New Navigation Model / WorkProtect Mode 

Normally solutions for enterprise portals use separate areas for the navigation and display of contents. In a navigation tree, a selected node is highlighted and visualized in the content area. This model is similar to a simple file system browser. This method is not suitable for enterprise solutions that need a parallel handling of complex business processes and the ability to switch between different contents.

This was the background for developing WorkProtect mode and a new navigation model with the following functions for SAP Enterprise Portal:

·        Start with Navigation Target
With this function you can start the portal and automatically navigate to any portal page.

·        Cross Navigation
This function permits seamless navigation between the individual portal applications.

·        WorkProtect
This function provides the infrastructure for handing unsaved data in stateful applications.

The function is currently only supported by CRM.

The user can personalize the behavior of the WorkProtect function. For more information, see Personalizing Your Portal.

Starting with a Navigation Target

The portal can be started directly in the browser with an URL having the following structure:

<my_portal_server>/sapportal

This home page is specified in the user role and can be adjusted if a certain navigation target is to be called directly.

<my_portal_server>/sapportal?NavigationTarget=<any_PCD_URL>

Parameter <any_PCD_URL> defines the location of a page in the user role.

You can find the correct value for the page in the Role Editor.

Make sure that you update the relevant parameter values for <PCD_URL> in the secondary links and navigation targets when you change the role structure. Both must be synchronized.

If an invalid parameter value is used for <PCD_URL>, the portal displays an error message.

Cross-Navigation

·        You can use the links in the navigation (primary links) and in the content area (secondary links) for seamless navigation between the individual portal applications. Navigation should correctly refresh the content area and highlight the corresponding nodes in the navigation tree, irrespective of whether it is a primary link or another instance.

·        With the solution implemented in the portal component for the secondary links, a combination of a simple HTML hyperlink and calling the new Client Framework method is used:

<A HREF=”myLink” onclick=”return EPCM.doNavigate(‘any_PCD_URL’)”>

Parameter <any_PCD_URL> defines the location of a page in the user role. Constants must be enclosed in quotation marks.

See also the comments about parameter <PCD_URL> in the upper section Start with Navigation Target.

·        When processing this navigation step, the method informs top-level navigation about the required navigation target. Top-level navigation handles it just like any other navigation with primary links.

·        If a secondary link is used as navigation target, but the primary link is not part of the role of the current user, top-level navigation cannot set the primary link. Instead, the first valid element of the user role is displayed.

WorkProtect

·        This function provides the infrastructure for handling unsaved data in portal applications.

A member of the Call Center enters an invoice in multiple data fields of a stateful application. Another call comes in and the employee must handle a different portal application.
Normally the unsaved data of the incomplete invoice entry is lost during the change, so that the data must be entered again.

·        The WorkProtect function prevents this behavior.

·        The Client Framework monitors the current status of all the applications on the portal page. If one or more applications are marked as „dirty“ (the relevant portal application must support this function), each navigation step is automatically performed in a new window by default. The unsaved data is retained in the original window. As an administrator, you can change the default behavior centrally. You can also define whether end users may personalize the behavior. For more information see Settings for WorkProtect Mode.

When navigating using the browser navigation buttons (e.g. Forward / Back or when an URL is entered in the address line), the unsaved data is always lost. A possible workaround is to hide these browser elements.