Payroll area locked.How to Stop the workflow during this period ?

Question

Dear experts,
In the travel workflows, after all the approvals, there is a standard task(Custom) with a custom method(BUS2089 Enhanced).
This method updates the infotype 2002 (Attendances). This works fine for the whole month except during the  payroll run which will be for 3-4 days after 20th of every month.
We have maintained the exception for this when the control record is in the status '1' or '4', by passing a temporary error to the workflow.
SELECT SINGLE * FROM t569v WHERE abkrs = 'Z0'.
IF sy-subrc EQ 0 AND ( t569v-state EQ '1' OR
                       t569v-state EQ '4' ).
  return-message_v1 = 'Employee Master data locked for Payroll'.
  exit_return 1001 return-message_v1 return-message_v2
                   return-message_v3 return-message_v4.
As i understand the workflows can be restarted after solving the temporary errors.But this Temp error will only be solved after the payroll record is becomes 'Exit Payroll'.
The system attempts for 3 times in the period of 30 minutes and then the tempoarry error becomes a permanent error and this way the workflows goes into a permanent error which cannot be restarted even after the payroll is exit.Due to this may workflows are unable to update the Infotyp 2002 however their trips are approved at all levels.
This counter of 3 times and 30 minutes, I belive the system is taking from the error monitoring program (RSWWERRE / SWWERRE) in SWU3.
I am thinking of putting the workflow into 'Wait' state till the period when the Payroll is locked. This way , we can avoid the workflow even from going into temporary error.
Can anyone help in this regard ? Do we need to add a WAIT step in the WF Definition or control in the method code itself ?
Does WAIT UNTIL (ABAP Keyword) works for 3-4 days of payroll run if we implement in the method code itself?
-Anwar
Edited by: Sameer Anwar on Aug 20, 2011 9:44 AM
Edited by: Sameer Anwar on Aug 20, 2011 9:45 AM

Answer 1

Hi Sameer,
But , Can you pls put some more information on why we need to avoid WAIT UNTIL in Tthe ABAP ?
Wait Steps are only used where you have 1 event which the workflow would expect ...moreover this would require more effort in terms of implementation...( you will have to create an event manually after your payroll is open).
I would suggest create an virtual attrubute of the BO  which will populate a whetherr the Payroll is locked or unlocked... then use this attribute as a start condition in the conditions tab of your step. this would stop the workflow until the payrol is open...
Regards
Gautam
Edited by: gautam maini on Aug 20, 2011 2:34 PM
Edited by: gautam maini on Aug 20, 2011 2:35 PM