There was no reporting functionality in the version we used. It all had to be done by another BI or reporting platform, so we used to actually migrate data from SAP Mobile Platform to that platform. Inherently, that product at that time had no reporting capabilities. It had to be done through some other platform. The only issue arose when SAP actually marked it as end-of-support. Otherwise, as a platform, it was fantastic. I don't think there was any major concern we had with the product itself. But when you mark any platform as end-of-support and we, being the OEM partners, it definitely created significant challenges for us.
The analytics and reporting capabilities in SAP mobile systems have helped me understand my mobile strategy better because we don't have wider reporting capabilities within mobile services. There is some reporting functionality, which I would classify as very basic, just to indicate how many devices are being connected, but it's not that comprehensive in terms of reporting.I would suggest improving the reporting by having more details around connection times. I think it is good, and I'm happy with what it is right now. Apart from that, if integrating to third-party systems can be made easier, this can be made into an app which can connect not just to SAP systems, but also to any third-party systems.
For a couple of years, SAP deployment and updates were not fair and simple. After the last evolution of mobile development in SAP, I need to check the latest features of the tool. At the company where I work, we are not deploying a new mobile platform or mobile solution at the moment. We are implementing a new group model for the organization, which is why we are not focused on the mobile development platform at the moment. I used the SAP Mobile Platform in 2022 for a project in my previous company, where I worked for eight years and used it until the end of last year, which is December 2023. The product should offer an easy way to deploy the application that can be deployed for a user, not only on SAP Fiori or GUI, along with the key features we need to have on a mobile platform, like the extension for SAP EVM. I see areas like SAP EVM for some mobile evolution, and it is not simple when we have something like it in the middle of the solution. We have to investigate if it is possible to have another way to manage the warehouse management or a simple way to have a key menu on the front end of the mobile platform. At the moment, we have to make some updates to the tool, and it is not simple.
One drawback is that SAP Mobile Platform apps are only available through the browser, making offline capability more challenging to implement. This limitation hinders usage in industries like oil and gas, where offline access is crucial due to safety concerns. Enabling native app support with built-in offline capabilities would greatly enhance its usability and cater to various scenarios where connectivity is limited or prohibited.
SAP Solution Architect at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Reseller
Sep 27, 2022
The toolkit to develop front end applications, especially native applications, is not that good. That is one of the drawbacks of the solution. The development toolkit is only good when we are developing SAP-related apps. When we have apps that need some extra integration for other environments, and have additional features, it's not that good. People prefer to use other non-SAP development platforms for app development, and then they use SAP as an integration layer to connect the app to the backend. I would like native app development capabilities. We already have hybrid app capabilities, but I would prefer to have native app development studios integrated into the services. If they had a toolkit within the framework for developing applications, it would make it easy. Right now, we develop services in the backend. We generate the RS services, and then give the URL to the front end team. If plugins were allowed directly from our APS to our Java files, they could directly be integrated into any of the front end application studios. Currently, that framework is missing. I would like them to make it a bit more open-source, rather than restricting the data to SAP itself. Also, there is limited support for different languages.
The only thing which basically is bothering us now is that SAP has announced that they'll be ending the support on the SAP platform. That said, we are one of the original partners for SAP, and we are selling it with the name of AutoMWALLET for branchless banking for mobile wallet solutions in Pakistan. The end of support would make it difficult for us to sell the solution to clients.
If I have to go for hybrid development, it is still too complex of development, per se. If there would be something out of the box, a pre-packaged solution, which can help us with going no code or low code, that would be better. There is currently low code or no code being provided by some partner ecosystems of SAP, yet not by the SAP itself. If it was low code or no code it would be ideal.
There are multiple functionalities within the design however they're not, actually, a hundred percent available on the UI in SAP's platform. If they can work more on the UI platform or maybe they change the framework on which the UI is written. That would be great. Right now, it is older technology with older frameworks. It's not purely on microservices. They could transform it onto microservices in order to benefit us as a partner. The licensing model is a bit dated.
SAP Mobile Platform is recognized for its independence, easy integration with various systems, and valuable features like mobile access and push notifications, making it efficient for enterprise use. Despite some challenges, it remains a favored choice for companies seeking robust mobile solutions.SAP Mobile Platform offers a comprehensive suite of development tools and an integration gateway that simplifies customization. Its capacity to integrate smoothly with SAP and non-SAP systems...
