Creating Technical Catalogs

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Create technical catalogs

SAP Fiori Launchpad Application Manager

In SAP S/4HANA 2020, the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager (FLPAM) was introduced to create, change, and maintain technical catalogs and app descriptors. It offers the views Search, Facet Filer, and Catalog Entry, which can be switched at any item via the buttons in the header. The main view is Search offering all common tasks around technical catalogs.

In fact, the FLPAM was already introduced in SAP S/4HANA 1610 as Mass Maintenance for App Descriptors focusing purely on classic applications. In SAP_UI 7.51, the Web Dynpro application SUI_TM_MM_APP had to be called directly. In SAP_UI 7.52, transaction MM_APP was introduced to make starting the application easier. In SAP_UI 7.55, transaction /UI2/FLPAM was introduced and added to the SAP_FLP_ADMIN role as Manage Launchpad Apps tile.

Catalog and Application Types

With the introduction of the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager (FLPAM), catalog types were also introduced. Until then, business and technical catalogs were just semantic interpretations of SAP Fiori catalogs. These are now called none-typed catalogs, defining tiles and target mappings per client (customizing) or cross-client (configuration). The transport object type is Web Dynpro Component Configuration (WDCC) and the according tool is the SAP Fiori launchpad designer (FLPD).

Before the introduction of catalog types, only the back-end catalog differed in its structure on a technical level, by defining app descriptors instead of separated tiles and target mappings. Back-End catalogs are always cross-client (configuration) and are available since SAP_UI 7.51. The transport object type is User Interface App Descriptors (UIAD) tagged with the catalog name, and the corresponding tool is the Mass Maintenance for App Descriptors.

With SAP_UI 7.55 SP01, most technical catalogs are standard catalogs. They are always cross-client (configuration) and define app descriptors instead of separated tiles and target mappings. The transport object type is User Interface App Catalog (UIAC) consisting of User Interface App Descriptors (UIAD) and the according tool is the FLPAM. UIAC is a development object visible in development tools (ADT, SE80) making it easier to find and organize catalogs for example in transport requests. Therefore it is recommend to use standard catalogs as soon as possible.

Although also introduced with SAP_UI 7.55 SP01, replicable catalogs are reserved for use in a future release. They are nearly identical to standard catalogs (UIAC with UIAD in FLPAM) but are replicable like the back-end catalogs. Customers should not use replicable catalogs in the initial release, because their feature set is not yet complete.

In parallel to catalog types, application types were introduced as cross-client setting. The figure shows the application types available for catalogs in embedded deployment and central hub deployment.

Catalog and application types are defined cross-client via the implementation guide. Transaction /UI2/CUST can be used to access the UI parts of the implementation guide directly. For an embedded deployment, it is recommended not to define any application type. This allows the use of any application type in technical catalogs.

For an embedded deployment, Standard Catalog is recommended as the only catalog type. This will mean, only standard catalogs can be defined in the FLPAM. When setting Standard Catalog and Replicable Catalog, FLPAM offers the catalog types as dropdown during creation.

Technical Catalog Maintenance

New standard catalogs can be created in the Searchview of the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager (FLPAM).

Watch the video to understand more about technical catalog maintenance.

In SAP S/4HANA 2020, the functions of the FLPAM are limited concerning catalog maintenance. Only in this release, another tool for maintaining technical catalogs is the SAP Fiori Catalog Maintenance (/UI2/FLPCAT). It offers a list of technical catalogs and opens the FLPAM for the content of a single catalog. In the menu, options for creating and deleting catalogs and changing the catalog title are offered.

How to Research Configuration Details in SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library

Business Example

You want to open the SAP Fiori apps reference library and search for technical details of apps used to define app descriptors in standard catalogs.

Watch the video to see how to research configuration details in SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library.

Create Standard Catalogs

Business Example

You want to create a standard catalog with app descriptors for SAPUI5 applications.

Solution:
SAP_TC_UX100_S_SD_COMMON (Standard Catalog)
Note
This exercise requires an SAP Learning system. Login information are provided by your system setup guide.
Note
Whenever the values or object names in this exercise include ##, replace ## with the number of your user.

Prerequisites

Business catalog was created in exercise Reference Tiles and Target Mappings.

ExerciseStart Exercise

Task 1: Search an app in a standard catalog in the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager.

Steps

  1. In the SAP Fiori launchpad of your SAP S/4HANA (S4H) system, start the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager and examine the ID of the Technical Application Component.

    1. In the SAP Fiori launchpad of your S4H, choose the Manage Launchpad Apps tile.

    2. In the User Actions Menu, choose About.

    3. Examine the Technical Component ID.

    4. Choose OK.

  2. In the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager of your S4H, search for the Track Sales Orders app in the SAP_TC_CEC_SD_COMMON catalog. Note down the SAP Fiori ID.

    SAP Fiori ID:_______________________________________________________________

    1. In the Search Term field, enter cec and choose Go.

    2. In the Items table, choose the SAP_TC_CEC_SD_COMMON catalog.

    3. Choose Search a the top right.

    4. In the Search for field, enter track sales orders and choose Enter.

    5. Note down the SAP Fiori IDF2577.

Task 2: Create a standard catalog and copy an app descriptor in the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager.

