Distribution

Slide 20 SAP – Architecture (1) Client/Server Environment Client – hardware/software environment that can make a request for services for a central repository of resources This is the NetWeaver program that you see Server – hardware/software combination that can provide services to a group of clients in a controlled environment This is the back-end server that you connect to through NetWeaver

Slide 21 SAP Architecture (2) Three-Tier Architecture GUI Graphical User Interface (NetWeaver) or Web Interface (WebDynpro) Application Server One or more, help distribute work load Database Server One single data repository

Slide 22 SAP ERP Components And get used to all of these codes! Core Financials (FI) (“Track”) Materials Management (MM) (“Buy Materials”) Sales and Distribution (SD) (“Sell Goods”) Production Planning (PP) (“Make goods) Human Resources (HCM) Add-on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Supply Chain Management (CRM)

Slide 23 SAP Database It’s huge (over tables) There is little or no data redundancy Terminology and data definitions are consistent and accurate throughout the database

Slide 24 SAP R3 Implementation Database Application Presentation Browser Client PCs, Laptops, etc. Network Application Servers Internet Transaction Server Web Server © SAP AG - University Alliances and The Rushmore Group, LLC All rights reserved

Slide 25 SAP Configuration vs. Customization SAP is configured by editing various configuration tables Configuration does not require software code changes Customization is possible through a programming language called Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP) Customization is a contested practice