A Zebra Technologies White Paper

Using SAP Smart Forms for

Bar Code Label Printing from
mySAP Business Suite

Executive Summary
Smart Forms
provides an easy,
fast way to print
complex bar coded
labels on demand
on Zebra printers
from mySAP
Business Suite.
Users can count
on complete data
and application
integrity.

mySAP Business Suite from SAP AG helps organisations manage comprehensive

financial, manufacturing, human resources, sales, and distribution functions that
are essential to their operations. While dynamic documents and reports are the
predominant printed output from SAP modules, customers also want to output
high-quality bar code labels with graphics for applications such as manufacturing,
shipping, item tracking, and stock control. Such labels require the use of speciality
bar code label printers, which SAP did not support until recently.
In response to customer requirements, SAP has extended the bar code design
and printing of its Smart Forms design software. SAP added bar code support to
Smart Forms by licensing and integrating bar code rendering technology from Zebra
Technologies Corporation into the software, and by developing its first true bar code
label printer drivers for mySAP Business Suite. The bar code printer driver supports
only Zebra Programming Language (ZPL) for its output. SAP now natively outputs
PCL, Postscript, and Prescribe for forms, and ZPL for labels. The capability to
leverage the data integrity provided by SAP modules can now be realised by directly
integrating bar code labelling into many common business processes, with the
exact same tool Smart Forms used for any form printed on a laser printer.
Customers who wish to integrate bar code label printers within mySAP Business
Suite are presented with the option to either design the label using SAPs Smart
Forms layout tool, upload the printer programming language into a SAPscript layout,
or use label design software in combination with an external service (middleware,
typically on a Windows NT or Unix server).
This white paper focuses specifically on SAPs Smart Forms option for bar coding.
The Zebra Technologies white paper Bar Code Printing Options for SAP End Users
provides an overview of the various other methods for generating bar code output
from SAP applications. See the white paper BAR-ONE for mySAP Business
Suite to learn more about Zebras software upload solution. SAP documentation,
located on SAPnet (www.sdn.sap.com), describes how label printers can be driven
direct from mySAP Business Suite. Refer to SAPnet notes 750002 and 750772.

A Zebra Technologies White Paper

Introduction
mySAP Business Suite forms have traditionally been
designed by manually coding SAPscript commands.
SAPscript then requires an SAP-developed printer driver
for the target device. The problem that both SAPscript
and Smart Forms have faced is that neither of them,
until now, have had a true bar code label printer driver.
SAPscript is also not supported on some of the new
modules available with mySAP Business Suite.
SAPscript users have worked around the driver
limitation by uploading the label printers command
languageZPL, for examplethen sending print jobs
directly to the printer via a generic ASCII line printer
driver. SAP has created versions of these generic ASCII
drivers for various bar code label printer manufacturers,
but none of them are true printer drivers that support
all the specific features bar code label printers provide.
mySAP Business Suite also supports printing with
Windows drivers via the SAPWin device type and
SAPlpd. This approach is not suitable for bar code label
printing and specialty bar code label printers because:
SAPWin device type has no support for bar code
label printer features such as printer-resident bar
code symbologies, cutter, Flash memory, print
speeds, print mode, darkness, etc.
SAPWin device type and bar code label Windows
printer drivers may send the entire label down as
a graphic, and need to do this for every label with
variable data. This results in slow printing and
lots of network traffic, and is not suitable for
industrial applications.
Smart Forms bar codes, until recently, have not
been supported with the SAPwin device type.
Users need to acquire and license a third-party bar
code DLL. These bar codes are downloaded as
bitmap objects via Windows drivers. This approach
is expensive and can reduce printer performance
and bar code accuracy.

Producing Bar Codes with

Smart Forms
Smart Forms is a graphical forms design tool that was
developed with the purposes of letting everyday SAP
users design forms themselves, instead of relying on
programmers, as was the case with SAPscript. Smart
Forms provides high performance, even during highvolume printing, when using its native printer drivers
(PCL, Postscript, Prescribe, and ZPL). Smart Forms has
been available for several years, since mySAP Business
Suite version 4.6c was launched, and has been used
by some of the worlds largest SAP sites. Now that
Smart Forms supports bar code rendering and bar code
printers, it can also be used for label design.
Formatting attributes on the label are easily moved,
changed, added, or deleted using the Smart Forms
design tool. No SAPscript programming is required to
make formatting changes. Label size, font types, bar
code symbology, line spacing, justification, logos, lines,
boxes, and variable data can all be specified within the
label design. A label can easily be modified at any time
and activated all within SAPgui without the need to
program ABAP or SAPscript.
After the form or label is designed graphically in Smart
Forms, it simply has to be activated. Once live, the label
can be printed from any other mySAP Business Suite
client, anywhere in the world, on any Zebra printer on
the network, without the need to purchase, set up or
maintain any additional software. Smart Forms is a
complete SAP-developed and -delivered solution;
the printing is done direct from the mySAP Business
Suite server.
Older versions of mySAP Business Suite will require the
correct SAP support pack and the relevant
SAP-developed Zebra device type. The Zebra device
driver for mySAP Business Suite is available from the
SAP FTP site. Visit www.sdn.sap.com and refer to
SAPnet notes 750002 and 750772. The driver can be
installed in only a few minutes and it never needs to be
maintained or modified.

