When to Use NWBC – and When You _Really_ Shouldn’t
SAP UI Clients – which is best for my situation?
When should I use SAP NetWeaver Business Client (NWBC), and when SAP GUI? Including SAP Screen Personas? What are the main differences between NWBC and SAP NetWeaver Portal? What about NWBC and CRM? SAP Business Intelligence? NWBC and SAP Fiori Launchpad? These are all questions we get asked a lot.
So I’ve tried to summarize the various conversations I’ve had on all these subjects. As I’ve suggested below – this is NOT the one and only permissible way to use our products – if your implementation is different, and you’re happy, then go for it ;-). However, if you’re wondering what we recommend as best practice for each major client, or if you’re thinking of migrating from one to the other, then I hope this blog helps.
I’ll start with the one I probably get asked about most:
SAP GUI standalone versus NWBC with SAP GUI embedded
Actually, this first section was the hardest one to write – the danger is, it will sound like marketing, which is not what I want to do here. What I do want to do is clarify our strategy – this is how we position the two products, and this is what we think they are best suited for. Again, if your experience is different, or if you think I’ve left something out, please feel free to say so in the comments.
OK, here goes: NWBC was originally developed to enable end users to consume both SAP GUI applications and Web-based content (Web Dynpro or third-party) in one environment. So originally the choice was easy:
Do your end users work mainly on SAP GUI? YES -> SAP GUI standalone
OR
Do they work with both SAP GUI and Web-based applications? YES -> NWBC
However, in 2011 ECC6.0 EHP 6 was released, followed by NWBC 4.0 in September 2012. Put together, these two innovations offered a whole lot more:
- Quick launch, which makes it easy to find transactions, WD applications, and third-party content…
- New, browser-like navigation…
- Role-based…
- Side panels…
- POWLs (introduced in EHP2)…
The user experience in the Business Suite was transformed from this:
to this:
So, even users predominantly working with SAP GUI transactions mostly have a better overall user experience and became more productive. This is why NWBC for Desktop has replaced SAP GUI for Windows as the standard client for the Business Suite.
I said “mostly”. There are still some reasons for choosing SAP GUI standalone:
Do you mainly use Business Suite transactions / applications (eg VA01, FD01, MM03)? -> NWBC
OR
Do you work mainly with Basis / NetWeaver transactions (eg SE80, SU01, PFCG)? -> SAP GUI standalone.
(The innovations I’ve mentioned above are mainly for Suite transactions, not NetWeaver).
Are your users working on Mac / Linux?
NWBC is tied very strongly to Internet Explorer and Windows Desktop. You can use NWBC for HTML plus SAP GUI for HTML, but these are intended for occasional, not everyday use. Therefore, for expert users on non-Windows operating systems, we strongly recommend SAP GUI for Java.
What about SAP Screen Personas?
SAP Screen Personas and NWBC work together:
(In Personas 2, there was one caveat. THis will be resolved in Personas 3.0 in the near future: In Personas 3.0, we moved more of the processing into the ERP server away from the browser. This means that any rendering engine has access to the Personas resources – flavors, themes, etc.
=> any screens you edit in Web GUI can be rendered in any flavour of SAP GUI – SAP GUI for Windows (SAP GUI), SAP GUI for HTML (Web GUI), SAP GUI for Java (Java GUI). For more details on this, see Peter Spielvogel’s blog:
SAP Screen Personas 3.0 Is Generally Available, including Service Pack 1
(Note: This feature is partially available since Service Pack One for Personas 3.0; it will be fully supported in a future patch level of SAP GUI for Windows).
(The issue with Personas 2.0 is described in more detail here: How Personas 2.0 and NWBC Work Together.)
What about performance?
Before you start implementing NWBC, read SAP Library: 8 Performance Aspects . In brief:
Logon is a one-off process over the lifetime of the running NWBC. Standard authentication processes are used for any other HTTP access to the server, for example, by Web Dynpro ABAP, BSP, and so on. Logon is very much influenced by the form of authentication used, for example, form-based authentication versus digital certificates. The logon is standard ABAP and not NWBC-specific.
Desktop Shell : NWBC for Desktop is a program running completely on the local client computer. On startup, it retrieves the navigation tree from the PFCG store with a few HTTP requests. After this, the shell has no further contact to the server, but caches the complete navigation tree on the client.
After logon: NWBC does not change the performance behavior of the contained applications. The application footprint is the same as if it were running in a standalone scenario.
