As we approach the middle of 2024, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the significant updates introduced to SAP Build Process Automation during the first months of the year. These enhancements have set a strong foundation for what’s shaping up to be a transformative year for SAP Build users. From Shared Environments that encourage real-time collaboration to a redesigned Vertical Process Editor that simplifies workflow creation, SAP is making process automation more intuitive, collaborative, and flexible. 

Shared Environments for Project Deployment

One of the most visible on first sight updates delivered at the begining of the year is the introduction of Shared Environments. Public spaces where multiple users can collaborate on projects in real-time. This is particularly useful for larger teams that need to work together across different departments or projects, enabling smoother collaboration while maintaining security and governance standards.  

Key Benefits: 

• Collaboration Across Teams: With shared environments, multiple users can work together on projects, deploying resources and sharing assets without needing separate environments for every user or team. This encourages real-time collaboration and eliminates bottlenecks caused by isolated workflows. 

• Resource Assignment: Shared environments also allow for flexible resource management, where teams can assign resources to projects more effectively. This makes it easier to ensure that all required resources are available where they are needed, without duplicating efforts across different environments. 

• Security and Governance: Despite being public, shared environments come with robust security controls to ensure that users only access what they are allowed to, while still working in a collaborative space​.

However, it’s important to note that Shared Environments are still a work in progress for certain features, like processes, which aren’t fully supported yet. Stay tuned for future updates on this! 

Vertical Process Editor: A More Intuitive Workflow Design 

The new Vertical Process Editor layout is a major enhancement to the SAP Build Process Automation platform, making the design of business workflows far more intuitive. Instead of the traditional horizontal layout, which could become unwieldy in complex processes, the vertical layout provides a streamlined, top-down approach that is much easier to navigate.

Why This Matters: 

• Improved Usability: The vertical layout simplifies the process-building experience by presenting workflows in a more natural and readable way. This is especially useful for complex workflows with multiple decision points. 

• Drag-and-Drop Functionality: Users can now easily rearrange steps, and the editor automatically adjusts the layout to maintain clarity, even in larger processes.  

  

• Guided Building: The process editor now offers in-app guidance that helps users, particularly those new to SAP Build, better understand the building process as they go​. 

Looking Beneath the Surface: What’s Coming Next 

While Shared Environments and the Vertical Process Editor are the most immediately noticeable changes at the start of 2024, for low-code/no-code (LCNC) developers like myself, some of the most important updates are happening beneath the surface. Two notable features—Improvements to the Intermediate Timer Event and the introduction of Custom Attributes for User Tasks—have also been released last months, laying the groundwork for even more exciting enhancements to come. 

What’s Next? 

This is just the beginning. As we look at the rest of 2024, more updates are on the horizon that will continue to improve SAP Build BPA. In the next blog, we will dive deeper into these new features and explore similar updates that are set to roll out in the coming months. I’ve seen in the roadmap finally script tasks or scheduled triggers are coming!  

Stay tuned as we continue to unpack the exciting future of SAP Build Process Automation!