Be in perfect form with SAP Forms

Adobe technology has been integrated into the Web Application Server of SAP NetWeaver and because of this integration, all SAP solutions are already capable of using the new applications solution for a variety of useful things such as form design, online and offline form processing and output distribution. With the new solution shipped with the mySAP ERP 2004 are the first scenarios implemented from the areas of human resources, financials and operation.

Dealing with SAP forms can be a great skill to have as all applications whether offline or online are really dependent on forms. Besides, all users need to interact with graphical interfaces and there can be no any other way to use a graphical interface than using forms.

To get you started with SAP forms development means knowing the ins and outs of Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP). ABAP, as a short backgrounder, is a high level programming language created by SAP with syntax similar to COBOL and is currently positioned with Java for use in programming the Web Application Server which is part of SAP's NetWeaver platoforms for business applications. SAP is a complex language that even programmers from other disciplines like visual basic may be a relative degree of difficulty. But with constant practice and mastery of the business enterprise process, knowing ABAP will certainly come.

When just starting out with SAP forms, you need to management your expectations. You will be expecting many new domains. As one expert puts it: "Working with the first few SAP forms is like swimming in uncharted waters so do not act like you are a lifeguard." You need to be honest with yourself and the people you are working with and there is no problem with saying "please bear with me, I am new to this." Do not be afraid to ask help. On your free time, instead of opening your social networking site and reading about what your friends are doing, try opening tutorials about SAP forms. And if you have the guts, tell your manager to invest in you with further education. It is not difficulty to know that education has long term benefits for both you and the company.

The more you gain experience with SAP forms, the clear you work on certain contexts and project requirements. Different folks working with SAP create different functional areas so you need to catch up with these. One module for "message" another for "output" yet another for "correspondence" – there will be so many approaches to populating forms and generating data for testing. Study relevant print structures, tables, driver programs, preconfigured forms. The newest available forms are Adobe forms, followed by Smart Forms and then SAPscript so make sure you leverage on their power.

If you can get hold of a decent forms rules, good. Then map out coordinates ahead of time. You should also know in-depth troubleshooting by mastering many debugging tools available. Good luck on your SAP career and may you be the best at SAP Forms!