How to develop ABAP RICEF objects in

S/4HANA
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Hi All,
I have been wondering how the S/4 HANA framework allows for the development of ABAP
RICEF objects or if there is a alternate mechanism for building these objects with S/4 HANA.
From what I learn, S/4HANA will still be based on ABAP backend programs. Can we please get
some details as to how the ABAP enhancement framework will work for these programs.
I understand the SAP UI5, Fiori customisations for data retrieval and User Experience at high
level but an example of each of ABAP report, conversion, interface, enhancement and form
development would really help visualise how S/4 HANA ABAP customisations would look like.
Please let know if there is already some article on this topic.
Also I learn that the future ABAP developments will be primarily built as ABAP on eclipse, so is
there a complete replacement of ABAP workbench planned? Also any new patterns
recommended to be learnt for ABAP on Eclipse programming for S/4 HANA.
Thanks,
Vikrant
Tags:

 eclipse;abap

Former Member
April 04, 2016 at 18:45 PM
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Correct Answer

Thomas Fiedler replied

August 28, 2015 at 08:35 AM
Hi Vikrant,
the development model does not differ between S/4HANA and the classic business suite in the
on premise world. You can still modify and enhance SAP objects and can create your own
customer objects. In the Cloud it will be different as modifications are not allowed in the Cloud
and the programming capabilities are more restricted than on-premise. For example in the cloud
you are only allowed to use SAP objects that are released for usage. Usage of arbitrary objects
as it is possibile in the on-premise world are not allowed in the Cloud.
Does this help?
Regards,
Thomas.
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11 replies
Helpful Answer

Thomas Fiedler replied

August 25, 2015 at 11:19 AM
Hi Vikrant,
for the ABAP development tools in eclipse we are focussing on the Fiori programming model. All
tools that you need to build the ABAP parts of a modern SAP UI5 based Fiori application will be
available in Eclipse. Legacy technologies like Dynpro or BSP are not supported in Eclipse.
Therefore Eclipse will not be a complete replacement for SE80.
Regards,
Thomas.
0 likes

Former Member replied

August 26, 2015 at 08:04 AM
Will Eclipse support the entire Fiori Application?
I know and understand that support for HANA, AMDP, CDS, BOPF, ABAP and still SAPUI5
(what isn't moved over to WebIDE) is supported (also going forward), but there is still one thing
obviously missing: NetWeaver Gateway!
Does that mean that at some point in the near future we can expect an SEGW alternative in
Eclipse?
(And btw. that would be awesome )
1 likes

Thomas Fiedler replied

August 28, 2015 at 08:31 AM
Hi Henrik,
there are still no plans to provide SEGW as an Eclipse Plugin.
But there will be the possibility to enrich the data models (based on CDS) of S4/HANA by so-
called annotations to enable oData access to the data. That means the oData services are then
 generated automtically based on the data model and the annotations. The annotations are
maintained in the CDA editor in Eclipse.
Do you have plans to visit Teched this year? There we will give an overview on the End2End
picture.
Regards,
Thomas.
0 likes

Former Member replied

August 28, 2015 at 08:52 AM
Hi Thomas,
I have already tried the annotations for CDS - combined with the Associations on CDS - and they
are fine, but they are not exactly delivering the full Power of SEGW yet, especially when it comes
to testing the service.
Also still miss the link between the OData Modeller (The Otee project) and the CDS annotations.
Want to be able to share an OData model between frontend implementation (WebIDE/Eclipse)
and backend implementation (BOPF/CDS/AMDP)
Also still waiting for a full OData V4 implementation from SAP
... I don't plan to go to Tech'Ed this year - will be too busy with NetWeaver 7.50, EhP8!
Best Regards
Henrik
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Thomas Meigen replied

