For its forward-facing presentation layer, SAP R/3 depends on the SAP Graphical User Interface (GUI). However, when SAP S/4HANA was introduced to the world in the 2010s, a new UI for the presentation layer of applications in the new suite was created. This was termed SAP Fiori.
To know more about SAP Fiori, keep reading.
WHAT IS SAP FIORI?
SAP Fiori is a simplified application that provides a role-based experience for users that can be customized across all business lines, tasks, and devices. It employs tiles to encapsulate common processes such as viewing sales orders and approving timesheets. SAP designed the SAP Fiori UX with user-friendliness and simplicity-of-use in mind, based on customer feedback. The UX also has mobile deployment features, allowing users to operate without the need for a computer. SAP Fiori provides the smooth motions and controls that you’d expect from a mobile app. The interfaces are straightforward, adaptable, and contemporary, with no superfluous tabs or forms as in the prior UX. SAP has created Fiori, which is based on the User Interface UI5. When SAP Fiori is paired with the power of SAP HANA, the result is an unparalleled application response and query execution speed.
SAP Fiori 2.0, a design idea accessible for both SAP S/4HANA and SAP ERP, was released in 2016. Fiori 2.0 introduced a new and updated design that boosted navigation capabilities and made managing a myriad of apps easier. It also introduced new floorplans and the ability to access system events via alerts.
SAP Fiori 3, the newest version, was revealed in early development in 2017 with the goal of producing a more unified and integrated user experience throughout the suite. The new experience has a nicer look, more customization options, and the flexibility to be used across several SAP products.
ARCHITECTURE OF SAP FIORI
The following are the important components in the high-level landscape of SAP Fiori architecture.
SAP Web Dispatcher
For the end users, the first point of contact in the SAP Fiori architecture is the SAP Web Dispatcher. This processes all web browser requests from end-users using mobile devices or laptop computers. It acts as the entry point for all HTTP/HTTPS requests and specifies whether the system must accept or refuse the requests, as well as the server to which the request should be routed. It has the ability to refuse or allow connections to the SAP Fiori system.
SAP ABAP Front-End Server
All of the UI components of the Fiori system and NetWeaver gateway are housed on the SAP ABAP frontend server. These UI elements include the central UI add-on, the SAP UI5 control library, and the SAP Fiori Launchpad. It also has a product-specific UI. Add-ons include UI development for specific business suites such as SCM, SD, MM, and so on. The SAP NetWeaver Gateway is used to link SAP’s business suite to target customers, platforms, and frameworks. It provides development and creation tools for creating OData services that may be used by various client development tools.
SAP ABAP Back-End Server
The SAP ABAP Back-End Server is used to store the business logic as well as the backend data. The ABAP backend server contains the search model for fact sheets and the SAP business suite.
SAP HANA database and HANA XS Engine
All analytical apps in SAP Fiori are powered by the HANA XS engine. It includes Fiori app content as well as virtual data-model reuse material from SAP HANA Live.
The HANA XS Engine is made up of two parts.
- HANA Live App content for the Business Suite
- Smart Business component utilizing KPI Modeler.
VDM reuse content is included in HANA live content and can be utilized for an extension.
HOW IS SAP FIORI DIFFERENT FROM SAP UI5?
SAP UI5
SAPUI5, the UI development toolkit for HTML5 that provides a programming paradigm for desktop and mobile applications, is used to build all SAP Fiori apps. Its JavaScript UI control toolkit enables developers to create cross-platform apps.
SAPUI5 consists of two parts: the SAPUI5 library and the SAPUI5 core. The SAPUI5 library contains themes and controls for both mobile and desktop, whilst the SAPUI5 core serves as the basis for different features such as:
- Modules for the core, base, and model
- Control libraries are loaded via a dependency/class loader.
- Reader manager, which generates HTML strings for the controls represented.
- SAP jQuery add-ons
SAP Fiori
Fiori is not a methodology but rather a design paradigm. SAP Fiori is a set of design principles (or design language) developed by SAP to assist developers in planning and building UI5 applications in accordance with SAP’s UX strategy. Fiori 3 is the most recent version, and it provides rules for apps produced on Android, iOS, and the web. Apps that adhere to the Fiori design language may be created by combining UI5 with Fiori Elements.
