This article describes data validation within SAP Fiori apps. This includes information about the validation points and the choreography associated with messaging.

For more information on the messaging concept for SAP Fiori apps, see the article on message handling.

Behavior and Interaction

General Behavior

The message popover must display only field-related messages.

Validation Choreography

Focus out (first validation)

1. The field is validated as soon as the user clicks or touches another part of the screen (focus out).
2. A semantic button (message button) appears in the toolbar (semantic button, icon: alert, counter).
3. A message popover opens.

Focus out (not first validation; at least one message already appeared on UI)

1. If the user has closed the message popover, the popover stays closed.
2. The counter increases.
3. If the message popover is open, the list is updated.

On ENTER

• If the user selects a value via ENTER, such as from a suggestion or combo box, the value is selected and no validation is triggered. Once the user has selected a value, choosing ENTER again triggers a complete form validation.
• The complete form is validated.
• The message popover is shown for warnings and errors.

Validation

• Highlight the relevant field and add a useful message to the value state. The message must have the following format: <Label Name>: Short message description.
• Display a button on the left side of the footer toolbar.
• The button displays the message popover (sap.m.MessagePopover). For more information, see Message Popover.
• If the messages are fixed to enable the user to continue the action, those messages no longer need to be displayed.

Guidelines

Depending on the floorplan, certain validation guidelines need to be applied.

Global Edit Flow

This floorplan is significant in that the actions are only displayed in the footer toolbar on the main page of the object. The subpages do not provide action buttons. Therefore, the message popover includes all messages for the whole object (the main object page and all subpages).

The messages can be triggered by the following:

• Focus out: Current field, or current field and dependent fields
• Action button: Complete object validation including subpages

Partial Editing

When the user clicks Save, the whole form remains in a busy state until the action has been completed:

• If there are no messages: switch to display mode.
• If there are messages that relate to a field: highlight the respective field with its value state and do not use the message popover. 
• If there are messages that do not relate to a field, show a dialog with the message(s).

Message Popover Control

The message popover control should not be used for:

• Dialogs
• Popovers
• Partial edits

Instead, highlight the fields that contain errors to make it easier for the user to understand the issue(s).

Resources

Want to dive deeper? Follow the links below to find out more about related controls, the SAPUI5 implementation, and the visual design.