Steps

  1. In the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager of your S4H, create the empty standard catalog Z_##_TC_SD_COMMON with title Z## - Sales and Distribution as local object.

    1. In the SAP Fiori launchpad of your S4H, choose the Manage Launchpad Apps tile or start transaction /UI2/FLPAM.

    2. In the Search view, choose New Technical Catalog.

    3. In the Catalog ID field, enter Z_##_TC_SD_COMMON.

    4. In the Catalog Title field, enter Z## - Sales and Distribution.

    5. From the Catalog Type dropdown, select Standard Catalog.

    6. Select Create empty technical catalog only.

    7. Choose Local Object.

  2. Copy the Track Sales Orders app to your Z_##_TC_SD_COMMON catalog using the SAP Fiori ID you noted down. Change the action to trackStatus## and the tile title to Track Sales Orders ##.

    1. In the Search Term field, enter z_## and choose Go.

    2. Choose Z_##_TC_SD_COMMON in the list.

    3. Choose Copy from Other Technical Catalog.

    4. In the Select Transport Request popup, choose Local Object.

    5. In the Search Term field, enter F2577 and choose Go.

    6. Select the Semantic ObjectSalesOrder with ActiontrackStatus and choose Copy.

    7. In the Action field, enter trackStatus##.

    8. Choose the Tiles tab under the table.

    9. In the Title field, enter Track Sales Orders ##.

    10. Choose the All Fields tab.

    11. Choose Save.

Task 3: Create an app descriptor for an SAPUI5 application in the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager.

Steps

  1. In the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager of your S4H, insert an app descriptor for the Manage Sales Orders app in your Z_##_TC_SD_COMMON catalog using the following values:

    FieldValue
    Semantic ObjectSalesOrder
    Actionmanage##
    App TypeSAPUI5 Fiori App
    SAPUI5 Component IDcus.sd.salesorders.manage
    ICF Path/sap/bc/ui5_ui5/sap/sd_so_manages1

    1. In the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager of your S4H, choose Add New Launchpad App Descriptor Item (Plus in a Circle).

    2. In the All Fields pane, enter the following values:

      FieldValue
      Semantic ObjectSalesOrder
      Actionmanage##

    3. From the App Type dropdown, select SAPUI5 Fiori App.

    4. Open the value help for SAPUI5 Component ID.

    5. In the SAPUI5 Component ID field, enter cus.sd.salesorder* and choose Go.

    6. Select Manage Sales Orders.

    7. Choose Save.

  2. Add a dynamic tile as default to your Manage Sales Orders app using the following values:

    FieldValue
    TitleManage Sales Orders ##
    Tile SubtitleSAPUI5
    Service Root URI/sap/opu/odata/sap/SD_F1873_SO_WL_SRV/C_SalesOrderWl_F1873/$count

    1. For the app with Actionmanage##, choose the Tiles tab under the table.

    2. In the Tiles table, choose Add Tile → App – Launcher Dynamic.

    3. In the Tiles table entry, enter the following values:

      FieldValue
      TitleManage Sales Orders ##
      Tile SubtitleSAPUI5

    4. In the Service Root URI field, enter /sap/opu/odata/sap/SD_F1873_SO_WL_SRV/C_SalesOrderWl_F1873/$count.

      Hint
      You may test the URI in the SAP Gateway Client.

    5. Choose Set Tile as Default.

    6. Choose Save.

Task 4: Reference tile and target mappings in a business catalog and test it in the SAP Fiori launchpad.

Steps

  1. In the SAP Fiori launchpad content manager of your S4H, create a reference for tiles and target mappings of Track Sales Orders ## and Manage Sales Order ## of the Z_##_TC_SD_COMMON catalog in your catalog Z_##_BC_EMPLOYEE.

    1. Start the SAP Fiori launchpad content manager of your S4H.

    2. In the Search Catalogs field, enter z_## and choose Go.

    3. In the Catalogs table, select the Z_##_TC_SD_COMMON catalog.

    4. In the Content table, select the Track Sales Orders ## and Manage Sales Order ## apps.

    5. Choose Add Tiles/Target Mappings → Add Selected Tiles/TMs to Other Catalog.

    6. In the Search Catalogs field, enter z_## and choose Go.

    7. In the Catalogs table, select the Z_##_BC_EMPLOYEE catalog.

    8. Choose Add Tile/TM Reference.

  2. In the SAP Fiori launchpad spaces of your S4H, add the Track Sales Orders ## and Manage Sales Orders ## tiles from the Z## - Employee catalog to the My Home page and test them.

    1. Start or reload the SAP Fiori launchpad spaces of your S4H in the client of your choice.

    2. Choose your user in the upper right corner.

    3. In the User Actions Menu, choose App Finder.

    4. In the list of catalogs on the left, choose Z## - Employee.

    5. Choose the plus of the Manage Sales Orders ## tile

    6. In the Add to Page popup, select My Home and choose Add.

    7. Choose the plus of the Track Sales Orders ## tile

    8. In the Add to Page popup, select My Home and choose Add.

    9. Choose Navigate to Home Page.

    10. Operate the apps as you wish.

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