September 02, 2015 at 17:58 PM
Hi Henrik,
indeed we are not planning to re-implement SEGW inside of Eclipse. This has multiple reasons.
SEGW is a very powerful tool for building OData service from almost any datasource on any
NetWeaver release starting with 7.0. Instead of rebuilding this tool including the deep embedding
into all datasources in Eclipse we intend to further enrich the service development flow with a
combination of Service Builder (for the backend service implementation) and SAP Web IDE (for
the development of the Fiori UI). SAP Web IDE already contains the new OData Model Editor.
OData models created/enhanced in SAP Web IDE can be transferred to Service Builder for
creating/generating the service implementation. In any case, Service Builder can still be
accessed embedded in Eclipse
Regarding V4: SAP has driven the specification to a large degree and has a strong interest of
leveraging the huge improvements of the protocol in the future.
Cheers...Thomas
0 likes

Former Member replied

September 02, 2015 at 18:13 PM
Hi Thomas,
 Thanks for the information... Still think it is a bad decision
SEGW is indeed a powerful tool, but it is not integrated into your most powerful tool at the
moment and the home of the developer, which is still Eclipse.
Thinking ahead to SAP S/4 HANA cloud edition will then still depend on Dynpro-based
development because of SEGW - the rest of the stack has already "left" good, old R/3...
WebIDE is okay and the OData modelling powers is a step in the right direction, but then again
so is the OGEE project in Eclipse (okay, I know that WebIDE is basically still Eclipse, just based
on the Orion project).
So imagining the world of the end-2-end developer for SAP S/4 will then be Eclipse & HANA
Studio (still Eclipse-based) for database, datacentric and business logic, then into HCP and
WebIDE to model the OData Model (EDMX), then onto an R/3 session to adapt the BOPF
(modelled and implemented in Eclipse) in SEGW from the OData model and then log into the
HCP and WebIDE to create the User Interface.... Not really a single platform anymore, but a
triple stack on a tons of inconsistent tools!
So yes, we get AMDP debugging in Eclipse soon, but with the division of tools debugging an
end-2-end application from Fiori Launchpad, over UI5-application, over SAP Gateway, over
BOPF, over CDS/AMDP we aren't really left with an awesome IDE, but in really an MDDE
(Multiple Disconnected Development Environments).
2 likes

Former Member replied

August 28, 2015 at 07:51 AM
Thanks Thomas, that was helpful.
Do you have any reference of ABAP workbench tool or even ABAP in eclipse used for modifying
an S4/HANA object. I would just like to visualise how the whole thing works with S4/HANA
platform.
Thanks,
Vikrant
0 likes

Correct Answer

Thomas Fiedler replied

August 28, 2015 at 08:35 AM
Hi Vikrant,
the development model does not differ between S/4HANA and the classic business suite in the
on premise world. You can still modify and enhance SAP objects and can create your own
customer objects. In the Cloud it will be different as modifications are not allowed in the Cloud
and the programming capabilities are more restricted than on-premise. For example in the cloud
you are only allowed to use SAP objects that are released for usage. Usage of arbitrary objects
as it is possibile in the on-premise world are not allowed in the Cloud.
Does this help?
Regards,
Thomas.
0 likes
Former Member replied
August 28, 2015 at 11:26 AM
Yes that helps. Thanks Thomas for the information.
May be we can have a separate webinar or a unit in OpenSAP course to show ABAP
customisation for S/4HANA. That may explain better.
Thanks,
Vikrant
1 likes

Prasenjit Bist replied

April 04, 2016 at 18:45 PM
+1 Agreed on premise is fine but we need to get a feel of tghe cloud solution.
I found a useful link and would like to share
http://www.sap.com/bin/sapcom/en_us/downloadasset.2015-07-jul-08-12.sap-s4hana--
extensibility-for-customers-and-partners-pdf.bypassReg.html
Regards,
0 likes

Prasenjit Bist replied

April 04, 2016 at 18:43 PM
Bad thing is SAP won't support eclipse for UI5 development so now I have to have Web IDE for
that but on a good note Web IDE is magic and i don't like eclipse I find the se80 better and the
Microsoft IDEs are best if they are still the same or more evolved what i used in college but
eclipse for me sucks.
Regards,
T. Jay Karaca
July 3, 20061 minute read

What is RICEF?
FollowRSS feedLike
4 Likes 52,313 Views 9 Comments

What is RICEF? This is not an interview question!

You can see RICEF acronym, when you look at the most SAP ABAP Developer job position descriptions;
and you can sometimes encounter RICE version of it. So what does RICEF stand for?

