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6 Navigating in the SAP System 1

2
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Chapter 5 taught you how to log on to and log off from the SAP system. After 4
logon, you use the applications that belong to your task area. You fulfill dif-
ferent tasks by editing all screens that belong to the respective action and fill- 5
ing the necessary fields with content.
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This chapter discusses: 7
] How to navigate in the SAP system 8
] How to use transaction codes
9
] How to enter data in the system
] Which options are available to call an application
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6.1 Overview of the Navigation Options
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Directly after you've logged on to the SAP system, it displays the initial screen
shown in Chapter 5. 14
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Initial Screen of the SAP System 22

The SAP system provides you with three options to navigate to the desired 23
application:
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6 Navigating in the SAP System

] Via the SAP Easy Access menu

] Via transaction codes
] Via favorites and links

You can customize the SAP Easy Access menu to your specific needs and set
whether transaction codes are shown in the menu tree or in favorites. To
make these modifications, select Extras > Settings in the menu bar. You can
also use the key combination (ª) + (F9) to set the following:

] Display transaction codes in the SAP Easy Access menu

] Show or hide the SAP logo
] Display favorites at the end of the menu
] Hide the SAP Easy Access menu and display favorites only

To display the transaction codes in the SAP Easy Access menu, proceed as fol-
lows:

A Choose Settings under Extras.

B The Settings window is now open. In this window, activate the Display
Technical Names checkbox to map the transaction codes in the tree struc-
ture of the SAP Easy Access menu.
Here you can also set whether the favorites are displayed in the SAP Easy
Access menu (via the Display favorites at end of list checkbox).

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6.2 Navigating via the SAP Easy Access Menu

The following two sections provide more information on the navigation

1
options via the SAP Easy Access menu and via transaction codes. Favorites
and links are discussed in Chapter 7, Maintaining the System Layout and User 2
Data.
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6.2 Navigating via the SAP Easy Access Menu
5
After you've logged on to the SAP system, it displays the SAP Easy Access
menu as a tree structure on the left-hand side of the screen. 6
The SAP Easy Access menu offers a user-specific entry point and navigation 7
options in the SAP system. In this context, “user-specific” means that the tree
structure displays only those transactions with which you may work accord- 8
ing to your role (see Chapter 13, The Role and Authorization Concept, for
9
details on roles).

Via the SAP Easy Access menu, you can expand the tree structure, which con-
10
tains the individual folders (nodes), by clicking on the button. You can 11
close it again with .
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The folders themselves are identified with the buttons, (opened folder)
or (closed folder). The executable transactions are marked with a building 13
block .
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SAP Easy Access Menu—Nodes and Transactions
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6 Navigating in the SAP System

To start a transaction via the SAP Easy Access menu, proceed as follows:

A Open the respective subordinate folder by clicking on . An opened

folder is indicated by a triangle pointing downward . This folder may
contain subordinate folders.
B Start the desired transaction by double-clicking the button, which
opens the initial screen of the respective transactions.
NOTE

Presentation of Menu Paths in this Book

Like other SAP books, this book does not provide screenshots of the SAP
Easy Access menu whenever it is described how to reach a specific trans-
action, but instead lists the individual steps of the menu path. In this
example, the path is Logistics > Sales and Distribution > Sales > Order >
VA01 – Create.
TIP

How to Close All Folders in the SAP Easy Access Menu

(Tree Structure)
If you want to close several folders and subfolders in the SAP Easy Access
menu, you can close them all in one step. For this purpose, select Menu
> Refresh or (Ctrl)+(F1).

6.3 Navigating via Transaction Codes

Transaction codes help you quickly access the desired application without
navigating via the SAP Easy Access menu. Transaction codes are alphanu-
meric codes assigned to every application in the SAP system. You must know
the transaction code of the desired application in order to navigate to it. The
appendix of this book provides an overview of the most critical transaction
codes.
TIP

Overviews For Download

You can download all overviews provided in the appendix free of charge
by entering your personal code (provided on the first pages of this book)
at www.sap-press.com.

