Smart form vs. SAPscript for customization

Smart form vs. SAPscript for customization

I plan to use a Smart Form instead of SAPscript in following context.

SAP standard program:RFKORB00/RFKORD30

SAPscript :F140_INT_DOCU_01(Internal doc)

My requirement is to customize SAPscript. I am wondering if I can use Smart Forms instead of SAPscript either by migrating current SAPscript or writing a new Smart Form from scratch. I don't want to change the driving program except if user-exit available. Is this possible?


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Short answer: No, I am not aware of any such user-exit. I would suggest cloning the driving program into a 'Z-version' and making your changes there instead.

Long answer(speaking more to the implicit which than the how in your question): I can understand why you would want to go with the newer tool. The Smart Forms tool is far superior to SAPscript in many ways; I encourage its use over SAPscript whenever practical. However, I recommend that you work with SAPscript for this particular task.

Consider: The basic form has already been created for you. Hence you can clone it, tweak it and then deploy it quickly and cheaply. You likely would need to spend hours and hours to redo it as a Smart Form. Why bother? After all, the document at issue is – by definition – an "internal doc". Thus, the advanced output options of Smart Forms most likely are not needed and the tool's other benefits are muted relative to the initial implementation costs.

Although SAPscript is not being further developed, the tool is not going away; it is still a viable option, particularly in the present case. In short, unless you view this as a training exercise (and have the support of upper management!) – or you are highly experienced in SAPscript to Smart Form migration – I suggest you stay with SAPscript in this sort of situation: when a preconfigured SAPscript form exists for a particular business scenario and there is no comparable preconfigured Smart Form.


This was first published in March 2004