So your options look roughly like this:
NWBC versus SAP NetWeaver Portal
To make this decision, there are two main considerations:
1. What does your end users do for a living – what do they want to achieve at work? That is:
Do they work mainly on Business Suite systems, with business transactions or applications? YES -> NWBC
OR
Do they require a “Portal” – ie an online store, Intranet, or Extranet?
2. What does your system landscape look like:
Do you have a homogeneous landscape – mainly ABAP and on Premise? YES -> NWBC
OR
Do you have a heterogeneous system landscape:
- Java
- non-SAP
- Support for Cloud, including Success Factors, Ariba, Hybris, Concur etc
- Support for Mobile?
YES -> SAP NetWeaver Portal
NOTE: “Support for Cloud” = support for consuming genuine Cloud applications, eg from Success Factors – ie public cloud. Since HEC is a private managed cloud, the situation is slightly different. I am currently clarifying this situation.
3. Do you use SRM as an integration hub for other backend systems?
In general SRM – including OBN – works with NWBC for Desktop or HTML. However, if you use SRM as an integration hub and then navigate to a remote system, then OBN will NOT work within the remote system.
So your options look roughly like this:
NWBC 5.0 AND SAP Business Client 6.0 and Fiori Integration
Yes at last.
NWBC / SAP BC supports Fiori Integration.
There are 2 questions to answer here:
1. Which Fiori client should I use to consume Fiori apps? Ie should I be using NWBC / SAP BC at all?
2. IF I decide to use the Business Client, which version – 5.0 or 6.0?
I should say at this point: We changed the name; in version 6.0, we dropped “NetWeaver” – in line with lots of other products, eg SAP Portal, SAP Gateway etc. So the new version = “SAP Business Client 6.0” (SAP BC 6.0); the old version = “SAP NetWeaver Business Client 5.0 (NWBC 5.0)”.
Let’s take each question in turn.
1. Which client should I use to consume Fiori content?
Our overall UI client strategy is pretty clear: In the medium term, Fiori Launchpad will be our UI client over multiple platforms and devices, available in four flavors:
Mobile Client: I won’t say much about the Mobile client; there is plenty of good info here:
There is also some information in the UX Explorer.
Browser: I won’t say much either about consuming Fiori Launchpad standalone in a browser. This is perfectly legitimate; but it means that you are consuming your Fiori experience separately from all your other SAP UI technologies.
So, if you want to combine multiple SAP UI technologies in one, integrated experience, you have two options: SAP BC or SAP Enterprise Portal.
Which one is better for you?
Well, this really depends where you are now, or what you plan to do in the near future, and the criteria are similar to those above in When to Use NWBC – NWBC and Portal
The main advantage of SAP BC 6.0 is that you can launch SAP GUI for Windows native transactions straight from the Fiori Launchpad. (By default, other clients launch SAP GUI for HTML (“Webgui”) .)
So:
Are you mainly an ABAP, on-Premise, transactional, Business Suite expert user -> YES -> SAP BC
Otherwise -> Portal (as above)
2. Should I user SAP BC 6.0 or NWBC 5.0?
Well, if you are a “greenfield” customer, ie you don’t have a version of the Business Client yet (eg if you run SAP GUI standalone), then it’s simple: You install the newest version, ie SAP BC 6.0.
If you want to integrate SAP Fiori Launchpad in the Business Client, like this:
…then you must have SAP BC 6.0 (along with UI add-on 2.0 SPS01 or SAP_UI 750 SP01).
If you already run NWBC 5.0, and if you only want to integrate individual Fiori apps from the Index Page, like this:
… then NWBC 5.0 will support you (PL7 or later.)
(Why wouldn’t you upgrade immediately, since the new version is available? Well, some of our larger customers schedule upgrades – eg every 6 months, so they may not be ready to upgrade yet – we will support these customers.)
Just fyi: Both versions are supported until January 2018. For more information on support, see SAP Note 2302074 – Maintenance strategy and deadlines for SAP Business Client / NWBC .
SAP Business Client and S/4HANA (on-premise edition)
Yes, is the short answer.
The longer answer is clear, I think, if you look at the main supported UI technologies in S/4HANA:
– SAPUI5 for SAP Fiori (the preferred option, where possible)
– FPM / Web Dynpro ABAP (as a transition technology for Desktop applications)
– SAP GUI transactions (we almost certainly won’t be developing any new transactions, and we don’t recommend that anyone else does so; however, there are some SAP GUI transactions still in use in S/4HANA.)
