Despite the specific menu structure used in the R/3 System, the user has to travel through several menus before the desired functionality can be accessed (see Accessing Tasks). This is intolerable for experienced users or users who only require a small portion of the overall functionality. Therefore, there are a number of "shortcuts" which allow the direct access to the required functionality in the R/3 System:

• User defaults: The user can define the start menu which is displayed right after logging on.
• Access characters: Particularly, experienced keyboard users prefer to enter mnemonic access characters to quickly access the required functions.
• Fast path: The sequence of access characters which leads directly to the desired task can be entered into the command field following a period.
• Transaction codes: Tasks can be called directly by entering transaction codes in the command field. Disadvantage: The user must know and remember the specific transaction code of a task (the command list proves to be a useful tool in this respect) (see Command Field).
• User menu: In the user menu, a window which is active in parallel to the R/3 primary window, a user can define frequently used applications and tasks. Once defined, the user can choose the required tasks directly from the user menu. This procedure is particularly worthwhile when a user is active in many applications and tasks.