Firstly let’s look at some SAP job posting examples:

 Able to scope, review, and create SD RICEF…

 MM RICEF Functional Spec Exp…
  Must have experience supervising a team and writing RICEF…
 Must be very proficient in all aspects of RICEF developments…
 Interact with business users to analyze the requirements and technical desings of the RICEF
objects…
 Develops functional specifications for RICEF technical objects affecting respective business
processes…

RICEF is not a standard SAP acronym! Is there anyone knows who made RICEF acronym firstly?

All right, RICEF stands for Reports, Interfaces, Conversions, Enhancements, Forms.

R – Reports

R refers report programming. Of course, firstly classical report programming, WRITE statement; then it
means ALV programming with either ALV function modules or ABAP objects.

I – Interfaces

Interfaces are ALE / IDOC developments. Not only development, ABAP programming for IDOCs, also IDOC
customization, management. I think it might refers EDI too.

C – Conversion

I think conversions means BDC programming, batch input function modules, BDCDATA structure, CALL
TRANSACTION. Maybe conversion specifically refers conversion programs for standard batch input
programs. Even we can say it refers LSMW.

E – Enhancements

Enhancements are user-exits and the object oriented model of user-exits that is BADIs.

F – Forms
 Forms are SAPscript forms, SAPscript print programs, and SmartForms.
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Former Member
 May 18, 2015 at 3:29 pm

Thanks Tuncay Karaca.

Really nice explanation.

o Like(0)

Tuncay Karaca Post author

June 4, 2015 at 2:09 pm

You are welcome Pappu.

 Like(0)

Lucas Liachi

October 19, 2016 at 12:26 pm

Really nice explanation. Thanks!

o Like(1)

Jonathan Christhian Mejia Anchante

July 27, 2017 at 3:51 pm

Really helpful your post. Most of the times I see that acronym in job positions but had no idea
but it was. Thank you.

o Like(1)

Rob Dielemans

August 15, 2017 at 9:00 am

Isn’t this jargon of Accenture?

 The first time I encountered it was in a project where Accenture did most of the staffing.

o Like(0)

Tuncay Karaca Post author

August 15, 2017 at 4:21 pm

Is it Accenture’s jargon? I didn’t know that! I haven’t seen any reference information for
where RICEF used first time!

 Like(0)

Former Member

September 4, 2017 at 4:45 pm

Hi Rob,

For your question related ‘Isn’t this jargon of Accenture?’

Its not, but as per my understanding it covers all the areas (RICEFW) where abaper
works in Accenture.

Thanks,

 Like(0)

Former Member

March 2, 2018 at 6:21 pm

Yes waychal , you are right , some companies say RICEFW it is depend on the naming convention
and standard used by that particular company.

RICEF –>> R- Means reports I-means Interfaces C-means Conversions E-Enhancements F-

forms.

RICEFW ->> R- Means reports I-means Interfaces C-means Conversions E-

Enhancements F-forms W-Workflow.
 If you are working on the reports , your object name may be RDD001 , RDD002,
RDD003 , ………………

If you have got the requirement to develop smart forms or scripts., your object name may
be FDD001, FDD002, FDD003, …………

similar way for interface ., IDD001,IDD002,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

for conversion CDD001, CDD002 ,,,,,,,,,,,,

for Enhancement EDD001, EDD002,EDD03,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

for smart forms or scripts FDD001, FDD002,,,,,,,

again I want to say that whatever naming convention I have explained ,it is change company to
company according to their naming standards.

o Like(0)

N Soni

December 20, 2018 at 7:57 pm

How about a custom program or a tool that automates a process that’s a combination of
standard transactions? – For example – Custom program that creates delivery & shipment from
Sales order. Or a program that has selection screen & posts/updates transaction data but not
using BDC, IDoc.. but using standard function modules..

Where this kind of custom transactions fall under? Report or Interface or Enhancement or we
need a new hybrid category…?
0
Former Member

How to develop ABAP RICEF objects in S/4HANA Cloud Public Versi

on
Apr 26, 2017 at 11:04 AM | 152 Views

Hi All,
 Good Day.
We are going to move on S/4 Hana Cloud public version. I read some of the documents in SDN. In S/4 han
a cloud, there is an Extensibility application. Using this application can create custom CDS view, badi enh
ancement. But coding customizing is very less compared to s/4 hana on-promise.
I would like to know, how to create below objects in S/4 hana cloud public version.