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6.3 Navigating via Transaction Codes

To use transaction codes in the command field, proceed as follows:

1
A Click on the command field after logon. The blinking cursor indicates that
this field is active and ready for input. 2
3
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5
B Now enter a transaction code. Confirm your input by clicking the green 6
checkmark or pressing the (¢) key.
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Transaction codes without preceding parameters can only be entered in the
initial screen of the SAP Easy Access menu. If you are already in another 11
transaction, you must enter a parameter in addition to the transaction code.
12
You can show or hide the command field by clicking on the triangle .
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Show and Hide Command Field 16
Command Field

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Command Field
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The following table lists the most important parameters.
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Parameter Explanation 21
/nend Logs off from the system, with confirmation.
22
/nex Logs off from the system, without confirmation.
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Parameters Used in the Command Field
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6 Navigating in the SAP System

Parameter Explanation

MMBE Example of a transaction code without additional

parameters. It starts Transaction MMBE. This is only
possible in the SAP Easy Access menu in this form.

/nMMBE Closes the current transaction and starts a new one,

such as Transaction MMBE here. Enter /n and the
desired transaction code without any space.

/oMMBE Starts a transaction in a new session, such as Transac-

tion MMBE here. Enter /o and the desired transaction
code without any space.

/n Terminates the current transaction.

/i Deletes the current session.

/o Shows a list of current sessions.

/*MMBE Starts a transaction and skips the initial screen, such as

Transaction MMBE here. Enter /* and the desired
transaction code without any space.

Parameters Used in the Command Field (Cont.)

To describe the navigation via transaction codes in more detail, let's work
through an example in the system. We ultimately want to determine the line
items of your customers (debtors) for the current day in company code 1000.
Proceed as follows:

A Log on to the SAP system as described in Chapter 5. In the SAP Easy

Access menu, open the customer line item list via the menu path:
Accounting > Financial Accounting > Accounts Receivable > Account.
Alternatively, you can enter Transaction FBL5N directly via the command
field.

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6.3 Navigating via Transaction Codes

B Under Account, you can find Transaction FBL5N (Display/Change Line

1
Items). A building block icon displayed in front of the transaction means
that the transaction can be executed. Double-click on the button, and 2
the initial screen of Transaction FBL5N opens.
C Enter the following information:
3
– Company Code: 1000 4
– Open on Key Date: Current date (DD.MM.YYYY)
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D Click the Execute button or press the (F8) key.
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Input Field
Execute
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E Now the system shows the line item list. You can view in the list which
sales were made to the respective customer. 14
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Terminate
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6 Navigating in the SAP System

F Click on the Close button to close the customer line item list. The sys-
tem takes you back to the SAP Easy Access menu.

The transaction code is displayed in the SAP Easy Access menu and also in the
status bar at the bottom right of the screen.

6.4 Entering Data in the SAP System

You have various options in the SAP system to enter data and communicate
with the system. A previous section, Logging on for the First Time, already
presented some essential elements of the SAP user interface:

] Menu bar
] Standard toolbar
] Title bar
] Status bar
] Command field

This section now presents an overview of the central user interface elements
that you'll encounter in a transaction. You can use either mouse navigation
or various keys of your keyboard to navigate between these elements.

You can execute specific functions (such as copy and paste) by pressing a spe-
cific key combination on your keyboard at the same time (for example,
(Ctrl)+(C) and (Ctrl)+(V)). You usually use the keys, (Ctrl), (ª), or (Alt) in
combination with a letter. The appendix provides a comprehensive overview
of useful key combinations.

Action Key Combination

Cancel actions step by step (Esc)

Select all (Ctrl)+(A)

Cut (Ctrl)+(X)

Insert (Ctrl)+(V)

Navigate in the list of selectable entries (æ), (¼),

(½), (Æ)

Overview of the Most Essential Key Combinations in the Navigation

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6.4 Entering Data in the SAP System

Action Key Combination 1

Copy (Ctrl)+(C) 2
Search (Ctrl)+(F)
3
Go to menu (Alt)
4
Navigate to next element (ÿ_)
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Navigate to previous element (ª)+(ÿ_)

Navigate to next screen area (Ctrl)+(ÿ_) 6

Navigate to previous screen area (ª)+(Ctrl)+(ÿ_) 7
Undo (Ctrl)+(Z) 8
Overview of the Most Essential Key Combinations in the Navigation (Cont.) 9
After you've entered your data, you must save it so that the system adds the 10
new or changed information to the database.
11

Tab 12
Via tabs, you can conveniently navigate in complex contents by switching 13
switch between the individual tabs. If you click on the title of a tab, it is dis-
played in the foreground. 14
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Example of a Tab
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Screen Area 18
Screens that include various input options are often subdivided into several
areas. A screen area, also known as a field group or group box, combines var-
19
ious input options for a specific topic. 20
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Example of an Area 23
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