Imported from personamanagmentlayer/pcl (stdlib/domains/sap-expert/SKILL.md). Install upstream with npx skills add personamanagmentlayer/pcl --skill sap-expert. Copyright stays with the author.

SAP Expert

Core Concepts

SAP Ecosystem

• SAP ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning suite (ECC, S/4HANA)
• SAP HANA - In-memory database platform
• SAP Fiori - Modern UX layer with responsive apps
• SAP Business Suite - Finance, HR, Supply Chain, Manufacturing modules
• SAP BTP - Business Technology Platform (cloud services)

ABAP Development

• ABAP Objects - Object-oriented programming in ABAP
• CDS Views - Core Data Services for data modeling
• AMDP - ABAP Managed Database Procedures
• ALV - ABAP List Viewer for reports
• BAPIs - Business Application Programming Interfaces
• RFCs - Remote Function Calls for integration

Integration Technologies

• OData Services - RESTful APIs for SAP data
• IDoc - Intermediate Documents for data exchange
• SOAP/RFC - Web services and remote function calls
• SAP PI/PO - Process Integration/Orchestration
• SAP Gateway - OData and REST API framework

Implementation Examples

ABAP Report with ALV Grid

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Report  Z_EMPLOYEE_REPORT
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
REPORT z_employee_report.

TABLES: pa0001.  " Organizational Assignment

TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_employee,
         pernr TYPE pa0001-pernr,
         ename TYPE pa0001-ename,
         orgeh TYPE pa0001-orgeh,
         plans TYPE pa0001-plans,
         stell TYPE pa0001-stell,
       END OF ty_employee.

DATA: gt_employee TYPE TABLE OF ty_employee,
      gs_employee TYPE ty_employee,
      go_alv      TYPE REF TO cl_salv_table.

SELECT-OPTIONS: s_pernr FOR pa0001-pernr.

START-OF-SELECTION.

  " Fetch employee data
  SELECT pernr ename orgeh plans stell
    FROM pa0001
    INTO TABLE gt_employee
    WHERE pernr IN s_pernr
      AND endda = '99991231'
      AND begda <= sy-datum.

  IF sy-subrc = 0.
    " Display ALV
    TRY.
        cl_salv_table=>factory(
          IMPORTING
            r_salv_table = go_alv
          CHANGING
            t_table      = gt_employee ).

        " Enable all standard functions
        go_alv->get_functions( )->set_all( abap_true ).

        " Optimize column width
        go_alv->get_columns( )->set_optimize( abap_true ).

        " Display
        go_alv->display( ).

      CATCH cx_salv_msg INTO DATA(lx_msg).
        MESSAGE lx_msg TYPE 'E'.
    ENDTRY.
  ELSE.
    MESSAGE 'No data found' TYPE 'I'.
  ENDIF.

CDS View with Associations

@AbapCatalog.sqlViewName: 'ZSALESORDERV'
@AbapCatalog.compiler.compareFilter: true
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #CHECK
@EndUserText.label: 'Sales Order with Customer'

define view Z_SalesOrder
  as select from vbak as SalesOrder
  association [1..1] to kna1 as _Customer
    on $projection.CustomerId = _Customer.kunnr
{
  key SalesOrder.vbeln as SalesOrderId,
      SalesOrder.erdat as CreatedDate,
      SalesOrder.erzet as CreatedTime,
      SalesOrder.ernam as CreatedBy,
      SalesOrder.kunnr as CustomerId,
      SalesOrder.netwr as NetValue,
      SalesOrder.waerk as Currency,

      // Associations
      _Customer
}
where SalesOrder.vbtyp = 'C'  // Sales order

OData Service Implementation

CLASS zcl_odata_employee_dpc_ext DEFINITION
  PUBLIC
  INHERITING FROM zcl_odata_employee_dpc
  CREATE PUBLIC.

