About This Topic

The SAP Enterprise Core Component provides functionality for business analytics,
financials, human capital management, operations, and corporate services allowing
you to increase productivity, improve business insight, and gain the adaptability you
need to accelerate business strategies. To get started using SAP, it is important to
understand how to properly navigate within the system.
Estimated time to complete this topic: 10 Minutes
Objective(s)

Log on to the SAP system

Change the password

Log off from the SAP system

About This Topic

The SAP Enterprise Core Component provides functionality for business analytics,
financials, human capital management, operations, and corporate services allowing
you to increase productivity, improve business insight, and gain the adaptability you
need to accelerate business strategies. To get started using SAP, it is important to
understand how to properly navigate within the system.
Estimated time to complete this topic: 10 Minutes
Objective(s)

Log on to the SAP system

Change the password

Log off from the SAP system

SAP Navigation
SAP Navigation - Business Example
Hi, my name is Alisa. I have joined IDES and I'm taking on a position working in the
warehouse. My responsibilities will require learning how to use the SAP system so I
can work with information in the database such as sales orders.

Meet Alisa who has joined IDES in a position that requires working in the HR
department. Her responsibilities demand knowing how to use the SAP system so that
she can work with the information stored in the database, such as maintaining
employee data.

SAP Graphical User Interface

Look and feel of SAP screen vary across SAP versions

SAP components are accessible through SAP Graphical User Interface (GUI)

SAP GUI connects a computer with the SAP system

SAP Logon starts SAP GUI

There are a number of different versions of SAP. Depending on the version your
company has implemented, your SAP screen may look slightly different from what
you see in this course.
Typically, SAP components are accessible using a general front-end program called
the SAP GUI (or Graphical User Interface). The SAP GUI is the standard program for
accessing almost all SAP solutions. The SAP GUI program connects your computer
with a specific SAP system. For starting SAP GUI, SAP provides a program called
SAP Logon.
When you are working with SAP, it is important to recognize the proper way to access
and exit the system. Let us look at how this works with SAP GUI.

SAP System - Log On

Alisa logs on by double-clicking the SAP Logon icon. An icon is a pictorial
representation of an object or function. When you click an icon, the system typically
performs an action and frequently displays another screen.
For logging on she needs:

User name: The user is the individual who logs on to and uses the SAP
system. Each user is given a user name that must be entered along with a
password to gain access to the system.

Password: A password is a sequence of letters, digits, or special characters

that the user must enter, along with a user name, to gain access to the system.

Password Change
The IDES security standards entail a password change every 30 days.
For this, click the New password button on the applications tool bar.
In the applications window that opens, enter and re-enter the new password.

Alisa is required by IDES security standards to change her password every 30 days.
To change her password, she can click New Passwordon the applications toolbar.
The system opens a new window, in which she has to enter a new password, and
then re-enter it to confirm, as she did while logging on to SAP for the first time.

SAP System - Log Off

A session begins when a user logs on to the SAP system. The first session begins
with the Easy Access screen, where the user can navigate to or launch transactions.
Logging off prevents:

the unnecessary usage of a session, and

the risks associated with leaving an open session unattended.

When Alisa has finished using the SAP system, it is important for her to log off from
the system. Logging off ensures that she is not unnecessarily using a session and
also protects her company from the risks associated with leaving an open session
unattended. The preferred method for logging off the SAP system is to use the Log
off icon. The system then displays a dialog box indicating that any unsaved data will
be lost. She is then prompted to confirm that she wants to log off. She may click Yes
to exit the SAP system.

Summary
You should now be able to:

Log on to the SAP system

Change the password

Log off from the SAP system

About This Topic

After logging on to the SAP system, the initial screen you will see is the Easy Access
screen. In this lesson, we will examine the layout and components of the SAP Easy
Access screen.
Estimated time to complete this topic: 10 Minutes
Objective(s)

Use the SAP Easy Access screen

Navigate the SAP Tree structure

Navigation Components
An SAP system has several key components:
1.

