Elaborating on the steplist of the previous article a bit more...
1. My work items show up... !
...in everybodies inbox... You may have set up your task with everybody as "possible agents" (e.g. by turning your task into a general task). Rule resolution should now be adressed to enable choosing the actual agents (which is always a subset of the possible agents).
2. In process for ever...
You have checked your workflow log and your item "freezes" in the "Process" status... Has one of your methods dumped ? If so, do not expect clear error reporting from the system, other that transaction ST22 (dump analysis). When the system produces a dump in a background process, you will not be prompted !
3. Changes done, but not effective ?
This happens especially after transports. Where workflows are up and running, and changes are done, it can be expected that "things" get out of sync. There is a transaction SWU_OBUF that helps clear runtime buffers, which can get rid of unexplained behaviour. Then there is another issue on newly introduced (just transported) workflows: Generally changes to any workflow should be accompanied by generating a new version. After a new version of a workflow is introduced - check to see if the actual active version is really the newly introduced version. Have a look at the workflow builder (trx PFTC) and display the "blue nodes" graphical overview. In the top left corner the version that is currently active is displayed. If it shows "Runtime version available" - be very alert. The system is not working with the flow you are looking at, it's determined to use a runtime version, probably the previous version. To solve this, a transport with a newly generated (and activated!) version is required.
4. Lots of work items in everybodies inbox
Just get rid of them... There are tools available to remove work items, in Business workflow > Development > Administration > Workflow Runtime > Reorganisation a program can be found that will allow selection of workitems that should be deleted. Handle with due care!
5. Overview of workflows for a given business object
Via ... > Development > Runtime tools > Workflow for object you can fill in a Business Object with it's key, e.g. BUS2012 with a purchase order number. Simply set Selection variant to "All instances" and Seleciton period to "All"...
6. Container values not filled
In the workflow log of any workflow instance, the contents of the container can be checked. The workflow container and task containers that is. Containers should be fed from other containers, there´s event containers which should pass things on to workflow containers, and there´s workflow containers which should pass stuff on to task containers, tasks may enrich workflow containers again. All done via bindings. Check the bindings for the variabele you are missing, start with the task and work you´re way backwards.. Where a binding is not defined, a task will pick up empty values or values set by the task will not be picked up by the workflow container. If the task requires or manupulated container variables, they should ideally be set up with the container values as parameters on the method on your Business Object. Where this is done properly, setting up the bindings on tasks is automated...