SAP UI5 is, in other words, the coding language for SAP Fiori. As a result, we cannot create an SAP Fiori application without the SAP UI5 framework. The combination of the two results in responsive Fiori apps.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY OF SAP FIORI
SAP Fiori’s design philosophy is founded on five main concepts. SAP Fiori provides a role-based, adaptive, simple, coherent, and delightful user experience.
Role-Based
SAP Fiori is tailored to your company’s needs and working style. It is based on the extensive knowledge of today’s workforce’s numerous duties. SAP Fiori delivers the correct information at the right moment and represents your actual workflow.
Delightful
SAP Fiori enhances your work experience by allowing you to simply accomplish your job, in addition to letting you work smarter than before.
Coherent
SAP Fiori conforms to a uniform interface and visual design language, whether you are fulfilling a sales transaction, reviewing your newest KPIs, or managing leave requests. You have the same intuitive and uniform experience across the organization.
Simple
You can perform your task naturally and fast using SAP Fiori. SAP Fiori allows you to concentrate on what is important by making critical functionalities simple to use and allowing you to tailor the experience to focus on your relevant tasks and activities.
Adaptive
SAP Fiori gives you the freedom to work how and where you choose, regardless of the device you use. Furthermore, it delivers essential information that enables immediate understanding.
SAP FIORI APPS
SAP Fiori has three types of apps. They are exceptional in terms of their characteristics and infrastructural requirements.
Transactional Apps
Users may utilize Transactional apps to execute actions like generating, modifying, and approving requests or orders through guided navigation. SAP Fiori’s initial edition comprised 25 transactional applications. Transactional Apps perform well on the SAP HANA database, although they may be installed on any database with enough performance. These apps enable users to perform basic SAP transactions on mobile devices as well as desktops or laptops.
Analytical Apps
Analytic apps provide users with business information as well as the opportunity to monitor and assess strategic or operational KPIs in real-time. This may be done with an enormous volume of data in a streamlined frontend for business control. These apps integrate SAP HANA’s data and analytical capability with the integration and interface components of SAP Business Suite.
Fact sheets
Fact sheets are used in corporate operations to dig down on critical data and contextual information. You may dig down into further details in SAP Fiori tiles. It also allows you to go from one fact sheet to all of its connected fact sheets. You can access fact sheet apps through the SAP Fiori launchpad’s search results, other fact sheets, or transactional and analytical apps.
SAP FIORI ELEMENTS
SAP Fiori elements are low-code templates that enable commonly used application patterns. SAP Fiori elements may be used by developers to construct apps based on OData services and annotations that do not need JavaScript UI programming. The preset controllers and views aid in design uniformity and adherence to the most recent SAP Fiori principles. The common reusable features also increase development efficiency by removing the requirement for users to recreate the UI and lowering the amount of frontend code required to construct the apps.
Some SAP Fiori Elements floorplans are given below:
Overview Page
The SAP Fiori overview page application is a floor plan with a UI framework that enables easy access to critical business information at a glance. This takes the shape of actionable cards on a single page, allowing users to make quicker decisions and focus on their most critical activities.
List Report
The List Report application, a reusable floorplan template that allows users to deal with extensive lists of things and act on each one, is the second type of floorplan.
Object Page
Another sort of floorplan template is the Object Page, which lets users display, create, or update an object. The pre-built SAP Fiori element may be used to construct the Object Page floorplan.
SAP FIORI LAUNCHPAD
The SAP Fiori launchpad serves as the portal to all SAP Fiori apps. The Fiori system has a variety of tiles. Tiles are square objects that allow you to access several Fiori Apps. The user roles determine who has access to these tiles. SAP Fiori tiles work on a variety of devices and give a single point of entry to business applications such as transactional, analytical, reporting, and smart business apps. The launchpad offers several advantages to all sorts of users, including end-users, administrators, and developers.
End Users
SAP Fiori launchpad allows end-users to simply navigate to the apps they require. Through its group navigational list of tiles that enable app shortcuts and search capabilities to access applications or business data system-wide, the portal is meant to deliver a quick and simple experience. The homepage is editable, enabling users to add, remove, or rearrange groups or apps. If an app isn’t shown on the homepage, it may be found by searching for it in the app finder. The SAP Fiori launchpad also includes a “Me Area” where users may adjust settings and open recent apps.
