Using Key-User In-App Extensibility to Create a Custom Field

Most SAP Fiori apps support UI adaptation, even if they do not allow adding custom fields. This process is known as "runtime authoring" because you modify the application while it is active.

In UI adaptation mode, you can move fields using drag-and-drop or by right-clicking to access additional options. To display two fields side-by-side, select both while holding the Shift key and combine them. You can also separate combined fields or undo changes if needed. Once finalized, these modifications can be saved and published to the transport log.

After importing the changes into the production system, the customized screens become visible to end users. Only users with the necessary permissions can access the runtime authoring mode via the user menu within an application.

To use this functionality, ensure you have access to the specific app and are assigned the Administrator or Extensibility Specialist business role.

You can also create app variants for specific use cases, such as different countries or organizational units. UI changes made to a specific variant do not affect the original app or other variants. However, if the original app's UI is updated during a release upgrade, those system changes are applied on top of your existing customizations in both the original app and its variants.

Once you are satisfied with your changes, use the Navigation tab to test the app from an end-user perspective. The Visualization tab highlights where modifications have been made.

To apply the changes, select the wand icon in the top-left corner to activate the new version. Then, select the truck icon to publish the changes to the transport log. These updates will appear in the Extensibility Inventory app, where they can be added to a software collection for export from the development system's customizing tenant.

For more details, refer to Adapting SAP Fiori UIs at Runtime in the SAP Help Portal.

Learn how to adapt an app's UI at runtime in this tutorial:

Use the Custom Fields app to create new fields. A single custom field can be shared across related apps, reports, email/form templates, and APIs to ensure data consistency.

Once created, a field must be added to the relevant app UIs using the Adapt UI functionality. For reports, the method varies: analytical dashboards use UI adaptation, while ad-hoc reports (such as custom CDS views) allow you to select specific fields manually. Email and form templates use a dedicated editor to integrate custom fields.

After enabling the field for the required areas, select Save and then Publish. Note that publishing is a scheduled background job that may take up to 30 minutes to complete.

Learn how to create a custom field and add it to a document UI in this tutorial: