Smart Forms

Smart Forms

Introduction

General Concepts on Form Printing

Structure of a Form

Pages of a Form

Main Window and Subwindows

Texts and Data in a Form

Overview

Architecture

Creating Forms Using SAP Smart Forms

Retrieving Application Data

Describing a Form

Form Logic: Introduction

Example for Form Logic

Using SAP Smart Forms

Graphical User Interface

Node Types: Overview

Shared Attributes of the Node Types

Basic Elements of a Form

Creating Pages

Creating Windows

Positioning of Texts on the Form

Entering Texts in the PC Editor

Including Text Modules

Including SAPscript Texts

Web Attributes

Using Simple Input Types

Using Group Input Types

Using Text Areas

Inserting Addresses

Printing Graphics

Combining Nodes

Using Parameters in a Form

Passing Data to the Form

Defining the Form Interface

Integrating the Smart Form into the Application

Global Definitions

Using Fields in the Form

Including Fields in the PC Editor

System Fields

Field Syntax

Output Options for Field Contents

Displaying Fields That Refer to Currencies or Quantities

Printing Data in a Table

Line Types

Line Types for Templates

Line Types for Tables

Printing Templates

Describing the Table Layout

Displaying Contents in Cells

Displaying Graphics in Templates

Displaying a Background Picture for Copy Purposes

Combining Templates and Windows

Printing Tables

Accessing Application Data

Reading Internal Tables

Sort Criteria

Combining Loops and Tables

Specifying Table Output

Output Areas of a Table

Page Protection for Tables

Calculations

Examples

Calculating Grand Totals

Calculating Subtotals

Numbering Table Items Consecutively

Calculation and Initialization Events

Operations

Calculations on All Items of the Table

Calculations on Items of a Sort Level

Calculations at Sort Level Break

Printing Old Tables

Table Tab

Data Tab

Events Tab

Determining Table Contents

Flow Control

Determining Output Conditions

Events

Branching Within the Form

Processing Output Repeatedly

Page Sequence and Numbering

Dynamic Page Break

Page Numbering

Maintaining Forms With the Form Builder

Navigation Tree

Copies and Links in the Navigation Tree

Form Painter

PC Editor

Table Painter

Defining Line Types

Boxes and Shadings

Setting Boxes

Setting Shadings

Context Menu

Keyboard Commands

Checking and Testing a Smart Form

Field List and Error List

Undo / Redo

Downloading and Uploading Forms

Output Options

Box and Shading

Preview

Maintenance of Styles with the Style Builder

Smart Styles

Header Data of a Smart Style

Paragraph Formats

Character Formats

Maintenance of Text Modules

Form Output

Output Formats

Output in OTF Format (Standard Output)

Output in PDF Format

Output in XSF Format

Statically Activating XSF Output

Dynamically Activating XSF Output

Output in HTML Format

Output in XDF Format

Output Example

Output Media

Spool Processing

Controlling the Spool Dialog

Printing Several Forms in One Print Request

Output of XML Documents

Sending Forms by E-Mail or Telefax

Archiving

Returning a Form as a Table in the Application Program

Smart Form Trace

Activating and Configuring the Trace

Analyzing Trace Output

Administration of Form Graphics

Importing Graphics

Graphic Information and Preview

Transporting Graphics

Advanced Form Development

Special Node Types

Commands

Complex Section

Program Lines

Processing a Form

Output Control: Overview

Processing Pages

Processing Windows

Main Window

Copies Window

Final Window

Processing Loops and Tables

Summary

Summing Up Different Currencies

Calculating and Printing Grand Totals

Calculating and Printing Subtotals

Delivery and Translation

Parameters of the Generated Function Module

Default Settings (Standard Output)

Control Structure

Output Options

Options for Fax Output

Spool Settings

Options for XML/HTML Output

Querying the Output Result

XML/HTML Output Structure

Forms in Internet Applications

Input Elements

Simple Input Types

Group Input Types

Text Areas

Digression: HTML Forms

Integration into BSP Applications

Evaluating Form Input

Integration in IACs (ITS Technology)

URL Access to Smart Forms Objects

Migrating SAPscript Forms

Migrating Smart Forms

Notes About Migrating Smart Forms

Migrating BDS Graphics into the MIME Repository

Smart FormsPurposeYou use Smart Forms to create and maintain forms for mass printing in SAP systems. Besides using the printer for standard output you can also select the Internet (by using a generated HTML output), a fax, or e-mail as the output medium. In addition to the tool, SAP delivers a selection of forms for central business processes. This includes forms in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as well as in the applications SD, FI, and HR. Smart Forms offers the following advantages: Creating and maintaining forms requiring half the time Adapting forms without any programming knowledge due to entirely graphical user interface Integrating input elements into the HTML output, which enables you to use a form in Internet applications as well

Smart Forms replace SAPscript forms. SAPscript forms will still be supported in the future; you can use them without making any changes for years to come. You can even use SAPscript texts in the Smart Forms. Migration of SAPscript forms into Smart Forms is supported.

IntegrationSmart Forms allows you to execute simple modifications to the form and in the form logic by using simple graphical tools; in 90% of all cases, this won't include any programming effort. Thus, a user who is familiar with the tool but has only rudimentary programming knowledge can configure forms with data from an SAP system for the relevant business processes. The result of the form development is a Smart Form. After it is activated, the Smart Form is similar to a callable function module in the SAP system. The logic of the form is mapped entirely in the Smart Form. To print a form, you call it from within an application program, in which you retrieve the application data to be merged into the form. As data retrieval and form logic are separated, you must only adapt the Smart Form if changes to the form logic are necessary. The application program passes the data via a function module interface to the Smart Form.

FeaturesToolsTo develop a Smart Form you use the Form Builder in which you describe the attributes of the Smart Form by using the integrated graphical tools, such as the Form Painter for the layout of a form page or the Table Painter for the design of table output. The form logic is represented by a hierarchy structure (tree structure) that you construct of individual nodes together with the relevant attributes. Besides using existing nodes for global settings you may create, for example, nodes for the output of texts, of tables, or of graphics. To make changes, use Drag&Drop, Copy&Paste, and select different attributes. These actions do not require writing coding lines or using a Script language. You can check individual nodes as well as the entire form and find any existing errors in the tree structure. The data flow analysis checks whether all fields (variables) have a defined value at the moment they are displayed.

TablesYou can include static and dynamic tables into a Smart Form. Dynamic tables enable you to display tables whose size is determined only at the moment of their output by the number of the table items to be displayed. Table functions are: Line feeds in individual table cells

Event-controlled output of table headings and footers Integrated calculation of grand totals and subtotals Colored boxes and shadings in tables

MiscellaneousTo position output on a form page you use windows. Besides using simple windows for displaying output of fixed length there are special window types, for example, for continuous text or for distinctions between the original and a copy of a form. You can include background pictures as graphics, which you can either use as copy templates for a form or print as background graphics. You can specify spool attributes in the form to allow for postage optimizing.

Interactive Web FormsYou use HTML output to integrate forms into Internet applications. This allows you to use the same Smart Form both for printing and for the Internet application. The layout of the form in the web browser corresponds to the print layout. You can enhance the web forms with input-enabled elements, allowing the recipient or user of a web form to change or supplement data. The data the user entered can either be queried by the Internet application or be evaluated automatically by the system.

IntroductionDepending on your knowledge, you may be able to skip certain