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Exploring SAP Extensibility - Types of Extensibilities

filipebst
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
‎2024 Apr 02 9:28 PM
7,830

In this blog post, I will give a brief explanation of the types of extensibilities offered by SAP: Key User (In-App) Extensibility, Developer (On-Stack) Extensibility, and Side-by-Side Extensibility on SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). The intention is to provide just a brief summary for each type of extensibility available.

Firstly, why is extensibility necessary? Despite SAP offering numerous standard solutions, there are instances where these solutions fail to align with the unique requirements of a client's business logic. Consequently, there is the necessity to customize the standard solutions provided by SAP to fulfill these specific requirements.

Key User (In-App) Extensibility:

  • Functionality: This extensibility type allows the customization of SAP Fiori apps, add application logic, create custom fields, expose data, develop custom forms, email templates, analytics, and business objects mostly without a single line of code.
  • Targets: It is aimed at business users responsible for configuring and customizing SAP systems.
  • Development Tools: SAP Fiori apps, Business Add-Ins (BAdIs), Core Data Services (CDS), SAP BAS, and SAP BTP.
  • Technical Implementation: Key users can modify existing Fiori apps, integrate custom logic through BAdIs, extend standard business objects, generate custom CDS views and APIs, customize forms and email templates and develop custom analytics using CDS views.

Here's a video showing some examples of In-App Extensions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOOORn7fIR0

Here’s a scenario example of a Key User Extensibility: https://extensibilityexplorer.cfapps.eu10.hana.ondemand.com/ExtensibilityExplorer/#/ExtScenario/351

If you would like to implement this scenario you can follow this setup guide: https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_EXTENSIBILITY_EXPLORER/397bf26514884cc8a5ece65970e8e3e6/3f898d6f59254e...

Developer (On-Stack) Extensibility:

  • Functionality: This extensibility provides flexibility to extend standard processes, develop custom OData services, and build custom APIs while isolating custom code from the digital core.
  • Targets: It is aimed at ABAP developers.
  • Development Tools: ABAP Development Tools in Eclipse and SAP Business Application Studio (BAS).
  • Technical Implementation: Developers can utilize ABAP RESTful application programming model, CDS views, released DDIC objects, and local APIs to extend standard processes and develop custom services.

filipebst_0-1712141932196.png
Image Source: https://community.sap.com/t5/enterprise-resource-planning-blogs-by-sap/sap-s-4hana-extensibility-sim...

Here’s a scenario example of a Developer Extensibility: https://extensibilityexplorer.cfapps.eu10.hana.ondemand.com/ExtensibilityExplorer/#/ExtScenario/2851

If you would like to implement this scenario you can follow this setup guide: https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_EXTENSIBILITY_EXPLORER/c87ef8f108e147d6b7143fd3c0fb1459/5d131ae128ed4b...

Here’s a quick explanation and examples of RAP Extensibility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNOa1c0BxR0

Side-by-Side Extensibility on SAP BTP:

  • Functionality: SAP BTP serves as a unified platform for extending both cloud-based and on-premises SAP solutions, offering integration capabilities at various levels.
  • Targets: It is suitable for JavaScript, Java developers with cloud-native expertise, and ABAP developers.
  • Development Tools: Cloud-native tools and services provided by SAP BTP, such as SAP CAP, SAP Fiori tools, and SAP BAS.
  • Technical Implementation: Implemented using cloud-native technologies and services within SAP BTP.

filipebst_1-1712142022109.png
Image Source: https://community.sap.com/t5/enterprise-resource-planning-blogs-by-sap/sap-s-4hana-extensibility-sim...

Here’s a scenario example of a side-by-side extensibility: https://extensibilityexplorer.cfapps.eu10.hana.ondemand.com/ExtensibilityExplorer/#/ExtScenario/310

If you would like to implement this scenario you can follow this setup guide: https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_EXTENSIBILITY_EXPLORER/b0e8d558ba2f47f5b02a3fc0ac9edc34/c9520e9b67dc4d...

Developer (On-Stack) Extensibility VS Side-by-Side Extensibility on SAP BTP:

In summary the Developer (On-Stack) Extensibility is ideal for extending standard SAP processes and functionalities within SAP S/4HANA, maintaining tight integration with the digital core while the Side-by-Side Extensibility on SAP BTP is suited for developing independent applications or extensions that enhance and extend the capabilities of SAP solutions, enabling agility and innovation in addressing specific business needs.

Conclusion: SAP's extensibility options provide organizations with the flexibility and scalability needed to adapt their ERP solutions to evolving business requirements. Whether it's extending standard SAP processes within SAP S/4HANA or developing standalone applications on SAP BTP, businesses can leverage these extensibility capabilities to drive agility, innovation, and growth in today's dynamic business landscape. I hope that with this blog you now have a more clear understanding of the different type of extensibilities there are and which ones your work assigns to.

If you want to have a more detailed vision of SAP Extensibility read this blog from @Raja_Gupta - https://community.sap.com/t5/enterprise-resource-planning-blogs-by-sap/sap-s-4hana-extensibility-sim...(Thank you @PedroLopes for the share).

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