These UI technologies are in fact the main use cases for SAP BC.
Yes, in a word: SAP BC supports S/4HANA – provided it’s on-premise:
With S/4HANA, Cloud edition, you consume your applications from a Fiori Launchpad in the browser: it does not currently support a local client (eg there is no VPN option).
SAP NetWeaver Business Client and Other Clients
What about the other use cases of NWBC? Can I use it to consume Portal applications / CRM / BI applications etc, or should I use the dedicated client? Generally, this is the easiest to answer:
Do your end users work mainly (80-90%) in NWBC, but require occasional access to these applications? YES -> NWBC
OR
Do your end users work mainly in the applications, but require occasional access to standard ERP applications (generally SAP GUI transactions or Web Dynpro ABAP)? YES – Ideally, dedicated client ; otherwise see below
UPDATE: There is, however, a third option: If you want to provide one, single point of access to SAP systems, AND you want to offer end users all the advantages of the dedicated client, then you can configure PFCG to open the dedicated in a new window, from the NWBC index page.
In brief, you embed a URL to the dedicated client in a PFCG role – specifying “Launch Application = Standalone”
For more details, see the SAP Library documentation: 5.5 Navigation Tree.
So your options at present look like this:
Summary
This is the current state of affairs with our UI clients. Please let me know what information would be of most use. Also, once you have decided which client is right for you, you can see which UI technologies you can consume in NWBC in the big list blog: http://scn.sap.com/community/netweaver-business-client/blog/2014/12/11/the-big-list–almost-everything-you-can-consumer-in-nwbc
Just what I was looking for... 🙂 Many thanks.
Very good Julie, thanks for sharing.
I'd like to add one comment if I may. IMO you should also mention that you don't need to choose the one UI client for everyone in your company. Professional users will naturally work well with NWBC Desktop while casual users could be better suited to using Fiori Launchpad, external vendors may come in via the NetWeaver Portal. Then or course there is also a mix possible where professional users use Fiori as well to do things like submit a leave request from their mobile phone.
In my experience it is never black and white but depends on the user or more accurately the usage type (e.g professional v casual) and the context of use (e.g. at your desk or on the train) - some things you will be able to do in both cases, others may only be available via one channel.
Thanks,
Simon
Hi Simon,
Good point - you're quite right, of course. AFAIK all the clients I've mentioned play nicely together anyway - there is no reason why different teams shouldn't have Portal / CRM / NWBC etc.
Cheers Julie.
Thank you so much Julie,
This blog will help to solve the doubts of many.
Great work Julie. Looking forward to see more informative blog's from you.
All the best...Keep going 😉
Thanks
Katrice
Julie, this is a really helpful summary. I am working through a few questions especially around giving the user a consistent experience when accessing multiple systems (ECC/CRM/SRM/BW) with their attendant UI technologies.
I have commenced some proof-of-concept work building single roles in ECC accessing ECC, CRM and SRM applications.There are many questions and I am looking to build up a 'best practice' to the role structuring.
Any chance we could have a conversation on this subject?
Nick
Hi Nick,
I’m in the similar situation: one of our customers is using SAP Portal but they would use, instead of it, the NWBC as a single point of access to ECC, BW, SRM, PPM, SM (and also maybe BPC) maintaining the functionality offered by the current portal (only SAP applications). Do you happen to have other specific documents/analysis in order to help them in taking the right decision?
In addition they would also know how they can combine NWBC with the SAP UI strategy.
Any other help will be more than appreciated
Thank you very much in advance and many thanks to July for sharing!!!
Alessandra
Allessandra, I don't really have much advice to offer, in fact I am seeking some guidance from SAP on how and when to use which technique. The documentation I have found thus far tells us (mostly) how to make NWBC work and how to build role etc. What I can't find is any best practice guidance on when to use (for example) business roles in CRM compared to building a special PFCG role and menu structure for CRM access.
More than happy to keep in touch though as it sounds like we are working on the same issues.
Nick
Hi Nick, hi Alessandra,
I am probably not the best person to speak to. My remit is to provide high-level quidance regarding NWBC strategy and roadmap, and unfortunately I only have capacity for that. Once a question becomes customer-specific, then it should be answered by an SAP Technology Consultant. If you need a contact name, please let me know.
