Activating User Defaults in SAP S/4HANA
Like all SAP Fiori apps in SAP S/4HANA, the Default Values plugin needs to be activated before users can start to use it. Typically this is done by your User Experience Lead or basis expert. This blog explains how to complete these once-off activities.
Like most SAP Fiori apps, activating Default Values is straightforward. However as a User Experience Lead or Basis Expert you may want to understand a little more about what is happening behind the scenes. In this blog you will learn:
- How to activate the Default Values plug-in
- How to assign the Default Values dialog to Business Users
- What authorizations are needed to access the Default Values dialog
- How the list of Default Values parameters shown in the Default Values dialog are assigned to the user
TIP: If you want to see how a user can enter default values you will find that in Setting Default Values for SAP S/4HANA. If you want to see how default values are applied to app parameters you will find that in Applying User Defaults in SAP S/4HANA.
Let’s get to it!
Activating the Default Values Plug-in
The Default Values dialog where business users set their default values is a plug-in to the Fiori Launchpad Shell. This plug-in is listed in the SAP Fiori apps reference library as FIN User Default Parameter Plugin.
TIP: Don’t be misled by the mention of FIN, i.e. Finance. Since SAP S/4HANA historically started with the release of Finance apps, these were the first Default Values created. Now all default values in SAP S/4HANA use this same plug-in.
You activate this plug-in in much the same way as any other SAP Fiori app. That is, by activating:
- The ICF node that is the entry point to the SAP Fiori app, for Default Values this is:
- ICF node FIN_ACC_USERPAR
- The OData Service that provides the underlying data entities and functions that act on the data entities, for Default Values this is:
- OData Service FIN_USER_DEFAULTPARAMETER_SRV
Activating the ICF Node
Similar to other SAP Fiori apps you can activate the ICF node using either:
- The Fiori App Activation App, or
- Via SAP Logon, using the Task Manager transaction STC01 with worklist SAP_BASIS_ACTIVATE_ICF_NODES as explained in the SAP Best Practices guide for Fiori Apps Deployment , or
- Via SAP Logon, using Transaction SICF
Activating the OData Service
Similar to other SAP Fiori apps you can activate the OData Services using:
- The Fiori App Activation App, or
- Via SAP Logon, using the Task Manager transaction STC01 with worklist SAP_GATEWAY_ACTIVATE_ODATA_SERV as explained in the SAP Best Practices guide for Fiori Apps Deployment , or
- Via SAP Logon, using Transaction /IWFND/MAINT_SERVICE
TIP: You can find more personalization options in the SAP Fiori Launchpad User Guide
Assigning Default Values to Business Users
You will need to understand the basics of how users are assigned to apps. It works like this:
Apps are assigned to tile catalogs via target mappings. Target mappings can be called directly via a tile or as part of navigation from another app via intent-based navigation. This is explained further in Launchpad-driven Authorizations – Part 1 – Configuring the Launchpad Role.
The tile catalogs – both business catalogs and technical catalogs – are assigned to business roles, which are technically represented by security roles, as explained in Launchpad-driven Authorizations – Part 2 – Configuring the Authorizations. In SAP S/4HANA as an administrator you maintain these security roles in SAPGUI transaction PFCG and you’ll find a step-by-step guide for this in How to Create and Generate Backend Security Authorizations for SAP Fiori 2.0.
TIP: Technically there’s no difference between business catalogs and technical catalogs apart from purpose and naming conventions. SAP refers to a tile catalog as a business catalog when it’s delivered as part of a sample business role. Other apps that aren’t specifically assigned to any business role, but may optionally be assigned to users, are delivered in technical catalogs.
The user assigned to a business role, which is technically represented by one or more security roles. In SAP S/4HANA as an administrator, you can maintain the assignment of users to security roles in SAPGUI transaction PFCG or in a user master transaction such as SAPGUI transaction SU01.
A user is assigned to all of the apps, that are assigned to all of the tile catalogs, that are assigned to the user’s business roles.
Assigning the Default Values Dialog
The Default Values dialog that appears in the Settings tab in the Me Area is assigned to users by including the Shell plugin target mapping in any of the tile catalogs assigned to their business role. For example, you can do this by assigning the business catalog SAP_SFIN_BC_USER_PARAM to the users’ security role.
Once Default Values has been activated and your user has been assigned to the authorizations the Default Values dialog will appear in the Settings tab of the Me Area of your user’s Fiori Launchpad.
Assigning Default Values Parameters
The list of Default Values parameters which appear in the Default Values dialog depends on which tile catalogs have been assigned to the user via their business role(s).
