My Wishes about HRASR_DT Transaction and Framework

[Former Member]

Almost everyday I think of few crucial features that are missing (for Technical and functional consultants) in HCM Processes and Forms Design Time tool (HRASR_DT transaction). I am sure I am not the first one to think this way. Keeping my thoughts into consideration and keeping my technical experience/knowledge (to ensure the feasibility) in mind, I have composed a small wish list where this tool really need to be enhanced (from my perspective).

1. Search functionality

This tool mainly deals with the list of items in most of the places(fields list, FPM Forms list, Scenario Step field assignment list, Infotypes and Operations list, etc). I am sure having a simple "Search" / "Filter" in this tool would really help the configuration team in a big way. For e.g. when you are in viewing the entire list of fields in a form scenario, there is no way that you can do a simple search for a field, instead one has to really look carefully to locate any particular field. This becomes a pain point when the form has whole bunch of fields(especially in my scenario where we have at least 200 fields per form).

Wish

Add new "Find", "Find+" buttons  or enable "Find", "Find+" buttons in toolbar. Either way works for me as long as I can locate a field with a simple search.

2.   Pop-up functionality for "Field Attributes"

I am sure someone who built this tool really loves pop-ups. I see this pop-up functionality @ many places in this transaction. Though this functionality is absolutely required in some places, but I am sure we can get rid of this pop-up functionality for setting the "Field Attributes" of the field. Instead we can use the simple "Dropdowns" which reduces the amount of navigation. I am sure again, someone like me must have faced lot of pain going back and forth between pop-ups.

Wish

Replace pop-up functionality with simple dropdowns which reduces the amount of navigation. ( I would expect  performance to be same  )

3. Search help functionality

SAP came up with many options for enabling "Search Help" for any field like defining "Manual Search Help", "Backend service based Search Help",  "Generic Service based Search Help", "Web Dynpro Input Help". About 50% of my requirement got catered with these existing options. But if SAP also provides an options to use the SE11 - Search help it would have been wonderful. With this option provided, it might reduce our coding effort at least by 50% in terms of search help.

Wish

Add one more option - "Search Help" to this Value Help pop-up.

4. User Events Functionality

Though, I have written a blog expressing my ideal wish about User Events, I just want to re-iterate my wish again in this blog too. Current User events functionality is pretty limited where we can never identify the exact User event triggered in INITIALIZE or DO_OPERATIONS method in our generic service class. My first wish would be having this user event correctly recognized in the generic service class through method parameter.

Wish -

Smart way to identify the triggered event in the generic class.

5. PA - PD Integration

Perhaps, this would be my "Golden" wish. Though SAP gave us the framework of having one form updating both PA and PD, but the integration is still not that mature and straightforward. There is still good amount of hard work involved in getting even simple things working by building a bridge through "Generic Services".  It would be great if we have the tool has screen(something like Transfer of field values) that performs the transfer of fields from PA to PD. This integration would make the tool more powerful and really brings down the development to a great extent.

Wish

Smart Integration between PD and PA that makes forms more powerful.

6. Tables

Though SAP gives us the option to display the infotype information using "Line Structure" and "Conversion Class", but I somehow feel this feature is still so powerful and flexible as we think. Let's say if we want to update "One Time Payments" without any code but with a simple configuration, there is no way we can achieve it.

Wish

Smart way to define tables for any infotype with simple configuration.

7. FPM Forms Preview

Yes, FPM Forms are the future of HCM Processes and Forms. Though we can create FPM Forms in ease, there is one thing missing for sure - "Preview". I wish we have an option to preview the final layout based on "Scenario Step".

Wish

Preview option to view the final layout of the form.

Conclusion...

Though I still have many more wishes, I should end this blog not to bore the readers anymore. I might be wrong in any of above listed points where my wish has already been satisfied with a cool work around solution that I am not aware of, I would love to hear your views.