Administrators
SAP Fiori launchpad is used by administrators for configuration. Target mapping is used to set up all apps so that they may be accessible from the SAP Fiori launchpad.
Developers
Developers must design SAPUI5 apps that are compatible with the SAP Fiori launchpad. Because the SAP Fiori launchpad launches apps as components rather than web pages, the applications must be UI components. It is critical not to open other apps directly via URLs; hence access should only be granted through the SAP Fiori launchpad services. To make it simpler for a code to operate even when published on a different backend system, a user should make use of the various APIs available through the SAP Fiori launchpad, which can be accessed using JavaScript.
SAP FIORI APP LIBRARY
SAP provides all Fiori Apps for inspection in the SAP Fiori App Library. There are now over 12,500 Fiori Apps available, with solutions for every business sector. If you’re looking for a specific app, you may search the SAP Fiori App Library using various parameters to locate one that meets your requirements. For each app, SAP gives a variety of information and screenshots.
DATA FLOW IN SAP FIORI
SAP Fiori Data Flow addresses the data flow method in the Fiori system when a user submits a request via launchpad. This includes runtime information flow in both the frontend and backend servers.
Fiori Data Flow’s Front-End Server:
The SAP Fiori Front-End server also serves as a Web server (HTTPS). It is a collection of all registered OData offers that serves as an endpoint for OData providers. It also comes with UI and Launchpad gadgets. All Front-end users are defined in the frontend server and allocated to the appropriate responsibilities. To communicate with the Back End device, it employs an alias for the backend system and communicates with the backend server over a trusted RFC connection. To obtain data, the Fiori app makes use of the OData service. The gateway device in the front-quit server recognizes the system alias for services and aids in retrieving data from the backend system.
Fiori Dataflow’s Back-End Server:
SAP Business Suite 7 is included on the back end server for important applications such as CRM, SRM, SCM, and many more. It comprises utility statistics and is used for software customization. This device comes with two OData instructions: Model Provider and Data Provider. To get access to the Backend server, application users generated on the Frontend server must have the S_RFCACL authorization. Customers should be assigned this authorization inside the Business suite.
ROLES AND AUTHORIZATION FOR SAP FIORI
End-users must have sufficient authorizations for the apps and underlying business data in order to use SAP Fiori. End-users require generic authorizations for the frontend and backend servers in addition to app-specific authorizations. These authorizations are necessary to operate the SAP Fiori launchpad, activate the OData services required by SAP UI5 applications, and execute (for example) analytical SAP Fiori apps launched through a KPI tile.
To launch and use the SAP Fiori Launchpad, the end-user must have basic authorizations. SAP provides preset role templates for both end-users and administrators. SAP_UI2_USER_700 is for end-users, while SAP_UI2_ADMIN_700 is for administrators.
However, it is advocated that customized roles should be created for the end-users using the authorizations. SAP standard roles should not be allocated to productive users; instead, a custom role should be created.
Below are the authorizations allotted to the users for Frontend Server and Backend Server:
Frontend server:
Administrator: SAP Fiori launchpad Designer
- Z_SAP_UI2_ADMIN_700
- R3TR IWSG ZINTEROP_0001
- R3TR IWSG ZPAGE_BUILDER_PERS_0001
- R3TR IWSG ZPAGE_BUILDER_CONF_0001
- R3TR IWSG ZPAGE_BUILDER_CUST_0001
- R3TR IWSG ZTRANSPORT_0001
- /IWFND/RT_ADMIN
Runtime User: SAP Fiori launchpad
- Z_SAP_UI2_USER_700
- R3TR IWSG ZINTEROP_0001
- R3TR IWSG ZPAGE_BUILDER_PERS_0001
- /IWFND/RT_GW_USER
- S_PB_CHIP
- /UI2/CHIP
- S_SERVICE
- App specific Catalog Role SAP_MM_BC_BUYER_X1
- App specific Group RoleAP_MM_BCR_BUYER_X1
Backend server:
Administrator:
- IWBEP/RT_BEP_ADM
- S_RFCACL
Runtime User:
- /IWBEP/RT_MGW_USR
- S_RFCACL
- App specific OData role. SAP_MM_PO_APV_APP
SECURITY BEST PRACTICES IN SAP FIORI
SAP Fiori allows users to access their data in real-time from mobile devices, and with adequate security configuration, constant monitoring, and adherence to the best practices listed below, customers can be confident that their data is secure.
