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The new launchpad app manager tool has been released for SAP S/4HANA 2020 (with SAP_UI 755 SP01 and SAP Fiori Front-End Server 2020 for SAP S/4HANA) on October 7th, 2020. The tool was previously called mass maintenance tool for app descriptors and got renamed due to its extended feature scope. Superseding the launchpad designer and complementing the launchpad content manager, it will be the main configuration tool to set up and maintain technical catalogs and launchpad app descriptor items.
From Mass Maintenance Tool for App Descriptors to SAP Fiori Launchpad App Manager
Up until now, you probably used the launchpad designer to maintain tiles and target mappings and the mass maintenance tool for app descriptors to create and assign launchpad app descriptor items for classic UIs that exist in the back-end server. You can now do all of this in one central tool, the new SAP Fiori launchpad app manager, which is essentially an extended version of the mass maintenance tool.
For an overview of our design time tools for maintaining launchpad content, please refer to this blog post.
From now on, we recommend you use the launchpad app manager to explore and maintain technical catalogs, which then can be referenced in custom business catalogs to set up SAP Fiori launchpad content. Besides performing mass changes, here’s what you can do in the launchpad app manager:
What is a launchpad app descriptor item? A launchpad app descriptor item is a new entity that was introduced alongside the new tool. It consists of a target mapping and, depending on the app type, of one or multiple tiles. A technical catalog can contain multiple launchpad app descriptor items.
Launching the Launchpad App Manager
The launchpad app manager can be accessed in the configuration scope CONF.
You access the web browser application by using the SAP GUI transaction /UI2/FLPAM or by following this path in Customizing (transaction SPRO): SAP NetWeaver > UI Technologies > SAP Fiori > Setting Up Launchpad Content > Setting Up Technical Catalogs > Manage Technical Catalogs with SAP Fiori Launchpad App Manager.
Catalog Types in the Launchpad App Manager
Something worth mentioning at this point is the new catalog type which you need to maintain depending on your system setup. You can maintain your catalog type in Customizing by following this path: SAP NetWeaver > UI Technologies > SAP Fiori > Setting Up Launchpad Content > Setting Up Technical Catalogs > Maintain Allowed Catalog Types for Launchpad App Manager.
For an Embedded Deployment scenario, we recommend maintaining catalog type standard.
For a Hub Deployment scenario, we recommend allowing catalog type standard on the front-end server. In the back-end system, leave the table empty.
If you create a new catalog in the launchpad app manager and the catalog type standard has been maintained, a catalog with the corresponding UIAC object will be created. If no catalog type has been maintained (as recommended for the back-end server), the catalogs that you create have no corresponding UIAC object. This also decides on which entry page you start when you launch the tool.
A UIAC object is a dev object that is newly introduced to represent the technical catalog as a logical grouping for launchpad app descriptor items.
Update (01/04/2021): Next to the customizing table for catalog types, there is also one for app types. Here, we recommend leaving the table empty in an Embedded Deployment scenario. Thus, all app types would be allowed. In a Hub Deployment scenario, we recommend defining the list as shown in the picture above.
Exploring Launchpad Content
Once you launched the tool, you either start in the search view or in the catalog entry view which – you guessed – depends on whether you have maintained the catalog type Standard or not. In the top left corner, you can switch between these views and switch to a facet filter to explore the content.
In the search view, you can search for the following entities on the respective tabs:
On the Catalogs tab, you have the option to create a new technical catalog or change the catalog title. You can also directly jump into a catalog and make further changes to the related content. Instead of searching for a catalog, you can also search for specific launchpad app descriptor items or tiles. Simply switch to the relevant tab and directly access the catalog that the entity you are looking for is in.
If you are used to the old view, you can of course still use it. Simply click Switch to Catalog Entry in the upper left corner.
In this view, you can either open an existing catalog or create a new technical catalog by entering a unique catalog ID.
Maintaining Launchpad Content
Once you open a technical catalog, you can
The catalog view consists of two panes. In the upper pane, you can see a list of existing launchpad app descriptor items. When you select a specific one, you see more related information in the lower pane, such as additional fields to the target mapping as well as corresponding tiles and parameters.
Be sure to check out the documentation on the SAP Help Portal where you will find a detailed description on how to create launchpad app descriptor items. You will also find more information about the available fields: Maintaining Launchpad App Descriptor Items.