The question you provided Nick, for example, depends on what the customer’s priorities – eg maximize performance (eg over a distributed system), maximize options available to end users etc. I can provide a few pointers as to what is technically feasible, but I cannot advise on best practices:
CRM: For performance reasons, you could restrict the data sent from one system to the other => eg restrict the menu structure in PFCG. How exactly you restrict it is customer-specific and depends on what exactly the end user wants to do eg you can create a menu entry with just one role (http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-48034) or passing just one object (http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73ehp1/helpdata/en/4c/5b128c97817513e10000000a42189b/content.htm?frameset=/en/4c/5edf6943f650d2e10000000a42189b/frameset.htm
ALso SRM 7.0, EHP1 works in NWBC : Previous versions of 7.0 can displayed in NWBC, but require a Portal stack. See this blog about previous versions:
http://scn.sap.com/community/srm/blog/2009/10/07/srm-70-running-it-without-the-portal
, and the following statement by the CPO:
"I am the chief Product Owner for SRM. I can state that we do not impose restrictions for NWBC Desktop. ... We have a few customer messages where customer had reported issues in SRM with NWBC Desktop. And these were fixed by development and some by support teams. The note 1401378 which is mentioned below is for “Portal independent navigation frame” and does not qualify for NWBC Desktop as such. "
See also this discussion for details: http://scn.sap.com/thread/3483811 ).
Best wishes,
Julie R Plummer.
Very clear advice, many thanks.
Thanks for many good advices. I cannot see NWBC on HTML? Any reason for this?
NWBC HTML has a simplistic front-end which is useful when embedding BW BEx queries/WAD and BO Design Studio. Hence, establishing a flexible management cockpit 😉
Any advice on this approach?
We have been using NWBC on HTML for some time with good results, but when embedding BO Design Studio into NWBC HTML we get strange wrapping issues. Our HTML version is on NWBC 3.5. What is the latest version for NWBC HTML and how can we upgrade?
Stein
Hi Stein,
Yes, I wanted to include information on the HTML client. However, I want to be quite sure that our official guidance is realistic in the real world. (From talking to customers, I get the impression that they do more with it than we had realized). So I delayed publication of this blog for a while, but then I decided to go with the subset of info (that you see above).
Re your wrapping issue:
1. Can you paste the relevant URL in a browser window? Does the wrapping occur there? If yes, then this is not a NWBC-specific issue; it is a BW issue. Your best bet is to post it on the BEx space:
SAP BusinessObjects Explorer
If it works fine in the browser, read on:
2. Newest version of NWBC for HTML is 3.6. You need to activate the correct SICF node for this. (More info in the UI Add-On docu).
3. Make sure you have the newest patch level for your back end:
https://websmp230.sap-ag.de/sap(bD1kZSZjPTAwMQ==)/bc/bsp/sno/ui_entry/entry.htm?param=69765F6D6F64653D3030312669765F7361…
4. What version of the NW back end do you have?
5. Check your browser version is supported in the PAM:
https://websmp230.sap-ag.de/sap(bD1kZSZjPTAwMQ==)/support/pam/pam.html?smpsrv=https%3A%2F%2Fwebsmp201.sap-ag.de#pvnr=012… (for NW 7.3 - the other versions are also available).
Best wishes,
Julie.
Thanks Julie,
1) It is a NWBC issue
2) We have NWBC 3.6.0.2
3) We are on patch 37 - the newest?
4) NW back end 7.4
5) IE 10 is supported.
It seems we have all the items installed, but the wrapper issue remains. Any additional tips - other than issuing an OSS?
See http://scn.sap.com/thread/3556721 for more details on the NWBC rendering issue ..
Hi Julie,
A great article!
Regards,
Hello Julie! Thanks for your article!
What about news Modernizing the User Experience: SAP Fiori Now Included With SAP Software?
Does this mean that in future Fiori will be much easier to set up (and spend less time for customizing) and use as the main tool for RUN ERP transactions?
Thanks!
Rgs, MIchael
Hi Michael,
As you imply, this is great news.
However, for more details re setup and customizing for Fiori, you need to post on the UI5 forum:
UI Development Toolkit for HTML5 Developer Center
Hope this helps,
Julie.
Julie,
Thank you!
Michael
Hi Julie,
I would actually recommend going to What is SAP Fiori UX? for the details on setup, installation, customizing, theming, etc. As I am involved in both communities, I can say the majority of the Fiori related content occurs in SAP for Mobile. However there is much overlap in the technologies in both communities, so there should be support in both.