Single Sign-On (SSO)
Ensure that all users are connected to a centralized repository database that can be easily monitored and maintained. With the correct settings, the Fiori environment may be configured only to enable single sign-on (SSO) connections (and therefore disable the less secure “basic” Fiori Launchpad login).
Firewalls
Only the traffic we want is allowed through firewalls, and all call ports save those utilized by Fiori are closed. This varies according to the company, but at the very least, an external and internal firewall is advised.
Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentications may be configured when integrating sign-on with Azure, for example, to give an additional layer of protection. This supplementary verification of users significantly improves overall security.
SSL Communications
All communications must be set to use SSL with valid certificates. This is a critical and required action. Especially considering not using SSL exposes your personal info.
Load Balancers
On the DMZ, reverse proxies/load balancers serve as a barrier between the outside world and the internal network. These servers route Fiori traffic to the relevant internal servers, adding an additional degree of protection.
Monitoring Network
Monitoring tools for network interfaces must be enabled. It is critical to have tools that monitor all incoming traffic and detect risks, as well as the ability to set them to automatically warn you when dangers are found.
SAP Gateway Security
The SAP Gateway must also be appropriately secured. This entails comprehending and correctly configuring system parameters to deactivate various external threats. Furthermore, it entails designing appropriate roles with specified capabilities and adhering to SAP best practices for user security at all times.
SAP Backend Security
The backend, in combination with the Gateway, must be correctly constructed for user security. You must ensure that all roles are appropriately designed so that various types of users only have the roles required to access their data.
SAP FIORI DESIGN GUIDELINES
SAP has been sharing its SAP Fiori Design Guidelines with customers and partners for over a year, and they have offered tools for rapidly prototyping apps. The guidelines may be found at http://experience.sap.com/fiori-design/. It has three sections, viz. Get Started, Explore, and Resources.
Get Started
The Get Started section gives you an overview of the principles behind SAP Fiori. It helps you get acquainted with navigating through the guidelines. The guidelines cover an enormous amount of topics which are divided into different categories like
- SAP Fiori Design System
- Look, Feel, and Wording
- SAP Fiori Launchpad
- General Patterns
- Layouts and Floorplans
- UI Elements
- Frameworks
- Designer Toolkit
Explore
Explore is a wonderful method to go over all of the accessible components in the guidelines. It has four categories, viz. Floorplans, Frameworks, Layouts, and UI elements. There are convenient cards that provide a visual glimpse as well as a brief description of the component. It is simple to distinguish between different elements and determine which one is most appropriate. Scanning the cards will provide a sense of the depth of the SAP UI5 control library and the 75+ components included in the current edition of the guidelines if an overview is required.
Resources
Customers and partners may use a variety of tools to help them establish their own designs that are consistent with the standard solutions provided by SAP. The design stencils for Axure, Figma, Sketch, and Adobe are the most important tool for designers, allowing them to quickly build interactive design mockups for testing purposes that mirror the implementable state. Customers can also download Font 72, which is SAP’s own typeface that serves as the default typeface for SAP Fiori apps. It is necessary to install the standard SAP icon font in order to utilize the stencils. If users wish to display SAP Fiori icons in other programmes, such as PowerPoint, they must install this typeface locally. The SAP icon typeface is also featured in the Figma, Sketch, Axure RP, and Adobe XD stencil sets.
SAP FIORI CLOUD
SAP Fiori Cloud offers a cutting-edge, end-to-end SAP Fiori technological architecture. SAP Cloud Platform, SAP’s in-memory cloud platform for cloud integration and expansion, powers the enterprise-ready front end system. The SAP Cloud Platform cloud connection provides a secure conduit to your on-premise SAP back end system for the consumption of business data and business logic. A variety of deployment options allow easy interaction with current client landscapes and security rules.
SAP Fiori Cloud for SAP Business Suite allows to test, customize, and execute SAP Fiori apps in the cloud while remaining linked to the on-premise landscape for productive use. This cloud deployment option simplifies SAP Fiori implementation and reduces time-to-value while using current investments.
