ESS / MSS Customization in EHP5

Intro

As you all might already heard, SAP is going ABAP all the way, meaning Employee Self Services (ESS) are all ABAP-based, since ECC EHP5 release. Manager Self-Services remain to be ABAP+Java, at least in EHP5 version. Although customization of ESS is done on ECC side, there is a common tradition to ask your portal consultant to do that. So, if you are either an HR consultant that wants to learn the subject, or a portal one-man-show consultant, this guide will help you start!

Pre-requisites

First of all, you can find the official ESS business package documentation here, or if you are into MSS as well - you can find it here. Let's start with the requirements:

1. Enable IGS on your ECC server, according to note 1527176
2. Make sure you have the required ESS & MSS business content deployed & enabled on ECC 
3. On portal side, create EHP5 system in System Landscape. Please make sure you add a system alias "SAP_ECC_HumanResources". Now test the connection. Following tests must succeed:
   
   Add following system aliases:
   * SAP_ECC_Common*
   * SAP_EREC_TalentManagement
   * SAP_ECC_HumanResources
4. Download following portal business content from service marketplace, and upload it to portal through JSPM / developer studio:
   
   * BPERPESSWDA05 – according to note 1450179
   * BPERP5MSS05 (BP ERP05 MSS 1.51)
   * BPERPCOM05 -  COMMON PARTS
   * SAP MSS 630 – MSS WD for Java applications
   * PCUI_GP 633 -  component pre-requisite WD for Java applications
   
   The content you downloaded for deployment will consist of the following:
   
5. Download following WebDynpro Java components for MSS from service marketplace (only if you plan to use the MSS):
   
   
   
   * PCUI_GP
   * MSS
   * SAP_PSS (if you use project management)
6. Create required RFCconnections in WebDynpro content administrator
7. Assign yourself the roles provided in business content:ESS: com.sap.pct.erp.ess.wda.Employee_Self_Service_WDA
   MSS: com.sap.pct.erp.mss.manager_self_service

Launchpad Customization

Launchpad is the first screen users land on when accessing the ESS. Please follow these steps in ECC:

1. Run LPD_CUST and select ESS MENU
   
2. Copy the launchpad to ZESS
   
3. Remove unrelated applications (delete or move to inactive folder)
   
4. You can add your portal custom applications starting with /irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/pcd!3aportal_content!2f...
5. Change the role of launchpad to ZESS, which was created in step 2:
6. Save and exit

ESS Customization

Here you will see example of personal info page customization.

1. Go to SE80 and open package PAOC_ESS_PER_WDA
2. Drill down to application configuration, and click "Start Configurator"
   
   
3. Click "Go to component configuration" and click "Start Deep Copy
4. Create a new package, and a new transport request, and then click "Ok"
   You will end up with a new configuration:
   
   
5. Once your custom deep-copy component configuration is created, use Shift+F8 in order to launch the UIBB (building blocks) customization
6. Once customized, go to LPD_CUST and set your new application configuration instead of the standard one

You can refer to SAP documentation in order to find the component package & name which you would like to customize.

* MSS Customization is still performed in the old Java-way, by launching relevant applications in Preview mode from portal Content Admin, and then Ctrl + Right click.

If you are interested in further development & support, please contact me directly.

Good luck!