SAP & MAC
It may sound like a rather strange idea at first but there is actually quite a big user base out there using a MAC to work with SAP. While MACs become more and more popular, my company has been using them since the beginning and thanks to the JAVA based SAP GUI version, things have improved a lot over the last few years.
There are a few things to consider when you’re thinking about using a MAC to connect to a SAP System.
BI Tools
If you are using BI tools such as Bex and Query Designer, you will find that these tools are simply not available for the MAC. There is no Java version as these tools are closely linked with Windows OS calls and routines. There are no plans to change that in the near future as far as SAP is concerned. So keep that in mind. You will have to install some sort of Windows on your MAC which isn’t a problem these days but some MAC users may find this thought rather disturbing...
Safari
As far as SAP & Safari are concerned, you will find that the two aren’t made for each other. Things have improved a lot, but some pages work, some don’t. Usually the ones you need won’t display properly or not at all. Your much better off using Firefox. Especially if you are navigating within service.sap.com or SDN.
Other limitations
- •Office integration into SAP transactions is not available
- •Some GUI components like the BExexplorer are not available
- •Some controls in SAP GUI for Windows used for special purposes
are not available as JavaBean in SAP GUI for Java, for example SAP SmartForms
advanced ABAP Editor Control - •Graphical screen painter is not available
- •Translations of built-in texts like in logon window or options menu are not available for all languages SAP supports
- •To see if a transaction is supported for use with SAP GUI for Java check in transaction SE93. Most transactions work perfectly.
More details about limitations of the JAVA GUI can be found in SAP note 454939.
