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SAP Learning Journey

Digitalizing User Interactions with Forms

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

Add interactive forms in the process you are building
Define different forms for triggers, approvals, and notifications

Digitalize User Interactions with Forms

You have probably experienced that many tasks in your working world, such as reviews, approvals, and validations are still assigned to employees via paper or e-mails. These tasks are a vital part of any business process but they are inefficient and slow.

Forms are a popular way to streamline these activities. Once you have created a form, you can use it to trigger a process to start or add an approval step in the process.

Let’s have a look at the trigger form. The trigger form is the starting point of your business process.

You can define two different types of triggers:

Using a form as a process trigger gives you an opportunity to use a direct link to the published form to start. Alternatively, you can embed the starting trigger into a tile in SAP Launchpad Service with the given parameters:
Using an API call as a process trigger, you can start your business process via API call. To do this, you have to define the required input parameters and reuse them as, for example, input fields:

After you have defined your trigger form, it is time to add approval forms to your business process via drag and drop functionality in the forms builder tool. Approval forms are intended to capture and share information. With that, you can simplify and accelerate business approval processes used by business users. Approval forms automatically provide the choice to approve or reject the request with the according notification.

You have different options to configure the approval forms and to add further information:

Make use of layouts such as headlines, and input fields such as text, dropdown, checkbox, number, date, choice, file upload/attachment*, and more.
Configure read-only or required fields and their format:
Define some more details like general information, inputs, and outputs:

Create a Form to Trigger a Business Process

Business Scenario

The first step in the development of your business process is the creation of a trigger form that will be the starting point of the business process. For that, you have to use the process builder tool.

To learn more about how to create a form to trigger a business process, follow this interactive tutorial.

Task flow

In this exercise, you will perform the following steps:

Design the form with the available layout.
Add further objects to the trigger form.
Use the trigger form for internal configurations.

To learn more about how to create a form to trigger a business process, follow this interactive tutorial.

Exercise options

To carry out this exercise, you can choose from the following options:

Live Environment – by using the instructions provided below, you can perform the steps in your SAP BTP account.
Platform Simulation – follow the step-by-step instructions within the simulation.
Side-by-side: Follow the step-by-step instructions within the simulation and perform the steps in your SAP BTP account simultaneously.

Note

We strongly recommend to perform the steps in the live environment.

ExerciseStart Exercise

Result

You have successfully created a form to trigger a business process.

This concludes the interactive tutorial.

Task 1: Create a Form to Trigger a Business Process

Steps

Create a trigger form.
Use the following data:
Field Value
Name Order Processing Form
Identifier orderProcessingForm (filled automatically)
Description Form to collect order details
1. Open the editor (or double click on the form).
2. Choose Add.
3. Choose Forms → New Form.
4. In the Name field, enter Order Processing Form.
5. The Identifier field, is populated automatically, when saved.
6. In the Description field, enter Form to collect order details.
7. Choose Create.
8. You can now see that the form has been added as the Start Trigger.
Add the first objects to the trigger form.
Use the following data:
Field Value
Headline Order Approval Request Form
Paragraph Please provide the necessary information of your order and submit for approvals
Text Customer Name
Required check the box
1. Choose More.
2. Choose Open Editor.
3. Drag and drop the Headline 1 on the Order Processing Form.
4. Drag and drop the Paragraph on the Order Processing Form.
5. In the Headline field, enter Order Approval Request Form.
6. In the Paragraph field, enter Please provide the necessary information of your order and submit for approvals.
7. To create a field setting, drag and drop the Text on the Order Processing Form.
8. In the Text field, enter Customer Name.
9. Choose Required.
Add further details to the form.
Use the following data:
Category Element Title Settings
Inputs Text Order Number Required
Inputs Number Order Amount Required
Inputs Date Order Date Required
Inputs Text Shipping Country Required
Inputs Date Expected Delivery Date Required
1. Add the mentioned objects, as described above.
2. Choose Save.
3. This is the result:

Field	Value
Name	Order Processing Form
Identifier	orderProcessingForm (filled automatically)
Description	Form to collect order details

Field	Value
Headline	Order Approval Request Form
Paragraph	Please provide the necessary information of your order and submit for approvals
Text	Customer Name
Required	check the box

Category	Element	Title	Settings
Inputs	Text	Order Number	Required
Inputs	Number	Order Amount	Required
Inputs	Date	Order Date	Required
Inputs	Text	Shipping Country	Required
Inputs	Date	Expected Delivery Date	Required

Result

You have successfully created a form to trigger a business process.

