Quick View for SAP Notes
In my ever growing quest to provide quick and easy access to SAP Notes (which Dagfinn Parnas started a couple of years ago with the Android Note Viewer), I recently finished creating a windows version of a small app to make opening notes just a little easier.
When deciding if I should get this done, it was purely out of personal need. Having spent the last few months building up a couple of Gateway test, stage and Prod systems, the ability to open a SAP note quickly, always seemed to elude me. Open service.sap.com/support -> click on Help & Support -> Type the note and go. Albeit the app developed still has some user interaction (until Google Glass arrives?) … it does make it a little simpler. I also found a small cmd script online which looked helpful.
Currently, the SAP Note Viewer for iOS apps, and even the mac version (+- 1,000 downloads since, seem to be fairly widely used and popular, so it seems a natural progression that a windows version may be helpful to some people. This version is considerably simpler than the others which include searching, favorites, and centered more around note references, whereas this app is purely just a “quick launch” tool straight to the note itself.
A couple of the apps features:
- Specify your username and password at startup and the url will include this to authenticate a little easier (you may still get prompted, as I do in Firefox)
- Open the notes as PDF’s
- Saves you last 5 recent notes making it easier to reopen one.
- That’s about it 🙂
The source code to the app will be uploaded to Code Exchange and you can freely modify/distribute and share as you will.
Some ideas for the app:
- Add the ability to search directly in the app (OSX version)
- Save the note title to the recent menu item for easier visual reference
This is the “Beta” version – so please feel free to provide some feedback in the comments. As mentioned previously – I developed this to use as a personal tool but I think of could people may find it helpful.
If you have an easier way, or have a tool to open your SAP Notes, please feel free to share it with us in the comments.
Install Instructions
Download the zip file here, unzip and execute. You will be prompted to specify your password each time the app loads to avoid any sensitive data being saved. A username and password is not required.
Important Notes
Internet Explorer 6.0+ will not allow you to specify the username and password in the URL which the app uses. if you are using IE, please leave S User and Password blank. (Reference: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/834489)
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Hi Paul,
nice job, I'm a big fan of unlocking the knowledge in the OSS and drawing attention of the community to the knowledge in the OSS and this tool is another aid to doing just that.
Thanks,
Andy.
Thanks for the comment Andy.
Hi Paul,
how does this app compare, in terms of features to the already existing SAP Support Desk app? https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sap-support-desk/id451139131?mt=8
Did I understand correctly that this is a Windows mobile app?
Regards,
Miles
Hi Miles,
This is far more basic and is actual a Windows app (non mobile). The app essentially just tries to open SAP Notes quicker than using the website through your desktop browser.
Cheers, Paul
Cool.. i think a chrome extension or even a chrome app would be a good idea. I haven't downloaded and used this yet, so not sure about the implementation details but once you upload to code exchange, I can take a stab at chrome ext/app.
Cheers
KK
HI!
Actually it is possible to add a "shortcut" to Chrome, which opens Notes easily. You need to follow these steps:
1. open the URL "chrome://settings/searchEngines" in the Chrome browser
2. add a new search engine (you might need to scroll down to the 'Other search engines' list) with the following data:
- 'Add a new search engine' = "SAP Notes" (you can use any name for this)
- 'Keyword' = "snote" (you can use your own keyword as well)
- 'URL with %s...' = "https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/%s"
3. Confirm your changes and you are ready to use your new "shortcut"!
4. Just enter in the Chrome address bar: snote [note number to open]
BR,
Krisztian