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Getting Started with Side Panel ConfigurationsLocate this document in the navigation structure

Use

This document walks you through the steps of a minimal setup of Side Panels for the Business Suite. To meet additional requirements, such as security configurations, see other topics about configuring Side Panels for Business Suite.

Prerequisites

This configuration requires the following prerequisites.

Server Environment

The following table describes the availability of side panels in different server environments.

Server Environment

Supported Features

SAP enhancement package 6 for SAP ERP 6.0 SP03

More than 500 transactions from ERP Financials are available with a side panel.

SAP enhancement package 6 for SAP ERP 6.0 SP04 or higher

More than 900 transactions from SAP ERP are available with a side panel.

SAP enhancement package 6 for SAP ERP 6.0 SP07 or higher

More than 1200 transactions from SAP ERP are available with a side panel. In addition, more that 140 reusable CHIPs are available.

SAP enhancement package 7 for SAP ERP 6.0 SP02 or higher

More than 1500 transactions from SAP ERP are available with a side panel. In addition, more than 200 reusable CHIPs are available.

Earlier enhancement package versions

For earlier enhancement package versions, you can use side panels in a side-by-side scenario. For more information, see SAP Note 1691206 Information published on SAP site and the corresponding RDS package on SAP Service Marketplace.

SAP GUI Client

This configuration requires either of the following SAP GUI versions:

  • SAP GUI 7.20 Patch Level 9 or higher

  • SAP GUI 7.30 Patch Level 0 or higher

NetWeaver Business Client

This configuration requires either of the following versions of NetWeaver Business Client:

  • SAP NetWeaver Business Client Desktop Version 3.5 Patch Level 5 or higher

  • SAP NetWeaver Business Client Desktop Version 4.0

Procedure

Configuring the Backend

Complete the following configurations in the backend system.

Activating ICF Services

For testing purposes, activate the ICF services under the sap/bc/nwbc node. To do this, proceed as follows:

  1. Log on to SAP GUI.

  2. Use transaction SICF with default settings.

  3. Select the sap/bc/nwbc service node, and then choose Activate.

On a production system, follow the security recommendations in SAP Library for SAP NetWeaver on SAP Help Portal under http://help.sap.com/nw731. Choose Start of the navigation path Application Help Next navigation step Function-Oriented View Next navigation step Application Server Next navigation step Application Server ABAP Next navigation step UI Technologies in ABAP Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Business Client Next navigation step 7 Security Aspects Next navigation step 7.6 ICF Configuration End of the navigation path.

Enabling Side Panels

You must enable communication with side panels in your system. To do this, proceed as follows:

  1. Log on to SAP GUI.

  2. Choose Start of the navigation path Favorites Next navigation step Add Other Objects End of the navigation path.

  3. Choose Web Dynpro Application.

  4. Enter WD_GLOBAL_SETTING in the Web Dynpro Applicat. field, write a description in the Description field, and then choose Continue.

  5. Double-click the new entry in your Favorites folder to run the Web Dynpro application.

  6. Choose Change.

  7. Activate the following parameters:

    • WDSIDEPANELREMOTECONSUMER

    • WDSIDEPANELREMOTEPRODUCER

  8. Choose Save Data to save the changes.

You must enable SAP GUI Read-Only Scripting in your system. To do this, use transaction RZ11 to activate the sapgui/user_scripting_set_readonly parameter. For more information, contact your system administrator.

Setting Up Roles and Authorizations

To use the standard side panels and test your configurations, assign your user the following roles:

  • SAP_BSSP_FI_CO_FSCM

    This side panel role defines meaningful associations between transactions and side panels for Financials (FI, CO, IM, and FSCM) and SAP Banking. Other roles named like SAP_BSSP_* are also available and should all be assigned to the side panel users in a production environment.

  • SAP_EP_RW_FDMN

    This user role provides a menu that contains some transactions from Financials (AC - FI - Customers). In a production environment, you need to assign user roles that contain an NWBC menu with transactions appropriately to the needs of your users.

Configuring the Frontend

Complete the following configurations on the frontend.

Updating SAP GUI on Client Computers

You must make sure that your SAP GUI is either of the following versions:

  • SAP GUI 7.20 Patch Level 9 or higher

  • SAP GUI 7.30 Patch Level 0 or higher

To check the currently installed version, start SAP GUI, click the SAP icon on the title bar, and then choose About SAP Logon. If the version does not meet the SAP GUI requirements, follow your organization’s standard procedure to update the client.