 Reports
 Interface
 Conversion
 Enhancement
 Smartforms
 background jobs

Please help me the insights of this.

Thanks,
Ravi Ayyanar
SAP S/4HANA Cloud
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Jul 17, 2017 at 01:48 PM

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Hi Ravi,
Were you able to find the answer for this. If yes , please let us know also as we are also having the
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How to develop ABAP RICEF objects in S/4HANA

Cloud Public Version
Apr 26, 2017 at 11:04 AM | 152 Views

Hi All,

Good Day.

We are going to move on S/4 Hana Cloud public version. I read some of the documents in SDN. In S/4 han
a cloud, there is an Extensibility application. Using this application can create custom CDS view, badi enh
ancement. But coding customizing is very less compared to s/4 hana on-promise.
I would like to know, how to create below objects in S/4 hana cloud public version.


Reports
 Interface
 Conversion
 Enhancement
 Smartforms
 background jobs
Please help me the insights of this.

Thanks,
Ravi Ayyanar
SAP S/4HANA Cloud

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Unleash SAP Implementation RICEF / WRICEF

Objects
RICEF or WRICEF signify the development objects built and designed on SAP suite to
fulfill the business requirements. RICEF is an acronym applicable in all the SAP modules
for Reports, Interfaces, Conversion, Enhancements and Forms. It is referred as RICEF
and WRICEF, w stands for SAP Workflow. These items are separately done by separate
team of huge project work development of Scripts, Programs and more.

Reports: Development of standard reports in SAP ABAP, BW or Report Painter/Writer.

Interfaces: ABAP needs to be integrated with some other non SAP systems or any
external systems like Payroll, Banking, Dispute Management and many interfaces. All
these needs to be integrated with their respective systems to automate the postings and
payments in SAP.

Conversion: Conversion of inherited data into a format suitable to load in SAP. Extracting
the data from the system, Transforming the data into the suitable format (LSMW, BAPI,
BDC) and Loading the data into the system.

Enhancements: ABAP provides enhancement implementations known as user exits, to

pull the calculations carried background. If a company needs extra configuration to meet
and target country specific, the template needs to be enhanced with extra configurations.
 Forms: Development of various forms like Customers invoice, Sales Invoice, Purchase
Orders, Statement etc;

Workflow: Development of Workflows in ABAP. In order to change the master data,

specific approval process shall be followed.

About SAP ABAP Online Training @ BigClasses

BigClasses is one of the best online training organizations offer SAP ABAP training. We
have qualified and experienced faculties who are responsible for taking the online
sessions. We provide study materials and 24 hours support to our national and
international learners as well. If you are interested in SAP ABAP online training, contact
us for the detailed course and the free demo classes.

India: +91 800 811 4040 USA: +1 757 905 2515

Website:www.bigclasses.com Email:[email protected]

Select Menu

 Cloud
o AWS
o Salesforce
 BigData
o Hadoop
 DWH
o Informatica
o OBIEE
o DataStage
o Cognos
o Microstrategy
o QlikView
o MSBI
o TeraData
o Business Objects
o Ab Initio
 SAP
o SAP HANA
 SAP ABAP
o
SAP BASIS
o
o SAP Security
o SAP BO
o SAP BODS
o SAP BI
o SAP FICO
o SAP SD
o SAP BW
 MicroSoft
o SharePointDOT NetASP .NetC# .NetVB .NetMSBI ( SSIS, SSRS, SSAS )SQLServer
DBAJava
o Core JavaAdv JavaJ2EEOracle
o Oracle Training
o Oracle DBA
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o Testing Tools
o Selenium
o Manual Testing
o LoadRunner
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o ETL Testing
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o Block Chain
o python
o WebSphere MQ
o Business Analyst
o Android
 Others
o English
 Spoken English
 Corporate English
 Voice Accent
o News
 Other
 Online Videos

Unleash SAP Implementation RICEF / WRICEF

Objects
RICEF or WRICEF signify the development objects built and designed on SAP suite to
fulfill the business requirements. RICEF is an acronym applicable in all the SAP modules
for Reports, Interfaces, Conversion, Enhancements and Forms. It is referred as RICEF
and WRICEF, w stands for SAP Workflow. These items are separately done by separate
team of huge project work development of Scripts, Programs and more.