As a moderator, I do not worry about moving threads from one to the other which I would do if one community were solely responsible for a particular technology (like River RDE which are specifically in the UI Development Toolkit community and Afaria which so far seems specific to SAP for Mobile).
Regards, Mike
SAP Customer Experience Group - CEG
OK, thank you, Mike, for this. I'll recommend that in future.
Best wishes,
Julie.
This is exactly the type of content SAP should be posting instead of the marketing fluff. Simple answers to simple questions. Thank you, Julie!
Hi Jelena,
Wow - I have read some of your work, so praise from you means a lot to me - you've made my day ;-).
Best wishes,
Julie.
Thanks for this interesting article but there is one thing that I don't understand.
SAP GUI is still recommended, if the end user work on SAP GUI transaction, but SAP also recommend to stop developing SAP GUI transaction (Prefer Web dynpro abap and SAPUI5).
As when we implement SAP for a new customer, we mostly use standard transactions, the end user will then work on SAP GUI, but if he needs a custom functionality, we will develop a web dynpro, and he will have to switch to NWBC...
I think that SAP should be more clear and force the use of NWBC.
Hi Louis,
Forcing the use of NWBC (or any technology for that matter) is like herding cats only many times more difficult. 😀
Cheers, Mike
SAP Customer Experience Group - CEG
Strongly recommend would have been more appropriate then 😉
I'm a developer and I try to follow SAP programming guidelines so I prefer Web dynpro instead of gui screens. But what if all of my customers are still using SAP GUI ?
What was that phrase about the customer and being right? Ultimately, they get what they are willing to pay for. A lot of customers are willing to do something outside of the (current) recommendations to make them comfortable with the result. I am no longer a consultant, but that was pretty much how it worked back then.
At the moment, I think that there are so many technology options for user interfaces and mobile applications, that even the recommended solutions technology is really only that, a recommendation. It seems to change about every 8 months anyway.
Cheers, Mike
Hi Louis, I tend to agree with Michael - I want to persuade customers to use NWBC where it is right for them, not bully them ;-).
However, one aspect of your post puzzles me. We designed NWBC (Desktop) so that end users could open SAP GUI (Windows) transactions and WD applications in separate tabs in one NWBC instance. Why are your users switching between NWBC and SAP GUI - do they, for example, work in older systems (as above)? Is there a design flaw that we haven't considered, which makes this approach impractical?
I would be interested to know.
Best wishes,
Julie.
Louis, if I may add from the customer perspective (guessing that you're on the consulting side; I've been on both sides myself) - sometimes it's better to outline "pros" and "cons" honestly and just step away and let the customers make their own decision.
Just as Julie mentioned, unfortunately sometimes we felt we were exactly "bullied" into adopting something we didn't really need. This just leaves the customers unhappy and reflects poorly on the consultant as well.
I wish your user experience pictures could be larger and clearer.
Hi Tim,
I have attached the 2 "after" pictures as .png.
Feel free to use them, but please attribute them by linking back to this blog.
Is this what you need, or do you also need the 2 "before" pictures?
Best wishes,
Julie.
(I didn't make them bigger in the original article, because this blog is not "just" about these screenshots or just about SAP GUI, and I didn't want to give more prominence to one section over the other.)
Thank you Julie!
Really helpful in understanding the usage differences.
God bless you! Was looking for something like this since a while!
Putting Personas and NWBC together seems to present a BIG problem from a security
standpoint.
We have always told our customers to do all their role devleopment on the DEV system,
transport to QAS for testing, and finally move to PRD once all tests pass.
Now I read with Personas we have to build the role menus DIRECTLY on the PRD
system!
I can't believe we would recommend this. Isn't there some way to 'package' or
'bundle' the Personas flavors and the coresponding roles into a 'delivery unit' or
something which would allow all the components to move through the landscape
together?
Hi Eddie, Your point is valid. I will consult with the Personas Team and get back to you asap.
Best wishes,
Julie.
Update, 25.06.14: I should add here I am in contact with two of our customers who use both Personas and NWBC, and are happy with it. I will try to find out from them how they handle the security aspect.
Also, I am not aware of any "DU" or CTS mechanism that would work without breaking the short link, but I may be wrong.
