SAP Fiori is SAP Fiori, the user experience (UX) design system and framework developed by SAP to deliver a consistent, role-based interface across its enterprise applications. Introduced in 2013, it reimagines how users interact with SAP software through intuitive, responsive, and device-independent apps that simplify business processes.
Key facts
- Developer: SAP SE
- First release: 2013
- Latest design version: SAP Fiori 3 with Horizon theme (2023)
- Core technologies: SAPUI5, OData, SAP Business Technology Platform
- Supported products: SAP S/4HANA, SAP SuccessFactors, SAP Ariba, and others
Design principles and philosophy
Fiori rests on five principles—role-based, adaptive, simple, coherent, and delightful. These guide all app and interaction designs to ensure a unified user experience across SAP products. The framework replaces the dense SAP GUI with task-focused workflows tailored to user roles. This focus improves productivity, reduces training time, and promotes consistent, human-centered interaction in business software.
Architecture and technology
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Fiori applications are built primarily using SAPUI5, the HTML5 toolkit for web and mobile apps, communicating with back-end systems via OData through the SAP Gateway. The Fiori Launchpad serves as the central access point, displaying apps as customizable tiles and supporting personalization, notifications, and role-based navigation. Apps fall into three main categories:
- Transactional – perform tasks such as creating or approving orders.
- Analytical – visualize real-time business data and KPIs.
- Fact Sheet – present contextual information about key objects like products or customers.
Evolution and design system
SAP Fiori has evolved through multiple versions:
- Fiori 1.0 (2013): mobile-first foundation, 25 initial apps.
- Fiori 2.0 (2016): enhanced navigation, notifications, and award-winning UX for SAP S/4HANA.
- Fiori 3 (2019–present): unified experience across SAP’s intelligent enterprise, new Quartz and Horizon themes, and AI integration for predictive and conversational interfaces.
Impact and ecosystem
Now encompassing over 7,500 apps, SAP Fiori is the default UX for all SAP S/4HANA deployments and a key pillar of SAP’s digital transformation strategy. Through the SAP Design System, it provides design languages for web, iOS, and Android, ensuring accessibility, scalability, and a cohesive experience across the SAP ecosystem.