Hardly any other software divides opinion as much as SAP. Love and hate are also reflected in mocking translations of the company abbreviation. These range from “solves all problems” to “system against people”. For many people today, SAP is associated with a complicated-looking user interface. And thus the epitome of a system that you almost need a degree to master or at least a very good memory to remember the many different clicks. However, the trend towards a new way of using software has not left SAP unscathed. In our digitalized world – dominated by tablets, smartphones and the associated apps – a new approach to software was inevitable and this is where UI5 came into play.
UI5 – the extended workbench for SAP developers
With UI5, SAP has created a design framework that focuses on the user. An SAP toolbox, so to speak, for creating platform-independent web applications based on HTML5. This technology allows apps to be created quickly and easily for specific work steps.
The advantage of this differentiation is that the user is only shown the information relevant to their process step. Confusing user interfaces, on which ¾ of the elements are never used anyway, are therefore a thing of the past. 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 contemporary way again.
What advantages does UI5 offer?
The modular structure of SAP can make it necessary for a work step to be carried out in different modules – which also increases complexity. With UI5, applications can map processes across modules, which means an increase in work efficiency.
The intuitive usability approach means that less training and less support is required during operation. Many companies have now invested a lot of money in their SAP systems – an investment that needs to be safeguarded, even if the solutions are no longer up-to-date. With UI5, the approach is to provide small applications for specific areas of use, even for limited periods of time. This ensures that no exorbitant sums are invested in the further development of an application, which may lead to a dead end. In addition, the applications are always technically up to date and are constantly evolving in terms of user experience.
What is SAP Fiori anyway?
SAP Fiori is a UI technology from SAP. UI stands for user interface.
However, SAP Fiori is not just one UI product among many others, but the heart of the SAP UI strategy! This means that sooner or later, all SAP user interfaces will be based on Fiori.
Technically, the SAPUI5 framework – a “construction kit” for HTML5 and JavaScript – is used to develop the interfaces and the OData protocol is used for communication.
One question mark remains
Given that around 800 people a week are trained in the company’s own applications at SAP’s international training center in Walldorf alone and that these and other SAP courses are not exactly inexpensive, the question arises as to how much revenue SAP will lose as a result of the establishment of UI5. If people need less training and less support in their day-to-day business, this is great for their own productivity, but SAP and other trainers could lose a few euros or dollars.
So why has SAP opted for UI5 and thus for simpler operation of its own products? Well, basically, the company was under massive pressure to act – more and more software providers, including in the business environment, are focusing on user-centered applications that do not require an extra course to operate. Although SAP is clearly ahead when it comes to ERP, the company cannot risk missing out on this change in the way software is used.
Conclusion
For all companies that use SAP – according to SAP itself, that’s more than 355,000 customers in over 180 countries – Fiori is the step into a simpler (mobile) future. In the medium term, nobody will be able to convince an employee with a user interface that is more than 15 years old. With Fiori, SAP is at least partially living up to the “run simple” slogan it has been using since 2015.
Simplifier is also dedicated to this topic by building our low-code platform on the UI5 framework. We are currently the world’s only low-code platform for integrated UI5 business and IoT applications. Or in short: a UI5 app that generates UI5 apps.
Simplifier can be used to integrate existing system landscapes and generate applications. They run on all applicable end devices and create added value for the user. Even wearables can be easily integrated into the process.
“We are convinced that SAP has created a modern and robust framework with UI5. It is ideal for many purposes. And with the UI5 strategy, SAP developers are bringing the joy of working back to the user,” says Florian Rühl, Member of the Executive Board at Simplifier.
