SAP Build Work Zone – Central Entry Point For SAP

[santhosharulvan]

Introduction

This blog describes the usage of SAP Build Work Zone as a central entry point into SAP for on-premise systems, this particular feature of SAP Build Work Zone can considered in terms of technical architecture for SAP S/4 HANA Greenfield & Brownfield Implementation projects.

With the recommended entry point into SAP systems being Fiori Launchpad, lots of clients are looking to adopt this strategy and have a single entry point for one/multiple SAP systems available in their landscape.

Before SAP Build Work Zone(rebranded Launchpad service) was available Central Fiori Launchpad was realized by using a standalone server. This approach with standalone gateway server has certain disadvantages since it does not support connecting to two different versions of SAP S/4 HANA systems. This is because two different versions of the same UI component cannot co-exist in the gateway server.

SAP Fiori Client & SAP Mobile Start

SAP Fiori client which supported on-premise systems for Fiori access has also been phased out and people are migrating to SAP Mobile Start. SAP Mobile Start no longer supports on-premise systems and only works with SAP Build Work Zone. SAP Mobile Start also works through QR code registration of the Work Zone site and applications supported by smartphone are displayed.

SAP Build Work Zone Standard Edition

Major advantages of SAP Build Work Zone standard edition is that it eliminates the need of a standalone gateway server(savings in terms of cost), multiple versions of SAP S/4 HANA systems can be connected to SAP Build Work Zone standard edition. SAP Mobile Start now works with only SAP Build Work Zone.

This article illustrates the setup of SAP Build Work Zone standard edition and the configuration and steps that are required to setup SAP Build Work Zone as a central entry point for SAP S/4 HANA Greenfield and Brownfield implementation projects.

 

Target Landscape

Note: SAP Build Work Zone standard edition has dynamically fetched runtime from SAP’s servers, hence it is a mandate to ensure that the UI5 runtime matches the versions supported by SAP.

For restrictions on SAP Build Work Zone standard edition please refer to the below SAP Notes:

3042853 - SAP S/4HANA On-Premise, Private Edition: Integration with SAP Build Work Zone, standard edition - Restrictions - SAP ONE Support Launchpad

3057822 - Business Suite: Integration with SAP Launchpad Service - Restrictions - SAP ONE Support Launchpad

The subsequent sections of the blog are split into 8 parts, which depicts the example of configuring SAP Build Work Zone on a trial account for trial purposes.

1. Cloud Connector Setup


2. Configure Destinations in SAP BTP


3. Initial Setup of Work Zone Standard Edition


4. Replication of back end catalogs from on-premise system


5. Creation of Central Fiori Launchpad site


6. Assign Content to the site


7. Map BTP user to roles


8. Test the Launchpad Site

Note: The system aliases are 3 characters and the third character is masked by a Yellow square.

1. Cloud Connector Setup:

Download the cloud connector from https://tools.eu1.hana.ondemand.com/#cloud.

There are 2 editions the portable edition is basically a .zip file which you can download and run the cloud connector, the X86_X64 edition is an .exe file that can be installed in your PC.

The executable edition of Cloud connector auto starts up on system reboot and no manual intervention is required.

Whereas for the portable edition cloud connector has to be started manually, by running go.bat.

Step 1: Cloud connector can be launched in the URL: https://localhost:8443/ post installation.  For portable installation launch command prompt and manually run go.bat.

Step 2: Login with default user name and password:

User Name: Administrator

Password:    manage

Step 3: Connect your SAP BTP subaccount to the cloud connector.

.

Click on Add Subaccount button.

Enter your subaccount credentials in this page.

Once done your Cloud Connector will be connected to SAP BTP subaccount.

This can be verified in SAP BTP Cockpit->Connectivity->Cloud Connectors.

2. Configuration of Destinations to SAP BTP

Step 1: In local cloud connector setup create a destination to the on premise system.

Under your added sub account click on Cloud to on-premise and then click on the “+” icon.

Step 2: Details of the on-premise system are added here.