There was no reporting functionality in the version we used. It all had to be done by another BI or reporting platform, so we used to actually migrate data from SAP Mobile Platform to that platform. Inherently, that product at that time had no reporting capabilities. It had to be done through some other platform. The only issue arose when SAP actually marked it as end-of-support. Otherwise, as a platform, it was fantastic. I don't think there was any major concern we had with the product itself. But when you mark any platform as end-of-support and we, being the OEM partners, it definitely created significant challenges for us.
The analytics and reporting capabilities in SAP mobile systems have helped me understand my mobile strategy better because we don't have wider reporting capabilities within mobile services. There is some reporting functionality, which I would classify as very basic, just to indicate how many devices are being connected, but it's not that comprehensive in terms of reporting.I would suggest improving the reporting by having more details around connection times. I think it is good, and I'm happy with what it is right now. Apart from that, if integrating to third-party systems can be made easier, this can be made into an app which can connect not just to SAP systems, but also to any third-party systems.
For a couple of years, SAP deployment and updates were not fair and simple. After the last evolution of mobile development in SAP, I need to check the latest features of the tool. At the company where I work, we are not deploying a new mobile platform or mobile solution at the moment. We are implementing a new group model for the organization, which is why we are not focused on the mobile development platform at the moment. I used the SAP Mobile Platform in 2022 for a project in my previous company, where I worked for eight years and used it until the end of last year, which is December 2023. The product should offer an easy way to deploy the application that can be deployed for a user, not only on SAP Fiori or GUI, along with the key features we need to have on a mobile platform, like the extension for SAP EVM. I see areas like SAP EVM for some mobile evolution, and it is not simple when we have something like it in the middle of the solution. We have to investigate if it is possible to have another way to manage the warehouse management or a simple way to have a key menu on the front end of the mobile platform. At the moment, we have to make some updates to the tool, and it is not simple.
One drawback is that SAP Mobile Platform apps are only available through the browser, making offline capability more challenging to implement. This limitation hinders usage in industries like oil and gas, where offline access is crucial due to safety concerns. Enabling native app support with built-in offline capabilities would greatly enhance its usability and cater to various scenarios where connectivity is limited or prohibited.
The cost of the SAP Mobile Platform is high, and there is room for improvement in its pricing.
The toolkit to develop front end applications, especially native applications, is not that good. That is one of the drawbacks of the solution. The development toolkit is only good when we are developing SAP-related apps. When we have apps that need some extra integration for other environments, and have additional features, it's not that good. People prefer to use other non-SAP development platforms for app development, and then they use SAP as an integration layer to connect the app to the backend. I would like native app development capabilities. We already have hybrid app capabilities, but I would prefer to have native app development studios integrated into the services. If they had a toolkit within the framework for developing applications, it would make it easy. Right now, we develop services in the backend. We generate the RS services, and then give the URL to the front end team. If plugins were allowed directly from our APS to our Java files, they could directly be integrated into any of the front end application studios. Currently, that framework is missing. I would like them to make it a bit more open-source, rather than restricting the data to SAP itself. Also, there is limited support for different languages.
The only thing which basically is bothering us now is that SAP has announced that they'll be ending the support on the SAP platform. That said, we are one of the original partners for SAP, and we are selling it with the name of AutoMWALLET for branchless banking for mobile wallet solutions in Pakistan. The end of support would make it difficult for us to sell the solution to clients.
If I have to go for hybrid development, it is still too complex of development, per se. If there would be something out of the box, a pre-packaged solution, which can help us with going no code or low code, that would be better. There is currently low code or no code being provided by some partner ecosystems of SAP, yet not by the SAP itself. If it was low code or no code it would be ideal.
There are multiple functionalities within the design however they're not, actually, a hundred percent available on the UI in SAP's platform. If they can work more on the UI platform or maybe they change the framework on which the UI is written. That would be great. Right now, it is older technology with older frameworks. It's not purely on microservices. They could transform it onto microservices in order to benefit us as a partner. The licensing model is a bit dated.