Fiori Factsheet Configuration on S/4 HANA 1511 FPS01

[roger_sainsbury]

1                              Introduction

I recently needed to get a large number of Fiori apps up and running as part of an S/4 HANA 1511 on premise implementation. I found the area of Factsheets particularly challenging, as there are two different frameworks involved and an added dependency on Enterprise Search. In this blog I’ve attempted to share everything that I learnt along the way, to demystify the topic for anyone with the same task in the future.

Also see related blog Fiori Search Configuration on S/4 HANA 1511 FPS01.

2                              Scope

This blog is based on implementing S/4 HANA on premise FPS01. Fiori is a fast-moving area and what is written here may not apply to other versions of S/4 HANA.

3                              Functional Overview

3.1                          Definition

Factsheets are apps that give a concise, single-screen overview of a specific business entity such as a Customer or a Purchase Requisition. The Factsheet will typically display key header data, a table of any items or sub-objects with links to their factsheets, and similarly tables of and links to related objects.

3.2                          Navigating to Factsheets

A significant difference between Factsheets and other Fiori app types is that the Factsheets do not normally have a tile on the Fiori Launchpad. Instead, a user can simply search for the object they want to see, and then drill-down into the Factsheet.

The user can search across all business objects, or just one in particular:

In the results the strongest match is shown with key data at the top of the list. From here the user can click one of the results to open the corresponding Factsheet.

In addition to the Search functionality, many transactional Fiori apps contain links to open Factsheets. For example from app ‘Manage Purchase Orders’ the user can open the Supplier Factsheet.

3.3                          Factsheet Examples

Once opened the Factsheets come in two different flavours. Older factsheets use a framework called C’est Bon, and look like this:

More recently an ‘Object Page’ floorplan has been developed, which looks like this:

Over time the C’est Bon Factsheets are being superceded by the new Object Pages, however at the time of writing there is a mix of the two. Technical differences between the two are explored in more detail below.

4                              FactSheet Configuration

4.1                          Fiori Apps Library

The starting point to configure Factsheets is the Fiori Apps Library. Care must be taken to select the right version of any given Factsheet for the S/4 HANA release being used. For example for Supplier Invoice two different apps are listed – one is an older C’est Bon Factsheet which is valid for Business Suite, whilst the second is a newer Object Page Factsheet valid for S/4 HANA.

Also be aware of different names that may be used for the same entity, such as ‘Supplier’ and ‘Vendor’.

Having located the required Factsheet(s) in the Library, the information provided in the library then drives the next steps. Be aware that the ‘Aggregate’ function in the Library should be used to provide consolidated configuration information, if configuring multiple Factsheets at the same time.

4.2                          Installation

Factsheets generally require a core back-end component (SAP_APPL or S4CORE) and a front-end component for the functional area (for example UIEAAP01 or UIS4HOP1). There are unlikely to be any Factsheet-specific components to be installed.

For each Factsheet there may be related SAP Notes to be implemented containing bug fixes. These maybe listed in the Fiori Apps Library, or in a Release Information Note (RIN) mentioned there, however this is a fast-moving area so it may also be worth searching in support.sap.com for Notes by the Fiori app name or SAPUI5 application name.

4.3                          SAPUI5 Application

As with all Fiori apps, Factsheets involve an application which is installed on the front-end system and must be activated there through SICF.

·        C’est Bon: Factsheets from the same functional area share the same app (‘Annotation files’) such as BSCBN_ANF_MM for MM. Although Fiori Apps Library labels these as SAPUI5 Applications, it may be that in SICF they are only listed as BSP applications. Just search on the app name, or on *CBN* if you don't find the apps under the usual UI5 filepath.

·        Object Pages: each Object Page Factsheet has a separate UI5 app to activate, such as MM_INVOICES1 for Supplier Invoice.

4.4                          OData Services

Again like all other Fiori apps, Factsheets require an oData service to be activated on the front-end through transaction /IWFND/MAINT_SERVICE.

·        C’est Bon: oData services have names starting with ‘CB_’. E.g. CB_SUPPLIER_INVOICE_SRV.

