A Complete Guide to SAP SmartForms
SAP SmartForms is a popular tool used to create and
maintain forms for mass printing in SAP systems. These forms are typically used
for various business processes like purchase orders, invoices, sales documents,
and more. SmartForms offer an easy way to design and customize forms without
needing extensive programming, unlike SAPScript.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
- T-Code for SmartForms
- Steps to Create SmartForms
- How to Access SmartForms in the Driver Program
- Function Module Generation
- Interface and Data Passing
- Advantages Over SAPScript
- How to Add a Logo to SmartForms
1. T-Code for
SmartForms: SMARTFORMS
The T-Code to create and maintain SmartForms is SMARTFORMS . Using this transaction, you can
design your form layout, define fields, add tables, and include various
elements like text, images, etc.
To open SmartForms:
1. Type SMARTFORMS
in the SAP command field.
2. Press Enter.
Steps to Create a SmartForm
Let's walk through the steps for creating a basic SmartForm in SAP.
Step
1: Create a SmartForm
1. Use T-Code SMARTFORMS
to open the SmartForms interface.
2. Click on the Create button to define a new SmartForm.
3. Enter a meaningful name for your SmartForm.
4. In the Form Attributes section, define details like the style and output options.
Step
2: Design the Layout
1. In the Form Builder, you will find two main sections:
- Global
Definitions: Define the global data and variables here.
- Form Interface: Define input and output parameters.
2. The layout is divided into:
- Pages: Where
you create headers, main content, and footers.
- Windows: Containers within a page that hold texts, tables, etc.
3. Add elements like text fields, images, or tables using the Graphical Editor.
Step
3: Define the Main Window
The Main Window is the primary section where your form’s content is printed. Add tables or text fields within this window to display dynamic data.
Step
4: Activate the SmartForm
Once you have designed your SmartForm, click on the Activate button to generate it.
3. How
to Access SmartForm in the Driver Program
In order to call and execute a SmartForm, you need to use it within a driver ABAP program. Here’s how to do that:
Step 1: Generate
the Function Module
After activating the SmartForm, SAP automatically
generates a Function Module that you can call in your program. To get the
Function Module name:
1. Go to Environment > Function Module Name in the
SmartForm screen.
2. SAP will display a system-generated function module name.
Step 2: Call the
SmartForm in Driver Program
In your ABAP program, you will call the generated function module like this:
abap
DATA: fm_name TYPE
rs38l_fnam,
control_param TYPE ssfctrlop,
output_param TYPE ssfcrescl.
* Get the function
module name of the SmartForm
CALL FUNCTION 'SSF_FUNCTION_MODULE_NAME'
EXPORTING
formname = 'Z_MY_SMARTFORM' " Your SmartForm name
IMPORTING
fm_name = fm_name
EXCEPTIONS
others = 1.
* Call the SmartForm Function Module
CALL FUNCTION
fm_name
EXPORTING
control_parameters = control_param
IMPORTING
job_output_info = output_param
EXCEPTIONS
others = 1.
In this example:
- Z_MY_SMARTFORM is the name of the SmartForm.
- The system retrieves the function module name and executes it with the required parameters.
4.
Interface and Data Passing
The Form Interface in SmartForms is crucial for passing data between your program and the form. Here's how you can define and use interfaces:
Step
1: Define Form Interface
In the Form Interface section:
1. Define import and export parameters to pass data
between your driver program and the SmartForm.
2. Define tables and structures if you want to pass internal tables from the driver program.
Step 2: Pass
Data from Driver Program
In your ABAP program, you will pass data to the SmartForm like this:
abap
DATA: my_data TYPE
my_structure.
* Pass the structure
or table data to the SmartForm
CALL FUNCTION
fm_name
EXPORTING
my_structure = my_data
EXCEPTIONS
others = 1.
This allows you to dynamically send data like customer details, sales orders, or invoices to your form.
5. Advantages of SmartForms Over SAPScript
Here are some key advantages of SmartForms compared to SAPScript:
- No Coding Required: You can design and modify
SmartForms without much programming knowledge.
- Graphical Design: SmartForms provide a user-friendly
graphical interface for form design, unlike SAPScript, which uses text-based
formatting.
- Dynamic Tables: You can easily add dynamic tables to
SmartForms.
- Output Formats: SmartForms support different output
formats like PDF, HTML, and XML, which are not natively available in SAPScript.
- Reusable Components: SmartForms allow you to create reusable components (like texts or logos), reducing redundancy.
6. Adding a Logo to SmartForms
To add a logo (or image) to your SmartForm:
1. Upload your logo to SAP using T-Code SE78 (SAPScript
Graphics Management).
- Go to SE78, and upload your image under BMAP (Bitmap Images).
2. In the SmartForm layout:
- Create a Graphic
element in the desired window.
- Select the Image from SE78 under the Name field.
3. Adjust the width and height of the image as needed.
SmartForms is a powerful tool in SAP that simplifies form creation and management. It has several advantages over SAPScript, such as ease of use, graphical design, and more flexibility in terms of layout and format. With SmartForms, you can easily generate and customize professional documents like invoices, purchase orders, and reports.
In this blog, we have covered:
- How to create SmartForms
- How to call them in your ABAP program
- Data passing with the form interface
- Adding logos for better presentation
- The advantages of SmartForms over SAPScript
By following these steps, you can create dynamic and
customizable forms in SAP with ease.