Useful tool for Abap developers: framework facilitates Fiori migration

Since Fiori is delivered as standard with S/4 and Hana, it is to be expected that in the future all SAP user interfaces will be aligned with this modern user interface technology (UI) or even be completely based on it.

There are already more than 10,000 Fiori apps for all business areas, tasks and devices; new small apps are being added all the time. But while the Fiori Launchpad, with its apps arranged as tiles, makes it much easier to use SAP applications, things look different in the development area.

For example, the SAP Development Toolkit SAP UI5 is available for programming the Fiori interfaces. This toolkit is based on the open standards HTML5, CCS3 and JavaScript, and differs significantly from Abap in some respects.

Most developers now use the cloud-based SAP Web IDE environment, which is specifically tailored to SAP UI5 applications. This presents companies with the task of either training their Abap specialists in the new programming languages or bringing additional front-end expertise on board, which can be extremely costly.

A particular challenge is the switch to S/4, which, according to a recent DSAG investment survey, is already set at three quarters of the companies surveyed in the DACH region. Many SAP customers operate up to tens of thousands of their own developments, which have to be adapted to the new user interface in the event of an S/4 migration.

In addition, the existing Fiori apps also have to be constantly tailored to individual requirements and extended or their own applications integrated into Launchpad.

These requirements are all the more serious because SAP's Fiori technology has so far only provided sub-processes for specific roles, tasks or usage scenarios - such as posting goods receipts, entering sales orders or confirming travel expenses.

On the other hand, anyone who wants to map complete transactions or complex applications in the new user interface must invest considerable effort of their own in some cases.

One approach to solving this problem is offered by special frameworks that allow Abap programmers to remain in their traditional development environment and still customize and implement any Fiori apps.

These frameworks make use of the basic technological infrastructure of SAP Fiori, which is divided into front-end and back-end components. Thus, the front-end infrastructure comprises the user interface on which the data is displayed and edited by the users.

The backend infrastructure, on the other hand, provides the data and the application logic, which contains all the processing mechanisms of an application. This is where the Abap developers, who implement the SAP functions required in the frontend, operate in the backend.

With the help of special frameworks, the Fiori apps can be developed in the familiar Abap workbench and integrated into the front end. Without having to deal with the new SAP Fiori technology in a time-consuming manner, Abap programmers retain complete control over the behavior of an application.

Companies thus save on personnel costs, as they do not need to bring additional front-end developers in-house, but can use their Abap experts to create and customize Fiori apps.

Thanks to these frameworks, the required programming work can also be significantly simplified and made more flexible, even when complex applications and transactions are involved.

A number of frameworks are already available on the market today that support the programming of SAP UI5 applications from the Abap backend. But while customers usually have to pay development and runtime license fees for these, the IT consulting firm 2bits is taking a special approach with its solution.

For example, the Screen Control Framework is used directly on-site in customer projects where applications need to be adapted and developed for the new SAP Fiori user interface.

The 2bits framework is therefore used on a project basis and offers the advantage of being able to quickly and easily implement any desired customer specification in any SAP module. This pays off especially in complex S/4 implementation projects.

Notice:

The Rheinwerk publishing house has published the following book in the English edition SAP Press "SAP Fiori" UX Design for Developers. E-book, 122 pages, 2019.