Tile catalogs may contain target mappings that assigns parameters to default values. Below is an example of a target mapping using some default values for the Post Incoming Payments app. You can find more information on how default values are used in target mappings in Applying User Defaults in SAP S/4HANA.
Whenever a target mapping uses a default value, the matching default value parameter is added to the list of default value parameters available for the user to change in their Default Values dialog.
In other words, the list of default value parameters is assigned automatically to the user based on the apps relevant to the user.
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Hello Jocelyn,
Thanks for the blog. You have explained everything in detail and it is very clear. While trying to add the role, our security team could not find the business catalog SAP_SFIN_BC_USER_PARAM.
We are using SAP S/4 Hana 1709 Version. Is there any alternate catalog that we can use?
as per the release information note of 1709, this catalog is in the list of deleted catalogs https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2455383
Thanks for this Jocelyn,
One other thing I think worth mentioning which is very confusing is that if the user is not assigned any target mappings that include parameters which are mapped to default values then the "Default Values" area does not appear at all for that user.
I would have expected the "Default Values" area to at least appear when the user has the Shell-plugin target mapping assigned to one of their catalogs even if the it just said "No Parameters Available" or was just empty.
Maybe a feature request?
Thanks,
Simon
Hi Simon,
Hmmm... not so sure about that one. How annoying is it to have empty areas that appear to serve no purpose? Especially when that would be most likely to happen if a user has a very limited set of tiles.
It might depend on finding the right use case to justify it.
Thanks
Jocelyn
Hi Simon,
Just wanted to add up as I experienced the same issue.
Basically, your user's Catalogs should have at least one Tile, which would try to get a default value so that the "Default Values" appears on the User Settings screen. You may call it a feature as is 🙂
Another important detail is that the SAP_SFIN_BC_USER_PARAM catalog does not have to exist in the system. A custom catalog containing the Default Values plugin and assigned to a generic role will also be suitable.
Thanks,
Anton
Thanks for the Blog. Please confirm the system alias settings, would like to know if mine below is correct?
Hi Willem
Ok so the OData Service should only be active for system alias LOCAL in your case.
The LOCAL_PGW is a special system alias for use with Fiori My Inbox configuration only.
Good luck!
Jocelyn
Hi Jocelyn,
It is a wonderful blog with to the point information.
One Quick question - We have setup FIORI system correctly & business users can set their own default values. But our requirement is to set some common default values like currency for all business users by Administrator in one shot. Is it possible ? If yes how ?. I am Logistics consultant, hence my knowledge is light on new advancements in space of UI/FIORI.
Ex - We want to set "GBP" currency as default value for All GB Employees. Path to set Procurement default setting "Create Purchase requisition" FIORI App --> User Default setting
Best Regards
Puneet
Hi Puneet, Thanks for the encouragement!
Re your question - for Default Values this is where you look to default the initial values using the SPA/GPA parameters as per SAP Note 2519765 – Synchronization of Fiori User Default Values with Backend SET-/GET-Parameters which is mentioned in the companion blog Setting Default Values for SAP S/4HANA
There is a default Display Currency value.
However be careful with the Procurement Default Settings app - this is actually a special app just for Procurement and doesn't use the same technique. That particularly app has an Administrator version for setting values on behalf of all users, but ONLY for that app.
BR
Jocelyn
Hi!
Is there any guide available to understand mapping between SAP parameter name and Fiori app configuration parameter? For example, for company name SAP parameter is BUK while in Fiori app we have to use UserDefault.CompanyCode.
Also can you further explain difference between UserDefault.CompanyCode and UserDefault.extended.CompanyCode and when do you use them?
Thanks and Regards,
AQIB
Hi Aquib, Please see the list of SET/GET Paramters vs. Default Values in blog https://blogs.sap.com/2017/09/14/applying-user-defaults-in-sap-s4hana/
Thanks
Many Thanks! I was able to locate the mapping list.
We are configuring standard Fiori app "Accounts Payable Overview" and default parameter settings are already made here. Home page for the application comes up with default parameters and after clicking on "Go" button a page is displayed with below error
while in the backend error log displays below error message
Hi Aqib, That sounds more like you are missing some dependencies.
Please check you have activated all the related apps for the same business role as the app, i.e. Accounts Payable Manager.
You should also check the pre and post activation steps for the role in the Fiori rapid content activation notes. Do this even if you are not activating using Fiori rapid content activation.
It's unusual to have issues like those provided you have activated the app and its related apps correctly.
