Credit Approval from Mobile-SAP CRM

25/02/2015
AGC Networks Limited
Vikas Kumar/Runjhun Payal
SAP Technology
Mail to: vikas.kumar5@tcs.com
runjhun.payal@tcs.com

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Table of Content
1. Description

.4
1.1Challenges

.4
1.2Benefits

..4
2. Solution Approach

5
3. Technical
Approach
6
4. Process Overview .

7
4.1Road Map

.7
5. Advantages

.14

1. Description
The World is changing and we all know consumer experience is the new standard for
enterprise applications. The complex and feature-rich experience must be replaced by a
simple, intuitive, and mobile experience. Keeping this in mind we took a step ahead in
approval of credit limit for New customer. In B2B scenario, transaction of money is not as fast
as in B2C. To overcome delay in process, we should enhance the decision making step in
order to minimize time.

1.1 Challenges
1. In any process a decision step is involved, where an action is required to move it further to
the next level. In the process of clear order booking customer credit approval is required from
higher management. Once it gets approved further processing of orders can be carried
forward.
2. Higher management is also involved in attending meetings, conferences which delay the
work items as they are not supposed to work in the meetings.
3. If any step is pending for approval, then the other dependent processes will not be
completed on time. This may lead to an escalation which is not a positive sign for any
organization.
To overcome these challenges we have developed an application where credit of new
customer can be approved from mobile. This will provide a positive impact for new customer
and business for making the order get delivered on time. Customer satisfaction is always a
challenge for Business and these kind of technologies can overcome this challenge.

1.2 Benefits
The improved process will serve the following benefits:
1. Eliminating the need to Log into SAP to process the work item from Business workplace.
2. Increase mobility and efficiency as other dependent processes will be executed on time.
3. Hence, using this concept, we can now process work items, approve/reject them remotely,
without having to log into SAP.
4. New customer will turn to regular customer on 100% satisfaction. At the end its all about
retaining and maximizing the count of new customers.

2. Solution Approach
Actions:
Actions are used in maintaining and improving business relationships. We can
schedule and start predefined conditions with the Actions component by means of
user-definable conditions from transaction and marketing objects.
Actions use the Post Processing Framework (PPF), a Basis component, which can be
automated with the initiation of outputs, follow-on documents or workflows. Using
the Actions tab page within a business document, you can display a list of actions
that can be included in the business transaction.

An action profile is determined from the corresponding transaction type or item

category.

Actions are stored as action definitions within an action profile.

You can control action processing using different settings and parameters:

Action changeable or executable in dialog

Action displayed in toolbar (SAP GUI)

Processing time (when saving the document or via selection report)

Partner dependence

Determination technique

Action merging

Processing types (with entry of the desired form name)

1.2 FEATURES OF ACTIONS

You can define actions dependent on conditions so that the system automatically
schedules and starts them when the conditions are fulfilled. With actions you can:

Create follow-up transactions automatically

Execute changes in the transaction or marketing object currently being

processed, for example, create new items, or status inheritance by subordinate
elements in marketing objects

Output in print, by faxing or e-mail

Actions are displayed in transaction documents that support actions and to which an
action profile is assigned. You can display a list of actions scheduled for the document
on the Actions tab page of a transaction document. The following information is
displayed in the list for each action:

Status (action scheduled, action processed)

Description (purpose of action)

Conditions (settings for action definition and conditions are displayed)

Creator, Creation date

There are various processing types for actions:

Methods (Business Add-Ins)

Methods are Business Add-In (BADI) implementations. You can define your own BADI
implementation
to
adapt
actions
to
your
processes
and
needs.
(EXEC_METHODCALL_PPF is the relevant BADI.)
Examples for standard methods include the following:

COPY_DOCUMENT (create a follow-up document)

COMPLETE_DOCUMENT (set status completed within document)

CREDIT_MEMO (create credit memo item)

REPAIR_ITEM (create a repair item)

1O_EVENT_CREATE (create a workflow event)

SAP Business Workflow

This is suitable for more complex processes, for example, a follow-up transaction that
includes an approval process.

Smart Forms
SAP Smart Forms must be used to print, e-mail or fax documents such as an order
confirmation. You can use the graphics tool, SAP Smart Forms, to design the layout
of output forms.
SAP delivers several Smart Forms for outputs in SAP CRM:

Form CRM_ORDER_CONFIRMATION_01 (suitable for faxes, letters, and e-mail)

Form CRM_ORDER_LEASING_01 (suitable for faxes, letters, and e-mail)

Form CRM_OPPORTUNITY_01 (suitable for faxes, letters, and e-mail)

SAP Smart Forms offer the advantage of adapting forms without requiring
programming knowledge, thanks to a completely graphical user interface.
When you request a printout of a form, the application program obtains the relevant
data to be used and prints it on the form. Data retrieval and form logic are separated
from one another.
SAP Smart Forms replace SAP-Script forms (migration from SAP-Script forms to Smart
Forms is supported).
2.0 HOW TO CREATE AN ACTION
2.1 STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE
2.1.1 Enter into any SAP-CRM Server and move to Transaction SPRO.