This concludes the interactive tutorial.

Create and Configure an Approval Form

Business Scenario

In this exercise, you are going to create and configure an approval form. Approval forms are being used to simplify and accelerate business approval processes used by business users.

Approval forms can include not only approvals, but also rejections, in the context of sales order processing, invoices, or employee onboarding. You can model these approval forms with the form builder that is imbedded in the process builder tool. These forms will be converted later on into tasks, as part of an automated workflow that will appear in the inbox of the authorized business users.

Exercise Options

To carry out this exercise, you can choose from the following options:

Live Environment: Using the instructions provided below, you can perform the steps in your SAP BTP account.
Platform Simulation: Follow the step-by-step instructions within the simulation.
Side-by-side: Follow the step-by-step instructions within the simulation and perform the steps in your SAP BTP account simultaneously.

Note

We strongly recommend performing the steps in the live environment.

ExerciseStart Exercise

Task 1: Design the Approval Form

Steps

Create an approval form.
Use the following data:
Field Value
Name Approval Form
Description Form to approve or reject the sales order
1. Choose the Order Processing tab.
2. Choose Add.
3. Choose Approvals → New Approval Form.
4. In the Name field, enter Approval Form.
5. In the Description field, enter Form to approve or reject the sales order.
6. Choose Create.

Field	Value
Name	Approval Form
Description	Form to approve or reject the sales order

Add the first objects to the approval form.

Use the following data:

Field	Value
Headline	Approve Sales Order
Paragraph	A new order has been received. Please review and confirm whether the requirements can be met or not
Paragraph	Sales Order Details
Text Input	Customer Name
Property of this label	Read only

Choose More.
Choose Open Editor.
Drag and drop the Headline 1 on the Order approval form.
In the Headline field, enter Approve Sales Order.
Drag and drop the Paragraph on the Approval Form.
In the Paragraph field, enter A new order has been received. Please review and confirm whether the requirements can be met or not.
Drag and drop a Paragraph on the Approval Form.
In the Paragraph field, enter Sales Order Details:.
Drag and drop a Text on the Approval Form.
In the Label field, enter Customer Name.
Choose Read Only.
This is the result:

Add further details to the form.
Use the following data:
Category Element Title Settings
Inputs Text Order Number Read Only
Inputs Number Order Amount Read Only
Inputs Date Order Delivery Date Read Only
1. Add the mentioned objects, as described above.
Add further fields.
Use the following data:
Element Title
Paragraph Supplier Acknowledgment
Checkbox I acknowledge that we have received your order and will process it based on the availability
Text area Message to buyer
1. Add the mentioned objects, as described in the steps above.
2. Drag and drop a Paragraph on the approval form.
3. In the Paragraph field, enter Supplier Acknowledgment.
4. Drag and drop a Checkbox on the approval form.
5. In the Label field, enter I acknowledge that we have received your order and will process it based on the availability.
6. Drag and drop a Text Area on the approval form.
7. In the Text field, enter Message to buyer:.
8. Choose Save.
9. This is the result.