If you still can't resolve it please raise a SAP Incident as per Fiori for S/4HANA - Speed Up your support incidents
Thanks, will check and do the needful
And if I'm using SAP FIORI with an SAP BAKING without any ERP, I didn't find this OData Service FIN_USER_DEFAULTPARAMETER_SRV and I also didn't find the ICF node FIN_ACC_USERPAR. Both seem to be closely linked to the IF module of ERP / ECC / S4. And in the case of SAP BANKING, could someone help me with any tips? Thanks!
Hi Davi,
Ok so this has been made an almost default part of SAP Fiori now so I would check the Settings dialog and see if Default Values option shows up. Whether SAP Banking apps use default values would be a question to ask via SAP Incident if you can't find it in the documentation on the Transactional Apps for Banking
Kind rgds
Jocelyn
Hi Jocelyn,
Thank you for the informative article/blog. Whilst this functionality is available in S/4HANA, I was wondering when this ability to centrally maintain user defaults would be available in S/4HANA Cloud. Could you perhaps shed some light on that?
Many thanks in advance.
Hi Arnold,
Well the good news is it is already there in both public and private cloud editions.
With public cloud it is turned on for you. With private cloud you should follow the instructions similar to on-premise.
Kind rgds
Jocelyn
Hi Jocelyn,
I tried adding shell plugin target mapping to my custom catalogs.It gave me an option called 'User profiling' under settings of me area. Could you guide me how can I get Default values instead of user profiling? I followed the steps that you mentioned and I can see the sicf and odata service as active in the system. We are using an on-premise model.
HI,
Thanks for very helpful blog.
Is there any simillar blog for User Profiling option in Me Area ?
Thanks,
Harish Bhatt
Hello Jocelyn and all,
thanks for the great blog + other one regarding "Applying User Defaults in SAP S/4HANA".
Surprisingly I cannot find any documentation or info regarding the possibility of sending the userId itself as parameter (~sy-uname). Could it be that the parameter does not exist?
Sounds weird to me, since for example the user language can be used via parameter "%%User.env.sap-language%%"...
Any on that possibility, rather than coding via "sap.ushell.Container.getService("UserInfo").getId()" ?
Thanks a lot in advance. cheers
Hi Stephane, Correct it's not a parameter.
That's because you don't need to set your own user id or language. The language can be set by users for themselves in the User Actions > Settings dialog in the Language and Region area.
Thanks a lot for your quick answer Jocelyn.
This is frustrating thought, as I would have found it interesting to set my user per default in some Reporting / Line items lists tiles (PR items created by myself... etc).
Anyway we will find other ways. Take care!
Hi Stephane for those use cases there is nearly always either a specific app for that eg MyRequisitions or a filter field for that eg some of the asset maintenance apps have a filter with values: My jobs, Me and My Team’s jobs, etc
Hi Jocelyn!
How can we add parameter "options" to the Fiori Default Values section? Here's what I'm trying to accomplish: adding certain parameters, like you can in GUI via SU3/User Profile. In the current Fiori Default Values section, there are only certain fields where you can maintain default values. What if I want to maintain default values for something that is not showing up there (like you can in the user profile in GUI)? Please point me in the right direction. Thank you!
Hi Dave
firstly please check the list in Setting Default Values for SAP S/4HANA. Your parameter may already be covered.
if it’s not then the best option is to create your own launchpad plugin. Unfortunately we still don’t provide a way to add your own parameters to Default Values
And by all means raise a SAP Incident to ask for an improvement to do that
best
Jocelyn
Hello Jocelyn,
I am trying to use the User default value for Cost center with RAP Action parameter.
According to this blog(https://sapui5.hana.ondemand.com/sdk/#/topic/cbf16c599f2d4b8796e3702f7d4aae6c.html) the value is assigned by the framework to parameter having the same name. But in my scenario it does not work.
Do you have any idea as to what could be missing?
Hi Jocelyn,
We are currently in a project to build our new S/4 system.
I thought I would be smart and use the target_mapping shell plugin in our Z_S_USER_GENERAL role.
But even if one of our roles does not have target_mapping, the default values are usable for our users.
I have cross checked it several times now and definitely in no role and no tile catalog the shell is included.
Is this correct?
Hi Markus
Some time ago since most apps started using them the Default Values settings were made a standard part of the launchpad. That said, I have noticed that if the permissions to use it are not quite correct sometimes you get stray wrongly labelled defaults listed at the end of the other default values.
I have not yet tracked down a specific cause... as this has usually been an observation in passing. I would suggest you take a careful look at the contents of the Default Values dialog.
If you see any default values that are missing spaces in the label - e.g. CompanyCode where it should be listed as Company Code - then my suspicion is that the authorization settings are a contributing factor.
I would love to have this little mystery solved... so let me know if you see that symptom and can crack the cause?!
Best
Jocelyn