3.0 Analysis of Fiori Application Categories
The SAP Fiori application portfolio is not monolithic but is segmented into three distinct categories. Understanding the functional purpose and, critically, the infrastructure requirements of each category is essential for strategic planning, resource allocation, and managing stakeholder expectations. Each application type is designed for a specific purpose and carries different dependencies, particularly concerning the underlying database.
| Application Category | Function | Database Requirement | Key Fact |
| Transactional Apps | Used for executing transactional tasks such as leave requests, travel requests, and purchase orders. These apps simplify common SAP transactions for mobile and desktop use. | Can be deployed with any database. Performance is best on SAP HANA, but it is not a mandatory requirement. | The first release of SAP Fiori included 25 transactional apps, forming the foundation of the Fiori experience. |
| Fact Sheets | Used to view and drill down into key contextual information about central business objects, such as a vendor contract. They allow navigation to related fact sheets and transactional apps. | Strictly requires the SAP HANA database. Also requires an ABAP stack and cannot be ported to SAP HANA Live tier-2 architecture. | Fact Sheets can be accessed directly from Launchpad search results or launched from within other Fiori applications. |
| Analytical Apps | Provides role-based, real-time insights into business operations by monitoring Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These apps leverage SAP HANA to process large data volumes. | Strictly requires the SAP HANA database. | Utilizes Virtual Data Models (VDMs) to enable complex aggregations and calculations, allowing users to react immediately to changing market conditions. |
The functional differences between these application types are enabled by a distributed technical architecture designed to support their unique requirements.