Category	Element	Title	Settings
Inputs	Text	Order Number	Read Only
Inputs	Number	Order Amount	Read Only
Inputs	Date	Order Delivery Date	Read Only

Element	Title
Paragraph	Supplier Acknowledgment
Checkbox	I acknowledge that we have received your order and will process it based on the availability
Text area	Message to buyer

Task 2: Configure an Approval Step

Steps

Configure an approval step.
In the following steps, you will configure an approval step in the process using the previously created approval form.
Use the following data:
Field Value
Subject Review and approve order
Subject from
Subject company
Users Process Started By
This task is due 2
1. Choose the Order Processing tab.
2. Choose Approval Form.
3. In the Subject field, enter Review and approve order.
4. Choose Subject.
5. Choose Order Number.
6. In the Subject field, enter from.
7. Choose the Subject field again.
8. Choose Customer Name.
9. In the Subject field, enter company.
10. Choose Users.
11. Choose Process Started By.
12. Open the Type Due Date list.
13. Choose Static Duration.
14. In the This task is due field, enter 2.
15. Choose Inputs.
16. Choose Customer Name.
17. Choose Customer Name.
18. Choose Order Delivery Date.
19. Choose Expected Delivery Date.
20. Choose Order Amount.
21. Choose Order Amount.
22. Choose Order Number.
23. Choose Order Number.
24. Choose Save.
25. Result with an error.
  Note
  The process builder displays an error for the Approval step. This is because the Reject exit is not yet connected to any other step or end element.
26. Result:

Field	Value
Subject	Review and approve order
Subject	from
Subject	company
Users	Process Started By
This task is due	2

Result

You have successfully created and configured an approval form.

This concludes the tutorial.

Create and Configure a Form for Notifications

Business Scenario

Notifications are created after the user approves or rejects the request. These notifications will inform the requester whether their sales order is approved or rejected, and will be sent either via an email or through the form. They will appear in the inbox of the requester as a task.

After you have created your approval form, you want to make sure that the business user gets notified whether the request for example, sales order, has been approved or rejected.

To do this, you need to create and configure forms for notifications.

To learn more about how to create and configure forms for notifications, follow this tutorial.

Exercise Options

To carry out this exercise, you can choose from the following options:

Live Environment: Using the instructions provided below, you can perform the steps in your SAP BTP account.
Platform Simulation: Follow the step-by-step instructions within the simulation.
Side-by-side: Follow the step-by-step instructions within the simulation and perform the steps in your SAP BTP account simultaneously.

Note

We strongly recommend to perform the steps in the live environment.

ExerciseStart Exercise

Result

You have successfully created and configured forms for notifications.

This concludes the tutorial.

Task 1: Create and Configure a Form for Notifications

Steps

Create a new form.
Use the following data:
Field Value
Name Order Confirmation Form
Identifier orderConfirmationForm (auto-filled)
Description Notification form to inform whether the sales order is approved by the supplier
1. Choose Add.
2. Choose Forms → New Form.
3. In the Name field, enter Order Confirmation Form.
4. In the Identifier field, you do not have to enter anything. The field is filled automatically.
5. In the Description field, enter Notification form to inform whether the sales order is approved by the supplier.
6. Choose Create.

Field	Value
Name	Order Confirmation Form
Identifier	orderConfirmationForm (auto-filled)
Description	Notification form to inform whether the sales order is approved by the supplier

Edit the new form.

Use the following data:

Type	Field	Value/Configuration
Headline	Headline	Order Confirmation
Paragraph	Paragraph	orderConfirmationForm
Description	Description	Your order has been received and accepted for delivery. We will send you the details as soon as the order is shipped. You can find the details of your order below, please review and verify your request:
Text Area	Text	Message from the supplier:
Paragraph	Paragraph	Your Sales Order Details:
Text	Label	Order Number
status of	Order Number	Read Only
Number	Label	Order Amount
status of	Order Amount	Read Only
Date	Label	Expected Delivery Date
status of	Expected Delivery Date	Read Only

Choose More.
Choose Open Editor.
Drag Headline1 and drop it on the form.
In the Headline field, enter Order Confirmation.
Drag Paragraph and drop it on the form.
In the Paragraph field, enter Your order has been received and accepted for delivery. We will send you the details as soon as the order is shipped. You can find the details of your order below, please review and verify your request:.
Drag Text and drop it on the form.
In the Label field, enter Message from the supplier:.
Drag Paragraph and drop it on the form.
In the Paragraph field, enter Your Sales Order Details:.
Drag Text and drop it on the form.
In the Text field, enter Order Number.
Choose Read Only.
Drag Number and drop it on the Order Confirmation Form.
In the Label field, enter Order Amount.
Choose Read Only.
Drag Date and drop it on the form.
In the Label field, enter Expected Delivery Date.
Choose Read Only.
Choose Save.

