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Business Navigator Release Note: Navigation tool for the R/3 Reference model in the R/3 Repository

Navigation tool for the R/3 Reference model in the R/3 Repository

Description

The display version of the R/3 Reference model in System R/3 is called the Business Navigator. Unlike R/3 Analyzer, the PC display version of the R/3 Reference model, Business Navigator gives you access to the content of the models in the R/3 Reference model from any R/3 workstation.

Now the Business Navigator is integrated into the R/3 system you can click for direct access to:

• SAP application transactions

• R/3 documentation (where available)

• data models (via input/output entities and system organization units)

from the Component view or the Process view.

Because Business Navigator is purely a display tool, it cannot be used to change or enhance models. The development of an API to modeling tools is planned for a future release.

In an R/3 application system, choose Tools -> Business Navigator.

Once you are in Business Navigators you choose a way to get to the R/3 Reference model's various structures and diagrams:

• Component view

• Process flow view

Navigation in Business Navigator is wholly based on hierarchical structures

A line entry comprises:

- an icon

- a descriptive 10 character short text, for example MM

- a letter

- a full description, for example Materials Management

Depending on which element of the line entry you choose, functionality of some kind is triggered.

Choosing the icon:

Double-click an icon, or position the cursor on an icon and click Select, to display the structure level next below. Double-click, or click Select, again to close the structure displayed. In this manner you can navigate through all structure levels step-by-step.

Position the cursor and use the Expand subtree button to display the complete component structure beneath a node in the structure. Use the compress subtree button to close the structure displayed.

Choosing the short text or the full description:

Double-click a short text or a full description to call a context- sensitive dialog box with all options available for that object.

Choosing a letter:

The letter tells you a diagram or list is assigned at this level. The following letters are used:

- in the Component view:

M = Process selection matrix

O = System organization diagram

I = Information flow

F = Functions/processes

P = Process diagram

B = Business object graphic

For example, if you choose a line marked 'F' by:

- double-clicking it

- using the Functions/processes button

- choosing Functions/processes in the Goto menu

then all functions or processes assigned to the business application component are listed. Functions also shown as process diagrams are marked 'P'.

- in the Process flow view:

C = Communications diagram

S = Scenario

P = Process diagram

When you are in a graphic you can click once to select an object so you call up its where-used details in the menu. Where your diagram is a large one, you can use the navigation area to select accurately the part of the diagram to be shown bigger.

Use the middle or right mouse button to move the window in the navigation area. You can change how you see a diagram by clicking a corner and growing or shrinking the navigation window or by using the zoom buttons. You can also change how the diagram is shown by entering an appropriate value in the scaling box. If you hold down the CTRL key while you press the left mouse button, a 'magnifier' facility becomes available in the display area that you can use to increase the size of objects you select.

Double-click a short text, or position the cursor on a short text and choose Select to open a dialog box with various options.

The options in the dialog box that is presented depend upon the view and on which level in the structure the object is in. They include:

Universal options:

• Attributes: Displays details for each object, such as the processing type and transaction code of a function

• Documentation: Accesses the R/3 online documentation to display more information about an object selected

• I/O assignment: Lists which information objects are needed as input for a process, and which are generated as output

• Organization unit assignment: Lists all system organization unit types that are relevavant to a process

• Process: Displays a business process in graphical representation

• Transaction: Calls a transaction assigned to a function/process chain

• Where-used list: Lists all models in which the selected object is used

Options in the Component view:

• Information flows: Lists which information objects are exchanged between which business application components

• Organigram: Shows the system organization units of a business application component as an organization chart

• Business objects: Diagram of the business objects for a business application component node

• Process selection matrix: Shows a graphical representation of all processes in an application component

Options in the process flow view:

• Scenario: Contains a compact process including all part- processes that belong to the scenario in question. Each scenario process (with the processes assigned to it) describes an area of business tasks supported by the SAP R/3 System

• Communications diagram: The communications diagram shows process responsibilities of organization units in your company and the communications releationships between those units.

• Print: Prints the current hierarchy structure to the printer assigned.

• Key: Explains the ID codes used for the diagrams assigned (for example I, O, and F in the component view) with their full description.

