When to involve a developer (and what to ask for)
What you'll learn
When the in-app tools fall short, ask a developer for a solution on released APIs or RAP — never a modification to SAP standard.
- Involve a developer when the in-app tools cannot meet the need.
- Ask for a solution on released APIs or the modern RAP model — 'build it the Clean Core way.'
- Never accept a modification to SAP standard, even as a quick fix.
Sometimes the in-app tools are not enough — the logic is too complex, or the need spans systems. That is a perfectly good reason to involve a developer. The key is what you ask for: a solution built on released APIs (the official, supported connection points) or on SAP's modern in-system development model, RAP. You can simply say, 'please build this the Clean Core way.'
There is one thing to never ask for, even if someone offers it as a quick fix: a modification to SAP standard. A modification edits SAP's own delivered code, and it is exactly what breaks on upgrades and re-incurs cost every cycle. If a proposal involves 'just tweaking the standard,' that is a red flag.
A useful instinct: describe the business outcome you need, not the technical method, and ask the developer to choose the cleanest supported option (in-system developer extensibility, or a side-by-side app on SAP's platform). Your job is to insist the result is upgrade-safe; their job is to pick the right tool.
Key points
- Involve a developer when the in-app tools cannot meet the need.
- Ask for a solution on released APIs or the modern RAP model — 'build it the Clean Core way.'
- Never accept a modification to SAP standard, even as a quick fix.
- Describe the outcome; insist it is upgrade-safe; let the developer pick the method.
Examples
Instead of 'tweak the standard order screen,' a key user says: 'I need orders over a threshold routed for a second approval — please build it on released APIs so it survives upgrades.' The developer chooses the technical approach.
Source notes: clean-core-curriculum (business synthesis)
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