This section discusses the differences of the two pictorial elements from a technical and ergonomic standpoint.

Symbols are graphical characters which are implemented by using the SAPDings symbol character set. This is basically a character set like e.g. Courier and is available in any font. However, SAPDings consists of graphical characters. As any character set, SAPDings is available in one color and can be printed (for restrictions see below). Currently, SAPDings can only be used in lists.

Icons should be used in the list body in areas where the user executes an action by double-clicking or clicking (hotspot) on the icons. This applies primarily to interactive reports which are not necessarily meant to be printed. Some status icons can be printed, though. Please note that some of the icons that are arranged on top of each other, may overlap each other. This often happens with very small fonts.

Symbols should be used for lists which are to be printed. Symbols are also recommended to be used in semi-graphical lists such as hierarchy graphics: symbols can be better integrated into other pictorial elements than icons because they are freely scalable. For this reason, icons should not be used in table lists (see below).

While icons represent functions, symbols are of a more informative nature:

• Symbols can display a status:

• describing the editing state or progress of an action
• indicating the quality (see ratings) of an object or feature
• indicating the availability/non-availability of objects or features

• Symbols can display a rating

• several levels are possible (one-sided, symmetric)

• Symbols can display values in a compact and easy-to-understand way

• for rating categories (s.a.)
• for all kinds of units in rough categories
• as simple scales for small object quantities or values

• indicating errors

• Symbols can indicate objects

• as inserted lines in lists
• as totals (and indicate the totals level)
• by specifying the validity of objects and values
• by specifying the accessibility of objects and values
• as links (in hypertext systems, glossaries, encyclopedias)
• in exceptions: by specifying the object (this is usually covered by icons)

• Symbols direct the attention of the user towards a particular direction

• as arrows, triangles or hands

Some of the symbols can also be used as field names and in some cases replace icons.

Geometric signs rarely have a definite meaning. For this reason, several symbols can be used for one purpose.

This norm does not give ultimative rules and regulations. You should choose symbols that make sense in a particular context and you should be consistent with the use of symbols, no matter what symbols you are using.

Since symbols can be ambiguous and do not have a definite meaning, you should explain their meaning in a legend. For this purpose a centrally stored function module will be created. The user should be able to call the legend using the "i" symbol in the standard toolbar. Lists that the user prints should have the legend at the end of the printed output.

Since symbols are black and white characters they do not that easily catch the user’s attention as icons. In additon, symbols are usually smaller, because they have to fit the normal character font.

Tabular lists often benefit from symbols, because they do not influence or even destroy the overall appearance of a list as icons. Symbols should not be distributed across a list, but should appear at fixed positions where they are easy to recognize.

If you want to use color to highlight symbols, you should only color the background in accordance with the design guidelines for colors in lists. You should choose light colors because they contrast the symbol and do not distrub the overall appeal of a list.

We do not recommend the use colors for the foreground because symbols are much too small for this.

Icons trigger a function (for example, pushbutton on a screen) or indicate objects. Symbols specify the status or values of an object.

Some of the symbols and icons available overlap in their meaning. There are some icons which indicate status. The following gives recommendations for the use of the appropriate pictorial element in border line cases.

Due to their colorful and large appearance icons are eye-catching. They should be used for status displays only, if you actually want to achieve such an effect and if there are only very few status displays in the list.

If status displays appear in every line or in regular intervals, the status flags should be placed at the border when implemented as icons.

Printing: When printing, icons are represented by graphical characters of a special character set. The restrictions for regular symbols apply. The other icons cannot be printed.

Symbols are not as eye-catching as icons. They harmonize with the list structure. To highlight symbols, use an appropriate background color.

Symbols are scalable and adjust automatically to the font of the surrounding typeface (this also applies to printing). Symbols can be used in any list line.