For businesses using SAP S/4HANA Cloud, adapting standard software to meet unique operational needs is essential. Extensibility within SAP S/4HANA Cloud enables companies to customize and extend applications seamlessly, allowing for business-specific configurations without compromising system integrity. Whether it’s customizing fields, adjusting UI layouts, or creating entirely new functionalities, SAP’s extensibility model offers flexible options suited to diverse business needs.
This guide covers the three key types of extensibility in SAP S/4HANA Cloud — In-app Extensibility, Side-by-side Extensibility, and Key User Extensibility — and how each can empower businesses to achieve efficient, tailored processes.
What is Extensibility in SAP S/4HANA Cloud?
Extensibility in SAP S/4HANA Cloud refers to the capability to tailor the platform’s standard functionalities to align with unique business processes. Extensibility covers everything from business configurations and custom fields to specialized user interfaces and integration with side-by-side applications. SAP’s extensibility model is categorized into three types:
In-app Extensibility
Side-by-side Extensibility
Key User Extensibility
Each type offers specific options to address distinct customization needs while maintaining a stable and upgradable core environment.
In-app Extensibility
In-app extensibility involves modifications made within the core of SAP S/4HANA, with no remote connections needed. This approach allows for direct, internal customizations, enhancing the user experience and functionality.
Key features of In-app Extensibility include:
User Interface Adaptation: Allows key users to modify the layout of tables and forms directly within the app, making it simple to tailor the interface to meet user needs.
Custom Fields: Users can add custom fields to extend data tables, CDS views, and ODATA APIs, making it easier to capture additional information crucial for business processes.
Custom CDS Views, Analytics, and Forms: Users can create new CDS views based on existing data models, enabling complex data manipulation like associations, joins, and field relabeling for tailored reporting.
Business Logic Customization: With ABAP, users can customize logic for Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) to set default values, implement additional checks, or create mappings, adding flexibility to core processes.
Custom Business Objects: Users can create entirely new business objects to meet specific operational requirements, ensuring processes are aligned with business goals.
Custom User Interfaces: For advanced custom UIs, SAP Business Application Studio (BAS) provides a web-based IDE for building SAP Fiori interfaces.
Side-by-side Extensibility
Side-by-side extensibility involves creating extensions that operate independently of the SAP S/4HANA core. These extensions are typically hosted on the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), allowing businesses to extend functionalities without impacting the core system.
Examples of Side-by-side Extensibility:
Custom UI on SAP BTP: Developers can create custom UIs on SAP BTP using released or custom ODATA services, offering a tailored user experience without modifying the core.
BTP Services for SAP Extensions: SAP BTP offers services that can be called from SAP S/4HANA to extend functionalities, facilitating seamless integrations across platforms.
Event-driven Integrations: SAP S/4HANA, SuccessFactors, and SAP C/4HANA can trigger business events that interact with applications on SAP BTP, making it easy to integrate systems.
Analytics Replication on BTP: Data from SAP S/4HANA and other SAP services can be replicated to BTP for analytics, enabling advanced reporting capabilities.
Key User Extensibility
Key User Extensibility allows end-users with minimal technical skills to make modifications at runtime. This option empowers business users to implement changes directly without developer assistance.
Features of Key User Extensibility:
User Interface Adaptation: Key users can adjust SAP Fiori application layouts by rearranging fields, renaming labels, and hiding elements to streamline the interface for specific workflows.
Custom Fields: Users can add fields to existing data models, extending tables and CDS views to capture business-specific data.
Business Logic Enhancements: Using the ABAP web editor, key users can implement custom logic for BAdIs, adding validations or default values tailored to business processes.
Custom CDS Views: Users can create custom CDS views, facilitating custom analytics and reporting by manipulating existing data models.
Custom Business Objects: Key users can create new business objects, meeting specialized needs without complex development processes.
Integration with Side-by-side Extensions: Key User Extensibility works in harmony with side-by-side extensions, ensuring that customizations are enhanced without disrupting the core system.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud’s extensibility model empowers organizations to tailor software to their exact needs, balancing customization with stability and upgradeability. By using In-app, Side-by-side, and Key User Extensibility options, businesses can achieve optimized workflows and enhanced operational efficiency. This flexibility allows organizations to maintain a clean core while supporting unique processes that drive their success.
To learn more about how Extentia can help you unlock the full potential of SAP S/4HANA Cloud, visit Extentia’s SAP services page.
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