SAP GUI – A platform of/for change ?

The Old

SAP GUI has been used since the early days of R2. It has evolved over the years from simple software with minimal graphical elements to a customizable Windows vista based graphical user interfaces.

Around the globe more than 50,0 00 customers worldwide run SAP. Just about everyone is this list uses SAPGUI. Hence it’s a given that the install base for SAP GUI is immense.

SAPGUI is a given, a silent performer who always did his work diligently but could never outshine its partner, a powerhouse called SAP ERP.

Are there any interesting ways to use the install base for SAP GUI and spice up things in this old guy’s life?

The new

The last couple of years have made Web 2.0 and some of its related concepts extremely popular. Many of these concepts are primarily based on empowering the user. Giving them control to choose what they want, giving them access to customize what they want, giving them everything and letting content get generated etc., Widgets is a small sidetrack ,an experiment in this area.

Everyone likes widgets, but widgets never took off, for a variety of reasons. They required a separate widget engine to run, they did not do anything useful, after a few days/weeks the novelty wears off and they could never reach a critical user base to go mainstream. But anyone who has tried it will tell you that they are handy. Widgets are micro apps developed for a particular purpose, usability is excellent, they are right there in the desktop and majorly use push technology (perhaps an under rated feature).

Mix them all

Now, let us imagine this. SAP GUI has an excellent install base; it enables business users to work on tasks which have direct implications to their business. Make this GUI as a widget engine, where users can pick transactions as widgets and load them on the desktop.

Suddenly those pretty looking widgets become a powerhouse of activity. Making SAP GUI as a widget engine will help users launch only that content which they require. When combined with SNC features, they are secure. This combination leverages each other’s strengths and creates a product which fits neatly into this web 2.0 world. SAP GUI will get a major face lift and change the way customer perceive SAP applications.

Since it uses the same engine, widgets would be fast to load and if we get it right, someday a simple WD ABAP based time sheet application will be sitting in your desktop as a widget.

Now who wouldn’t want to enter fill his time-sheet before leaving office?

On a technical front, SAP GUI uses TCP/IP, client server based and works primarily as a pull technology. An implementation of this sort would require some major modifications in the core, making it sort of a rich client, but it would be an interesting step forward. As an optimist I like to think it’s a step which has positive effects. Who knows , interesting widgets developed using this might someday reduce the need for composites.

Bharathwaj Ragothaman Bharathwaj works with SAP Global Delivery.His job role involves providing consulting services for implementations on Portals,PI,SOA, BPM and various UI technologies from SAP.He is a SAP certified PI and EP consultant.

Reblogged from SDN.sap.com