SAP user interfaces - topic non grata or panacea for SAP operation?

Admittedly, this is not a new topic at all. Interfaces and their design and use are "old hat". This also applies to the use of SAP systems. We have seen many developments in this area over the last 20 years. From the now old-fashioned SAP GUI application (in whatever display form) to idiosyncratic Web Dynpro interfaces, there has certainly been a lot that was supposed to be a "revolution" in interface design and use. But whether screen personas, SAP GUI customizations or self-developed views and front-end layers - nothing was offered on the market that followed a long-term strategy and orientation.

Niche for many providers in the SAP universe

This niche was sought and exploited by a number of third-party providers, who used their own solutions to make the interfaces simple and intuitive. This was certainly all well and good at the time, but of course these "extra solutions" were always paid for with "extra money".

Then came SAP's new panacea. With SAP Fiori, there was a fundamental design concept for the first time. That was in 2013!!! In the beginning, the one or other skeptical look was certainly still completely normal:

• it is a hype
• Will it prevail?
• Should I as a customer rely on it?

That was over ten years ago and yet I still encounter SAP GUI in so many situations.

So why am I writing a blog post about this rather dull topic? Because it is still more present than you might think. Although SAP now offers over 14,000 apps in its SAP Fiori Library, these are often still largely generated screens or Web Dynpro solutions. Although there are genuine, good SAP Fiori apps, they are not available in large numbers.

With SAP Fiori, I prefer to use standard apps!

Now we come to one of the most common challenges. Customers increasingly want to rely on standards, which may be due to the sins of the past or the general shift to the cloud world. This is basically the right approach, but does it have to be carried through to the front end?

In my opinion NO. SAP Fiori not only offers a modern design concept, but the technical possibilities are now so sophisticated and flexible that it is relatively easy to "fiorize" processes. This does not require an SAP ERP core on an S/4 basis, but the technical hurdles are very low.

Customized user interfaces for individual processes in the standard version?

The trick is to pick out the most suitable apps from the hodgepodge of SAP Fiori apps provided. This is not easy, but there are also very good methods for analyzing these approaches with the usage behavior of users in the ERP backend and making a preselection.

And if there is no suitable app? Well, then an individually process-optimized customer SAP Fiori app is often created very quickly in the front end. This simplifies processes enormously, because even standard SAP Fiori apps tend to be "overloaded" and often require several apps for one process. So why not build a lean, tailor-made SAP Fiori app that simplifies the steps accordingly and gives the user a completely different feeling? In real-time interaction with the backend, often with better quality.

But I want to stay in the standard!

Exactly, standard is important. But does the custom-fit design of an interface with SAP Fiori also mean leaving the standard path? NO! Definitely not. It is important to ensure that data is retrieved using standard tools and accesses and, even more importantly, that standard modules are then used when saving and processing in the update to the backend. The interface design is therefore a differentiating feature in the standard!

Many customers are not aware of this and the effects we achieve are really impressive.
The SAP Fiori technology We also make intensive use of this in the Retail One Solution Network. For example, we are expanding SAP CCO checkout functionalities with our own apps or bundling all our partner solutions in an SAP Fiori Launchpad as a central access point. That is absolute added value and you should take advantage of it. It doesn't matter whether the Launchpad Fiori apps come from in-house development, from SAP or from different systems, the user doesn't care and operating SAP is suddenly even fun! And not to be underestimated: The effect on employees. How are you supposed to explain to newbies that having to work with a completely outdated SAP GUI is indeed antiquarian and pretty uncool?

SAP GUI - is here to stay!

It is also very certain that the SAP GUI will be with us for a long time to come, perhaps even until I retire. 😉 No employees from SAP Basis or very technical positions, customizing etc., will be doing this with SAP Fiori in the near future, these areas will certainly still have to cope with the SAP GUI, but in these areas this is also sensible and expedient.
However, software used in processes should be increasingly "fiorized". This is a clear appeal from my side. Get on board and use exactly the methods described above for efficient, process-optimized and simple operation of your SAP systems!