2.1.2 Press SAP Reference IMG -> Customer Relationship Management ->Basic
Functions -> Actions -> Actions in Transactions.
2.1.3 To create an Action Profile Click on
documentation.

2.1.4 Now Press the Execute Button

. First read the

to start creating an Action Profile.

2.1.5 Select /Create Action profile: This is an initial step for defining an new action

2.1.6 Create Action: In this we will define the processing step. One action profile can
carry multiple actions.

2.1.7 Set Action: In this an action will be triggered when required condition will meet.

2.1.8Select Action Processing

2.1.9 Select Processing method and assign the defined method against the action.

2.2.0 Enter Action description

2.2.1 Assign Schedule condition: When condition will meet on status E0002 , then
action will get triggerd.

2.2.2 Complete

Technical Approach:

Whenever Credit approval is required for new customer, implementation

ZACTION_PROFILE of BADI EXEC_METHODCALL_PPF will be called. Using this method
a mail will be triggered to the approver to take action as per details in the mail body.
Links are given to APPROVE or REJECT directly through the mail without logging into
SAP system. The links given are that of web dynpro application created which
captures users remarks and approval status. Also, the URL which is displayed on
opening the links is encrypted ensuring confidentiality of the process. Once the user
takes action i.e., APPROVE or REJECT then corresponding status is set. User can
process the work item either through mail or through SAP inbox as in normal
scenarios. In order to enable user to process work items offline we need to follow
below mentioned steps.

Changes have been done for Execute method of implementation

ZACTION_PROFILE. Function Module CRM_ORDER_READ is called to get all
required details. Mail will be triggered with required details like Customer
Name, Payment Term, Sales Organisation, Sales Group, PO Value to the
Approver. A link for Approval / Rejection will be available in mail body so that
agent can directly take action without logging into the system.

Create a web dynpro application with a view to display pop up window in main
window when user clicks on APPROVE or REJECT link. The view will be
designed as shown below.

On click of submit button status will be changed using function module

CRM_STATUS_CHANGE_EXTERN as E0006 for Approval case and E0005 for
Rejection case. Once action is executed, success message will be displayed.

On click of cancel button no action will take place. User can process the work
item later when required.

In case the work item has already been processed by the user then
corresponding message will be displayed as shown below.

3. Process Overview
3.1 Road Map
The following process shows a test scenario of the approval process for new customer.
1. Initiate for Credit Release

Set status "Initiate for

Credit Approval"

Is there
any
error..??

Action got triggered

for credit Approval

Error should be
removed. It will not
allow to save with the
status.

Customer PO Approval Mail

Create PO 200012 and Set the Status to Initiate for Credit Check as follows:

Action Profile will trigger a mail for the approval as follows:

Higher Management can Approve or Reject the request.

Now, click on Approve and the following screen will open.

Enter User and Password to Log On. & Add Remarks and Submit to Approve the Credit.

The Status will be set to Credit Released as shown below:

4. Advantage

1. This HTML E-Mail will demonstrate the data in Tabular Format and provide two links
to the approver;
APPROVE and REJECT.
2. These links are typical MAILTO links. On clicking either of these links, the system will
generate an auto e-mail to send to the SAP System.
3. This e-mail will have the TO field auto-populated with the Offline System SAP ID and
the Subject also
auto-populated with the action (A or R, for APPROVE or REJECT) and the
Work Item ID of the User Decision step that was sent to the approver.
4. User will not have to enter the SAP User ID or Password to send this auto email.
5. The user thus does not need to log on to the SAP System.
6. The user need not be in the SAP Network or VPN to send this email.
7. The user does not need to have SAP GUI present, since these links are not SAP Short
Cut Links that need
SAP GUI.
8. Any application that can process MAILTO links can send these auto e-mails. Hence
this works even in handheld devices like iPhone, Blackberry, etc.
9. This works in various Internet Browsers. I have tested this in various versions of
Microsoft Internet
Explorer, Google Chrome, etc. Works on both Web Mail version of
Microsoft Outlook and Normal Outlook
10. No need to schedule any batch job for programs like RSWUWFML2.
11. Highly customizable and easy to implement & No third party tool required.

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