Menu Bar: The Menu bar is the top line of any primary window in the SAP
system. The menus shown depend on which application you are using. These
menus may also contain cascading menus.

2.

Standard Toolbar: The Standard toolbar is identical throughout the SAP

system. All of the icons on the Standard toolbar are shown on every SAP screen.
However, the Standard toolbar icons are active only if they are available for the
current application - unavailable icons will appear grayed out and cannot be used.
Note that if SAP balloon help is enabled on your system, you can place the cursor
over an icon and the system will display the name or function of that icon. If
appropriate, the corresponding function key setting is also displayed.

3.

Title Bar: The Title bar names the function that you are currently using and
helps you identify where you are in a procedure.

4.

Application Toolbar: The Application toolbar shows the icons available in the
application that you are currently using. Different icons appear on the Application
toolbar depending on the application.

5.

Status Bar: The status bar provides general information about the SAP system
and the transaction or task you are working on. System messages are displayed
in addition to server information and status information.

The SAP system contains several key components that provide options for navigation
thereby making your work in SAP easier. These components are menu bar, standard
toolbar, title bar, application toolbar, and status bar.
The SAP Easy Access screen is the initial screen displayed after logging on to the
SAP system. This screen is the user-specific point of entry into the SAP system and
serves as a gateway to the rest of the system.
As Alisa navigates within the SAP system, she will learn that the structure of the
standard SAP screens is similar to that of the Easy Access screen. First, she
explores the Easy Access screen.

Main Navigation Icons

Icon

Function
Enter: The Enter icon will validate the data and the system will proceed to the next
logical step.

Save: The Save icon will save the document and update the database.

Back: The Back icon will go back one screen.

Exit: The Exit icon will close the current transaction and exit the current screen. If
no applications are open, the Exit icon becomes the Log Off icon and is used to
exit the SAP system.

Cancel: The Cancel icon will cancel the current activity or transaction.

As she continues to explore the SAP system, Alisa notices that there are standard
navigation icons.She investigates further to determine the function of each of these
icons.

Standard SAP Tree Structure

The Standard SAP Tree displays a hierarchy of the menus available to you in the
SAP system and is a tool for accessing SAP transactions. The SAP Tree comprises
the following elements:
1.

SAP Menu Icon: The SAP Menu icon may be used to collapse the tree to close
the items on the menu.

2.

Work Areas: The Standard SAP Tree is organized into logical work areas. The
work areas are presented in an order that follows a typical business process flow
rather than an alphabetical order. The tree provides a menu that contains a folder
for each work area. For example, Office, Logistics, Accounting, and Human
Resources are work areas. What you see in the tree may vary depending on your
organization.

3.

Arrows: Clicking on the arrows will expand and collapse the folders and subfolders. When folders are closed, the arrow will point to the right. When folders
are opened, the arrow will point down.

4.

Folders: Drilling down through the folders will display sub-folders and
transaction items. Multiple sub-folders may be used within a folder to organize the
transaction items.

5.

Transactions: Transactions are executable functions that update and display

information in the database. Transactions will display in the tree once a folder
menu is fully expanded. You can launch transactions by double-clicking on the
white box next to the transaction name. For some items, you may use either the
tree structure or icons to access the transaction.

Alisa finds that the Standard SAP Tree is a tool for accessing the SAP transactions.
The Standard SAP Tree displays a hierarchy of the menus available in the SAP
system. Using the tree is one of the best ways to become familiar with the system.
The elements of an SAP Tree are the SAP menu icon, work areas, arrows, folders,
and transactions.
Navigation within the standard tree is referred to as menu path navigation. Alisa
navigates by clicking on the arrows to drill down through the folders to the desired
transaction. She can locate a variety of transactions by navigating in the SAP Easy
Access menu.
The standard transactions that are available include Create, Change, and Display.