SAPWin does not support printing directly from the

server to the printer (SAPlpd must be used). SAP
does not recommend using SAPlpd for industrial or
high-volume applications.

A Zebra Technologies White Paper

Three Steps to Bar Code Printing

Step 1 Define the bar code and text styles that you
will use within your labels. This style collection ensures
that all of your labels will have a consistent look and
feel (if required).

Step 2 Lay out the label graphically using Smart

Forms. Place fixed or variable objects on the label
including text, bar codes, logos, lines, boxes, etc.

Step 3 Save, activate, and test the form all with a

couple of mouse clicks. The completed format resides
on the server and can be used to output variable-data
bar code labels on any printer on the network.

A Zebra Technologies White Paper

Benefits to Using Smart Forms

and Zebra Printers
In choosing the Smart Forms method over the
SAPscript approach, mySAP Business Suite users
can leverage much easier and less time-consuming
integration with the ABAP print program. Smart Forms
also provides you with a single solution that can be
used for both forms and labels, on both laser printers
and bar code label printers. With Smart Forms, users
get the same mission-critical, proven technology as
SAPscript, but with lower total cost of ownership.
The advantages of selecting Smart Forms over
middleware are similar to those of SAPscript.
You can use the existing SAP print spooler and
eliminate the need to purchase, set up, and maintain
the middleware application for every server at every
separate site location. This approach can also
improve process throughput.

The Smart Forms ZPL driver maps all objects to

printer-resident objects rather than downloading
them as graphics. This means that bar codes, lines,
and text are transmitted as ZPL commands, ensuring
high-quality, readable bar codes and the fastest
possible label throughput.
The Smart Forms ZPL driver supports options specific
to bar code printers, including darkness control,
speed, print mode, and many more settings. With
full support of options, printers can be optimised to
provide maximum performance and label quality for
the specific usage environment.
Smart Forms now provides a single layout tool that
can be used natively for both laser and bar code
printers. The same designers can design forms and
labels with the same user interface. This eliminates
the need for proprietary bar code specialist
knowledge, minimises the impact of staff turnover,
and provides independence from expensive
third-party programming.

Utilising Smart Forms, users can now integrate

bar coding into any existing mySAP Business Suite
application. Smart Forms now provides the form and
label design capabilities that support all the core
functionality and high performance of Zebra printers.
Below are a few of the benefits available from the
combination of Zebra printers and SAP Smart Forms:
Smart Forms is much easier and quicker to integrate
with ABAP print programs compared to
traditional SAPscript.
SAPscript has drivers for mainstream office printers
but not bar code label printers. SAPscript uses passthrough drivers that require the printers command
language to be uploaded into a form. The ZPL bar
code printer driver in Smart Forms simplifies set up
and enables maximum throughput.
Smart Forms supports print preview of bar codes.
Smart Forms supports complex forms functionality
that can now be used with label printers. This
includes dynamic forms, which allow subsequent
labels in a batch or print run to be laid out differently
to that of the first label.

A Zebra Technologies White Paper

SAPs ZPL driver also offers support for international

character printing similar to what it offers for HP and
Lexmark. Optional PC Cards loaded with Andale
Worldtype fonts provides support for most of the
worlds major languages. Support is also provided for
Zebras own preloaded Swiss Unicode font that
contains most of the languages needed for use in
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
All Zebra-resident scaleable fonts are fully supported,
including Zebras EMEA ready Swiss Unicode that
contains approximately 936 characters. Windows
TrueType fonts are also supported. TrueType fonts
can even be used for variable data, including serial
numbers, without slowing label throughput. Support is
also included for optional Zebra-resident Unicode Asia/
Pacific scaleable fonts (Andale).
The major features and benefits of using SAP Smart
Forms with Zebra printers are listed below:

Conclusion
Smart Forms provides an easy, fast way to print
complex bar coded labels on demand on Zebra printers
from mySAP Business Suite. Users can count on
complete data and application integrity because Smart
Forms is a complete label solution that is built into the
core of mySAP Business Suite.
Labels are easier to design and maintain because
they are managed within a familiar environment that
requires no specialist label or form skill sets. Labels
can be printed on almost any native computer platform,
directly from the server, while still maintaining the
features and performance normally only found in
PC-based labelling software. All of this Smart Forms
functionality is now possible because SAP created its
first true, native bar code printer driver (for ZPL only)
and has integrated the Zebra bar code rendering library
within the core mySAP Business Suite.
For more information on Zebra printers,
SAP and other connectivity solutions, visit
www.zebra.com/smartforms.

Feature

Benefits

Solution is 100 percent developed, No additional third-party licensing is required. Confidence of SAP reliability,
tested and bundled by SAP.
stability, and future support. No new learning curve to support a new
design or programming environment, which provides significant cost
savings by enabling faster implementation and preventing training and
programming expenses.
Smart Forms is optimised for Zebra Provides full functionality and maximum performance with Zebra including
printers (ZPL) via native drivers in
maximum print speed, word wrapping, text justification, and printer settings.
the same way it is for laser printers
(PCL and Postscript).
Common form and label layout tool The same staffthat designs forms can now design labels.Generally,no
specialists or used for both laser and label printers.Proprietary skills
arerequired.In-house control over label design provides significant cost
savings and prevents costly programming expenses.
Non-programmers can
modify labels.

Easy and inexpensive to maintain.No need for ABAP or SAPscript

specialists. Programming and integration expenses are avoided.

Print directly from any

mySAP Business Suite server.

No need to use PCs or SAPlpd as print servers.This reduces cost and

ongoing support needs,and improves print speed.

A Zebra Technologies White Paper

Notes

A Zebra Technologies White Paper

Contact Zebra
EMEA Headquarters & Sales Office

EMEA Supplies Office

Zebra Technologies Europe Limited

Dukes Meadow
Millboard Road
Bourne End
Buckinghamshire
SL8 5XF
UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1628 556000
Fax:
+44 (0)1628 556001
E-mail:
[email protected]

Zebra Technologies Europe Limited

Pittman Way
Fulwood
Preston
Lancashire
PR2 9ZD
UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1772 797555
Fax:
+44 (0)1772 693000
E-mail:
[email protected]

Amersfoort
Regional Office
Ground Floor
Gemini B
Printerweg 36a
3821 Amersfoort
The Netherlands
Telephone: +31 (0)30 69 27 120
Fax:
+31 (0)30 69 27 129
E-mail:
[email protected]

Germany, Austria & Switzerland

Regional Office
Mollsfeld 1
40670 Meerbusch
Germany
Telephone: +49 (0)2159 6768 0
Fax:
+49 (0)2159 6768 22
E-mail:
[email protected]

Central & Eastern Europe

Regional Office
ul. Annopol 4a
03-236 Warsaw
Poland
Telephone: +48 22 38 01 900
Fax:
+48 22 38 01 901
E-mail:
[email protected]

Madrid
Regional Office
Ground Floor
Edificio Atica 7
Calle Via de las 2 Castillas 32
28224 Pozuelo de Alarcon
Spain
Telephone: +34 (0) 93 635 74 13
Fax:
+34 (0) 93 635 74 44
E-mail:
[email protected]

France
Regional Office
1 place des Marseillais
94220 Charenton le Pont
France
Telephone: +33 (0)1 53 48 12 60
Fax:
+33 (0)1 53 48 12 70
E-mail:
[email protected]

Italy
Regional Office
Presso Ma.Bu.C. Via Pavese 1/3
20089 Rozzano (MI)
Italy
Telephone: +39 02 575 543 71
Fax:
+39 02 575 543 10
E-mail:
[email protected]

Middle East & Africa

Regional Office
Office 111, JAFZA 17 (PO Box 18054)
Jebel Ali Free Zone
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Telephone: +971 (0)4 8818187
Fax:
+971 (0)4 8817119
E-mail:
[email protected]
Stockholm
Regional Office
Svardvagen 7
18233 Danderyd
Stockholm
Sweden
Telephone: +46 (0)8 623 45 60
Fax:
+46 (0)8 594 709 89
E-mail:
[email protected]
Internet:
www.zebra.com
www.accesszebra.com
order.zebra.com

2010 ZIH Corp. Zebra and the Zebra head graphic are registered trademarks of ZIH Corp. All rights reserved.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

www.zebra.com

13648LRev.3 (05/10)