-------
Update, 2014 July 15: I have contacted 2 major customers to find out how they handled this. I have updated the original Personas blog to reflect their feedback:
How to use SAP NetWeaver Business Client and SAP Screen Personas together
Note that this is an issue for Personas 2.0. In Personas 3.0 for SAP GUI for Windows, the issue is resolved.
Best wishes, Julie.
Julie,
Awesome Post!! I am glad someone in SAP is thinking about what most customers might be struggling with.
Here's the dilemma we have face at my company with NWBC adoption. Sorry for the long explanation.
1) We use ECC6.0, SRM/SUS 7.0, SCM7.0, BW 7.31,BOBJ, CE-BPM, PI/XI and Enterprise Portal.
2) Due to the wide variety of SAP UIs like SAPGUI, BSP, WDA, WDJ, HTML etc. in use, we decided to make Portal as our single point of entry from an end user perspective.
Now since all our Portal roles are built and we do not want redesign NWBC roles, we want to use the "Portal Connection" feature of NWBC hoping that NWBC then can be used as an alternative to Portal frontend for heavy expert users.
We however found several shortcomings with this approach and found that some scenarios that work in Portal did not work with NWBC. SAP support helped us fix some issues but we got finally told that we should not use the "Portal Connection" feature of NWBC.
After that we had to drop promoting the use of NWBC since having to recreate the PFCG roles to suit NWBC was too much of an effort. Also even if we did it, the Portal layout and NWBC layout would be different thus not allowing users to seamlessly move between Portal and NWBC?
The Portal Connection via NWBC is best for customers like us. Any chance we can get it back and also supported by SAP Support?
Hi Atul,
This is not really a question of "getting support back" - we have not withdrawn support for something that we formerly supported. It is more the case that NWBC was originally designed for an ABAP backend, so supporting NWBC + Portal backend together is more complex than supporting NWBC + ABAP backend. We have another customer who raised a similar issue, so I will pass on your comments to the PO at our next meeting.
Best wishes,
Julie.
Thanks Julie!!
Thanks for sharing the "best-practice" approach and the intentions you have with both client systems. Was very interesting to read and I rethink the usage of NWBC desktop clients, as I currently only use the web-based version.
Many thanks Julie......
Hi everyone, thanks for all your comments. I' m on vacation now, but I'll reply next week. BR Julie
Very helpful. Thanks.
Thanks Julie,
Still I am not bit clear how the BW/BI Dashboards will work as we have some dash boards which are in JAVA portal links connected BW system.
Hi Rajesh,
I updated the section "NWBC + Other clients" to include a 3rd option. So, you need to choose between those 3 options - based on whether your users are mainly SAP GUI / NWBC or mainly BW/BI.
HTH Julie.
Hello Julie,
Thanks for this useful topic with clear use cases.
Do you have any news regarding integration between Fiori Launchpad and NWBC for Desktop ?
We're waiting this in order to use the launchpad as a simple and unique portal (and display fiori apps but also shortcuts to classical transactions located into several SAP systems).
Thanks,
Hi Simon,
Yes, lots of people are interested in this. I have updated this section slightly, but will provide more information in this blog as soon as it is available. I also hope to show something related to this at TechEd.
Sorry, I can't help more as yet - but we are working on this as a priority.
Best wishes Julie.
Hi Simon,
I am interested in hearing more about your use case for Fiori Launchpad in NWBC Desktop. In my mind that is a bit of an odd setup. Of course having Fiori apps running inside NWBC makes sense (sort of) - but NWBC is a windows only desktop application - while FLP is a cross platform, cross device responsive application hub. Like Julie says having a "shell in a shell" is a bit strange to me and I can't really imagine what the user experience would be like. Can you elaborate a bit?
Cheers,
Simon
Hi Simon !
We are going to implement new SAP modules. One of our main user expectation regarding SAP solution is the User eXperience.
To be short, we choose NWBC for Desktop because it is the main entry point for most of SAP solutions and it offer the best efficiency and response time for expert and intensive user (compare with webGui for example).
We also choose Fiori for new UI for mobile or intensive usages for users that are not using SAP as expert (that uses only few functionality).
Finally, we believe that the key solution for our users will be the Fiori Launchpad:
- One page with information and shortcut of multiple SAP solutions
- Personalized pages with user main indicators
- UpToDate technology with multi device compliant
We want to use the Launchpad as a single point of entry for all SAP solution, for experts, intensive and light users to partially hide SAP complexity and SAP interface heterogeneity.
