Messages

General Rules | Success and Information Messages | Error and Warning Messages

German Version

Below you find guidelines for formulating message texts for web applications.

General Rules

1. Follow the standards and guidelines for message short texts when formulating message texts. Formulate the message as precisely as possible, since it is not possible to show message long texts in web applications.
2. The message type influences how the message is displayed in the web application. Determine the type of message from the following:
   • Success and information messages
   • Error and warning messages
   • Termination messages

Examples

Success and Information Messages

1. Position success and information messages directly under the corresponding function button. For example, after the user clicks on the Save button, the user should see the success message Data was saved under the button.
   If the function triggers a subsequent window, position the success or information message at the beginning of the subsequent window.

Error and Warning Messages

1. Provide an instruction about how to correct the entry and, if necessary, a description of the error.
2. If possible, repeat the screen and make sure that the user recognizes that the screen is a repeated display or partial display of the screen in which he or she entered data incorrectly.
   Make sure that the repeated screen highlights all fields in which the user entered incorrect data so that the user can quickly identify and correct errors.
   When you repeat a screen, you can change the screen appearance as necessary but only as little as possible. For example, avoid situations when parts of the screen are no longer visible because of error messages you inserted.
   If the screen is filled with information and elements, display only those elements with incorrect entries when the screen is repeated.
3. Make sure that the user can view all incorrect fields, instructions on how to correct the fields, and, if necessary, a description of the error without having to scroll.
4. If the user must enter more specific data in a field and there are suitable selection values, show these selection values on the repeated screen instead of repeating the input field.
   If the user made one or more incorrect entries in a table or group of entry elements, display only those lines or entries with errors in the repeated screen.
5. If an error or warning message relates to an individual field, position the message above the field or, in some cases, to the right of the field on the repeated screen.
6. If you want an instruction to appear over the incorrect entry, it must be a specific instruction about how to correct the entry and, if necessary, it should describe the cause of the error. The same applies to instructions relating to a group of input fields in which an incorrect entry appears.
7. If an error or warning message relates to the entire screen or a combination of several entries, position the message below the function button on the repeated screen.

Examples

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Source:  SAP Reference Lists