Show TOC

Providing Output Forms and Interactive Offline FormsLocate this document in the navigation structure

Use

In the Form Builder of the SAP system, you can create form templates that enable form-based processing of business data for the following purposes:

  • Output of data that cannot be changed (such as invoices) to do the following:

    • Print

    • Archive

    • Send by e-mail

  • Interactive offline entry of data

    If you provide forms with input or selection fields, you can make these available for interactive use. Customers receive the forms by e-mail, for instance, complete them, and send them back by e-mail. The system extracts the entered data during inbound processing.

Technical Background

Form Objects

You define the definitions for form-based processing of business data by using the following Form Objects .

  • The Form Interface defines the entire set of data fields that an application can transfer to form templates. If necessary, you can define a form interface for multiple applications.

  • The Form Template is based on a form interface and defines the data sources, the processing logic, and the layout of a form. A form interface can serve multiple form templates.

Function Module

An activated form template corresponds to a callable function module in the SAP system. To output a form, an application calls the function module and uses the function module interface (which corresponds to the form interface) to transfer the business data to be used to the form processing framework for further processing.

Prerequisites

You have the following authorizations for the authorization object S_DEVELOP:

  • Change authorization for the object types of the Form Builder (form objects)

  • Change authorization for program objects

Procedure

Creating Form Templates, Linking to the Application Program, and Preparing Output

  1. Provide the layout technology for designing the form layout, and configure the required form processing services.

    More information: Providing Layout Technologies for Form Templates

  2. In the Form Builder, define the required form objects for creating a form.

    1. Call the Form Builder.

      More information: Calling Form Builder to Edit Form Objects

    2. Define the form interface .

      More information: Defining Form Interfaces

    3. Define the form template of the form to be generated, based on a form interface.

      Note

      You can use a form interface as the basis for multiple form templates.

      More information: Defining Form Templates

  3. Establish the connection to the form template in the application program.

    More information: Preparing Form Template Call in Application Program

  4. Prepare the form output in the application program.

    More information: Preparing Form Output

Preparing Inbound Processing for Interactive Offline Forms

You have created an interactive offline form (with input fields) and prepared for it to be output in the application program (for example, as an e-mail).

Prepare the inbound processing of the returned completed form.

More information: Preparing Inbound Processing for Interactive Offline Forms

Checking, Managing, Translating, and Delivering Form Objects