This launchpad will suit our needs if and only if we can launch an NWBC for Desktop transaction from Fiori Launchpad (of course, NWBC for desktop transaction shortcuts will not be visible when the launchpad is used from a smartphone)
I understand the Launchpad is full web and cross device but this is the only way to merge information from several SAP systems in one single screen (excepting the SAP portal) which is the main priority for our users.
Do this functionality will be covered in planned evolution ?
Thanks for your feedback.
Hi Simon, and Simon ;-),
I don't want to shut down the discussion - feel free. However, I can't personally comment on any of this now.
I hope to provide more info on our client strategy soonish (I hope, just after Teched - or live at Teched, if you can make it).
In the meantime, John Moy has outlined a possible strategy for customers combining Fiori and NWBC - in the short term. This is quite close to our own strategy:
http://www.bluet.com.au/2014/08/12/implementing-sap-netweaver-business-client/ - it's a must-read, as usual.
And don't worry, we are aware of the shell-within-a-shell issues, and are working on this. That's all I can say right now.
Best wishes,
Julie.
SAP NWBC is the best for integration ESRI (GIS) with PM, like sap-gui-mapviewer this use map services from arcgisonline or our map services.We dont need additional external connectors?
Does NWBC 5.0 support embedded Fiori applications and Fiori Launchpad?
Hi Carl, hi everyone,
We are working on this: first embedded Fiori apps, followed by Fiori Launchpad. I hope to blog on this straight after Teched. I will also be discussing this in detail with video demo at Teched Berlin if anyone is going.
Also, as soon as this feature is available, I will announce it on the SCN NWBC Space home page.
Best wishes Julie.
Hi Julie,
any news on this topic?
Regards
Wolfgang
Hi Wolfgang, hi everyone,
I understand your frustration, but as yet I have nothing new to report. As soon as new information is available, I will announce it on the home page of this space - ie in the "Featured Content " pane.
However, this may not be for some months.
I apologize on behalf of SAP for this.
Best wishes,
Julie R Plummer.
Hi Julie,
Thanks for This blog
Regards
Ravi
Hi Julie
Can you please suggest the best approach for FCC-Add on.
1 In which environment we can have all add on features including Global/cross template monitor, BI queries etc. SAP-GUI/NWBC orNet weaver Portal? Or both?
Client needs BI reports/report launch pad etc and at present NWBC and Net weaver portal is out of scope to my client at this point.
I need to provide the justification to have Portal or NWBC. As per my knowledge and experience with Portal is having all the features to support FCC-Add on. I am not aware of NWBC
Portal is very expensive hence I want to understand NWBC for FCC-how it supports.
Please advise me what is the best way to have all add on features to the client
Thanks
Rama
Got the clarification.
Thanks
Julie, great post.
Do you have updates as you have promised from Tech Ed? Thanks!
Hi Jason,
We are still working on the updates that I spoke about just before, and during, TechEd.
I take it you are referring to the integration of Fiori standalone apps in NWBC (?)
I realise this is an important concern to many customers. As soon as I have more information, I will post something on the NWBC SCN home page.
Best wishes,
Julie.
Hi Julie,
Desperately looking for this information, client wants to have one point for accessing all applications.
So we want to embed NWBC into FLP or FLP into NWBC. Anything should work for us.
Thanks,
Fiori Learner
Hi Maddy,
Yes, we are working on this, as I have said before. As soon as an update is available, I will post the information on the home page of this space. If appropriate, I will also update this blog asap.
Sorry for the delay; we are moving as fast as we can.
Best wishes,
Julie R Plummer.
Excellent writing, very clear and a great decision table with a lot of good arguments for customer engagement. Well done! 🙂
Hi Julie,
Thanks for taking your time to create this doc !! Every bit informative and relevant ..
i have recently moved into SRM and NWBC is extensively used.
If possible, can you please share any content on how a webdynpro application or external url is linked to a nwbc (i hope i am asking the question correctly).
It will immensely help in understanding the complete solution.
Regards,
Tashi
Hi Tashi,
Generally, we advise customers to embed the WD application or external URL in a PFCG role, then assign that role to the user. (Type of entry =
Web Dynpro ABAP application or Web address or file respectively).
For more details, see the docu:
Role Maintenance in PFCG
Navigation Tree
Hope this helps Julie.
Hi Julie,
i have been noticing a big difference (performance )when i open a usual ABAP program and Webdynpro application on NWBC client. There seems to be a lag when abap programs are open using nwbc.
