General Patterns Message Handling Overview

Updated: May 29, 2024
Latest Version 1.128

Message Handling – Overview

Intro

Carefully orchestrated messages are key to the user experience: they guide and validate user actions, and serve to both pre-empt and help resolve problems. But messages also distract users and interrupt their flow, so it’s important to always use messages consistently and optimize the interaction as a whole.

SAP Fiori comes with a range of different message types and controls. This article provides an overview of the message formats available and how to use them in common messaging scenarios.

Basic Principles

  • Indicate errors and warnings clearly on the UI.
  • Think carefully about how prominent your message needs to be and when you need to interrupt the user. Don’t interrupt users unnecessarily.
  • Help the user to recognize, diagnose, and resolve the issue.

Message Types

The following message types are available:

Icon Message Type When to Use Example
   Error An issue has occurred that prevents further processing. The user must resolve the issue to continue. A value has been entered in the wrong format.
   Warning A problem or inconsistency has arisen. Users can carry on working, but might run into an error later on. An action can’t be applied to some of the selected items, but can still be performed for the rest.
   Success An action has been performed without errors or warnings. A business partner has been created.
   Information You want to provide additional, non-critical information. Processing is not blocked. Highlight and explain a system recommendation.
   Confirmation You want to prompt the user to confirm an action before it is executed. Confirm approval of a vacation request.

Message Controls

SAP Fiori uses the following message controls and visualizations:

Message Box

The message box (sap.m.MessageBox) displays a message dialog that interrupts the user in the course of an action. It forces the user to acknowledge the information or make a decision.

Usage

Use the message box to display messages that are not related to a field on the UI, or when you require a user decision.

More information:
Message Box
Text Guidelines – Word Choice for Actions

Error message box
Error message box

Message Popover

The message popover (sap.m.messagePopover) can display multiple messages of different types (error, warning, information, or success).

Messages are added to the popover automatically, without interrupting the user.

Usage

The message popover is used to collect messages relating to form fields and table fields.

More information:
Message Popover
Form Field Validation

Message popover for a form
Message popover for a form

Message View

The message view can contain multiple messages of different types (error, warning, information, or success). It is typically embedded in a dialog and interrupts the user action.

Usage

Use a message view to collect messages that are triggered by a user action, but are not related to form or table fields.

More information: Message View

Message view
Message view

Message Toast

A message toast (sap.m.MessageToast) is a small, non-disruptive popup that disappears automatically after a few seconds.

Usage

The message toast is the standard message component for success messages.

More information: Message Toast

Message toast
Message toast

Message Strip

The message strip is an information bar that can be placed within the content area of a page. It can contain error, warning, success, or information messages. The message strip can be static or interactive.

Usage

You can use the message strip to display general information or inform about the status of an object.

More information: Message Strip

Message strip with warning message
Message strip with warning message

Illustrated Message

An illustrated message combines a message, a supportive illustration, and an (optional) call to action.

Usage

You can use illustrated messages to improve the user experience for empty states within UI elements. Illustrated messages adjust to the size of the container (such as a card, dialog, or full page).

More information: Illustrated Message

Illustrated message
Illustrated message

Value States for Input Fields

Value states give feedback on user entries at field level. After input validation, affected fields are highlighted using semantic colors for the message type (error, warning, success, information). Clicking a field displays a corresponding in-place message.

Usage

Value state messages are used for input fields, typically in forms.

More information:
UI Element States – Value States
Form Field Validation

Form fields with error value state
Form fields with error value state

Quick Confirmation Popover

The quick confirmation popover displays a confirmation prompt adjacent to the triggering action.

Usage

Use the quick confirmation popover when the user leaves the create or edit screen for an object by pressing Cancel.

Quick confirmation popover
Quick confirmation popover

Common Message Patterns

Standard message patterns have been defined for certain scenarios. Here’s an overview of the main patterns and where to find more information.

Message Pattern Summary More Information

Validation
For specific fields SAPUI5 provides a set of controls to guide users when completing forms, including in-place value state messages for fields and a full list of all messages in a popover. Form Field Validation
For actions (not field-related) In edit mode, messages that do not relate to a particular field on a page, but result from an action, appear in the message popover. Message Popover
For multiple selection scenarios If multiple items are selected, the user is made aware of all issues and warnings in one place. The exact format depends on the available messaging controls and infrastructure. Processing Multiple Items
Draft Handling

Data loss warning
Triggered by Cancel If there is a risk of losing unsaved data, a warning message is provided as soon as the Cancel action is triggered. Message Box
Triggered by navigation If there is a risk of losing unsaved data, a warning message is provided as soon as the user navigates away from the page using in-app controls. Message box

Intelligent systems
Situation handling Situation handling is a concept for bringing business issues to the attention of specific user groups. It helps the user to recognize, understand, and resolve the situation by gathering all relevant information and proposing solutions. Situation Handling
Recommendations Intelligent systems can help users by recommending appropriate content or suggesting an action or input the user may “prefer”. In this case, we speak of a recommendation pattern and its impact on the UI. Recommendations

Message Copy

When formulating message texts, keep the following principles in mind:

More Information:

Top Tips

  • Ask yourself if you really need a message. Can the message be avoided by improving the design?
  • Define and test messaging scenarios in the design phase.
  • Always get your message texts (including the titles and buttons) reviewed by a user assistance developer.

Related Links

Elements and Controls

Implementation

  • No links.