SRM & Portal Independent Navigation vs. NWBC (HTML and Desktop)

[Former Member]

Hi,

I hope that someone here on the forums with some experience in using SRM with NWBC can answer this question. All of the SRM implementations I have been involved with to date have used the NetWeaver Portal and the supplied SRM Business Packages. Now I have the scenario where we are evaluating the possibility to only use the NWBC for Desktop (no portal) and I would like to understand the options available.

As I understand it based on the documentation you can run the SRM with the Portal-Independent Navigation frame. In that documentation it states

NetWeaver Business Client for Desktop

To run SAP SRM applications in the Portal-independent navigation frame, you can only use the NetWeaver Business Client for HTML, not the NetWeaver Business Client for Desktop.

We would rather use the NWBC for Desktop (as we plan to roll out all other content this way), but the statement above rules that out - but I don't understand why. Does anyone have any experience with this scenario? Can anyone explain why it must use NWBC for HTML and not NWBC for Desktop (my general understanding is that NWBC for HTML is less feature rich than NWBC for Desktop - but in this case it seems the opposite is true). I could understand if it was just addressing an external facing scenario (e.g. you need a zero footprint option) - but what about internal e.g. Shopping Cart?

I am interested to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks,

Simon

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

What SRM scenarios are you using? Have you looked into using the SRM UI Add-On? It supports NWBC for Desktop. See SAP note 1760438 for details.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Samuli & Vinita,

Thanks for your replies. I have to say that I am still rather confused. I also came across this SAP note:

http://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1476447

If you look in Section I, you will see it says:

I. Harmonized roles in NWBC HTML or NWBC Client

The following restriction should be considered before using harmonized roles in NWBC HTML or NWBC Client. This restriction is not applicable when you use Netweaver Enterprise Portal.

2nd level navigation in ERP is not supported when you use harmonized roles in NWBC HTML or NWBC client.
-  For example, you search for purchase order in POWL and click on an ERP purchase order. The purchase order is displayed. Now, if you click on any of the links in purchase order pointing to another ERP transaction, you may receive an error message that "Transaction is not recognized".

This suggests to me that there is some issue with OBN when using NWBC in this scenario, as most of these links are based on OBN (at least in the portal they are).

I am going to reach out here to Julie Plummer and Claudia Binder here in the hope that they might be able to shed some light on this or point me to some one who can.

Thanks,
Simon

[ivy_li · Accepted solution]

Hi Simon,

For harmonized roles, they integrate ERP document together with SRM system.

You can refer to note for more details:

1263876 - SAP SRM: Configuration of Procure-to-Pay Scenario

However there  is limitation for NWBC if harmonized role is used. That is 2nd level access to ERP document or transaction is not allowed. I believe this is the restriction for NWBC product.

Because for portal, it has no such restriction.

From my knowledge, OBN is only used for portal instead of NWBC.

Best regards,

Ivy

[julieplummer20 · Accepted solution]

Hi Simon, hi Ivy,

We are currently clarifying this with our SRM colleagues and will get back to you asap.

However, in general SRM - including OBN - works with NWBC. OBN was (afaik) originally developed for the portal, but it works with both NWBC and NW Portal.

Best wishes,
Julie.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Julie,

I eagerly await their response :-). The only reason I can think of for this restriction might be that in NWBC the ERP transaction is somehow opened in a window that doesn't respond to the OBN calls, where as in in the portal they are always wrapped in a headerless portal window which can respond to the OBN.

Anyway... let's see what comes back.

Thanks,
Simon

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi ,

Any update on this?

Thanks,
Simon

[julieplummer20 · Accepted solution]

Hi Simon,

Yes I have, but it arrived literally this morning.

I am sorry about the long delay on this; it took some time to track down the best contact. Anyway, I can answer the first of your two queries. Here is the statement from the Chief Product Owner of SRM:
"I am the chief Product Owner for SRM. I can state that we do not impose restrictions for NWBC Desktop. ... We have a few customer messages where customer had reported issues in SRM with NWBC Desktop. And these were fixed by development and some by support teams. The note 1401378 which is mentioned below is for “Portal independent navigation frame” and does not qualify
for NWBC Desktop as such. "

He does not directly address your query re: http://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1476447

So I am now asking him about this. As soon as I have this information, I'll put it here.

Best wishes,
Julie.

[julieplummer20 · Accepted solution]

Hi Simon, hi everyone,

Here is the statement from the CPO re "2nd-level navigation":

"This restriction means that if a user is navigating to an ERP document from SRM system and therein he finds some other links which would take him to another document within ERP or outside it,
then this not possible.

This does not mean that the navigation to ERP itself is not supported."

So, if you are planning to use SRM as an integration hub, this is a substantial limitation.

Best wishes;
Julie.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Julie. Am I right in assuming then that "Portal Independent Navigation Frame" = "NWBC for HTML" ?? Or are they different?

Thanks for following up with the point in the note too.

Cheers,

Simon

[julieplummer20 · Accepted solution]

Hi Simon, Sorry, I don't know. "Portal-Independent Navigation Frame" was developed by SRM colleagues. Could you perhaps ask them - if you can mention one of them for example, in this thread, so they pick it up.
Sorry I can't help.

Best wishes,
Julie.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Julie, I think you've answered my question, it sounds like they are different things in that case if it was developed by the SRM team and not the NWBC team ... it is a bit of a shame we haven't had much input from anyone on the SRM team even though this is posted in the SRM space .