Hostnames are masked in Yellow.

Step 3: Click on the check availability icon and verify that the back end system is connected successfully.

Note: If you need VPN connection to access your SAP system you need to be connected to the VPN for local Cloud Connector to work.

3. Configure Destinations for SAP Build Work Zone

SAP Build Work Zone needs two destinations to function, a design time destination and a run time destination.

Step 1: Create Design Time Destination for equivalent SAP system.

IMPORTANT! The path used for design time destination is very critical it has to point to the exact SICF path for cdm3/entities/ as shown in the URL below.

 

Step 2: Create Run Time Destination for equivalent SAP system:

Note: The last 2 characters of sap-service are of the SAP systems instance number. In this case the instance number of the server is "01".

4. Initial Setup of SAP Build Work Zone Standard Edition

Step 1: Create an instance for SAP Build Work Zone Standard Edition in SAP BTP.

 

Once done the SAP Build Work Zone standard edition will be available under instances and subscriptions.

Launch the Work Zone instance by going to instances and subscriptions.

The site directory will then open, here you can enter a name for your site, I have named it Central Fiori Launchpad, we will discuss on site creation in subsequent section of the blog.

 

 

Step 2: Click on the content provider icon on the left and the “+New” button, we will add our run time and design time destinations there, for our on-premise back end system.

 

Here we add our runtime and design time destination, that was created in SAP BTP portal.

 

4. Replicating backend roles to SAP Build Work Zone

The replication of roles from SAP on-premise system to SAP Build Work Zone instance is handled through the CDM3 content provided.

This is handled in t-code /n/ui2/cdm3_exp_scope, launch the t-code in SAP GUI and set the standard roles that need to be replicated to Work Zone standard edition.

In this example we will expose SAP_BR_AP_ACCOUNTANT.

Step 1: Open t-code /n/ui2/cdm3_exp_scope

Step 2: Identify roles that need to be replicated to SAP Build Work Zone.

 

Step 3: Add the roles to selection criteria

Click the select options button under roles to add the roles picked for SAP Build Work Zone.

Click the execute button once selected roles have been added.

 

Step 4: Click on the expose button to expose the roles to SAP Build Work Zone standard edition.

Once done, go back to the content provider and click on the update button.

The status should reflect as updated and the report contains the log of items that were imported from backend system.

5. Creation of Site for Central Fiori Launchpad

Step 1: In site directory click the create site button.

 

Enter the site Name, Description and save the site, various site settings can also be utilized like what the view mode is Spaces & Pages or Groups & Catalogs etc.

6. Assign content to the site

If you have multiple SAP systems configured you will see the content in content manager, the content from various systems is usually differentiated by content provider name given in content channel manager configuration.

Step 1: Select content provider for our side in this case we will use the S4 system.

Click on the tile S4 .

 

Step 2: As you can see the imported role SAP_BR_AP_ACCOUNTANT is displayed with BTP destination concatenated along with the role name.

In this case the BTP Destination used was sfsdest.

Select the imported content and click on “Add to my content” button.

Once assigned the content should reflect in “My Content” page.

Next assign the content to the site in site manager, go to the site manager, press the edit button and assign the role “Accounts Payable Accountant”

 

Note: Here enable SAP Mobile Start if you want you use SAP Mobile Start in Android / IOS devices.

7. Map BTP Role to User

In order to do this open SAP BTP Cockpit and click on users

Step 1: Click on the arrow next to actions, here under role collection click on assign role collection.

Step 2: Here select the replicated role collection and click on assign button.

8. Test the Launchpad site

Click on the go to site button to open the launchpad site.

Here you can see the Fiori applications replicated from S4 system.

To import content from other SAP systems follow the blog, and add the system details to cloud connector, then create SAP BTP runtime and designtime destinations.

After this add the system as a content provider in SAP Build Work Zone and replicate the content.

Below example shows content from 2 SAP S/4 HANA systems S4 and OR, with subtitle text indicating which SAP system the tiles belong to.

Hope this blog was useful, thank you for reading.