The growing demand for enterprise mobility has prompted businesses to reimagine their workflows for mobile-first environments. SAP Mobile Platform (SMP) plays a critical role in enabling organizations to extend their SAP systems to mobile devices securely and efficiently. One of the key aspects of this transformation is the implementation of mobile workflows, which streamline business processes, improve productivity, and enhance user experience.
This article explores how to implement mobile workflows using SAP Mobile Platform, from design principles and architecture to deployment and best practices.
Mobile workflows are automated or semi-automated business processes that can be executed on mobile devices. These workflows allow field users, such as salespeople, technicians, and managers, to perform tasks like approvals, inspections, data entry, and reporting without being tethered to a desktop.
Examples include:
- Leave request approvals
- Work order management
- Purchase requisition approvals
- Inventory checks
SAP Mobile Platform is an enterprise-grade solution that provides the infrastructure and tools needed to build, deploy, and manage mobile applications that interact with SAP backend systems (e.g., SAP S/4HANA, SAP ERP, SAP CRM).
Key components include:
- SAP Mobile Services (Cloud Foundry or Neo environment)
- Mobile Development Kit (MDK)
- SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) Integration
- SAP Fiori for Mobile UI
Begin by identifying the business process to be mobilized:
- Who are the users?
- What steps are involved in the workflow?
- What data is needed at each step?
- What are the integration points with SAP backend systems?
SAP provides several tools for building mobile workflows:
- SAP Mobile Development Kit (MDK): For metadata-driven app development.
- SAP Fiori Elements: For consistent and responsive UIs.
- SAP Business Application Studio: As the development environment.
- SAP Cloud Workflow Service (optional): For orchestrating workflows across systems.
Key considerations:
- Use role-based access and adaptive UIs (responsive design).
- Offline capability for fieldwork scenarios.
- Minimize data entry using smart forms or OCR.
- Incorporate notifications (push/email) for task assignments.
Use:
- OData services to fetch and post data from SAP systems.
- SAP Gateway or CDS views to expose backend data.
- SAP Cloud Connector for secure access to on-premise systems.
Depending on complexity, use:
- Client-side scripting in MDK for UI-level logic.
- Business Rules Framework (BRF+) or SAP Cloud Workflow for backend decisions.
- SAP BTP APIs for advanced automation (e.g., email triggers, SLAs).
¶ 6. Test and Deploy
- Use SAP Mobile Services for testing deployment and lifecycle management.
- Leverage Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools for secure rollouts.
- Monitor performance and usage analytics via SAP Mobile Services cockpit.
- Start small with high-impact workflows like approvals.
- Ensure data synchronization works reliably offline and online.
- Use Fiori design guidelines for a consistent UX.
- Implement security features like single sign-on (SSO), encryption, and remote wipe.
- Plan for user training and change management.
- User receives a push notification for a pending requisition.
- Opens the app built using MDK or Fiori Mobile.
- Views requisition details (fetched via OData service).
- Approves or rejects with a comment.
- Decision is synced to SAP S/4HANA backend in real-time or when online.
Implementing mobile workflows using SAP Mobile Platform empowers enterprises to streamline operations, reduce delays, and enhance employee satisfaction. With careful planning, the right toolset, and a focus on user-centric design, organizations can effectively bring SAP business processes into the mobile era.
Keywords: SAP Mobile Platform, Mobile Workflows, SAP Fiori, MDK, SAP BTP, Enterprise Mobility, Workflow Automation, OData, SAP Integration, SAP Cloud Workflow