Installing NetWeaver Business Client on Client Computers

You must install the NetWeaver Business Client (NWBC) Desktop version 3.5 Patch Level 5 or higher on your computers. The most recent versions of NWBC are available on SAP Marketplace under http://www.service.sap.com/Information published on SAP site. Choose Start of the navigation path SAP Support Portal Next navigation step Software Downloads Next navigation step Support Packages and Patches Next navigation step A - Z Index Next navigation step N Next navigation step NETWEAVER BUSINESS CLIENT Next navigation step NWBC NW BUSINESS CLIENT<X.X> Next navigation step Win32 End of the navigation path.

After the installation, configure your system connections. For more information, see the application help at http://help.sap.com/nw731. Start of the navigation path Application Help Next navigation step SAP Library Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Library: Function-Oriented View Next navigation step Application Server Next navigation step Application Server ABAP Next navigation step UI Technologies in ABAP Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Business Client Next navigation step 3 Installation and Client Configuration Next navigation step 3.4 End User Configuration Next navigation step 3.4.1 Configuring System Connections End of the navigation path.

Testing Your Configurations

You can test your configurations by opening side panels in NetWeaver Business Client Desktop Version. To do this, proceed as follows:

  1. Log on to NetWeaver Business Client Desktop Version.

  2. Run transaction FD03.

  3. Specify a customer and a valid company code using the search help (F4), and then choose Continue.

  4. Click the leftward arrow icon on the right-hand side of the window.

  5. Verify that you can create Notes and Attachments by using the side panel.

You can explore the side panels provided by other transactions. To do this, proceed as follows:

  1. Call transaction PFCG.

  2. Specify the SAP_BSSP_FI_CO_FSCM role, and then choose Display.

  3. Choose the Menu tab, and then find the transactions that are available with a side panel in the role menu tree. In the SAP-delivered roles, the bottom-level nodes of the role menu tree are named after the transactions where a side panel is available.

  4. Call these transactions to view more side panels.

More Information

For more information about other related configurations, see the following documentation and additional resources.

SAP Business Suite Documentation on Side Panels

SAP NetWeaver Documentation on NetWeaver Business Client

See http://help.sap.com/nw731. Choose Start of the navigation path Application Help Next navigation step Function Oriented View Next navigation step Application Server Next navigation step Application Server ABAP Next navigation step UI Technologies in ABAP Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Business Client End of the navigation path.

See in particular the following chapters and SAP Notes 900000 Information published on SAP site, 1029940 Information published on SAP site, and 1620514 Information published on SAP site:

  • Start of the navigation path 2 Using NetWeaver Business Client Next navigation step 2.9 Side Panel  End of the navigation path

  • Start of the navigation path 3 Installation and Client Configuration Next navigation step 3.4 End User Configuration Next navigation step 3.4.1 Configuring System Connections End of the navigation path

  • Start of the navigation path 4 Server Configuration Next navigation step 4.2 Active Services in the ICF End of the navigation path (see also SAP Note 1611298 Information published on SAP site for configuration in earlier versions)

  • Start of the navigation path 5 Role Maintenance in PFCG Next navigation step 5.10 Side Panel  End of the navigation path (for information about how to assign side panels to transactions)

  • Start of the navigation path 6 Programming Aspects Next navigation step 6.7 Side Panel Programming End of the navigation path

  • Start of the navigation path 7 Security Aspects Next navigation step 7.6 ICF Configuration End of the navigation path (note the security recommendations)

SAP NetWeaver Page Builder Documentation

See http://help.sap.com/nw731. Choose Start of the navigation path Application Help Next navigation step Function Oriented View Next navigation step Application Server Next navigation step Application Server ABAP Next navigation step UI Technologies in ABAP Next navigation step Creating Mashups with the Page Builder Next navigation step Page Builder Concepts End of the navigation path.

See in particular the following chapters:

  • CHIPs (see also SAP Note 1718873 Information published on SAP site on CHIP documentation)

  • CHIP Catalog

  • Authorization

SAP Business Suite Documentation on Adding Side Panels to Additional Transactions and Creating Your Own CHIPs

See Enhancing the Side Panel

SAP Ramp-Up Knowledge Transfer (RKT) Content on Side Panels

RKT content can be purchased on SAP Service Marketplace. See http://service.sap.com/rkt-erpInformation published on SAP site. Choose Start of the navigation path SAP Enhancement Package 6 for SAP ERP 6.0 Next navigation step FI: Financial and Management Accounting Next navigation step Side Panel End of the navigation path.

The following learning units are available:

  • Update Your Core Competence – Must Know

    • Using the Side Panel

    • Adapting the Side Panel’s Content: Personalization

    • Examples for the Side Panel Adaptations (video)

  • Extend Your Competence – Nice to Know

    • Adapting the Side Panel’s Content: Customizing

    • Creating Side Panels and Assigning Them to Transactions

    • Examples for the Side Panel Adaptations (video)