From Mass Maintenance Tool for App Descriptors to SAP Fiori Launchpad App Manager
Up until now, you probably used the launchpad designer to maintain tiles and target mappings and the mass maintenance tool for app descriptors to create and assign launchpad app descriptor items for classic UIs that exist in the back-end server. You can now do all of this in one central tool, the new SAP Fiori launchpad app manager, which is essentially an extended version of the mass maintenance tool.
For an overview of our design time tools for maintaining launchpad content, please refer to this blog post.
From now on, we recommend you use the launchpad app manager to explore and maintain technical catalogs, which then can be referenced in custom business catalogs to set up SAP Fiori launchpad content. Besides performing mass changes, here’s what you can do in the launchpad app manager:
- Explore existing technical catalogs and their content created in the launchpad app manager
- Maintain technical catalogs
- Maintain launchpad app descriptor items
What is a launchpad app descriptor item? A launchpad app descriptor item is a new entity that was introduced alongside the new tool. It consists of a target mapping and, depending on the app type, of one or multiple tiles. A technical catalog can contain multiple launchpad app descriptor items.
Launching the Launchpad App Manager
The launchpad app manager can be accessed in the configuration scope CONF.
You access the web browser application by using the SAP GUI transaction /UI2/FLPAM or by following this path in Customizing (transaction SPRO): SAP NetWeaver > UI Technologies > SAP Fiori > Setting Up Launchpad Content > Setting Up Technical Catalogs > Manage Technical Catalogs with SAP Fiori Launchpad App Manager.
Catalog Types in the Launchpad App Manager
Something worth mentioning at this point is the new catalog type which you need to maintain depending on your system setup. You can maintain your catalog type in Customizing by following this path: SAP NetWeaver > UI Technologies > SAP Fiori > Setting Up Launchpad Content > Setting Up Technical Catalogs > Maintain Allowed Catalog Types for Launchpad App Manager.
For an Embedded Deployment scenario, we recommend maintaining catalog type standard.
For a Hub Deployment scenario, we recommend allowing catalog type standard on the front-end server. In the back-end system, leave the table empty.
If you create a new catalog in the launchpad app manager and the catalog type standard has been maintained, a catalog with the corresponding UIAC object will be created. If no catalog type has been maintained (as recommended for the back-end server), the catalogs that you create have no corresponding UIAC object. This also decides on which entry page you start when you launch the tool.
A UIAC object is a dev object that is newly introduced to represent the technical catalog as a logical grouping for launchpad app descriptor items.
Update (01/04/2021): Next to the customizing table for catalog types, there is also one for app types. Here, we recommend leaving the table empty in an Embedded Deployment scenario. Thus, all app types would be allowed. In a Hub Deployment scenario, we recommend defining the list as shown in the picture above.
Exploring Launchpad Content
Once you launched the tool, you either start in the search view or in the catalog entry view which – you guessed – depends on whether you have maintained the catalog type Standard or not. In the top left corner, you can switch between these views and switch to a facet filter to explore the content.
Search view in the launchpad app manager
In the search view, you can search for the following entities on the respective tabs:
- Catalogs
- Launchpad App Descriptor Items
- Tiles
On the Catalogs tab, you have the option to create a new technical catalog or change the catalog title. You can also directly jump into a catalog and make further changes to the related content. Instead of searching for a catalog, you can also search for specific launchpad app descriptor items or tiles. Simply switch to the relevant tab and directly access the catalog that the entity you are looking for is in.
If you are used to the old view, you can of course still use it. Simply click Switch to Catalog Entry in the upper left corner.
Catalog entry view in the launchpad app manager
In this view, you can either open an existing catalog or create a new technical catalog by entering a unique catalog ID.
Maintaining Launchpad Content
Once you open a technical catalog, you can
- Create app descriptor items
- Copy launchpad app descriptor items to another catalog
- Edit existing launchpad app descriptor items
The catalog view consists of two panes. In the upper pane, you can see a list of existing launchpad app descriptor items. When you select a specific one, you see more related information in the lower pane, such as additional fields to the target mapping as well as corresponding tiles and parameters.
Edit mode when entering a technical catalog in the launchpad app manager
Be sure to check out the documentation on the SAP Help Portal where you will find a detailed description on how to create launchpad app descriptor items. You will also find more information about the available fields: Maintaining Launchpad App Descriptor Items.
Further Information
- Check out the documentation on the SAP Help Portal: Setting Up Technical Catalogs with the Launchpad App Manager
- How to Maintain Allowed Catalog Types for Launchpad App Manager
- Overview of tools: SAP Fiori for SAP S/4HANA – Overview of tools for maintaining custom launchpad content and layout
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