How can SAP Process Automation meet SAP Mobile Start?

[aii-nloeb]

Dear Community,

the "The Power of American Natives" is a quite old song with a dynamic beat. While listening you feel to be enforced and motivated to do something. Great, lets do it, yes you can.

Let me explain what my intention is:
One of my workflow contains an automation which uses one of these SDK's (Outlook, Excel, Word). When I run the workflow with my local computer (laptop) everything works like expected. For instance an E-mail is send, an Calendar Entry is created or even a Word Document is updated, etc.

Now I did the same within SAP Mobile Start. Well, nothing happened.
Of course, my local agent is offline, my computer is shutdown.
Personal Disappointment.

At this point I came to the decision to ask you: How can I provide a modern mobile infrastructure for home office usage or with tablet or smart phone somewhere in a train? - I don't want to drive into town, go in my office, start my computer just to run all my stored automation in my client.

Furthermore I need some help because I will expect a very traditional communication about security, protocols, client software, user rights, etc. - Finally I ask me: Is SAP Process Automation ready for Mobile Usage?


Thanks
Nico

[gregorw]

Hi Nico,

can you describe in more detail when your workflow works and how it is implemented? Maybe a drawing using https://excalidraw.com/ or https://app.diagrams.net/ could help.

Best Regards
Gregor

[aii-nloeb]

Hello Gegor,

at the moment I can only provide an example for SAP Workflow Management and SAP Intelligent Robotics.
But the business process model and automation behavior is exactly the same.

• Start Workflow
• Run Normal Workflow Steps (Rework Task, etc.)
• Get Workflow Data from Backend via SAP Integration Suite (planned via Automation)
• Notify Particient in Launchpad via SAP Integration Suite (planned via Automation)
• Run Workflow Steps with Microsoft Automation to create a WORD Office Letter
  Create a Word Document based on Payload Information
  ... Replace Words, Create a PDF File.
  In BPM I used API_Trigger to start SPA or IPRA Automation.
• Send a Mail to Requester or Particient via Mail Destination
  

When I run this workflow within SAP Mobile Start -> All steps except of with MS Automation Steps provide an immediately result. All Automation jobs are only executes wehen I start my laptop where the agent is running and Microsoft Products are installed.

Does this explanation fulfill your expectations?

01-business-letter-automation.png

02-notification-step.png

03-approval-step.png

04-automation-step.png

Regards
Nico

[aii-nloeb]

Hello Gregor,

a drawing just for you.

Regards
Nico

[Jana_dK]

Hi Nico,

The Desktop agent can be installed on a virtual machine / server as an alternative. This way it's always up & running to execute any automations that should be happening in the background.

If you do launch an automation from your mobile, the desktop agent on a server can pick it up and process the automation.

KR,

Jana

[aii-nloeb]

Hello Jana,

thanks for your thinking and answer.
I asked for a VDM in my IT-Department. Ongoing.

But let me describe my issue differently. Especially SDK Outlook makes me headache. -> Reading E-Mails from my account, reply via my account or creating an appointment in my calendar via IPRA / SPA works only with desktop agent on my laptop. Last opportunity seems to be to use an Microsoft Open Connector in CPI.

If I mention this topic to an administrator I'll start a conversation about security, ...

Cheers
Nico

[gil100]

Another approach you could take is to rebuild your current process in a no/low code platform that has mobile built in by default like Pillir or Appgyver . Your existing logic can be rebuilt quickly using visual models then deployed to the web and to a native mobile app. From your description It sounds like you may need to combine an RPA tool and a low-code platform but that can be easily achieve with most low-code platforms.