RICEF isn't a standard SAP acronym. It's not defined by SAP like we have ABAP,
ALV, etc. It's a common term used to describe five areas of technical
developments in SAP. It represents Reports, Interfaces, Conversions,
Enhancements and Forms.
R- Reports
R stands for Report developments. All the technical objects/developments that deal with programing of SAP Reports. It includes different types of reports; Simple reports where you output using WRITE statements, Simple ALV reports, ALV Grid, ALV Grid with advanced functionality, etc. Reports can include classic ABAP programs that produces simple output or ABAP programs with complex interactive user interface via ALV programming or other modern techniques. These reports may be triggered using a custom transaction code, ABAP Editor (se38), ABAP Workbench (transaction se80) or via a background job.
I - Interfaces
I stands for Interface developments. Interfaces are ALE/IDOCs development. Involves not just ABAP programming for IDOCs but also IDOC customization. Interface includes all the development and configuration objects that allows internal as well as external SAP and non-SAP systems to communicate with each other. What gets included in the RICEF inventory has evolved over time. Originally it used to be in strict ABAP context which included ALE, IDOC, EDI and RFC enabled communications. Nowadays with evolution of SAP PI over the years and to avoid terminology confusion for a SAP customer, all the SAP systems integration including e-SOA (Service Enabled Architecture) communication, third party / external systems integration, web interfaces, etc that are managed by SAP PI are counted as RICEF interface objects.
C - Conversion
C stands for conversion objects. Conversion refers to BDC programing. Data upload from legacy system in flat files format to SAP system is done via Conversion Objects. This involves uploading data through BDC, LSMW, BAPI, etc. Here we include all SAP Data Conversion objects which are required to load the data from client legacy systems into your future state SAP system. It includes ABAP development and configuration tasks with SAP tools and technologies that support data conversion like BDC programming, Direct Input (DI) programs, LSMW (Legacy System Migration Workbench), Complex ABAP program to support data load, Transfer Workbench, BAPI, etc. Building a data conversion strategy, data extraction and cleansing plan are not included in the RICEF inventory and should be addressed separately on the SAP project by your Data Conversion Lead.
E - Enhancements
Enhancements are User Exits, Customer Exits, BADI's etc. ABAP code that has to be written in order to enhance SAP system functionality. Enhancements include all modifications to SAP standard delivered package components such as the user interface, system processes and output to meet business requirements of an SAP customer. Modifications to standard delivered business processes are most often implemented using user exits or business add-ins (BADI). Sometimes enhancements can include custom developed stand alone transactions or business processes. On projects where custom developed SAP solution scope (includes new DDIC, application layer and UI) is significant, a new work stream dedicated to SAP Custom Development may be introduced. Otherwise custom development objects can be included as enhancements.
F - Forms
Forms include SAP Smartforms, SAP Scripts. Technical development that deals with fetching necessary data from SAP system and displaying in terms of forms for printout are classified as under Forms. Forms refer to structured data that needs to be presented as output which are standardized by the business or by external regulatory entities. Forms that are required for business operations include invoices, purchase orders, policies, etc. External forms that an SAP customer may need to adopt include compliance reports, tax filing forms, state regulatory reports, etc. Forms can be built using SAPscript, Smart Forms, Adobe Forms (also Adobe Interactive Forms) or MS Office Integration. In the recent years, Adobe forms and MS Office Integration forms are becoming more popular because both are user friendly (easy to create), easy printing capabilities and both are integrated with the ABAP workbench.
SAP Project managers usually refer technical development in terms of RICEF objects. Project technical team leads usually distinguish the objects based on this categorization and assign them to team on basis of experience. Reports being a first choice for beginners and Enhancements being the favourite choice for experts.
R- Reports
R stands for Report developments. All the technical objects/developments that deal with programing of SAP Reports. It includes different types of reports; Simple reports where you output using WRITE statements, Simple ALV reports, ALV Grid, ALV Grid with advanced functionality, etc. Reports can include classic ABAP programs that produces simple output or ABAP programs with complex interactive user interface via ALV programming or other modern techniques. These reports may be triggered using a custom transaction code, ABAP Editor (se38), ABAP Workbench (transaction se80) or via a background job.
I - Interfaces
I stands for Interface developments. Interfaces are ALE/IDOCs development. Involves not just ABAP programming for IDOCs but also IDOC customization. Interface includes all the development and configuration objects that allows internal as well as external SAP and non-SAP systems to communicate with each other. What gets included in the RICEF inventory has evolved over time. Originally it used to be in strict ABAP context which included ALE, IDOC, EDI and RFC enabled communications. Nowadays with evolution of SAP PI over the years and to avoid terminology confusion for a SAP customer, all the SAP systems integration including e-SOA (Service Enabled Architecture) communication, third party / external systems integration, web interfaces, etc that are managed by SAP PI are counted as RICEF interface objects.
C - Conversion
C stands for conversion objects. Conversion refers to BDC programing. Data upload from legacy system in flat files format to SAP system is done via Conversion Objects. This involves uploading data through BDC, LSMW, BAPI, etc. Here we include all SAP Data Conversion objects which are required to load the data from client legacy systems into your future state SAP system. It includes ABAP development and configuration tasks with SAP tools and technologies that support data conversion like BDC programming, Direct Input (DI) programs, LSMW (Legacy System Migration Workbench), Complex ABAP program to support data load, Transfer Workbench, BAPI, etc. Building a data conversion strategy, data extraction and cleansing plan are not included in the RICEF inventory and should be addressed separately on the SAP project by your Data Conversion Lead.
E - Enhancements
Enhancements are User Exits, Customer Exits, BADI's etc. ABAP code that has to be written in order to enhance SAP system functionality. Enhancements include all modifications to SAP standard delivered package components such as the user interface, system processes and output to meet business requirements of an SAP customer. Modifications to standard delivered business processes are most often implemented using user exits or business add-ins (BADI). Sometimes enhancements can include custom developed stand alone transactions or business processes. On projects where custom developed SAP solution scope (includes new DDIC, application layer and UI) is significant, a new work stream dedicated to SAP Custom Development may be introduced. Otherwise custom development objects can be included as enhancements.
F - Forms
Forms include SAP Smartforms, SAP Scripts. Technical development that deals with fetching necessary data from SAP system and displaying in terms of forms for printout are classified as under Forms. Forms refer to structured data that needs to be presented as output which are standardized by the business or by external regulatory entities. Forms that are required for business operations include invoices, purchase orders, policies, etc. External forms that an SAP customer may need to adopt include compliance reports, tax filing forms, state regulatory reports, etc. Forms can be built using SAPscript, Smart Forms, Adobe Forms (also Adobe Interactive Forms) or MS Office Integration. In the recent years, Adobe forms and MS Office Integration forms are becoming more popular because both are user friendly (easy to create), easy printing capabilities and both are integrated with the ABAP workbench.
SAP Project managers usually refer technical development in terms of RICEF objects. Project technical team leads usually distinguish the objects based on this categorization and assign them to team on basis of experience. Reports being a first choice for beginners and Enhancements being the favourite choice for experts.
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