Preface – This post is part of the Differences in ABAP for Interviews series.
Before discussing the difference between SAP Smart Forms and SAP Script, let’s have a short introduction of the two.
Table of Contents
SAP Smart Forms
SAP Smart Forms is a tool to create and maintain forms for mass printing and sending documents. This tool is also used for developing PDF files, e-mails, and documents. It provides an interface to build and maintain the layout and logic for the form. It does not require any programming knowledge to modify the forms. It means the forms can be configured using simple graphical tools effortlessly.
SAP Script
SAP Script is a text processing system owned by SAP. It is used to generate formatted documents and to print for external purposes. It uses pre-formatted forms to print pre-formatted texts which are not possible with normal ABAP code. It is client dependent, i.e. if it created in client 100, it is not visible to other clients.
SAP Smart Forms was introduced in 1998 to overcome the limitations of SAP Scripts and is superseded by Interactive Forms by Adobe since release 6.40.
Difference between SAP Smart Forms and SAP Script
Now, let’s have a look at their difference.
| SAP Smart Forms | SAP Script |
| It is client independent | It is client dependent. |
| T-code is SMARTFORMS. | T-code is SE71. |
| It can be created without the main window. | Main window is compulsory. |
| Programming knowledge is not necessary. | Programming knowledge is necessary. |
| Texts support various colors. | Only black and white color are allowed. |
| Labels can not be created. | Labels can be created. |
| Multiple page format is available. | Only single page format is available. |
| Routines can be written. | Routines cannot be written. |
| Background logo cannot be printed. | Background logo can be printed. |
| Text can be printed in multiple character format. | Text can be printed in only two character formats. |
| A function module is generated when it is activated. | No function module is generated when it is activated. |
| Once control is transferred to the function module, it never comes back. | It supports the repeated transfer of control. |
| It cannot be downloaded/uploaded to the local disk. | It can be downloaded/uploaded to the local disk. |
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