Technical Articles
SAP Fiori for SAP S/4HANA – How to extend a SAP Fiori app in SAP S/4HANA
Latest Update April 2020: Recently we simplified the guided answer to focus on the 3 main considerations:
- Solution – what type of SAP S/4HANA solution are you using – this governs the broad types of extensions possible
- UI Technology – the specific technology, and for SAP Fiori down to the Fiori framework used – this governs the built-in extensions possible, such as in-app extensibility
- Extensibility documentation – specific extensions for specific apps
We have also broadened the coverage to point you to the official references for classic UI technologies that can also be launched from the SAP Fiori launchpad.
Latest Update: Thanks for those who have given feedback on the Guided Answer. As a result, the Guided Answer has now been updated with further information on how to extend Design Studio apps and Authorizations.
As part of the S/4HANA Regional Implementation Group I’m privileged to work with and advise many of our SAP S/4HANA customers regarding making the most of the SAP S/4HANA User Experience. One of the questions we are asked over and over and over again, is how to extend standard SAP Fiori apps to add a few extra fields, set up defaults, or hide a couple of unwanted fields, or just to reorganize the screen a little. A lot depends on how the app was written. So now we have created a SAP Guided Answer to lead you through the extension process.
On a typical SAP S/4HANA project, you will usually identify some gaps or custom business needs for the user experience. That’s just a normal part of adapting your S/4HANA solution to your business.
At this design stage you will usually already have your SAP S/4HANA Fiori Launchpad, your Fiori apps, and your other classic apps working. However for many customers, partners, and consultants, the Fiori world – and especially the Fiori for S/4HANA world – is not as well known as earlier solutions such as SAPGUI or Web Dynpro ABAP.
So your question is HOW do I extend the Fiori apps?
You can now use the SAP Guided Answer – How to extend a SAP Fiori app for SAP S/4HANA to lead you through this process.
You can determine the available extensibility options by focussing on the 3 main considerations:
- Solution – what type of SAP S/4HANA solution are you using – this governs the broad types of extensions possible
- UI Technology – the specific technology, and for SAP Fiori down to the Fiori framework used – this governs the built-in extensions possible, such as in-app extensibility
- Extensibility documentation – specific (usually developer-led) extensions for specific apps
You can also find references to the official extensibility documentation for classic UI technologies that can also be launched from the SAP Fiori launchpad.
You can even find information on how to extend the SAP Fiori launchpad itself.
While there is always more advice that can be given, you should find the guided answer helps you quickly narrow down the possibilities and the main avenues for investigation for a particular app.
Just read the introduction and scroll down to choose which type of solution you need to extend, and then read the advice and choose the next option, e.g. your UI Technology
Why you want to use a SAP Guided Answer
Ok well the first thing that will help you understand what’s possible when extending Fiori apps is that while the apps are all written using SAPUI5 ( SAP Development Toolkit for HTML5 ) different apps can be based on different UI technology frameworks. These frameworks are essentially composed of different smart templates & features that provide implicit extension options and flexibility services that you can use to adapt your Fiori app.
While implicit extension options usually require developer tools and skills, Flexibility Services include features that can be used by authorized key users (such as power users, business process experts, and functional consultants on your project) and developers alike. Typically these Flexibility Services are executed directly in the Fiori interface, e.g. using options in the Me Area or using specific Fiori apps such as KPI Workspace (for adjusting Smart Business KPI thresholds, targets, timelines, currency) or Custom Fields and Logic (for adding fields and business logic to business context scenarios that impact the behaviour of multiple related apps).
And of course the Fiori app could also be a freestyle app (i.e. written without a smart template) with explicit extension options. And of course some freestyle apps also have Flexibility Services built-in.
So being able to identify what UI Technology framework has been used, what extension options it provides and how to approach extending that type of app means you can approach extending a Fiori app with confidence.
Knowing what’s available for a specific Fiori app also helps you estimate effort – as flexibility services and implicit extension options are typically quicker to implement than explicit options.
What will you find in this Guided Answer
For each type of Fiori app that can be extended you will find:
- How to identify what extension options your selected Fiori app provides
- What types of skills and tooling you will need to extend the app
- A typical process flow for approaching the extension
The process flow is particularly helpful for the many Fiori apps which provide multiple extension options, as it tells you in what sequence you should apply extensions.
You will also find a special section just for Fiori app My Inbox – just because it’s time and again the most popular app with SAP S/4HANA customers and it has some extra configuration capabilities you can use for extensions.
What else can you do
You can also give us feedback on the Guided Answer. If there’s anything that’s not clear, or where you would like to see more information, or if there’s any other topics you would like created as a Guided Answer, or you just want to give us some encouragement, please add that in the feedback or in the blog comments here.
Becoming a SAP Fiori for SAP S/4HANA guru
You’ll find much more on our SAP Fiori for SAP S/4HANA wiki
You might also be interested in these Guided Answers:
And you will find more Guided Answers in the Guided Answers Viewer.
Brought to you by the S/4HANA RIG
Hey Jocelyn,
Thanks for this article.
One particular extensibility scenario we require SAP to review is about "Extension for re-Usable Components / Library for FIORI Apps". As the name implies, these components have standard functionalities that are required by most FIORI applications.
In our specific instance, we have extended the component: "PLM_ATH_CRES1 (i.e. sap.se.mi.plm.lib.attachmentservice)" that is used by some of the standard FIORI Apps for attachment services; in conjunction with the backend ODATA service. The main goal for us was to provide additional functionalities that were not covered in the attachment services.
Whilst our extension projects for both the backend service and front-end components were largely successful; we are currently challenged on how to seamlessly hook our extended "PLM_ATH_CRES1" to the standard FIORI APPs without having to extend those as well. We are aware of SAP position on this use case and your response on this issue here Reusable Component. We believe that this use case is very important and do hereby implore SAP to review its position on this and thus, avail us the opportunity to seamlessly hook the extended component to the FIORI Apps.
Thank You.
Bakau
Hi Bakau,
Interesting... not supported as far as I know yet. The Attachment Service gets updated quite frequently with continuous improvements so it would be worth checking the roadmap to see if what you have added is being provided in standard and you may be able to return to standard at some point perhaps?
Rgds
Jocelyn
Hi Bakau,
I've extended the app with app ID F0717 to add some additional functionalty in the attachement (ZFIN_GLDOCDISP5). I've created an extension as well for the resuasable component PLM_ATH_CRES1 and extended the OData service accordingly. Somehow the ZPLM_ATH_CRES1 is not being loaded.
In the neo-app.json, ZFIN_GLDOCDISP5, I've changed next line:
{
"path": "/resources/sap/se/mi/plm/lib/attachmentservice",
"target": {
"type": "destination",
"name": "O24_040",
"entryPath": "/sap/bc/ui5_ui5/sap/zplm_ath_cres1",
"preferLocal": true
},
Any thoughts? Probably I missed something, but your post gives me good hope 🙂
Thanks in advance.
Kind regards, Bart
Ok I would suggest ask that question to the SAPUI5 topic of the SAP community - they are usually good at find detail suggestions re what might be missing in code.