Reports: Development of standard reports in SAP ABAP, BW or Report Painter/Writer.

Interfaces: ABAP needs to be integrated with some other non SAP systems or any
external systems like Payroll, Banking, Dispute Management and many interfaces. All
these needs to be integrated with their respective systems to automate the postings and
payments in SAP.

Conversion: Conversion of inherited data into a format suitable to load in SAP. Extracting
the data from the system, Transforming the data into the suitable format (LSMW, BAPI,
BDC) and Loading the data into the system.

Enhancements: ABAP provides enhancement implementations known as user exits, to

pull the calculations carried background. If a company needs extra configuration to meet
and target country specific, the template needs to be enhanced with extra configurations.

Forms: Development of various forms like Customers invoice, Sales Invoice, Purchase
Orders, Statement etc;

Workflow: Development of Workflows in ABAP. In order to change the master data,

specific approval process shall be followed.

About SAP ABAP Online Training @ BigClasses

BigClasses is one of the best online training organizations offer SAP ABAP training. We
have qualified and experienced faculties who are responsible for taking the online
sessions. We provide study materials and 24 hours support to our national and
international learners as well. If you are interested in SAP ABAP online training, contact
us for the detailed course and the free demo classes.

India: +91 800 811 4040 USA: +1 757 905 2515

Website:www.bigclasses.com Email:[email protected]

Effective Management of RICEF Development on SAP Projects

Share with your peers, friends or project leaders

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RICEF objects stand at the core of any SAP implementation. RICEF is an acronym for Reports (R),
Interfaces (I), Conversions (C), Enhancements (E) and Forms (F) which for the most part represent
development objects in SAP that need to be designed and developed to fulfill the software gaps and
ancillary business requirements. RICEF is also referred to as RICEFW (with W representing
workflows) or FRICE.
We are not going to discuss how RICEF development should be done, but rather focus on measures
every SAP project leadership and executive sponsor should take to ensure high quality RICEF design
and development. If these measures are adopted correctly then it should help your project leadership
to identify and mitigate any project risks that could potentially jeopardize a successful go-live.
As a SAP Project Executive Advisor (QA, Validation and Verification), one of the key aspect I closely
monitor is execution, governance and delivery of RICEF objects. I will cover all these three areas as
we discuss various steps along the lifecycle of the SAP implementation that involves or directly
impacts RICEF development.

Video: RICEF Development Management Advisory Services for SAP Projects

High Quality Blueprint

Providing clarity and depth into your business requirements

Detailed Business Requirements

Emphasize on "what" your company needs to run your business operations in SAP and not "how"
these needs will be realized in SAP. "What" precisely refers to your business requirements and "how"
is how these requirements will be configured or designed and built in SAP during realization phase.
Very often business teams raise a pain point in realization phase complaining about the quality of
functional specifications indicating the designs are inaccurate or business requirement
interpretation is incomplete in the functional designs. This situation arises when business
requirements are not at a sufficient level of detail that SAP functional consultants can clearly
understand and interpret your business needs. From my perspective, detailed business requirements
are absolutely a must on every SAP implementation which holds the key to go-live success.
Remember that RICEF design and build on most SAP projects are done by offshore teams located in
countries like India, Philippines, Europe, etc. So it is important that each business requirement
document in blueprint should be at a very detailed level that any person who is not part of your project
or business can read and explain the business need back to you without anything lost in translation.
Day in life examples with business scenarios should be included when explaining complex business
requirements. Classic example
If your business requirement says "I need to build a new custom mid size car to deliver pizza.". If we
design based on this incomplete requirement lacking details, you could get a MERCEDES or FORD
designed and built that could meet this vague requirement.
The company chief executive must be looking for low cost and fuel efficient cars to deliver pizzas. Now
a good business requirement could look like this. "New mid size fuel efficient and economical car need
to be built to deliver pizza. The car gas mileage should be in 25-40 mpg range. Low cost interior and
no air conditioning needed. Car needs to be 4-door to accomodate pizza delivery bags for 3-5
customers at a time. Cost of car should not exceed $15000.". Now you know that the car being designed
will be low cost fuel efficient car that can accomodate enough pizza delivery bags per your company
needs. That is why for a good RICEF design and build quality, it is very important to have detailed
business requirements with business examples where required for more clarity.

