Navigation Tree

Tree Structure

The figure below shows the role menu tree on the Menu tab page in PFCG and is followed by an explanation:

Navigation Tree

The first node in the tree, labeled Role menu, is a pseudo node that contains the root folder (or folders) as children. This specific node is not part of the navigation tree and is not visualized in SAP Business Client. A menu tree contains a root folder, represented by the work center, as the starting point. A work center comprises the navigation options to the applications a user needs to perform his or her typical tasks. In case the navigation structure is more complex and consists of several navigation levels, the content for this work center can be organized in folders. A menu tree can contain any number of levels.

The navigation tree is exposed to the overview pages and the navigation panel of SAP Business Client.

The index page displays the entire navigation structure for a user in a hierarchical form. When the user starts to navigate inside a work center on the folder level, the navigation targets of this folder are exposed in a new column next to the folder. When the user selects an entry for an application or transaction, which appears as a link, the content opens in a new tab.

The concept described above is illustrated in the following figure:

Navigation Tree Index

On the new tab page, the user can select work centers. SAP Business Client then opens a new tab with either the default page of the work center, a service map, or the first application within the work center. This concept is illustrated in the following figure:

Navigation Tree New Tab

The navigation panel is displayed for each tab next to the content area and grants access to the navigation tree of the work center the tab page belongs to. This concept described above is illustrated in the following figure:

Navigation Panel

You can rearrange your folders and individual menu items by choosing the arrow icons on the Menu tab page or by using drag and drop.

Program Types

Diverse objects can be specified as items in the menu tree according to normal PFCG procedures. To do this, choose the appropriate option from the Insert New Node dropdown menu of the Insert node function in change mode. Note that each application has its own attribute screen that is dependent on its application type. To call the attribute screen, select Details in the context menu of the node.

Note

Note that you cannot insert applications at level 1 but only folders.

SAP Business Client supports only the following objects in the menu tree:

SAP Fiori app
Transaction code
Web Dynpro ABAP application
BSP application
Web address or file*
Generic Web address (URL template)*
WebClient UI applications (for systems with WEBCUIF 7.02 upwards, for example, CRM 7.0 EHP1).

Note that navigation with SAP Business Client may differ from the common look and feel in SAP CRM. This integration is aimed primarily at users whose applications are not based on the WebClient UI with SAP Business Client and need to access only a few WebClient UI applications. For example, you use Financial Accounting in SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (SAP ERP) and, in addition, you wish to use account details of SAP Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM).

Users who work primarily with WebClient UI applications should continue to use the standalone WebClient UI to have the full set of features available with WebClient UI components and the roles that were designed for the WebClient UI.

Note that there are certain limitations and specifics regarding WebClient UI applications and SAP Business Client. For more information, search for Integration with SAP Business Client in the SAP Help Portal under the WebClient UI Framework section.

* Replacing Variables in Web Addresses (URLs) - For Web addresses, you can define variables that are then replaced by the appropriate value at runtime. Doing this makes it possible, for example, to change a server address without making the Web address entered in a role suddenly invalid. In the Web address, you must enter the variables in pointed brackets <...>. You can define the variables in transaction SM30 in table SSM_VAR. For example, a row is created with the key SERVERNAME and the value http://www.my-server.com. Here, the Web address <SERVERNAME>/home.htm is interpreted as http://www.my-server.com/home.htm when you run it in the SAP Business Client.

For each folder, you can specify a description that is rendered on service maps, and the Index and New Tab page. To edit the short text, select the folder and choose Change Folder in the context menu.

Node and Folder Properties and their Relationship to SAP Business Client

For SAP Business Client, specific attributes are available in transaction PFCG for each folder or node. These additional attributes are used to achieve runtime effects on the SAP Business Client shell. To maintain these attributes, select the relevant folder or node and choose the Other Node Details pushbutton. For more information, see Improvements in PFCG User Interface.

