Create System Tasks

Owned by Ana Chua
Last updated: Apr 15, 2021 by Casper Badenhorst
8 min read

This article demonstrates how to create System Tasks in the FAB Process Designer. System Task is a configuration in the Task Setting that provides the ability for a Task to execute an ABAP code in the background.

Procedure

Step 1

Create a FAB application in transaction /n/IQX/FAB. Define the Properties, set the Workflow Mode to Process, and click Save.

Step 2

Add an Input control in the Form Container and bind it to field Field1 in the Data Model.

Add a Text control in the Form Container and bind it to field Result in the Data Model. This holds the result from the background task.

Step 3

Create an Implementation Class for the System Task. Go to Code to open the Form Life-Cycle dialog. Click the button Auto-Generate Class Name, followed by the button Generate Class.

The ABAP logic used by the System Task needs to be added in the ABAP Class that implements the /IQX/IF_SYSTEM_TASK Interface. You may create a dedicated Class for this, or you may use the Implementation Class of your application. In this example, we will use the latter option.

Step 4

In the Form Life-Cycle dialog, click the button ABAP Routine next to the Perform System/Background Task to create an implementation and click it again to open the Class editor.

Any logic can be implemented in method PERFORM_SYSTEM_TASK, but a boolean value (either ABAP_TRUE or ABAP_FALSE) must be returned in parameter E_SUCCESS.

In this example, we will add a logic that generates a random number, log the results, and set the value of E_SUCCESS to ABAP_TRUE. However, in an actual implementation, you might need to use SAP master data or any transactional data.

method /iqx/if_forms_system_task~perform_system_task. move-corresponding cr_data to gs_data. "implement your actions. data: lo_ran type ref to cl_abap_random_int, lv_i type i, lv_seed type i, lv_message type string. lv_seed = sy-timlo. lo_ran = cl_abap_random_int=>create( min = 1 max = 99999999 seed = lv_seed ). lv_i = lo_ran->get_next( ). gs_data-result = lv_i. "set result into data model lv_message = |Document | && gs_data-result && | created|. call method me->add_to_log "log your results exporting i_form_name = i_form_name i_instance = i_instance i_type = 'S' i_message = lv_message. move-corresponding gs_data to cr_data. e_success = abap_true. " or ABAP_FALSE. endmethod.

Step 5

In the Form Life-Cycle dialog, click the button ABAP Routine next to the Determine approvers for Roles Task to create an implementation and click it again to open the Class editor.

In this example, we will use the user FABAPPR1 as the Approver and WF-BATCH as the System User.

method DETERMINE_APPROVERS_FOR_ROLE. FIELD-SYMBOLS: <fs_approvers> LIKE LINE OF ct_approvers. CASE i_role. WHEN 'Approver1'. APPEND INITIAL LINE TO ct_approvers ASSIGNING <fs_approvers>. <fs_approvers>-approval_level = i_level. <fs_approvers>-node_id = i_node. <fs_approvers>-role_id = i_role. <fs_approvers>-zinstance = i_instance. <fs_approvers>-objty = 'US'. <fs_approvers>-objid = 'FABAPPR1'. WHEN 'System User'. APPEND INITIAL LINE TO ct_approvers ASSIGNING <fs_approvers>. <fs_approvers>-approval_level = i_level. <fs_approvers>-node_id = i_node. <fs_approvers>-role_id = i_role. <fs_approvers>-zinstance = i_instance. <fs_approvers>-objty = 'US'. <fs_approvers>-objid = 'WF-BATCH'. ENDCASE. endmethod.

Step 6

Click the Workflow button to open the FAB Process Designer.

Define the Roles.

Step 7

Define the Levels. Click the Add button to create the Levels.

 

Step 8

Define the Tasks using the Template and the Add buttons.

 

Step 9

Define the Roles for each Task.

Start - Initiator

Draft - Initiator

Approve - Approver1

Update SAP - System User

Administrator - Administrator

Complete - No Role

Step 10

Set the Implementing Class of the System Task.

Click the Ellipsis button (More Task Settings) of the Update SAP task.

Tick the flag for the System Task or Recording and enter the class name in the Implementing Class field.

Click OK.

Step 11

Define the Outcomes for each Task Action. Go to Actions → Outcomes.

Start and Draft Tasks

Approve Task

Update SAP Task

Administrator Task

The Process Flow will be as follows:

Click Save & Close.

Step 12

Add a FAB Process Flow control by right-clicking on Page → Add Process Flow → Add FAB Process Flow. Click Save.

The application will be as follows:

Positive Testing

Step 1

Enter any data in Field1 and click Submit.

Step 2

Check the Data Report in transaction /n/IQX/FAB_DATA. Enter the Form Name and click Execute.

The data has been submitted. The current status is Approval and the next approver is FABAPPR1.

Step 3

Log in to the application as the Approver. Go to My Forms → To Approve. Open the application and click Approve.

Step 4

Refresh the Data Report in transaction /n/IQX/FAB_DATA.

The current status is Update SAP and the next approver is WF-BATCH.

Step 5

Go to transaction SM37 search for Jobs with a similar name as the application.

Step 6

Refresh the Data Report in transaction /n/IQX/FAB_DATA.

The Current Status is now Completed. The Header Changes show the history and the Log shows all the relevant log entries.

The field Result holds the random number generated from the class.

Step 7

Check the results from the application. Log in as the Submitter. Go to My Forms → Submitted By Me.

Negative Testing

Step 1

Go to Code to open the Form Life-Cycle dialog. In the Form Life-Cycle dialog, click the button ABAP Routine next to the Perform System/Background Task to open the Class editor.

Use the following logic in method PERFORM_SYSTEM_TASK. For testing purposes, set the value of parameter E_SUCCESS to ABAP_FALSE.

data: lv_message type string. lv_message = |Error creating Document|. call method me->add_to_log "log your results exporting i_form_name = i_form_name i_instance = i_instance i_type = 'E' i_message = lv_message. e_success = ABAP_FALSE.

Step 2

Repeat Steps 1 to 5 from the Positive Testing guide.

In transaction SM37, the job logged a Failure message.

Step 3

Check the Data Report in transaction /n/IQX/FAB_DATA. Enter the Form Name and click Execute.

The Current Status is now Administrator. The errors are included in the Log.

Debugging and Troubleshooting

Debugging

The System Task runs in the background. To debug it, you can run the event in the foreground by executing the report /IQX/FAB_SYSTEM_TASK and enter the following parameters:

Form Name - FAB App Name

Instance - FAB Instance (Form ID)

Status - Status of the Instance at the time of processing

Task ID - Process Task ID (Example: Update SAP)

Troubleshooting

Check the Logs in transaction /n/IQX/FAB_DATA. The logs should contain this message Starting Event Handler for Background Task. Otherwise, check the transaction SWETYPV if Event Type Linkages are configured.

Object Category - BOR Object Type

Object Type - /IQX/FAB

Event - BACKGROUND_TASK_START

Receiver Type - BACKGROUND_TASK

Troubleshooting - Workflow runtime is not configured properly

In an event if the Event Type linkages are configured and activate, but no background job/system task is created/released should have been found in SM37, then please check if the Workflow runtime is configured properly in transaction SWU3 as below screenshot:

In TS4 environment, there is no RFC destination configured as well as no WF-BATCH user is created for the workflow runtime.