Good SAP Software Fit-Gap Analysis

RICEFs are technical objects that need to be designed and built to address the "gaps" in the SAP
software. These gaps may represent SAP functionality that needs to be modified or custom. So what
constitutes a good fit-gap analysis? Well! There is a twofold perspective. First of all a good fit gap
analysis can only be done by an SAP techno-functional expert in the modules that are being used on
the project. This resource must be at the level of an SAP solution architect who also possesses an in-
depth expertise about specific SAP modules and all the functionality that has been added in later
releases. SAP customers often ignore this fact and you tend to trust that the resource performing fit-
gap has the required expertise.

Next thing that should be emphasized is how the fit gap analysis is carried out. Fit-gap should be
done on each detailed level business requirement (L3 requirements) and also at the "L2" and "L3"
business process steps. Why on process steps? Just because SAP may have an enhanced or
alternate solution to execute the same process step that may meet all underlying business
requirements in a slightly different manner but still meeting essential needs of the core business
process. If your project has a independent advisor, I recommend that you verify the quality of fit gap
analysis and resulting RICEF inventory.

On large or complex (w/significant custom development) SAP projects that I have overseen, I have
always recommended to the CIOs that fit gap analysis be reviewed by IBU (Industry Business Unit) or
IS (Industry Solution) experts from SAP America or SAP AG that are not typically part of professional
consulting services but who work in the product development and field services departments at SAP.

RICEF Estimations
Work effort associated with RICEF design, build and testing usually account for 50-70% of project
budget during the realization phase. So it is very important that objects in the RICEF inventory are
classified correctly to represent correct work effort. System integrators often only include effort
required from their own resources to design and build the RICEF objects. I suggest that you ask the
project manager and SI delivery lead to verify that effort includes hours required from business team
SME and other project team members to complete the work. Also estimates for each RICEF object
should include functional requirements (if not done in blueprint), technical design, development and
unit testing. Allow 15-20% of total effort for each RICEF object for performing modifications and fixes
based on business, technical and advisory QA reviews. All "very large" RICEF objects especially
enhancement which could also be classified as custom development are estimated separately and
not using the SI estimation tools. Because very large enhancements could men 200 hours or also
1000+ hours depending on the scope and complexity and later could blow the project budget out of
bounds.

For conversions, ensure that estimations include effort required for cleansing and extraction from
legacy systems, transformation and loading of data into SAP. Effort for cleansing the legacy system
data can be overwhelming if the quality of data is not as clean as you hoped. If your project believes
that your organization will require extra effort then ensure you adjust the work effort for each
"high/medium/low" conversion object. Make sure you are not double counting for technical
development that is needed to support conversions which may also be included in other
enhancements and ABAP reports.

Most RICEF "interfaces" can also be used for loading the data from legacy systems and hence the
conversion effort should not be duplicated. In this case conversion (if any) estimates should only
include effort required to clean and extract data.

Realization Phase Staffing Model (for RICEF)

Balance between onsite and offshore Balance within technical team � architect, senior developers,
developers and junior dev Architects should know in-depth technical know how of all development
classes, available BADI�s /user exits, DDIC and other technical objects that are available in standard
SAP solution Senior developers should be experts in ABAP/ABAP OO along with tools and solutions
along with good understanding of standard functionality. Developers should be able to take directions
from architects and senior developers. Implement the code independently. Junior developers and
technical analysts can be fresh out of college or less than 2 years of experience with SAP ABAP, PI,
etc. Junior developers should not exceed 15% of your total technical team composition. Having junior
team members above 20% could wreck the quality and delivery of your RICEF development.

