In-App Extensibility

Merve Temel

SAP SE
 Key Outcomes/Objectives

1. Motivation of In-App Extensibility

2. Overview of Key User Tools
3. In-App Extensibility Scenarios

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 Agenda

Motivation for a New Extensibility Concept in S/4HANA

Extensibility Spectrum
SAP S/4HANA Extensibility Scenarios
In-app Key User Extensibility
S/4HANA Key User Extensibility
UI Flexibility

Custom Fields
Data Source Extensions

Custom Business Logic

Custom Business Objects

Custom Reusable Elements

Custom Code List

Tracing

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 Agenda

S/4HANA Key User Extensibility

Associations – Custom Fields and Custom Business Objects

Analytics Extensibility – KPI Design

Analytics Extensibility - Custom Analytical Queries (Query Builder)

Analytics Extensibility - Custom CDS Views

Custom Forms

Custom Tiles
Custom Catalog Extensions

Custom Communication Scenario

Custom CDS View OData-Scenario

Lifecycle Management

Extensibility Inventory Application

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 Extensibility
In-app extensibility and side by side extensibility using SAP Cloud Platform

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 Motivation for a New Extensibility Concept in S/4HANA

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 Motivation for a New Extensibility Concept in S/4HANA

De-coupling and Lifecycle Stability

Challenge
• Software is always patched and upgraded based on a fixed schedule and
new innovations are introduced easily.

Solution
• Only extensibility that does not block SAP software updates and
continue to work after an update without manual steps is allowed.
• Custom extensions are loosely coupled, i.e. the software lifecycle of
extensions is de-coupled from stable systems of records.
− Modification free
− Clash free
− Use whitelisted APIs and extension points
− Compliant with zero-downtime principles

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 Motivation for a New Extensibility Concept in S/4HANA

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 Extensibility Spectrum

Functional Scope

Personalization

Layering
Key User Extensibility

Customer & Partner Development

Industry & Globalization Development

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 SAP S/4HANA Extensibility Scenarios

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 Extensibility Overview

UI Custom Custom
Key User Custom
Tools
Adaptation Business Business
at Runtime Fields
Object Logic

Custom
Custom
Analytical KPIs Forms
CDS View
Queries

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 SAP S/4HANA Key User Extensibility: UI Flexibility

With the UI Adaptation Mode, you can

• Hide fields in a form, table, or filter, hide groups and areas
• Rename labels

• Add field to UI from field repository

• Move form field or UI group, create new groups and move fields
into

• Combine fields into one line, split combined fields

• Define new filter and table variants

• This feature is available as of S/4HANA version 1506 (cloud) for

selected UIs

Figure: UI Adaptation Mode – Adaptation Mode with Drag&Drop

Configuration

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 SAP S/4HANA Key User Extensibility: Custom Fields

In the Custom Fields and Logic Fiori app, you can

• Create and edit custom fields (extend the SAP table, application, CDS
views and OData services)

• Delete an existing custom field (deletion is not possible if a field has

been transported)

• Manage the usages of a custom field such as other UIs, reports,

forms, service interfaces, processes, search
• Define fields of type associations to custom business objects or to
SAP standard business objects
Figure: Custom Fields Fiori App
• Extend SAP CDS Views and OData-Services with SAP fields that are
available in CDS views in “lower layers” of the virtual data model

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 SAP S/4HANA Key User Extensibility: Custom Business Objects

In the Custom Business Objects app you can

• Create your own business objects and the corresponding database
tables

• Add fields to business objects, delete fields and business objects

• Create CDS views, OData services and UI to enter data through a UI or

data load from other customer systems

• Create multiple sub-nodes for one business object

• Define fields of type association to other custom business objects and

to SAP standard business objects

• Implement custom logic on node level, write to custom business

objects from custom logic

• Publish business objects, edit business objects that have already been
published

Figure: Custom Business Objects Fiori App

• Reset business objects to their last published version

• Copy or delete an existing custom business object

• Perform a trace
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 SAP S/4HANA Key User Extensibility: Custom Business Logic

Web Editor
• Easy exploration of APIs, key user documentation

• Syntax check, syntax highlighting, code completion

• Draft (sandboxing) / published, testing included

• Restricted ABAP:
• Robustness / security / data consistency

• For example, the following statements are not allowed: any DB operation
except selects from released views, tweaking new tasks, dynamic
programming, code generation

• Simplicity: obsolete ABAP statements are removed from the syntax

• This feature is available for released enhancement options. As of 1711

SAP offers more than 80 enhancement options.
Figure: Custom Business Logic Fiori App

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 SAP S/4HANA Key User Extensibility: Analytics Extensibility
KPI Design
Key User Fiori App KPI Workspace
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• KPI design Fiori apps
• Modify SAP delivered KPIs by copying them and adjusting to your
business needs
• Define drill downs to analyze the KPIs to better understand your
business situation
• Apply filters on the drill down to narrow down to your area of
interest.
• Save the filtered analysis to launch the same analysis at a later point
in time
• Define associations between KPIs so that they are available during
analysis at runtime.
• Navigate to transactional apps to take action based on your analysis
 SAP S/4HANA Key User Extensibility: Analytics Extensibility
Custom Analytical Queries (Query Builder)
Key User Fiori App Custom Analytical Queries
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•Create Custom Analytical Queries
• Create a query based on a released SAP analytical data source (CDS
views of type cube) or a custom analytical data source
• Copy a query from a SAP delivered standard analytical query
• Add or remove or customize field defined in the query (defining new
labels for a field, display data as key or text, show or hide result rows
etc.)
• Add or remove filters (pre-configured fixed value filters or user input
values filters)
• Create parameters to read the values from the user
• Create calculated / restricted / converted measures
• Testing included: Preview the results by executing the report (in
Design Studio)
 SAP S/4HANA Key User Extensibility: Analytics Extensibility
Custom CDS Views

• Create Custom CDS Views

• Display a list of all pre-delivered public data sources (VDM CDS
views) and already existing custom CDS views and Preview the
available data sources (CDS views)
• Create new custom CDS views
− Choose a primary data source
− Add one or more associated data sources according to your
needs
− Perform changes on the properties (“annotation” such as
aggregation behavior, semantics) of the fields

Key User Fiori App Custom CDS Views − Create calculated fields such arithmetical calculations, case
statements, conversions
− Display the parameters of the selected data sources if they
contain such

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 SAP S/4HANA Key User Extensibility: Custom Reusable Elements

Custom Reusable Elements

• With Custom Reusable Elements you can modularize and structure your
custom code
• You can create Custom Libraries and organize your methods
• This application is specifically designed for custom code reuse
• Key Features:
• Create a new custom library
• Add a method to your created custom library
• Add details to your method
• Test your custom code, save and publish your custom code and
method
• Supported device types:
• Desktop
Custom Reusable Elements – Labs Preview
• Tablet

Video link
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 Demo

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 SAP S/4HANA Extension Decision Matrix: How to de-couple from the Core
Differentiate and innovate with customer extensions

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 Extensibility of S/4HANA - Helpful Links

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 Extensibility of S/4HANA - Helpful Links

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 Questions?
For questions after this session, contact us at merve.temel@sap.com

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 Thank you.
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