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.
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 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
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:
Log on to SAP GUI.
Use transaction SICF with default settings.
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 .
Enabling Side Panels
You must enable communication with side panels in your system. To do this, proceed as follows:
Log on to SAP GUI.
Choose
.Choose Web Dynpro Application.
Enter WD_GLOBAL_SETTING in the Web Dynpro Applicat. field, write a description in the Description field, and then choose Continue.
Double-click the new entry in your Favorites folder to run the Web Dynpro application.
Choose Change.
Activate the following parameters:
WDSIDEPANELREMOTECONSUMER
WDSIDEPANELREMOTEPRODUCER
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/. Choose .
After the installation, configure your system connections. For more information, see the application help at http://help.sap.com/nw731. .
Testing Your Configurations
You can test your configurations by opening side panels in NetWeaver Business Client Desktop Version. To do this, proceed as follows:
Log on to NetWeaver Business Client Desktop Version.
Run transaction FD03.
Specify a customer and a valid company code using the search help (F4), and then choose Continue.
Click the leftward arrow icon on the right-hand side of the window.
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:
Call transaction PFCG.
Specify the SAP_BSSP_FI_CO_FSCM role, and then choose Display.
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.
Call these transactions to view more side panels.
For more information about other related configurations, see the following documentation and additional resources.
SAP Business Suite Documentation on Side Panels
Setting up the Side Panel (note the restrictions of side panels in different enhancement package versions)
SAP NetWeaver Documentation on NetWeaver Business Client
See http://help.sap.com/nw731. Choose .
See in particular the following chapters and SAP Notes 900000 , 1029940 , and 1620514 :
1611298 for configuration in earlier versions)
(see also SAP Note(for information about how to assign side panels to transactions)
(note the security recommendations)
SAP NetWeaver Page Builder Documentation
See http://help.sap.com/nw731. Choose .
See in particular the following chapters:
CHIPs (see also SAP Note 1718873 on CHIP documentation)
CHIP Catalog
Authorization
SAP Business Suite Documentation on Adding Side Panels to Additional Transactions and Creating Your Own CHIPs
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-erp. Choose .
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)