ESS & MSS Role – A step by step

SPRO Configuration Document

Applies to:
SAP HCM - ESS / MSS – Portal Role Configuration For more information; visit the Enterprise Resource
Planning homepage.

Summary
This document describes the step by step approach for configuring a new Portal role with the same look and
feel as that of the Standard ESS and MSS roles. This would require configuration of AreaGroup, Area,
SubArea, Services and Resources from the backend R/3 side.

Author: Madhusudhanan Krishnan

Company: Cognizant Technology Solutions, India
Created on: 20 December, 2009

Author Bio
Madhu is working as a Portal Consultant with Cognizant Technology Solutions. Madhu has an overall
experience of more than 6 years in IT industry. Has a rich experience in Portal, with extensive experience in
ESS/MSS Scenarios.

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Table of Contents
Document Purpose ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Creation of Area Group Page ......................................................................................................................... 3
Resource Creation for the Area Group Page .................................................................................................. 4
Creation of the Overview page for the Area Group ........................................................................................ 4
Area Group Page Overview ............................................................................................................................ 5
Creation of Area Page..................................................................................................................................... 5
Resource Creation for the Area Page ............................................................................................................. 6
Creation of the Overview page for the Area Group ........................................................................................ 6
Area Page Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Assigning Area to Area Group Page ............................................................................................................... 7
Creation of Sub Area....................................................................................................................................... 8
Assigning Sub Area to Area Page .................................................................................................................. 8
Creation of Service.......................................................................................................................................... 9
Assigning Service to Sub Area ....................................................................................................................... 9
Resource creation for the Service ................................................................................................................. 10
Related Content ................................................................................................................................................ 11
Disclaimer and Liability Notice .......................................................................................................................... 12

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Document Purpose
This document describes the step by step approach for configuring a new Portal role with the same
look and feel as that of the Standard ESS and MSS roles. This would require configuration of
AreaGroup, Area, SubArea, Services and Resources from the backend R/3 side.

Creation of Area Group Page

To create a new role in portal, first an entry needs to be created in the Area Group pages. This is
the one which will tie the portal role with that of the SPRO configuration.

A link resource has to be created which will contain the overview page. This overview page is what
will be displayed when the role is clicked first. This will display the worksets/pages that are part of
this role. The “Area Group Link Type” should be Webdynpro Java application, as we will be creating
an Overview iView using a standard Webdynpro application.

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Resource Creation for the Area Group Page

The PCD parameter of this will contain a WD page which will contain a WD iview which can be
created from an existing component delivered with the Business package.

Creation of the Overview page for the Area Group

An iView will have to be created using the standard component’s application namespace -
“sap.com/pcui_gp~xssutils” and application name – “XssMenu”(Reason being this is for the Area
Group which is the first level of navigation). This iView has to be assigned to a Webdynpro page and
the PCD path of the page has to be provided in the Resource linked to Area Group. The Area Group
name which we have configured in the SPRO is specified here in the iView, which will establish the
link between the portal iView and the Area Group in the backend. This is specified in the Application
Parameters property of this iView.
sap.xss.menuargrp=Z_TEST_REPORTSROLE&sap.xss.menuhdr=SAPDEFAULT

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Area Group Page Overview

This is the main overview page for the role – this has been tagged to the role we have created,
hence forms as the overview page which will pick the areas assigned to it and display them.

Creation of Area Page

Now we have created the Role (as in Area Group) and we have to create the areas (as in Worksets)
under this Role. The Area is created and a desired description which needs to be displayed in the
Area Overview page should be added in the text box in the Area Description. A corresponding
Overview page has to be created for the Area. The “Area Group Link Type” should be Webdynpro
Java application, as we will be creating an Overview iView using a standard Webdynpro application.

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Resource Creation for the Area Page

Now that we have created the Area, we have to create an Area Overview Page (similar to the one
we created for the Area Group) with the same name as specified in the Link Resource above. The
PCD path of the Overview Page created should be specified here.

Creation of the Overview page for the Area Group

An iView will have to be created using the standard component’s application namespace -
“sap.com/pcui_gp~xssutils” and application name – “XssMenuArea”(Unlike the earlier Overview
Page’s Application Name, Reason being this is for the Area which is the second level of navigation).
This iView has to be assigned to a Webdynpro page and the PCD path of the page has to be
provided in the Resource linked to Area in the previous step.

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Area Page Overview

Area Overview Page – This is the Overview page that will be displayed when the Area is clicked
(Workset). This iView is linked to the Area through the Area Link Resource as per Step 6.

Assigning Area to Area Group Page

Now that we have created the Area and a Link Resource to the Area, we have to assign this Area to
the Area Group which we had created earlier. This establishes the link between the Area Group and
the Area. We need to copy one of the existing entries to make a new entry. We need to specify the
Area Group key and the corresponding Area keys which needs to be linked to that Area Group (as in
Role). The positioning also has to be specified against the Area mapping.

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Creation of Sub Area

Now we have to create a Sub Area which will be displayed inside the Area. This is for the link
between the Area and the Service. The Sub Area text entered will be displayed as a hyper link in the
Area Overview page.

Assigning Sub Area to Area Page

Now that we have created the Sub Area, this has to be mapped to the relevant Area (ie. The
Workset under which this has to be displayed). The position of display also has to be mentioned
here.

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Creation of Service
A Service needs to be created which tags the Sub Area with that of the Resource(iView) which is
going to be mapped to the hyper link. The text that is provided in the “Service Description” will be
displayed below the hyper link in the Area Overview page. We should provide the Link Resource for
this Service and the corresponding type of Service (ITS based, Webdynpro, PCD Page etc.)

Assigning Service to Sub Area

The created Service needs to be mapped to the Sub Area we had created earlier. The Sub Area
Key, Service Key and the Position has to be mentioned here.

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Resource creation for the Service

Finally a Resource needs to be created, where we will provide the PCD location of the iView, Page.
The important point to be noted here is, the PCD path that is provided here should be the one taken
from the Role and not directly from the PCD object (ie. The iView, Page etc.). This can be retrieved
by opening the Role associated and clicking on the Page (which we need to map to the Resource)
and click on Properties. From the property editor displayed in the right side, the PCD Path property’s
value should be taken.

Eg. For the above mentioned Resource, the PCD path should be taken as mentioned below.

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Related Content
For more information, visit the Enterprise Resource Planning homepage.
For more information, visit the Business Process Expert homepage.

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 ESS & MSS Role – A step by step SPRO Configuration Document

Disclaimer and Liability Notice

This document may discuss sample coding or other information that does not include SAP official interfaces and therefore is not
supported by SAP. Changes made based on this information are not supported and can be overwritten during an upgrade.
SAP will not be held liable for any damages caused by using or misusing the information, code or methods suggested in this document,
and anyone using these methods does so at his/her own risk.
SAP offers no guarantees and assumes no responsibility or liability of any type with respect to the content of this technical article or
code sample, including any liability resulting from incompatibility between the content within this document and the materials and
services offered by SAP. You agree that you will not hold, or seek to hold, SAP responsible or liable with respect to the content of this
document.

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