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Integrating Applications from SAP Easy Access MenuLocate this document in the navigation structure

You can provide end users with the option to select SAP GUI and Web Dynpro ABAP applications retrieved from the SAP Easy Access menu in the ABAP backend and add them to the launchpad home page

Prerequisites

Context

The SAP Easy Access menu provides access to SAP GUI and Web Dynpro ABAP applications. There are two types of menus:

User menu

  • Contains only those items that the user needs to perform daily tasks

  • Is assigned by an administrator using role maintenance.

SAP menu

  • Contains the complete set of functions offered by an SAP system

  • Is role-independent and therefore displays the same content for all users

Here is a high-level overview of the configuration steps you need to perform if you want to offer SAP Easy Access menu feature to launchpad end users:

  • Define the list of SAP systems for which SAP Easy Access menu entries should be retrieved.

    During launchpad runtime, a dialog with the list of defined systems will be displayed. End users select a system to get the SAP Easy Access menu entries displayed as tiles on the launchpad homepage.
  • Establish connections between frontend server and relevant backend systems.

  • Activate OData services to retrieve the relevant menu entries from the backend system.

  • Enable that, during launchpad runtime, users can navigate from the launchpad to the backend applications.

Perform the following steps on the ABAP front-end server:

Procedure

  1. Establish connections to backend systems.
    1. Create or select a system alias for each backend system to which you want to connect.

      In Customizing, choose Start of the navigation path SAP NetWeaver Next navigation step Gateway Next navigation step OData Channel Next navigation step Configuration Next navigation step Connection Settings Next navigation step Connection SAP NetWeaver Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Gateway to SAP System End of the navigation path and launch the IMG activity Manage SAP System Aliases.

    2. (Optional) Map the connections. This step reduces the maintenance effort if you have several system aliases pointing to the same physical source system. See Map the Connections.
    3. Create RFC and HTTP connections pointing to the system alias:
      1. In Customizing, choose Start of the navigation path SAP NetWeaver Next navigation step Gateway Next navigation step OData Channel Next navigation step Connection Settings Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Gateway to SAP System End of the navigation path and launch the IMG activity Manage RFC Destinations or directly launch transaction SM59.

      2. For each system alias identified in step 1, create two RFC connections:
        • ABAP connection (type 3):

          This connection type is used to extract SAP Easy Access menu entries from the back-end server to the front-end server.

          Use the following naming convention: <Logical System Alias>_RFC

        • HTTP(S) connection (type H):

          This connection type is used during the launchpad runtime to start the Web Dynpro applications and SAP GUI transactions from the launchpad.

          Use the following naming convention: <Logical System Alias>_HTTP or <Logical System Alias>_HTTPS
          Note

          We recommend to use a HTTPS connection.

  2. Activate OData services.
    1. In Customizing, choose Start of the navigation path SAP NetWeaver Next navigation step Gateway Next navigation step OData Channel Next navigation step Administration Next navigation step General Settings  Next navigation step Activate and Maintain Services End of the navigation path and activate the following OData services:
      Table 1:

      /UI2/EASY_ACCESS_MENU

      Retrieves the menu entries of the SAP menu.

      /UI2/USER_MENU

      Retrieves the menu entries of the user menu.

    2. To add a service, choose Add Service.
    3. Select the system alias of the backend system (see step 1), then select a service from the table above.

    For information about activating OData services, see the SAP Gateway Developer Guide at Start of the navigation path http://help.sap.com/netweaver Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Gateway Next navigation step Development Information Next Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Gateway Next navigation step Developer Guide Next navigation step OData Channel Next navigation step Basic Features Next navigation step Service LifeCycle Next navigation step Activate and Maintain Services End of the navigation path.

  3. To allow navigation from the launchpad to SAP GUI transactions and Web Dynpro ABAP applications, for each back-end system, you create one target mapping for transactions and one for Web Dynpro applications.
    1. Start the launchpad designer.
    2. Select a catalog or create a new one.
    3. Create two target mappings as described under Creating Target Mappings for the SAP Easy Access Menu.
  4. Configure authorization roles.
    1. Make sure the catalog is assigned to a PFCG user role. See Assign Tile Catalogs to Roles.
    2. Make sure the users for whom you want to offer SAP Easy Access menu entries are assigned to the same role as the catalog. See Assigning Users to Roles.

Results

If a user who is assigned the role of the catalog to which you added the target mappings opens the app finder in the launchpad, all SAP GUI and Web Dynpro ABAP applications integrated in an SAP GUI user menu or SAP menu are retrieved from a selected back-end system. The user can add these applications to the launchpad homepage.

For more information, see Adding Apps to Your Launchpad.