ADOBE FORMS

(BASIC)

FTSI ABAP TRAINING

Geoffrey Loren Chua
May XX, 2018

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TOPICS

• Overview
• Pre-requisite
• Configuration
• Transaction
• Interface
• Context
• Layout
• Program (Calling Adobe Form/s)
• Recommendations
• Exercise and Go Explore! 

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OVERVIEW

ADOBE FORM

Purpose
As of SAP NetWeaver ’04 (in SAP Web Application Server), you can use a new solution to
create interactive forms and print forms for the optimization of your form-based business
processes. This solution uses Portable Document Format (PDF) and software from Adobe
Systems Inc. that has been integrated into the SAP environment.

You can create interactive forms in PDF format that allow users to fill out the form on the
screen and save their entries in XML format in the form. When the SAP system receives the
PDF form, it extracts the data saved in the form, and can process it further.

You can also merge a form template with current system data to generate a PDF document
that can then be printed or sent by e-mail.

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OVERVIEW

SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe offer you the following business advantages:
• Interactive functions automate the creation of data for SAP systems
• Full integration into the SAP development environments for Java and ABAP
• User-friendly tools reduce the time and costs associated with creating form layouts.
• The usage of the PDF format means that forms retain their appearance regardless of the
environment they are used in.

Implementation Considerations
SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe are particularly well suited to business processes in which
employees enter data in a form-based solution and then want to transfer this data
automatically to the SAP system. In the simplest cases, you only require the free Adobe
Reader to display or fill out PDF forms on your front end.

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PRE-REQUISITE

Developer
• Install Adobe LiveCycle Designer (latest version 11)
A graphical tool for designing form layouts; it is integrated into SAP NetWeaver
Developer Studio and ABAP Workbench.

Server
• Install Adobe Document Service (ADS)
Web services used to generate the PDF forms at runtime; in interactive scenarios, they
extract the XML data from the form and send it to the system.

Others
• Install PDF reader (preferably from Adobe)
• Install latest printer drivers

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PRE-REQUISITE

How to test if ADS is installed or working?

• Go to SE38
• Run program FP_TEST_00
• Execute

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PRE-REQUISITE

Output

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PRE-REQUISITE

How to retrieve ADS version?

• Go to SE38
• Run program FP_PDF_TEST_00
• Execute

Output:

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CONFIGURATION

• SPAD

• NACE

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TRANSACTION

SFP is the transaction used to design the form with Adobe

LiveCycle Designer

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INTERFACE

Interface in Form Builder

This can include the following data:
● Data selected from the database tables of your application. You use the form interface to specify
this data.
● Data provided by the SAP system or by the PDF-based print forms solution, such as dates
● Data that you have calculated or implemented in a form yourself, such as totals for tables

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CONTEXT

Context in Form Builder

• In the context (also known as the form context), you specify which data is copied from the
interface to the form. You include this data as a node in a hierarchy structure. In this hierarchy,
you also decide the form logic by specifying conditions for processing the nodes.
• The context function in Form Builder is the link that binds the interface to the layout. You
construct the form context from the existing interface.

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LAYOUT

Layout in Form Builder

• When you create a layout in the Form Builder, you define the graphical design of the PDF form.
This includes the positioning of the data and the design of tables. You can also specify
background pictures for the form, and define the order of the pages.
• The Layout function in the Form Builder calls Adobe LiveCycle Designer, an integrated graphical
software tool for creating forms.

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PROGRAM

Calling a single Adobe form

Use function module

• FP_FUNCTION_MODULE_NAME - Form Processing Generation
• FP_JOB_OPEN – Open Form Processing
• FP_JOB_CLOSE – Close Form Processing

Calling multiple Adobe forms (bundling)

Sample Program: FP_CHECK_BATCH_PDF_RETURN

DEMO NA LANG

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations for Adobe LiveCycle Designer

● For interactive forms, use the Form Caching function in the Designer. For more
information, see the online help for the Designer.
● Minimize the amount of communication that takes place with the server in interactive
forms. Only use those interactive functions (such as dynamic value help that sends queries
to the server) that are strictly necessary.
● Keep scripting to a minimum, since scripting in a form can have an effect on
performance.
● If possible, use only the following character sets, even if the Designer supports others:
Courier, Arial, Times New Roman. These character sets do not need to be embedded in
the form, which improves performance.
● For a detailed description of how to improve performance, see the online help of the
Designer, under Creating Forms for Optimal Performance.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations for Form Builder

● For each business scenario, design an individual form that uses its own data retrieval
methods. Do not implement the condition-driven output of multiple forms from the same
form object.
● Structure the form context in accordance with the logical flow of data. Place the context
nodes used at the top of the form at the initial position in the context tree.
● Deactivate any context nodes that you do not need.

Recommendations for Calling Forms and Form Output

● When you create forms for mass printing, design the data retrieval process in the
application program and interface in accordance with your individual requirements. To
support you in your work, use the function module FP_FIELD_LIST, which determines
all fields used in the interface.
● Bundle print forms.
● Cache forms that you want to process with Adobe document services.

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EXERCISE

Go create your own form and explore! 

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THANK YOU!

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