The settings described above are illustrated in the following figure:

Other Node Details

The entries in the menu can have the following attributes:

Level	Attributes
Folders at root level	Folder Option ( Service Map, Link Collection, Menu or Side Panel) Single Top Level
Other folders	Folder Option ( Service Map, Link Collection or Side Panel)
Single entries (applications)	Node Option ( Side Panel or blank) Application Type Visibility Launch Application

Level

Attributes

Folders at root level

Folder Option ( Service Map, Link Collection, Menu or Side Panel)

Single Top Level

Other folders

Folder Option ( Service Map, Link Collection or Side Panel)

Single entries (applications)

Node Option ( Side Panel or blank)

Application Type

Visibility

Launch Application

The settings lead to different visualizations in the shell and in the content area. The table explains the settings available under Other Node Details:

Settings on Folder Level

Field Name (and Level)	Description
Service Map Icon (*)	You can select the icon that is to be displayed for this role on the service map. For more information, see the field help.
Work Center Icon (1)	You can select the icon that is to be displayed for this role on the navigation tab for the work center. For more information, see the field help.
Folder Option (* except Link Collection and Menu)	The following options are available: As Service Map Specifies that this folder has a special content area that displays the next level navigation entries. Link Collection (only on level >1) Specifies that this folder, along with its entries, is a collection of links with additional functionality, for example, See Also links. Menu (only on level =1) Specifies that this folder is displayed as an additional menu entry in the SAP Business Client menu bar. Side Panel Specifies that this folder and all its subfolders are side panel applications.
Single Top Level (1)	No effect on SAP Business Client for Desktop 5.0.

Settings on Application Level

Field Name (and Level)	Description
Node Option (*)	Side Panel Specifies that this folder and all its subfolders are side panel applications.
Application Type (*)	These options are used to group entries together within home pages that were built by using Page Builder and that have the correct CHIPs. The following options are available: Report Specifies that this application is a report so that all reports can be grouped together on home pages. New Specifies that this application can be used to create a new type of business object. All transactions of this type are grouped together on home pages so that the end user can easily access them. Search Specifies that this application can be used to find business objects, to then be able to work with them. All transactions of this type are grouped together on home pages. <blank> This is the default setting and groups all applications.
Visibility (*)	The following options are available: Visible Specifies that the application is shown on the navigation panel and the index page. This is the default setting. Visible and Highlighted In SAP Business Client for Desktop 5.0, the effect is the same as with option "Visible". Visible and Deactivated Displays the link for this application grayed out to indicate that it cannot be opened by the user. Invisible Specifies that the link for this application is not displayed in the navigation panel and the index page. Invisible in Navigation Frame Specifies that this application is not shown in the navigation panel and the index page, but is displayed on a service map or on the home page if the specific CHIPs are available to show the sections from the navigation tree. Use this setting for applications/entries that are rarely used, for example, end-of-quarter transactions. These entries should not be visible in the navigation panel but in the more detailed views of the content area.
Launch Application (*)	The following options are available: Standard With SAP Business Client for Desktop 5.0, this application is opened in a new tab. In Application Window/ Tab Specifies that the application is always started in a new tab. Stand-Alone Specifies that this application is started directly in a browser. Typically, you use this option for scenarios where SAP Business Client is the only access point to the system and where SAP Business Client integrates other applications that are not designed to run in the SAP Business Client shell, for example, SAP Enterprise Portal and SAP CRM. In this case, the application is started in a browser session that is independent of SAP Business Client. This option is only available for nodes of type Web address or file or Generic Web Address (URL Template).
Default Page (*)	Specifies that an application is displayed when the folder is selected.
Force SAP GUI in HTML (* only SAP GUI transactions)	Specifies that a transaction is started in SAP GUI, not in SAP GUI for HTML. You can select this checkbox to force a transaction to be started in SAP GUI. Some transactions only run in SAP GUI, but not in SAP GUI for HTML. For more information, see the Maintain Transaction Code ( SE93) transaction. However, note that this information is not always up-to-date. Prerequisite: You have installed SAP GUI on the presentation server. Note This checkbox is relevant only for SAP NetWeaver Business Client 3.6 for HTML. Remote SAP GUI for Windows calls cannot be supported and are converted into remote SAP Web GUI calls, unless the administrator explicitly prevents this using Customizing. In particular, you must be careful with the PFCG setting Force SAP GUI in HTML when defining OBN targets if you want to ensure that SAP NetWeaver Business Client 3.6 for HTML is fully supported by the role maintained.