SAP unit 2

NAVIGATION

UNIT 2

Logging On and Personalizing Your User Interface

Lesson overview

                You can access SAP system using different front-end programs (graphical user interfaces) with a variety of design.  For example , The Business Explore is the front end for the SAP Business Information Warehouse componentof mySAP Business Intelligence.

Lesson objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to: 

1) Ceate a new logon entry in the SAP Logon window

2) Log on to any SAP system

3)  Create multiple active sessions

4)  Personalize your user interface

The SAP GUI and SAP Log On

                All SAP components are, however, accessible using a general front-end program, the SAP Graphical User Interface (SAP GUI). The SAP GUI is the standard program for accessing almost SAP solutions.  For the sake of simplicity, additional descriptions refer to the SAP GUI for the window environment.

                For starting SAP GUI, SAP provides another program: SAP Logon. When you call up the SAP Logon, a window display a list of SAP system for which you can start the Logon process. This list is derived from a file on the front-end computer: saplogon.

Multiple Logons and Multiple Sessions

                There are two ways to open two SAP system: using multiple logons or using multiple sessions.  The SAP systwm track multiple logons as of SAP R/3 4.6. if the same user logs on more than once, then for each subsequent logon, the system displays a warning message that offers the user the following three options:

1)      Continue with this logon and end any other logons of this user in the system.

2)      Continue with this logonwithout ending any other logons in the system (this is tracked).

3)      Terminate this logon.

You can create a new session at any time. You can create several sessions, and each session is independent of the others. You will not lose any data in sessions that are ready opes. For example, closing the first sessions does not cause the other sessions to close. As long as you remain logged on to the SAP system, you can leave a session for as long you like.

Multiple for personalizing the user interface

You have several personalization options available to help you set uo your working environment.

Some of the many things you can do are:

1)      Change the layout of the SAP Easy Access screen

2)      Track your input history to provide input help

3)      Display status messages in a pop-up window instead of the

     status bar

4)      Set preferences for how data displays

5)      Adjust the color and behavior of the screens as fields.

Navigating in the SAP system

Lesson overview

                Once you have logged on to the SAP system, you will complete your data-to-day work by initiating transactions.  In this lesson, we introduce you to the basic screen layout and show you how to navigate in the system to complete your daily work.

Lesson objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

1) Describe the layout of the SAP Easy Access screen

2) List and use the three navigation methods to initiate a 

   transaction in the SAP system

3)  Differentiate between the SAP standard menu and the

   role-based user menu

4)  Describe the favorites feature and add a transaction to your 

   Favorites menu.

Screen structure

The SAP Easy Access screen is the default initial screen in SAP system. The left side of the screen contains a tree hierarchy of the menus available to you in the SAP system. You can use the right side of the screen to display your company logo.

Command field

                You can start applications directly by entering their transaction code in the command field. You can find the transaction code for an application either in the Overview menu on the SAP Easy Access screen, in the status bar, or in the application it self under systemà status

Menu bar

                The menu bar is the top line of any primary window in the SAP system. The menus shown depend on which application you are using.

Standard toolbar

                The buttons in the standard toolbar are shown on every SAP screen. If certain buttons are not available in a application, the buttons that you cannot use are deactivated.

Title bar

                The title bar names the function that you are currently using.

Application toolbar

                The application toolbar shows the buttons available in the application that you are currently using.

Checkboxes

                Checkboxes allow you to select several options from a group of fields.

Radio buttons

                With radio buttons, you can only select one option.

Tab

                A tab allows you to organize several screen areas to improve clarity and organization of data.

Status bar

                The status bar displays information on the current system status, such as warning and errors. You can also change this display variant to show, for example, the transaction code of the transaction you are currently using.

Navigation option

You have several options for navigating in a SAP system:

1) Enter transaction codes in the command field.

2) Choose items from menus in the menu bar.

3) Choose items from the Favorites list or from the role-based user menus.

Transaction code

                Every transaction or function in the system has a transaction code. You can enter the transaction code in the command field to initiate the transaction.

Menus

                Menus allow you to find a specific transaction when you do not know the transaction code. The menus are drop-down; therefore, when you choose a menu item, further options appear.

Favorites or user menus

                Finally, you have the ability to set up favorites or user manus, which allow to you navigate directly to transactions and reports that you use frequently.

Using Transaction Codes

                You can enter a system transaction code in the command field to go directly to a transaction or function. You can find the transaction code by first navigating to a transaction, and then choosing System à Status.

The following conventions are important time-saving tips for using transaction codes:

1) /n     : Cancels the current transaction.

2) /nXXXX : Initiates the specified transaction directly from 

            another transaction.

3) /o     : Displays an overview of sessions.

4) /oXXXX : Initiates the specified transaction in a new season.

5) /nend  : ends the logon session with a confirmation pop-up 

            window.

6) /nex   : Ends the logon session without a confirmation pop-up  

           window

7) /I     : Deletes your current session.

Role-base user menus

                SAP offers two formats to display a menu of transactions, repots, or Web-based applications.  Role-based user menus are collections of activities esed in business scenarios. User can access transactions, reports, or Web-based application through their role-based menus.

Using favorites

In SAP Easy Access, you can create a favorites list containing:

1)  Transactions

2)  Link to files

3)  Internet addresses

Status bar

                The status bar provides general information on the SAP system and transaction or task on which you are working. The right end of the status bar contains three fields: one with server information, and two with status information.

At the far left, the status bar:

1) Identifies error messages

2) Identifies other system messages.

To display the following system information, choose each in the first status field:

1) System

2) Client

3) User

4) Program

5) Transaction

6) Response time

The second status field displays the server to which you are connected. The third status field specifies your data entry mode. By choosing this field, you can toogle between the insert (INS) and overwrite (OVR) modes.

 Using Help

Lesson overview

                While woking in the system, you may encounter questions such as what values are available for a specific field. In this lesson, we will introduce the various types of online help available in the system and develop an understanding of how to search for information.

Lesson objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

1) List and describe the forms of help in the SAP system.

2) Search for information and obtain help using the different help 

   methods in the SAP system.

Help feature

                The SAP system provides comprehensive online help. You can always request help using the Help menu or using the relevant icon. The Help menu contains the following options:

Application help

                Application help displays comprehensive help for the current application.

SAP library

                All online documentation can be found here.

Glossary

                You can search for definitions of terms in the glossary.

Release notes

                This displays notes that describe functional changes that occur between SAP system releases.

SAPnet

                This enables you to log on to SAPnet.

Feedback

                Feedback enables you to send a message to the SAPnet front end, the SAP service system.

Settings

                Settings enable you to select settings for help.

Field help

                Use F1 for help on fields, menus, functions, and messages. F1 help also provides technical information on the relevant field, including, for example, the parameter ID, which you can use to assign values to the field for your user.

                Use F4 for information about what values can be entered. You can access F4 help for a selected field using the button immediately to the right of that field.