Project Management of RICEF Development

Project Plan and RICEF WBS

I expect to see two project plans with different level of granularity to provide me with 100%
transparency into the actual progress. One at the PMO, with WBS showing each RICEF object and
underlying tasks one each for functional specification, technical design and development. The project
plan also have a milestone for each RICEF signifying approval by business lead upon review from
SMEs. This will provide a good insight for the project leadership showing the RICEF objects that are
complete have also been checked and verified by the business thereby acknowledging the
development.

Example WBS in PMO project plan

Application development(RICEF)team leads on the project should have a more granular project plan
for each RICEF objects. Sample work breakdown structure (WBS) for a typical object may include:
RICEF E278: [name of enhancement]
Functional specification
Technical design
Build and unit test
Business review
Signoff

Project plan should include dependencies on other related RICEF objects and it is important to
especially show the progress of RICEF objects on critical path to your project sponsor and advisors.

Tracking RICEF Design and Development

First, let�s discuss about what need to be designed and built first. Make sure RICEF objects that are
driving the core business process and SAP functionality be done in first cycle followed by the ones
that have lesser business critical significance. Keep the report, forms and enhancements to the last
that have lesser business impact if project decided to go-live without these objects in place. Please
refer to our recommendations on "Sequencing RICEF development in realization phase" for more
information.

Reporting Accurate Progress to Project Leadership

SAP transformation projects are usually quite large enterprise wide undertaking and hence it is
important all parts and pieces of the project are completed in a timely fashion to deliver the overall
project in time and within budget. RICEF development is one of these critical part and all pieces i.e.
key RICEF objects that are in project critical path be completed on time. I often see system
integrators that show the project in "GREEN" status during early to mid realization phase where in
reality it should be at least "YELLOW" because of delays. Here is what I like to see in terms of weekly
status reporting about RICEF objects in the project leadership meetings. Your SAP project manager
should have a few slides in the weekly PMO deck that shows the RICEF progress dashboard.
First set of slides should show the total number of reports, forms, interfaces and enhancements that
were supposed to be completed till date as per original plan and showing the actual completion count
till date. All the RICEF objects that are delayed should be listed in the following deck one by one with
reason for delay, extra effort required and target completion date. All risks and issues around any
RICEF delays that could potentially impact the project should be logged in issues and risk
management tool. Next set of slides should show the status of in-progress RICEF objects with just the
list of objects and target completion date. Any change requests, issues or risks around the RICEF
objects that could potentially impact the project budget and timeline should be in the final concluding
slides that show RICEF development status.
As a project advisor, I expect a little more detailed weekly report on the RICEF development and this
be reviewed with me prior to preparing the above project leadership status report. I ask the project
manager (periodically include project sponsor) to walk through the project plan. For each RICEF
object that is completed, I like to see that the design has been verified and approved by the business
before marking the same as complete. If the development (build) has been complete, I like to see that
senior technical team members have done QA review on the implementation. I may pick a few key
objects to conduct design and code review with the technical team.
For RICEF objects that are delayed, I would like to see the detailed explanation on what has caused
the delays in the completion of design and build. I investigate some of these items further with the
SAP project manager and team members to ensure that delays are not caused by lack of SAP
expertise or unnecessary bottlenecks being caused by business teams. Ensure that there is a
collective (or well grouped) weekly change requests that reflect the delays or extra effort required to
complete the RICEF objects. I might conduct one-on-one meetings with the RICEF development
teams and leads to identify and mitigate any risks that affecting completion of certain RICEF objects.
If the project has outsourced the RICEF development then I expect to meet with the offshore delivery
lead and the project manager on a weekly basis to discuss status and some of the above points. I
suggest that your IT lead or advisor visit the offshore development center whether it be in India or
Philippines if there are major delivery issues. Historically I have travelled to India on some projects
and also made some tactical and personnel changes to bring the project back on track with minimal
possible impact on delivery time and budget.

One thing that I often see on projects is that systems integrator begin the realization by focusing on
simple and low effort RICEF objects first in order to report "GREEN" status in project leadership
meetings. This results in more business critical RICEF development that is in critical path to be
delayed there by causing overall project delays.