Summary
You should now be able to:

Use the SAP Easy Access screen

Navigate the SAP Tree structure

About This Topic

Navigating through the SAP system will lead to individual transaction screens.
Transactions are where you will perform the bulk of your work in SAP. The screens
are composed of a combination of fields. It is possible to work with more than one
transaction simultaneously using multiple sessions.
Estimated time to complete this topic: 10 Minutes

Objective(s)

Navigate between fields in an SAP screen

Create multiple sessions

Fields in an SAP Screen

Different screen elements include:
1.

Input: Input fields are used to enter text or to select a value from a list.

2.

Checkbox: Checkboxes are used with multiple selection fields.

3.

Radio Button: Radio buttons are used with single selection fields (you can
select only one option).

Fields are the areas on a screen that contain specific data used in the SAP database.
They contain items, such as information about customers, employees, vendors,
equipment, and orders. Information can be entered in the form of text, numbers,
dates, or codes. Some entries can also be in the form of ranges that may be used for
searching within the data.
An advantage of SAP is that once you enter data, it can be shared among various
screens, transactions, and applications.
Alisa observes that a tab page comprises several screens organized as tabs for
clarity and ease of access. She also notices that different fields require different types
of input, such as an input field, checkbox, and a radio button.

Input Controls for Fields

The three types of input controls for fields are:
1.

Mandatory: Data entry is required to proceed with processing a transaction.

Mandatory fields are often indicated by a box and checkmark within the field (this
may vary by transaction or company).

2.

Display: Data will automatically populate in these fields. It is not possible to

overwrite the information in these fields.

3.

Optional: Data entry is not required in these fields to proceed with processing
a transaction.

Alisa observes that the different fields on an SAP screen may be mandatory, or
optional, or may automatically display data. The three types of input control for fields
on an SAP screen are mandatory display, or optional. A field value can default to a
mandatory or optional field.

Field Navigation
Use keyboard functions to move between fields:

Up and down keys to move between fields

Tab key to advance to the next field

Shift and tab keys to move back to the previous field

Left and right arrow keys to move within a field

Alisa finds that she can navigate between fields on a screen by simply clicking in a
desired field. She discovers that she also can use the keyboard to move between
fields.

To move between fields, you can use the up arrow and down arrow keys.

To advance to the next field, you can use the Tab key.

To move back to the previous field, you can use the Shift and Tab keys.

To move within a field, you can use the left arrow and right arrow keys.

Multiple Sessions in SAP

Now that Alisa has become more familiar with the SAP components and structure,
she has more confidence, and is realizing possibilities to undertake her tasks more
efficiently in the system.
Alisa can create a new session at any time after she has logged on. She creates a
new session by clicking on New Session. The maximum number of sessions per
logon is six.

Alisa finds that she can use a session to create or change data while using another
session to display data. She can also copy data between sessions. This is especially
helpful when she is in the middle of a transaction and needs to verify information in
another transaction to complete the former.

Session Navigation
Navigate between sessions:

1.

Holds down the Alt key and then presses the Tab key. A dialog box appears
with the names of the open sessions.

2.

Presses the Tab key until the desired session is highlighted.

3.

Releases the Alt key.

The chosen session becomes the active window by moving in front of all the other
session windows.
Create up to six sessions:
1.

Each session is independent of the others.

2.

Closing the first session does not cause the other sessions to close.

3.

Any session can be closed by clicking Exit on the Standard toolbar for that
session.

Alisa finds it useful to minimize the sessions that she is not using. She can reopen a
minimized session using the Windows status bar. She also finds that using the Alt +
Tab Windows function allows her to toggle between the open sessions. The chosen
session becomes the active window by moving in front of all the other session
windows. Also, she can create up to six sessions. While she is logged on to SAP, she
can move between sessions without losing any data. However, before ending a
session, she must save any data that she wants to keep.

Summary

You should now be able to:

Navigate between fields in an SAP screen

Create multiple sessions