Workflow containers and Bindings

Workflow containers and Bindings

                   In general programming,variables are used to assign the data and some times we are storing the result of different set of operations .these variables are declared at the top of the program.

                       In the same way,in workflows,variables(we called as elements) are declared in Container.So Container is a place where the required element are declared.

SAP Definition for Container: 

A basic common data structure of the various definition components and execution components of SAP Business Workflow. 

There are 5 different containers and based on requirement we can create Elements in any one of them.

·         Workflow container

·         Task container

·         Method container

·         Rule container

·         Event container

jl             we can exchange the data between containers during workflow execution and this can be done using Binding .

        What is binding?

In workflow terms, the word binding represents, assignment between elements of two different containers. Binding editor is used to define binding between elements of different containers. Binding editor looks like below screen shot.

 

Points to be noted while defining binding between elements of different containers

  ·         Elements should belong to same data type.

  ·         Binding can be defined between compatible data types. 

·         Possible Binding Definitions between Containers:  

Workflow Container:

  ·         Binding can be defined from Workflow to Event Container.

  ·         Binding can be defined from Workflow to Task Container.

  ·         Binding can be defined from Workflow to Rule Container. 

Event Container:

  ·         Binding can be defined from Event container to Workflow Container.

  ·         Binding can be defined from Event container to Task container.

Task Container:  

  ·         Binding can be defined from Task to Workflow container.

  ·         Binding can be defined from Task to Rule container.

  ·         Binding can be defined from Task to Method container.  

Method Container:  Binding can be defined from Method to Task container and method container.

Rule Container: Binding can be defined from Rule container to Workflow container. 

Possible Binding Matrix:

Container Type	Workflow	Task	Rule	Event	Method
Workflow	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Task	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Rule	Yes	No	No	No	No
Event	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Method	No	Yes	No	No	No

Yes:  Represents that only you can export a Business object which should belong to type AAGENT.
Yes:  This binding definition is only possible for the step EVENT CREATOR.

Possible Binding Picture

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