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

You can create apps that display on the Fiori launchpad and link to external applications or websites with the Custom Tiles app. For example, you could link to a specific Build Workzone page the customer has created to provide HR information to their employees, or a custom application created with Build Apps.

When you create a new app for the launchpad, always remember that end-users cannot access it unless they have permission (through a business catalog assigned to a business role) and the structure of where the app will display on the launchpad is defined (through a launchpad page assigned to a space, assigned to the same business role as the business catalog.

From within the Custom Tiles app, you can navigate directly to the Custom Catalog Extensions app, which is where you publish the tile to an existing business catalog. Afterward, you navigate to the Manage Launchpad Pages app to add the new tile to an existing launchpad page.

For example, if we create a custom tile that links to a website relevant for all employees, I need to figure out which business catalog would be most suitable for this app. The Employee business role generally includes apps relevant for all employees in the organization, so I can navigate to the Maintain Business Roles app to look at the business catalogs assigned to this role. The existing HCM - Employee Self Service catalog looks like a good fit for my new app. Within the Custom Tiles apps, I can navigate directly to the Custom Catalog Extensions app to publish my new app to the HCM - Employee Self Service business catalog.

Next, I need to add the new app to a launchpad page assigned to a launchpad space that is already assigned to the Employee business role. Again, in the Maintain Business Roles app I can look up the assigned launchpad space and page(s) for the Employee business role. I see the space, SAP_BR_EMPLOYEE includes one page, BR_EMPLOYEE, with the apps My Inbox, My Outbox, and My Queries.

You cannot edit an SAP-delivered space directly (IDs that start with SAP_ or BR_), but you can remove the original space and re-assign it in an editable form by selecting "Create Spaces Based on SAP-Delivered Spaces". This allows you to make a copy of the original space that you can make changes to. The space ID should change to ZBR_EMPLOYEE and the page ID should change to ZBR_EMPLOYEE.

If I'm already in the Maintain Business Roles app looking at launchpad spaces assigned to the Employee business role, I can navigate directly to the Manage Launchpad Pages app by selecting the assigned space, then the assigned page I want to edit. After adding my new app to the launchpad page, I can save and navigate back to the Employee business role. Now, I assign the role to my user and refresh my browser to see the new app display on the launchpad.

Learn more about creating custom tiles in the SAP Help Portal.