SAPGUI is the GUI client in SAP R/3's 3-tier architecture of database, application server and client. It is software that runs on a Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh or Unix desktop, and allows a user to access SAP functionality in SAP applications such as SAP ERP and SAP Business Information Warehouse (now called SAP Business Intelligence). It is the platform used for remote access to the SAP central server in a company network.
Contents |
| Release | Release date | End of life | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | – | – | First "GUI" for SAP software; no graphical elements like checkboxes, radiobuttons and icons |
| 1.1 | – | – | Field length indicated by background colors; fast paths in menus |
| 2.0 | – | – | New GUI for Windows 3.1; System and Application Toolbar added; icons in System Toolbar |
| 2.1 | – | – | New graphical elements: checkboxes, radiobuttons, group boxes and push buttons on screen |
| 3.0 | – | – | Table control introduced; icons added to buttons |
| 3.1 | 1996 | – | Windows95-look with flat buttons; tabstrip control and ABAP List Viewer (ALV) introduced |
| 4.0 | – | – | Screens contain more information to reduce navigation |
| 4.5 | – | – | Active X elements introduced; ALV is now based on grid control |
| 4.6D | July 2000 | – | GUI is re-designed; multiple-areas are introduced to reduce need for screen changes |
| 6.10 | July 2001 | – | – |
| 6.20 | March 2002 | – | – |
| 6.40 | June 2004 | 31/12/2010 | Unicode support extended; accessibility and usability improved |
| 7.10 | February 2007 | 12/04/2011 | Support for Microsoft Vista and Office 2007; new "Tweak SAP GUI" tool; new ABAP front-end editor |
| 7.20 | April 2010 | 09/04/2013[1] | Support for Windows XP; Windows 2003 Server; Windows Vista; Windows 2008 Server; Windows 7 and Office 2010; Built with Visual Studio 2008; [2] |
SAPGUI on Microsoft Windows or Internet Explorer can also be used for single sign-on. There are several portal-based authentication applications for single sign-on. SAPGUI can have single sign-on with SAP Logon Ticket as well. Single sign-on also works in the Java GUI.[3]
SAP is a distributed application, where client software (SAPGUI) installed on a user's workstation is used to access the central SAP server remotely over the company's network. Users need to authenticate themselves when accessing SAP. By default, however, SAP uses unencrypted communication (although almost all packets are compressed and look encrypted by first sight), which allows potential company-internal attackers to get access to usernames and passwords by listening on the network. This can expose the complete SAP system, if a person is able to get access to this information for a user with extended authorization in the SAP system. Information about this feature is publicly accessible on the Internet.
SAP offers an option to strongly protect communication between clients and servers, called Secure Network Communications (SNC).[4][5]