SAP Fiori Elements provide a standardized and efficient way to develop SAP Fiori applications by leveraging metadata-driven templates. This approach ensures consistency, faster development, and reduced maintenance. However, business scenarios often demand custom user interface (UI) elements or functionality beyond the standard Fiori Elements templates. To address this, SAP offers advanced customization options that allow integrating custom UI components while preserving the framework’s advantages.
This article explores the advanced customization techniques in SAP Fiori Elements and how to effectively extend apps with custom UI components to meet complex business requirements.
While SAP Fiori Elements covers many standard use cases (list reports, object pages, analytical apps), certain scenarios require:
Advanced customization enables developers to balance rapid development with flexible, user-specific experiences.
Annotation-based Customizations
Extension Points
Custom UI via Freestyle Components
Custom Actions and Navigation
Extension points provide a non-intrusive way to insert custom UI elements. These are defined in XML views of Fiori Elements and can be filled by your custom XML fragments or controller logic.
Example: Adding a custom button in the header toolbar on an Object Page.
HeaderActions).<!-- CustomFragment.fragment.xml -->
<Button
text="Custom Action"
press="onCustomActionPress"/>
In the controller:
onCustomActionPress: function() {
MessageToast.show("Custom action triggered!");
}
Sometimes, a fully custom UI component is needed. Use the CustomSection or CustomHeaderFacet annotations or extension points to embed these controls.
Example: Embedding a custom chart control inside the object page.
Advanced use of CDS annotations can control UI layout, field behavior, and even define new semantic objects or navigation links.
@UI.lineItem, @UI.fieldGroup, or @UI.facet annotations to rearrange and group fields.Custom actions enrich user interaction:
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| Keep Standard UI as Primary | Use standard Fiori Elements as much as possible to maintain upgrade paths. |
| Use Extension Points Over Direct Overrides | Minimizes risk and eases future maintenance. |
| Separate Custom Code | Keep custom controls modular and loosely coupled. |
| Consistent Look and Feel | Align custom UI with SAP Fiori design guidelines for UX consistency. |
| Performance Considerations | Optimize custom UI controls to avoid slowing down app responsiveness. |
Advanced customization of SAP Fiori Elements with custom UI components empowers organizations to tailor their SAP applications to unique business needs without sacrificing the benefits of the Fiori Elements framework. By leveraging extension points, custom SAPUI5 controls, and annotation-driven adjustments, developers can build sophisticated, user-friendly applications that drive business efficiency and user satisfaction.
When done thoughtfully, these customizations combine the best of both worlds: rapid development and rich, bespoke user experiences.