  PUBLIC SECTION.
    METHODS /iwbep/if_mgw_appl_srv_runtime~get_entityset
      REDEFINITION.
    METHODS /iwbep/if_mgw_appl_srv_runtime~get_entity
      REDEFINITION.
    METHODS /iwbep/if_mgw_appl_srv_runtime~create_entity
      REDEFINITION.

ENDCLASS.

CLASS zcl_odata_employee_dpc_ext IMPLEMENTATION.

  METHOD /iwbep/if_mgw_appl_srv_runtime~get_entityset.

    DATA: lt_employees TYPE TABLE OF zcl_odata_employee_mpc=>ts_employee,
          ls_employee  TYPE zcl_odata_employee_mpc=>ts_employee.

    CASE iv_entity_name.
      WHEN 'EmployeeSet'.

        " Apply filters from URI
        DATA(lt_filter) = io_tech_request_context->get_filter( )->get_filter_select_options( ).

        " Fetch data
        SELECT pernr, ename, orgeh, plans
          FROM pa0001
          INTO CORRESPONDING FIELDS OF TABLE lt_employees
          WHERE endda = '99991231'
            AND begda <= sy-datum.

        " Return data
        copy_data_to_ref(
          EXPORTING
            is_data = lt_employees
          CHANGING
            cr_data = er_entityset ).

    ENDCASE.

  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD /iwbep/if_mgw_appl_srv_runtime~create_entity.

    DATA: ls_employee TYPE zcl_odata_employee_mpc=>ts_employee,
          ls_pa0001   TYPE pa0001.

    " Get payload
    io_data_provider->read_entry_data(
      IMPORTING
        es_data = ls_employee ).

    " Create employee record
    ls_pa0001-pernr = ls_employee-pernr.
    ls_pa0001-ename = ls_employee-ename.
    ls_pa0001-begda = sy-datum.
    ls_pa0001-endda = '99991231'.

    " Call BAPI to create employee
    CALL FUNCTION 'BAPI_EMPLOYEE_ENQUEUE'
      EXPORTING
        number = ls_pa0001-pernr
      EXCEPTIONS
        OTHERS = 1.

    IF sy-subrc = 0.
      INSERT pa0001 FROM ls_pa0001.
      COMMIT WORK.
    ENDIF.

    " Return created entity
    er_entity = ls_employee.

  ENDMETHOD.

ENDCLASS.

SAP Fiori App (SAPUI5)

sap.ui.define(
  [
    'sap/ui/core/mvc/Controller',
    'sap/ui/model/json/JSONModel',
    'sap/m/MessageToast',
  ],
  function (Controller, JSONModel, MessageToast) {
    'use strict';

    return Controller.extend('com.example.employee.controller.Main', {
      onInit: function () {
        // Initialize model
        var oModel = new JSONModel();
        this.getView().setModel(oModel);

        // Load employee data
        this._loadEmployees();
      },

      _loadEmployees: function () {
        var that = this;
        var oDataModel = this.getView().getModel('odata');

        oDataModel.read('/EmployeeSet', {
          success: function (oData) {
            that.getView().getModel().setProperty('/employees', oData.results);
          },
          error: function (oError) {
            MessageToast.show('Failed to load employees');
          },
        });
      },

      onEmployeeSelect: function (oEvent) {
        var oItem = oEvent.getParameter('listItem');
        var oContext = oItem.getBindingContext();
        var sEmployeeId = oContext.getProperty('Pernr');

        // Navigate to detail view
        this.getOwnerComponent().getRouter().navTo('detail', {
          employeeId: sEmployeeId,
        });
      },

      onCreateEmployee: function () {
        var oDialog = this.byId('createDialog');
        oDialog.open();
      },

      onSaveEmployee: function () {
        var oView = this.getView();
        var oModel = oView.getModel('odata');

        var oEntry = {
          Pernr: oView.byId('pernrInput').getValue(),
          Ename: oView.byId('enameInput').getValue(),
          Orgeh: oView.byId('orgehInput').getValue(),
        };

        oModel.create('/EmployeeSet', oEntry, {
          success: function () {
            MessageToast.show('Employee created successfully');
            this._loadEmployees();
            this.byId('createDialog').close();
          }.bind(this),
          error: function () {
            MessageToast.show('Failed to create employee');
          },
        });
      },
    });
  }
);