[vinita_kasliwal · Accepted solution]

Hi Simon ,

You can use Portal independent  function to work with the applications of SAP Supplier Relationship Management (SAP SRM) if you are not using SAP NetWeaver Portal and therefore cannot use its navigation frame. The look and feel of the Portal-independent navigation frame is similar to the Portal-based navigation frame. The functions available to the individual users depend on the PFCG roles, defined in the Role Maintenance transaction (PFCG), that you assign to the users.

The Portal-independent navigation frame is based on the SAP NetWeaver Business Client (HTML) and contains the following elements:

    Work centers

    Worksets

    Service link folders

    Service links

Hope that answers your question ..

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Julie,

I have one more question related to what I read in the help documentation:

Portal-Independent Navigation Frame - SAP Library

Accessibility

Accessibility functions for the blind or visually impaired are neither supported by the navigation frame nor by SAP SRM applications running in the navigation frame. This is due to restrictions in the underlying technology, NetWeaver Business Client for HTML. For more information, see SAP Note 1029940.

Can you comment in general about the Accessibility Support of NWBC (both Desktop and HTML versions)?

Thanks,
Simon

[julieplummer20 · Accepted solution]

Hi Simon, just fyi: I have created an internal message. The SRM colleague has agreed to update the docu.
Best wishes,

Julie.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Julie,

So the statement in the documentation is currently not correct? Does NWBC have any accessibility restrictions?

Sorry, I guess I am just getting a bit confused

[julieplummer20 · Accepted solution]

Hi Simon,

Your confusion is justified :-/.

It is technically correct to say "To run SAP SRM applications in the Portal-independent navigation frame, you can only use the NetWeaver Business Client for HTML, not the NetWeaver Business Client for Desktop." (I've just scrolled up - that was your original question, which started off this discussion.)

The point is that - IF you don't use the Portal-independent navigation frame - if you use NWBC for Desktop, then you CAN run SRM applications in NWBC for Desktop.

Therefore, the current docu is technically correct, but (I think) rather misleading.

So we are changing the docu to clarify what exactly you can do.

I will also (time permitting) update the FAQs to clarify the situation.

I don't have an exact date for when the new docu will be published. I will check with the colleagues in 3 months (sorry, but earlier is not realistic). Feel free to remind me.

HTH, Julie.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Julie, I really appreciate you following up on this.

[julieplummer20 · Accepted solution]

No problem ;-). BTW, could you perhaps mark this as "Answered". - I really think we've exhausted the topic now ;-).

Best wishes,
Julie.

[julieplummer20]

Hi Simon,

Before you go any further, you should perhaps look at this:

This implies (to me) that SRM 7.0 prior to EHP 1 runs only in the Portal.

Just to clarify (for those new to this thread): Up to now, we have been comparing NWBC with Portal Client. So in theory, you could run SRM 7.0, (EHP "zero" ) on the Portal stack, with NWBC as client.

However, we really don't recommend this for everyday use. Portal client is optimized for the Portal stack; NWBC is optimized for business suite systems on an ABAP on-premise stack.

(For more details of when to use what, see my blog:

  )

Just thought you should know before you make any decisions.

Best wishes,
Julie.

[Former Member]

Thanks Julie, I had seen that before, it is quite old now (2009). We are going to try to use NWBC (but have the portal as fallback if needed), I am currently setting up all the "harmonised" ERP/SRM roles for the NWBC - so very soon I will be able to report on our success (or otherwise). I will make sure to update this post with my findings.

[julieplummer20]

"I will make sure to update this post with my findings." - yes please do!

[_IvanFemia_]

Hi Simon,

any feedback on your experience?

What about NWBC HTML vs Client?

Ivan

[Former Member]

Thanks for the prompt to update this Ivan. Yes we have successfully used the harmonised ERP/SRM roles in the NWBC desktop client, all OBN navigation and drill downs appear to work as expected. We had some issues with the standard roles not having the correct OBN targets assigned in them, but SAP got back to us with updated roles that fixed those issues.

I hope that helps someone else.

I am not sure about using only the NWBC HTML client (a.k.a Portal Independent Navigation Frame) for these roles but I don't see why it wouldn't work just as well.

Cheers,

Simon

[_IvanFemia_]

Thank you Simon,

This is a really great news!

Cheers,

Ivan

[HammerM]

Hi Simon

Just to provide some more input.... We have implemented the SRM One-Client scenario in our ERP EHP6 system whereby SRM 7.02 is installed within ERP and not as a separate system. We solely use the NWBC Desktop Client and also NWBC for html to access SRM in the Self Service Shopping Cart scenario and further punch-out to an external catalogue. Everything works fine for us. We do not have any Portal installed.

Hope that helps

Mark

[Former Member]

Thanks Mark,

That gives me some confidence at least :-). The way that some of the documentation reads makes me worry/wonder about the restrictions and limitations. It's nice to hear that you have got a fully functional solution (albeit all in one system and not separate).

Cheers,

Simon

[vinita_kasliwal]

Hi Simon

Please can you check the notes and link below and see if its of any use ?

Notes :

1754946 - NWBC for Desktop 4.0: Prerequisites and restrictions

1620514 - NWBC 3.5 for Desktop: Prerequisites and restrictions

1620576 - NWBC for HTML: Prerequisites and restrictions

Link:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73ehp1/helpdata/en/4c/5bd5ab97817511e10000000a42189b/content.htm