SAP Build Extensibility Wizard for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition

[Karthik-Thiru]

Target Group

Anyone interested to know more about extending SAP S/4HANA Cloud using SAP Build

Background

What is Extensibility

When a customer has unique business requirements that are not fully catered by standard SAP S/4HANA then there is a need to extend the system. These extensions can be classified into 2 broad categories:

• On-stack extensibility involves extending SAP S/4HANA directly within the core system using key user tools or ABAP.
• Side-by-side extensibility uses SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) to develop custom applications or integrations outside the core S/4HANA system, ensuring greater flexibility and upgrade safety.

What is SAP Build

SAP Build ( including SAP Build Code) is the default extension development toolset on SAP BTP.

SAP Build Tools under low-code spectrum:

• SAP Build Apps - Create Mobile and Web applications
• SAP Build Process Automation - Automate business processes and workflows
• SAP Build Work Zone - Create Digital Workspaces and business sites

SAP Build Tools under Pro-code spectrum:

SAP Build Code - Use Business Application Studio(BAS) and Cloud Application programming Model(CAP) to create Applications. And lot more.

ABAP Cloud - Use ABAP Cloud on both SAP BTP and SAP S/4HANA. This is added to SAP Build with Teched 2024.

What challenges are we trying to address here

• Not easy to identify the available extension options for a given S/4HANA application directly in the system
• Not easy to determine the right extension points (eg APIs, Events) for a given S/4HANA application
• Not an integrated experience when extending SAP S/4HANA in a side-by-side manner on BTP

 

Introduction

• A new Extensibility wizard is available with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition 2408 that provides both on-stack and side-by-side extension options consolidated into a single wizard.
• It provides a guided experience to kick start extension creation and enables seamless navigation from SAP S/4HANA to SAP Build.
• The wizard understands which S/4HANA application it has been started from and accordingly filters the extensions points( like API, Events) based on the business context.

This wizard can be accessed from any extensible SAP S/4HANA app as shown below. "Create Extension" option is available under the Me Area (User menu) on the top right.

On clicking the Create Extension option, the Extensibility Wizard opens up displaying the various extension options

Note: Setup steps mentioned next are needed as a prerequisite to be able to see the "Create Extension" option

 

Setup

Summary of the setup steps:

Here is a video explaining every step in detail

SAP Help pages for the setup:

• SAP BTP setup steps - Link
• SAP S/4HANA setup steps - Link

Extension options in the Wizard ( Sep 2024 )

On-stack

Custom Field

Enables addition of new fields in desired business objects. The wizard opens the Custom Field App with the business contexts pre set.

Custom Logic

Enables addition of custom logic via Cloud BAdIs. Here as well the wizard opens the Custom Logic App with the business contexts pre set.

Side-by-Side

Custom Process

Create a Process in SAP Build Process Automation that starts based on an event from SAP S/4HANA. The business context of the starting SAP S/4HANA app is pre set in the wizard to easily identify the relevant events.

A detailed explanation of this process extension option is available in this blog from my colleague.

The extensibility wizard is expected to grow with more extension options in future.

Conclusion

The new SAP Build Extensibility wizard for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition provides a simple guided experience to create extensions both on-stack and side-by-side.

If you have access to an SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition system, follow the setup steps and do explore the Extensibility Wizard !

[jheisler]

Hi @Karthik-Thiru, great post!

Is it planned that this Wizard will also be available in On-Premise-Systems in the future releases?

[Karthik-Thiru]

@jheisler - Based on the usage pattern of the wizard in S/4HANA cloud public edition, a decision would be made on the availability in other deployment options. At this moment, I cannot comment about availability in other systems.

[richardbourne]

Hi The BTP set up link is not working.

[MaiaraEllwanger]

Hi everyone,

if you have any questions about the extensibility wizard or any of the exciting news shared at TechEd, join our live ASK ME ANYTHING session:

🗓️ October 24, 3pm CET

👉 SAP BTP - Ask Me Anything on SAP

BUILD! - YouTube

[Karthik-Thiru]

@richardbourne The Help page link is updated and also a slide and video to explain the setup steps is added

[richardbourne]

@Karthik-Thiru Thank you for the update. I checked the S/4 Link aswell and in that help section it advises to use Oauth 2.0 for authentication but the BTP set up refers to SAMLAssertion. I believe the authentication type must be the same.

[richardbourne]

@Karthik-Thiru I have connected all ok but when I open the Create Extension and try to use the Business Event in SAP Build process Automation I get the following error. What would you recommend we check if we come across this error

[baflorian]

Hi,

not working on our site. "missing configuration". We double checked all configuration information given in the Help section. Any ideas?

@Karthik-Thiru 

[Karthik-Thiru]

@baflorian and All,

Below are the different configuration issues observed till now: 

• System Registration.

After adding the system in SAP BTP Global account and registering the token in SAP S/4HANA the System status should change to Registered.

• Formation.

The system should be added to the Formation Integration with SAP Build. In the Formation add not only the system type S/4HANA but also the system type SAP Build

• Destination – System ID

System ID obtained in Global Account after successful registration, needs to be maintained in the destination. Sample value - 730158978

• Communication Arrangement – System ID

System ID obtained in Global Account after successful registration, needs to be maintained in the Communication Arrangement. Sample value - 730158978

• Destination Audience  without “/”

Remove the “/” at the end of the Audience field in the API Host destination

• Trust certificate expired

If the trust certificate from BTP has expired, reupload the new certificate in the Communication System. This was observed with some cases after start of year 2025.

• Custom IAS tenant

If a custom IAS tenant is used, login to the IAS as Admin and under the Application for the relevant tenant, ensure that the mapping attribute is maintained as email

• Events missing

In rare cases, the events from SAP S/4HANA may not be replicated to SAP BTP even after successful registration of System in BTP Global Account. Raise an incident to component BC-CP-MP-SYS

If you still observe any issues with the Extensibility Wizard please raise an incident to CA-AP-BUILD