RFC Function Module

FUNCTION z_get_employee_details.
*"----------------------------------------------------------------------
*"*"Local Interface:
*"  IMPORTING
*"     VALUE(IV_PERNR) TYPE  PERNR_D
*"  EXPORTING
*"     VALUE(ES_EMPLOYEE) TYPE  ZS_EMPLOYEE
*"  EXCEPTIONS
*"      EMPLOYEE_NOT_FOUND
*"----------------------------------------------------------------------

  SELECT SINGLE pernr ename orgeh plans stell
    FROM pa0001
    INTO CORRESPONDING FIELDS OF es_employee
    WHERE pernr = iv_pernr
      AND endda = '99991231'
      AND begda <= sy-datum.

  IF sy-subrc <> 0.
    RAISE employee_not_found.
  ENDIF.

  " Enrich with additional data
  SELECT SINGLE persg persk
    FROM pa0001
    INTO (es_employee-persg, es_employee-persk)
    WHERE pernr = iv_pernr
      AND endda = '99991231'.

ENDFUNCTION.

Best Practices

Development Standards

• Use naming conventions (Z*/Y* for custom objects)
• Implement proper error handling with exceptions
• Follow ABAP coding guidelines (clean code)
• Use CDS views for data modeling in S/4HANA
• Leverage ABAP unit tests for quality assurance
• Document code with proper comments

Performance Optimization

• Use database views instead of nested SELECTs
• Implement buffering for frequently accessed tables
• Use SAP HANA-specific features (AMDP, CDS)
• Optimize ALV displays with field catalogs
• Implement lazy loading for large datasets
• Use parallel processing for batch jobs

Integration Patterns

• Prefer OData services for modern integrations
• Use IDoc for asynchronous batch processing
• Implement RFC for synchronous real-time calls
• Apply proper authorization checks
• Implement retry logic and error handling
• Use SAP Gateway for REST APIs

Security Best Practices

• Implement authorization objects properly
• Use secure network communication (SNC)
• Encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit
• Apply principle of least privilege
• Regular security patches and updates
• Implement audit logging

Anti-Patterns

Code Smells

• Hard-coded values instead of customizing
• Missing error handling and exceptions
• SELECT * statements without field list
• Nested loops with database access
• Missing authorization checks
• Modifications to standard SAP objects

Design Issues

• Tight coupling between modules
• God objects with too many responsibilities
• Direct table access instead of BAPIs
• Synchronous processing for long-running tasks
• Missing transaction management
• No separation of concerns

Integration Mistakes

• Point-to-point integrations without middleware
• Missing idempotency in service calls
• No versioning for APIs
• Inadequate error handling in RFC calls
• Synchronous calls where async would be better
• Missing retry mechanisms

Resources

Official Documentation

• SAP Help Portal - Comprehensive documentation
• SAP API Business Hub - API references
• ABAP Keyword Documentation - Language reference
• SAP Fiori Design Guidelines - UX patterns

Learning Platforms

• SAP Learning Hub - Official training
• openSAP - Free online courses
• SAP Community - Forums and blogs
• SAP Press - Technical books

Tools & Extensions

• ABAP Development Tools (ADT) - Eclipse-based IDE
• SAP GUI - Classic interface
• SAP Business Application Studio - Cloud IDE
• SAP Cloud Connector - On-premise connectivity

Community Resources

• ABAP Forums - Q&A
• SAP Blogs - Technical articles
• GitHub SAP Samples - Code examples
• SAP CodeJam - Hands-on events