SRM 7.0: Running it without the Portal

[Ulli_Hoffmann]

With the release of Enhancement Package 1 for SAP SRM 7.0  it will be possible to run your SRM implementation completely outside the NetWeaver Portal (as it used to be for releases of  SRM 5.0 and below). For more details and what else the EP1 has to offer see the announcement at: https://websmp103.sap-ag.de/~form/sapnet?_SHORTKEY=01100035870000707846&_OBJECT=01100035870000054127... (SMP login required).

In general, running outside the NetWeaver Portal environment implies many advantages like not having to install and maintain a J2EE environment, running your workflow inbox locally and not through the UWL, maintaining your >2000-something users in one spot (namely the SRM Server) an not having to do double user maintenance in the portal. For mid-sized companies running standard purchasing scenarios with SRM this might imply enormous cost savings.

However, SRM 7.01 is not officially released yet and many customers won't be able to extend their going live schedule until that will happen. So, is there anything you can do in case you're working with SRM 7.0? Well, there might be a little help around the corner. Nothing that you can use in productive mode but which might ease your work as a developer or consultant during implementation phase.

For those of you who don't know yet, here is some technical background information regarding SRM 7.0:

• SRM 7.0 requires Enhancement Package 1 of SAP NetWeaver 7.0
• SRM 7.0 applications are built completely on the Web Dynpro ABAP user interface technology
• SRM 7.0 applications are integrated through the Floorplan Manager for Web Dynpro ABAP
• another popular Web Dynpro ABAP component heavily used in SRM 7.0 is the POWL (also known as POWER-List)

When using a Web Dynpro ABAP URL for starting a SRM 7.0 application outside the NetWeaver Portal the result will always look like the screenshot displayed below. The application doesn't start up and tries to close the browser window.

In order to avoid the shutdown when running outside the portal you need to implement an enhancement in the SRM startup scenario. Below you will find links to a  step-by-step description on how SRM URLs are constructed and how to implement such an enhancement. However, with this type of calling a SRM application navigation between objects isn’t possible anymore. So, the workaround shown here can't be used in productive mode, but it might be an option for running SRM applications during implementation phase when the portal isn't always available.

How-to Guide "SAP SRM 7.0: Zugriff ohne Portal" in Deutsch

How-to guide "SAP SRM 7.0: Running it without the Portal" in English