Hardly no other software splits the minds as much as SAP. Love and hate can also be seen in translations of the company abbreviation. These include everything from “solves all problems” to “system against people”. Today, for many people SAP is connected to a complicated-looking user interface. And this is the embodiment of a system whose handling requires almost a study or at least a very good memory in order to remember the many different clicks to finally reach the goal. However, the new trend how people interact with software has also left its mark on SAP. In our digitalized world, dominated by tablets, smartphones and apps, a new approach for software was essential and this is where UI5 came into the game.

UI5 – the extended workbench for SAP developers

With UI5, SAP has created a design framework that focuses on the operator. Like an SAP toolbox for creating platform-independent web applications based on HTML5. This technology allows you creating apps quick and easy. The advantage of the differentiation is that a user only gets the information that is relevant for the process. Confusing user interfaces, on which three-quarters of the elements are never used, are history. These applications are relatively slim and therefore also suitable for mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. SAP relies on its specially developed UI5 product SAP Fiori to give SAP developers the opportunity to implement applications in a modern way.

What are the advantages of UI5?

The modular structure of SAP may require that one process step is carried out in different modules. This also increases the complexity. With UI5, applications and processes can be mapped across all modules, which means an increase in work efficiency.

The intuitive usability approach reduces training effort and eliminates the need for ongoing support. In the meantime, many companies have invested a lot of money in their SAP systems – an investment that has to be assured even for outdated solutions. UI5 is designed to provide small applications for specific applications, even for limited periods of time. This ensures that no exorbitant sums of money are invested in the further development of an application that could potentially lead to a dead end. In addition, the applications are always state-of-the-art and continuously evolve in terms of user experience.

In fact, what is SAP Fiori?

SAP Fiori is a UI technology from SAP. UI is short for User Interface.
SAP Fiori is not a UI product only, it is the heart of the SAP UI strategy! This means that sooner or later, all SAP user interfaces will be based on Fiori.

The SAPUI5 framework – a “toolkit” for HTML5 and JavaScript – is used for the development of interfaces, and the OData protocol is used for the communication.

One question remains

Considering the fact that per week approx. 800 people can be trained in SAP’s international training center in Walldorf in how to use applications and that these and other SAP courses are not really cheap, the question arises on how much revenue SAP will suffer due to the establishment of UI5. When people need less training and less support in their daily business, it’s great for their own productivity, but SAP and other trainers might miss a few euros or dollars. So why is SAP relying on UI5 and therefore on easier operation of its own products? Well, the company has indeed been under massive pressure – more and more software vendors are relying on user-oriented applications, especially in the segment of business solutions. Nobody needs an extra course or training for that. Even though SAP is clearly the leader in ERP, the company cannot afford to oversleep this changed software usage.

Conclusion

For all companies that use SAP, according to SAP itself, these are more than 355,000 customers in over 180 countries, Fiori is the step into the simpler (mobile) future. In the meantime, no one will convince an employee with a user interface that is more than 15 years old. With Fiori, SAP meets at least in part the slogan of 2015,”run simple”.

We say “run it really simple with the Simplifier”. With our low-code platform, we also rely on the UI5 framework. The Simplifier is the world’s only low-code platform for integrated UI5 business and IOT applications. Or in short: A UI5 app that generates UI5 apps. With the Simplifier, we integrate existing system landscapes and generate applications that run on any device to create added value for the user. Wearables can be included in the process without any problems, too. We are convinced that SAP has created a modern and robust framework with UI5, which is excellently suited for many purposes. And SAP developers make SAP systems easy to use for the user by implementing the UI5 strategy.

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