Learning and using new SAP technology - How do you learn about the new stuff? Once you know it, how do you implement it?

1. Presented by Michelle Crapo
abap4fun@gmail.com
mcrapo@perrigo.com

2. Well you’re here

3. Contents
 Step by step from learning to using
 Discussion
 Benefits
 Old Dog tricks used in a New world!
 Closing

4. Step 1 – Make the time
 Normal work hours
 Lull in projects
 During project where can use the new technology
 Something that you might use.
 Presentations and demos to internal customers
 Non-work hours
 Prior to work
 After work
 During lunch break

5. Lull in projects
 Support work
 Timelines
 Level of priority
 Waiting for a response when you are complete with
your development
 Usually it goes back and forth a couple of times

6. Project Work
 Question to ask yourself or know the answer if asked:
 Why
 Will it change any of the requirements
 Extra time needed
 What are you using differently
 Describe benefits
 Use the new tool without causing project issues or
changes (Transparently)
 Demo it!

7. Non-work hours
 Only when it is fun!
 Learn things that excite you
 Logistically
 Prior to work
 After work
 Lunch
 Only when family doesn’t need you for something else.

8. Groups
 What could you use at home?
 How?

9. Something you might use
 Read it
 Read case studies on it
 Schedule a meeting – add your overview to the invite.
What will they learn?
 Demo it!

10. Step 2 - Learn
 SAP Teched – my #1 place
 Local Events
 Web
 Blogs
 Websites
 SCN E-Learning
 http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/elearn
 Outside resources (people you’ve met, mentors,
forums)
 Learn how the new technology was used.

11. SAP Teched
 Hands-on
 High level overview of what is coming
 Lecture on new technology
 ASUG lectures – these add the tools that most of us
can get to now.

12. Local Events
 Easy to get to
 Less expensive (may be no cost to you except travel.
SIT)
 Network. Introduce or get introductions from many of
the SAP type people in your local area
 Examples
 SAP Insider Track
 ASUG Meetings

13. SCN E-learning
 Start the presentation have an open SAP Screen
 Run the presentation pausing when you need to,
create it on your system (if possible)

14. Web
 Google, YAHOO, SAPhoo
 Articles
 Blogs
 Question / Answers
 Free training - See some of them that I’ve found at the
end of the presentation
 Examples HTML, XML..
 Tutorials

15. On your own system
 ABAPDOCU
 SE30 – Tips and Tricks
 SE38 - DEMO*

16. Outside Resources
 Send an e-mail to one of those people on your business
cards. (I’m one of many.)
 Do they have time to show you something new they may
have learned?
 Have they used a new technology on a project.
 Use social networking
 Request Mentor Webinars

17. Step 3 - Implement
 WebDynpro
 ABAP objects
 Enhancement Framework
 Quality tools inside ABAP
 MII
 Web UI
 Floorplan Manager

18. Just do it!

19. And so.. What about my skills?
 Take an inventory
 Most of the “new” stuff is based upon ABAP
 You KNOW ABAP

20. Old Tricks
 Loop / exit / Endloop
 Table for variables
 Table Maintenance
 KISS
 Documentation in programs
 Performance tuning
 Stop – does it make sense?

21. Example
 Webdynpro for printing labels – combined with
SMARTFORMS

22. Webdynpro

23. Webdynpro

24. Dynpo

25. Webdynpro

26. Dynpro

27. Webdynpro

28. Code
Old New

29. PBO

30. Code

31. Discussion points
 Project time
 Justification
 Learning
 Using

32. Project Timeline
 When you estimate, estimate for the new technology
 During a project get permission to extend timelines
based upon new technology.
 Demo new technology for the project team.
 Present slideshow with information for case studies for
business that have already used the technology.
 If possible get a phone call set up with one of those
companies.

33. Justification Learning
 Share the information learned with co-workers
 Create Demos
 Be able to present new technology to the team and / or
management
 Once start doing it – get ready to show why it has
helped.
 User Satisfaction
 Quicker ABAP programming with a good repository of
reusable code.

34. Justification Using
 Customer Satisfaction
 Reusable code
 Personal Job Satisfaction
 Keeping skills current – we support SAP code, we need
to understand it.
 More options for projects
 Better design / testing leading to less maintenance
work in the future.

35. Benefits!
 Endless.
 You decide based upon the technology you choose.
 Make sure you keep a log of lessons learned, and
benefits after your project(s).
 See justification above.

36. Closing
 Coding standards should gradually change to use new
coding techniques.
 An example no longer used the ALV function module
instead use the ALV class / methods
 Learning / using is a great justification for going to
training
 Learning new things increase you as an asset of the
company.

37. abap4fun@gmail.com

38. ALV Object
 *&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Report ZMC_NEW_ALV4
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Create ALV
* - Change Attributes of a column
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
REPORT zmc_new_alv4.
DATA: i_kna1 TYPE TABLE OF kna1.
* Set up class references
DATA: g_outtab TYPE REF TO cl_salv_table.
DATA: g_functions TYPE REF TO cl_salv_functions.
DATA: g_display TYPE REF TO cl_salv_display_settings.
DATA: g_columns TYPE REF TO cl_salv_columns_table. "Version 4
DATA: g_column TYPE REF TO cl_salv_column_table. "Version 4
DATA: color TYPE lvc_s_colo. "Version 4
START-OF-SELECTION.
PERFORM get_data.
PERFORM display_data.
END-OF-SELECTION.
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Form get_data
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Retrieve the data
*----------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM get_data.
* Retrieve data
SELECT * INTO TABLE i_kna1 FROM kna1.
ENDFORM. "get_data

39. ALV Object Continued
 *&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Form display_Data
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Display the data
*----------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM display_data.
* Set up an instance of the ALV class (Static method)
cl_salv_table=>factory( IMPORTING r_salv_table = g_outtab
CHANGING t_table = i_kna1 ).
* Get the functions that can be used with an ALV.
g_functions = g_outtab->get_functions( ).
* Set the functions to true. Display all functions.
g_functions->set_all( abap_true ).
*Set up an istanance for g_display
g_display = g_outtab->get_display_settings( ).
* Add striped pattern
g_display->set_striped_pattern( cl_salv_display_settings=>true ).

40. ALV Object Continued
 * Add heading
g_display->set_list_header( 'This is the heading - METHOD SET_LIST_HEADER' ).
* Set up an instance of g_columns
g_columns = g_outtab->get_columns( ).
* Retrieve KUNNR column - Part of the KNA1 table
* CL_SALV_COLUMNS_TABLE class ?= is variable object
g_column ?= g_columns->get_column( 'KUNNR' ).
g_column->set_long_text( 'This is long text' ).
g_column->set_short_text( 'This is sh' ).
* Same as above only retrieve NAME1 (This is a separate instance)
g_column ?= g_columns->get_column( 'NAME1' ).
color-col = '3'.
color-int = '1'.
color-inv = '0'.
g_column->set_color( color ).
* Run the display method for the G_OUTTAB instance.
g_outtab->display( ).
ENDFORM. "display_Data

41. Enhancement Points / Modification
of Code(http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/11896)

42. Objects
 Use them! – use the ALV object
 Create them similar to function modules
 Start to evolve to use the interesting techniques
 Global vs. local – Can make a strong argument on
either side