The users interact with SAP Fiori Cloud via the SAP Fiori launchpad on the cloud, which acts as the single point of entry to all SAP Fiori apps for all device types. SAP Fiori applications for SAP Fiori Cloud are released based on usage and demand. Furthermore, SAP’s cloud-based tools and services enable to create custom applications or expand and enhance existing SAP Fiori apps.
SAP Fiori Cloud provides a complete set of services, including:
Services for runtime and configuration
It is a bundle of services for configuring and running SAP Fiori apps and SAP Fiori launchpad in the cloud with full enterprise attributes across all platforms. They provide clients with the ability to use SAP Fiori Cloud in a real-time environment. Roles and application assignment, navigation, personalization, application context, and other features are some instances.
Services for lifecycle management
These services enable the lifecycle management capabilities necessary for selling and managing packaged, cloud-ready standard SAP Fiori Cloud. Furthermore, they enable synchronization, validation, and correlation of SAP Fiori Cloud content with appropriate SAP Business Suite landscapes.
Services for development
These services enable developers to create, edit and enhance SAP Fiori applications. The SAP Cloud Platform Web IDE is at the heart of these development services, providing the tools, editors, SAPUI5 APIs, mobile SDKs, templates, and other APIs in a uniform and complete environment.
BENEFITS OF SAP FIORI
- SAP Fiori boosts employee productivity by allowing them to do more work in less time since SAP software usage is more straightforward.
- It also aids in lowering training and support costs by the use of simple, role-based screens, which reduce the considerable training expenditures that organizations engage in teaching their workers how to use SAP.
- With the radio buttons and pull-down choices, it improves compliance and data quality by making it easy to enter information into your system of record. This aids in the reduction of data entering mistakes.
- SAP Fiori delivers a collection of simple and easy-to-use apps that may be utilized on a variety of devices such as PCs, tablets, cellphones, and so on.
- It is simple to get the essential application’s data instantaneously with the aid of SAP Fiori Launchpad’s shared start screen.
- Employees of a business may easily do operations such as making purchase orders, tracking orders, and monitoring key rates with the aid of SAP Fiori.
- The basic SAP Fiori applications are simple to install and provide immediate business advantages.
- SAP Fiori is intended to make labour less tiresome and alleviate frustration, hence enhancing worker morale. Customers are no longer feeling the need to continuously design their own tools as the industry evolves. As a result, there is a significantly lower requirement for development.
cbs ASIA PACIFIC OPTIMISING FIORI APPS
cbs APAC has developed apps with new user interfaces for the specific needs of industrial companies such as,
- Manually Release Invoice
- Real time tracing by providing list of manually released invoices
- Monitor manually released invoices for payment
- Can be used for internal or external audit purposes
- Mass Pricing
- Monitor price change and mass repricing for open SO
- Quick overview for any price change
- Allow mass price update for multiple sales documents
- Mass Display Plan Assessment Cycle
- Cost center: Actual Assessment Cycle
- Cost Center: Plan Assessment Cycle
- GL: Assessment Cycle
- Order Change Management
- STO/PO Change Request: submit change request for STO/PO
- STO/PO Change Approval: approve/reject change request
cbs customer reference: Gates – Fiori Apps for Mobile Warehouse Management advantages
Advantages:
- High satisfaction from the users with the new user experience
- User training reduced to a minimum
- Good overview of the total workload for the users
- Supports different type of devices
- Fast and predictable
Fiori Mobile Workflow Approval:
- No extra license needed, free to use for existing SAP S/4HANA customer
- Allow single and mass approval of tasks
- Extensive search, filter and grouping functionality
- Off-the-shelf and continuous support by SAP
- Show approval comments and attachments from previous approvers
Fiori Analytics:
- No extra license needed, free to use for existing SAP S/4HANA customer
- Low development effort via SAP Smart Business KPI Modeler, Analysis Path Framework, and Fiori Elements Analytical List Page
- Dynamic data visualizations via multi-dimensional reports
- Real-time analytics on operational data
- Optimized performance with in-memory data access
- Built-in support for filter and drill down functionalities
Contact us today for a free detailed consultation and we are of course also happy to assist you personally.
Discover the competitive advantages that Fiori can bring to your industrial company! Contact us to learn more about the integration and implementation of Fiori in a customised and focused approach.
