What is SAP Smart Forms?
SAP Smart Forms is
introduced in SAP Basis Release 4.6C as the tool for creating and maintaining
forms.
SAP Smart Forms allow 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 power user without any
programming knowledge can
configure forms with data from an SAP System for
the relevant business processes.
To print a form, you need a program for
data retrieval and a Smart Form that contains the entire from logic. 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. When activating the Smart Form,
the system automatically generates a
function module. At runtime, the system processes
this function module.
You can insert static and dynamic tables.
This includes line feeds in individual table cells, triggering events for
table headings and subtotals, and
sorting data before output.
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.
SAP Smart Forms allow you to
include graphics, which you can display either as part of the form or as
background graphics. You use background graphics to copy the layout of an
existing (scanned) form or to lend forms a company-specific look. During
printout, you can suppress the background graphic, if desired.
SAP Smart Forms also support postage
optimizing.
Also read SAP Note No. 168368 - Smart
Forms: New form tool in Release 4.6C
What Transaction to start SAP Smart
Forms?
Execute transaction SMARTFORMS to start SAP
Smart Forms.
Key Benefits of SAP Smart Forms:
SAP Smart Forms allows you to reduce considerably the implementation costs
of mySAP.com solutions since forms can be adjusted in minimum time.
You design a form using the graphical Form
Painter and the graphical Table Painter. The form logic is represented by a
hierarchy structure (tree structure) that consists of individual nodes, such as
nodes for global settings, nodes for
texts, nodes for output tables,
or nodes for graphics.
To make changes, use Drag & Drop,
Copy & Paste, and select different
attributes.
These actions do not include writing of
coding lines or using a Script language.
Using your form description maintained in
the Form Builder, Smart Forms generates a function module that encapsulates layout, content and form
logic. So you do not need a group of function modules to print a form, but only one.
For Web publishing, the system provides a
generated XML output of the processed form.
Smart Forms provides a data stream called
XML for Smart Forms (XSF) to allow the use of 3rd party printing tools. XSF
passes form content from R/3 to an external product without passing any layout
information about the Smart Form.
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