Please let us know if this is really the case ..
Considering this, if we need to develop a new custom program, which is better ..1) usual abap program or 2) Webdynpro abap program.
Please advice .
Regards,
Tashi
Hi Tashi,
There should not be a big difference in performance between the 2 application types as such.
However, performance times for WD applications are application-specific. As a first step, we need to establish whether the problem is with NWBC or with the application:
What is the performance like when you open the WD application in a browser?
If it also slow, then this is not a NWBC problem.
If it is an NWBC problem, then please open an OSS.
Please follow the guidelines in this SAP Note:
http://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1378659 What to look for when opening a ticket.
In general, you should not create new applications in SAP GUI. For transactional, heavyweight applications, use FPM.
HTH Julie.
Hello Julie,
Thanks for this blog. I understand traditional ECC screens, UI5 screens, Personas, and web contents can all be owned in Chrome or other compatible web browsers. A browser is usually already available in the client desktop, so it does not require installation of new software. What would be the benefits of using NWBC versus simply a compatible browser? Also, from SAP's perspective, what makes NWBC a long-term strategic tool that requires investment versus leveraging third party web browsers that are now almost ubiquitous?
Thanks and best regards,
Edi
Hi Edi,
There are several benefits to NWBC for users who use both SAP GUI transactions (“traditional ECC screens”)+ Web-based content , or even for those who use mainly SAP GUI transactions.
Connecting 2 Backend Systems
SAP Note 1795171
Also, for other scenarios, eg Cloud support, you need the Portal, as I suggested above.
John Moy has written an excellent blog about the advantages of using NWBC:
John Moy: Implementing NWBC
In terms of long-term investment, NWBC will in future provide a bridge between the two worlds: the established, SAP GUI for Windows transactions on one hand, and the new Fiori UX on the other. I hope to blog on this soon.
Hope this helps,
Julie R Plummer.
Hello Julie,
Thanks. I just downloaded latest NWBC version. We will evaluate if we will migrate to NWBC from SAP GUI. I find this presentation https://uxexplorer.hana.ondemand.com/rest/mimeRepositories/86/file/NWBC_Setup_Features_1.pdf very helpful as well, although it is for 4.0.
Thanks and best regards,
Edi
Hi Edi,
Good to hear. We have now updated this presentation for 5.0, available here:
SAP NetWeaver Business Client for Desktop 5.0 Setup
or in UX Explorer (-> NWBC -> Documents)
Best wishes,
Julie R Plummer.
Thanks! NWBC is now all set up and connected to our sandbox system. Nice to see the better navigation, all-in-one search bar, and the side panels! I actually got a question on how to connect NWBC with Personas (we hoped to use Personas 3.0, but ended using Personas 2.0 because 3.0 is not available yet).
Hi Edi,
" I actually got a question on how to connect NWBC with Personas " - have you solved this yet? If not, have you seen this blog:
How to use SAP NetWeaver Business Client and SAP Screen Personas together
?
Best wishes, Julie.
Hello Julie,
Thanks for checking. I posted my question in another NWBC and Personas blog, and I am waiting for answer.
Since you are asking, I will am also posting my question here 🙂 I hope to eventually use Personas 3.0, but I have to use 2.0 right now because 3.0 is not available yet. Here is my question:
Does Personas and side panel work together? For example, if I create a flavor for sales order display transaction VA03 and use short link (instead of directly entering transaction code) to render my customized VA03 screen in NWBC, will I still see my side panels configured for transaction code VA03?
Also, it seems the recognition of applicable side panels is case-sensitive. When I use VA03 as transaction code, I see my side panels. But if I use va03, I don't see my side panels.
Thanks and best regards,
Edi
Hi Edison,
Yes, Personas works with Side Panel. You need to embed the short link in the PFCG role (type "Web address or file" , we havent tested BSP), you should see the side panels. If you are fluent in scripting, you can even pass a parameter from a "Personafied" transaction to a side panel.
Thanks for leetting me know re case-sensitive and side panels.
Best wishes Julie R Plummer.
Wow Julie Plummer this really surprises me. I had no idea you could use WebGUI/Screen Personas with NWBC and Side Panels. I thought the ability to pass parameters to the side panel from the main canvas was limited to the Dynpro GUI screens (I thought it relied on the Windows GUI scripting).
Will have to try this out! Learn something new every day 😆
This is very useful resources both the article and comments.