• Exit: Standard function in the R/3 System

• Expand subtree: Position the cursor on an icon in the structure and choose Expand subtree to see all objects below this node

• Compress subtree: Position the cursor on an icon in the structure and choose Compress subtree to close the structure hiding all the objects displayed for the node

• Set focus: Position the cursor on a node in the structure and and choose Set focus to display the selected node and all objects below it. All other structure objects are hidden. The ID codes for the nodes higher in the structure are shown in the header. Double-click any of these IDs to set the focus on that node. To return to the original display, double-click the top SAP R/3 node

• Global search: Find objects with given properties by entering the appropriate details in the boxes presented

• Cancel: Standard function in the R/3 System

• Navigation options: This command presents a popup in which you choose one of several navigation methods

• Attributes: Choose Attributes to display an attributes screen for an object

• Documentation: Choose Documentation to display context-sensitive R/3 WinHelp

• Organigram: Calls an assigned organization chart

• Information flows: To see information flows

• Functions/processes: Calls an assigned process diagram

• Business objects: Calls the graphic for a business object

• Process selection matrix: Calls the assigned process selection matrix

• Process flow view: Choose this command to branch to the Process flow view of the R/3 Reference model

• Back: Standard function in the R/3 System

• Navigation options: This command presents a popup in which you choose one of several navigation methods

• Attributes: Choose Attributes to display an attributes screen for an object

• Documentation: Choose Documentation to display context-sensitive R/3 WinHelp

• Process selection matrix: Calls the assigned process selection matrix

• Scenario: Calls the assigned scenario process

• Processes: Calls the assigned process

• I/O assignment: Choose this command to list information objects assigned to a process

• Organization unit assignment: Lists the assigned system organization units

• Component view: Choose this command to branch to the Component view of the R/3 Reference model

• Back: Standard function in the R/3 System

• Repository Info system: Choose this command to search for an object or call a where-used list

• Print: Choose this command to print a diagram

• Exit: Standard function in the R/3 System

• Find: Searches for an object in a diagram

• Select: Selects some or all objects in a diagram

• Visibility: Use the Visibility mode to make nodes transparent or to hide them

• Cancel: Standard function in the R/3 System

• Navigation options: This command presents a popup in which you choose one of several navigation methods

• Function: For a function you can call Attributes, Documentation, and the Transaction

• Event: For an event you can call Attributes

• Process path: For a process path you can call Attributes, Documentation, Transaction, I/O assignment, Organization unit assignment, and the assigned Process

• Scenario: For a scenario you can call Attributes and the assigned Scenario process

• System organization unit: For a system organization unit you can call Attributes

• Back: Standard function in the R/3 System

• Where-used list: For an object selected, this command shows where else it is used in diagrams and structures

• Repository Info system: Choose this command to search for an object or call a where-used list

• Key: To position the key to a diagram on the screen

• Select (type): To set how selected objects are displayed

• Select (objects): To set whether only objects or objects and links can be selected

• Attribute positions: To display the attibutes of a function in the diagram

• Release filter: Choose this command to colorcode new objects in a new release of the software. Objects introduced in previous releases are transparent

• Color assignments: Presents a selection box in which you can set colors for various graphics elements

• Standard view: The standard view shows the Display area, with the Navigation area to its right

• Display area: You see only the Display area

• Complete view:You see the whole diagram in one screen

• Center on selected object: Centers the display on one or more selected objects

• Zoom in: Shows the objects in a diagram larger

• Zoom out: Shows the objects in a diagram smaller

• Extended help: Standard function in the R/3 System

• Product information: Brief details of graphical front end

The Component view shows all the SAP business application components as a hierachical structure. An organization diagram is assigned at the top level, for example to MM (Materials Management), showing all R/3 system organization units relevant to the application component concerned and how they are related, as is a process selection matrix

The information flows between the various business application components are assigned at the second level

Information is shown in list form rather than graphically in information flows

Business application components listed as sources provide information to other application components, while those listed as targets are recipients of information from other business application components

To display information objects exchanged between business application components, select one or more source or target business application components and click the button again

In the third level you can display a window showing all the assigned functions for any entry marked 'F'. Functions modeled as processes are identified by a preceding 'P'. Double-click the 'P' for a graphical display of the process

Business objects are also assigned to various levels

Choose Goto -> Process flow view to branch to the Process flow view

The top level in the Process flow view structure contains the various business areas. Where a 'C' is assigned you can display the communications diagram for that business area

The scenario processes, identified by an 'S', are on the next level down. At the level below that you can call the individual processes for any scenario

The event-controlled process chain (EPC)

Business Navigator offers two ways to call scenario processes and processes:

• From the process selection matrix in the Component view

• From the list structure

When a scenario is open you can double-click the process path icon to navigate to the processes above and below

When a process is open you can also double-click the process path icon to navigate to the processes above and below