·        Object Pages: oData services usually have names starting with ‘C_’. E.g. C_SUPPLIERINVOICE_FS_SRV. Note it’s not impossible that an Object Page Factsheet could make use of a C’est Bon oData service, though this would not usually be the case.

These naming conventions make it possible to search in /IWFND/MAINT_SERVICE to see all the Factsheets which are available to activate:

4.5                          Back-end Data Access and Search

Fiori Factsheets have a close dependency on Enterprise Search. For more information about configuring search, see

Fiori Search Configuration on S/4 HANA 1511 FPS01.

There are two different ways of reading data from the back-end:

·        C’est Bon (CB_*) oData services get the data to be displayed by using Enterprise Search models. For this reason, the Fiori Apps Library lists Search Models which must be activated, e.g.

This means that for C’est Bon Factsheets to work, Enterprise Search must be successfully set-up in the back-end, and the given Search Models must be active in ESH_COCKPIT. This applies even if the Factsheets are only being opened through links in other apps, rather than through the Fiori Search itself.

·        Object Page (C_*) oData services usually get data using CDS views. For example C_SUPPLIERINVOICEFS:

The CDS view and its related oData service are supplied as standard in the core back-end component – there is no additional installation or activation required for the Factsheet to work.

However, for the user to be able to search for the object and to open the Factsheet from the search results, then some kind of Search Model must be active anyway. It may be that one or more Search Objects are listed for the Object Page Factsheet in the Fiori Apps Library, or in the associated Application Help – in this case they should be activated in ESH_COCKPIT in the usual way. If no Search Objects are listed then there are two possibilities:

·        There may be a new-style CDS-based Search Model available, which would not itself need to be activated in ESH_COCKPIT. OR

·        It may just be an omission from the documentation. In which case check the documentation for any earlier C’est Bon version of the Factsheet, or just look in ESH_COCKPIT for an appropriate Search Model.

4.6                          Fiori Launchpad configuration and front-end PFCG roles

As Factsheets do not have tiles on Fiori Launchpad, we might expect that no Fiori Launchpad Configuration would be needed, however this is not the case. In the Fiori Apps Library each Factsheet will usually have a standard Business Catalog and Role listed:

The Business Catalog includes a Target Mapping for the Factsheet:

This links the semantic object (‘SupplierInvoice’) and action (‘displayFactSheet’) to the actual Factsheet application. Without this Target Mapping links to the Factsheet from other apps will not work or will not be displayed. Therefore front-end PFCG roles that are developed and rolled out to users must include appropriate Target Mappings; either by including the standard Business Catalog, or by including a custom catalog that includes the Target Mapping.

4.7                          Back-end Authorisations

Users must of course have appropriate authorization in the back-end system to see the data that the Factsheet will display.

·        C’est Bon Factsheets: the Fiori Apps Library usually includes a template back-end PFCG role that may be copied and adapted as required. E.g.

 

·        Object Page Factsheets: the Fiori Apps Library does not seem to include back-end PFCG roles for these at the time of writing. Technically, authorization checks for CDS views are implemented through corresponding Access Controls. For example for Supplier Invoices the Access Control has the same name as the CDS view, C_SUPPLIERINVOICEFS:

We can see above that the Authorization Object is M_RECH_BUK and the activity is ‘03’ (read) – so the users of this Factsheet would need to have this access as part of their role.

5                              Factsheet Enhancement

For Object Page based Factsheets, code-free enhancement is possible using Run Time Adaptation (RTA). More information is in SAP Help here.

Note that to use RTA you must be assigned role SAP_UI_FLEX_KEY_USER in the front-end Gateway system. Having done this an ‘Adapt UI’ option becomes available in Fiori Launchpad:

Once in Adaptation mode changes to the various UI elements may be made via the context (right click) menu:

6                              Conclusion

Factsheets are a key element of the Fiori user experience. Hopefully this blog will enable other S/4 HANA customers to draw on the experience I gained on my own project, and therefore get their own Factsheets up and running more quickly. Do please feel free to add your own thoughts, tips or feedback through the Comments.