Add further details.
Use the following data:
Field Value
Subject Your Order
Subject has been successfully received
Users Process Started By
1. Choose Order Processing.
2. Choose Order Confirmation Form.
3. In the Subject field, enter Your Order.
4. Choose Subject.
5. Choose Order Number.
6. In the Subject field, enter has been successfully received.
7. Choose Users.
8. Choose Process Started By.
9. Choose Inputs.
10. Choose Order Number.
11. Choose Order Number.
12. Choose Message from the supplier.
13. Choose Message to buyer:.
14. Choose Expected Delivery Date.
15. Choose Expected Delivery Date.
16. Choose Order Amount.
17. Choose Order Amount.
18. The process content will highlight the entries with the same data type as the input field. For example, if the input field is of number type, then Process Content will show only number type entries.
19. Choose Save.

Field	Value
Subject	Your Order
Subject	has been successfully received
Users	Process Started By

Create another form by duplicating the recently created one.

Use the following data:

Field	Value
Name	Order Rejection Form
Identifier	orderRejectionForm (auto-filled)
Headline	Order Rejection
Paragraph	We are sorry to inform you that your order cannot be accepted. Any inconvenience caused due to the refusal of the order is regretted. You can find the reason for the rejection and the details of your order below, please confirm the request:
Paragraph	Please choose the SUBMIT button to acknowledge the order status.

You can copy the same form to create another form to send a rejection notification to the requester. If copy is not available, create the form in the same way and modify the texts wherever relevant, as shown below.
Choose Overview.
Choose More.
Choose Duplicate.
Hint
Duplicate feature is used to copy artifacts within the Business Process, whereas Copy feature is used to copy artifacts across the business processes.
In the Name field, enter Order Rejection Form.
In the Identifier field, you do not have to enter anything. it is auto-filled.
Choose Duplicate.
In the Headline field, enter Order Rejection.
In the Paragraph field, enter We are sorry to inform you that your order cannot be accepted. Any inconvenience caused due to the refusal of the order is regretted. You can find the reason for the rejection and the details of your order below, please confirm the request:.
To add an input field, choose the scroll bar to scroll down.
Drag Paragraph and drop it on the Order Confirmation Form.
In the Paragraph field, enter Please Choose the SUBMIT button to acknowledge the order status..
Choose Save.

Extend the rejection order form.
Use the following data:
Field Value
Subject Your Order
Subject is rejected by the supplier
Priority High
Users Process Started By
Inputs Expected Delivery Date
1. Choose the Order Processing tab.
2. Choose Approval Form.
3. Choose Add.
4. Choose Forms → Order Rejection Form.
5. In the Subject field, enter Your Order.
6. Choose Subject.
7. Choose Order Number.
8. In the Subject field, enter is rejected by the supplier.
9. To choose a Priority, open the list.
10. Choose High.
11. Choose Users.
12. Choose Process Started By.
13. Choose Inputs.
14. Choose Expected Delivery Date.
15. Choose Expected Delivery Date.
16. Choose Message from the supplier.
17. Choose Message to buyer:.
18. Choose Order Amount.
19. Choose Order Amount.
20. Choose Order Number.
21. Choose Order Number.
22. Drag Submit and drop it on End.
23. Choose Save.
  With this, you have completed the process design of your business process. You have experienced building a process in a completely no-code environment and with no technical know-how. You used the process builder to create a one-step approval process with trigger form, approval form, and notification forms.