Spaces, Pages, Cataloges? What is what in SAP Fiori?

What used to be groups are now called Spaces. Or are they Pages? And what exactly are Sections? Today we explain what is behind the new Fiori content objects.

The Fiori Launchpad consists of pinned areas that you can design individually. But what fills what? Where do the apps come from and what do you need to pay attention to when setting up the launchpad for your users?

All elements are interrelated. Like a Russian stacking doll, the matryoshka, the different objects interlock.

All the apps you need to set up your launchpad can be found in the SAP standard catalog SAP_TC_FLP_COMMON. For the sake of simplicity, we have created a “FLP Admin” space from it:

The technical catalog

The technical catalog is the superordinate instance and is created in the App Manager. It is not installed in a role, but helps you to create the Business Catalog, as it contains all the apps for a module (e.g. SAP FI (Finance)). Therefore the technical catalog serves as a basis for compiling the appropriate structure and selection of apps for the Business Catalog and then populating it from the Technical Catalog.

It can make sense to create your own technical catalog and not necessarily use the ready-made SAP catalog. For one thing, not all apps provided by SAP for this type of catalog are required. Furthermore, you only have access to standard apps. You cannot manage customer-specific developments or customized apps in the standard tech catalog.

However, if you only use SAP standard apps, it is generally quicker and easier to integrate them directly from the SAP standard tech catalog into your customer-specific business catalog.

The Business Catalog

The business catalog is subordinate to the technical catalog and obtains its apps from a technical catalog.

Example: If you were to use a Technical Catalog for the Finance module, you could use the Launchpad Content Manager to create a Business Catalog for each desired Finance department. You have access to all apps in this module via the tech catalog. You can then name the Business Catalog individually and only use the apps for the Finance module that are currently required for the respective department.

The business catalog is linked to a role in the PFCG. To do this, follow the path TRANSACTION—SAP FIORI LAUNCHPAD—CATALOG in the MENU tab and then enter the name of your business catalog.

With the link in the role, the user has access to the apps from the business catalog. However, initially only via the App Finder in the Fiori Launchpad. You also need Spaces so that they can see their apps directly.

The Spaces (areas)

In the Fiori Launchpad in our example, you will find the “Manage Launchpad areas” tool next to the Content Manager.

In this tool, you can create an area, also known as a “space”. Here you can use the spaces provided by SAP or create your own customer-specific spaces.

The spaces are not filled with apps, but contain pages. Here, too, we have a direct link to the role that we have created in the PFCG The link, similar to the business catalog before, creates a direct connection between the role and the space. We can establish the connection as follows: Call up PFCG—Open role—Tab MENU—TRANSACTION—SAP FIORI LAUNCHPAD—Create space link.

The Pages (within Spaces)

Back in the Fiori Launchpad, you will find the “Manage Launchpad pages” tool using our example. Here you can create individual pages that are subordinate to the Spaces. You can now assign one or more pages to each Space. The page can be viewed visually as the surface on which the sections and tiles are located. From 2 pages, the display in the Fiori Launchpad appears as a drop-down menu, which can be displayed and expanded as a small arrow next to the respective Space. This keeps the navigation clear.

The sections

A section consists of tiles, also known as apps, which provide the content, i.e. the data with which the user ultimately works. The sections structure the arrangement of the tiles and help you to group the individual tiles. You can use several sections on each page, which are displayed one below the other.

Here is another visual example of what a page with sections could look like:

SAP specifies the use of between 2 and 5 pages for the overview per Space, but this can be controlled individually and is only a recommendation. However, you need at least one page to display apps on the Launchpad.

The tiles

The tile is the interface of your app. It can conceal very different data and applications, e.g. transactions, reports, dashboards or links. The tile only provides the visual appearance or basic start authorization. Data access etc. is controlled via classic ABAP authorizations directly in the linked PFCG roles.