This article describes how to display messages to the user such as errors, warnings, success messages, confirmation, and information. You can choose from various controls to display different types of messages.

Messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution. Always help your user to recognize, diagnose, and resolve messages. Good messages are important, but a careful design that prevents a problem from occurring in the first place is even better.

Types of Messages

The following message categories are available:

• Error
• Warning
• Success
• Information
• Confirmation

Components

Controls

The following controls can be used to display inline error, warning, and success messages. Consequently, the application can set the status of a control error, warning, or success state.

• sap.m.ComboBox
• sap.m.DatePicker
• sap.m.DateTimeInput
• sap.m.DateRangeSelection
• sap.m.MultiComboBox
• sap.m.MultiInput
• sap.m.Input
• sap.m.TextArea

Message Box

The message box (sap.m.MessageBox) displays a message that interrupts the user in the course of an action. We recommend that you use the message box carefully because of its disruptive behavior. For more information, see message box.

Message Toast

This is a standard message component for success messages. For more information, see message toast.

Message Strip

The message strip is used to display general information or inform about a status of an object. It can be placed within the detail area of a page. For more information, see message strip.

Behavior and Interaction

Highlight the Fields

Change the Value State

Messages are intended to help the user to rectify a problem which is generally field-related. As such, it’s very important that you highlight all relevant fields to which the message relates. This section gives an overview of the changes that should appear on the UI after a validation.

If a value is incorrect:

• Highlight the relevant field and add a useful message to the value state.
• Display a button for the message popover on the left side of the footer toolbar.
• If the user is still allowed to continue the action, the message no longer needs to be displayed.

As SAP Fiori is role-based, there may also be situations in which the application cannot establish a relation to a field, such as issues concerning configuration, data needing to be changed in a different system, and so on. In this case, you can still display a message box that interrupts the user in the course of an action. For more information, see message box.

Quick Confirmation Popover

Quick Confirmation for “Cancel” Use Case

The quick confirmation popover can be used to display a confirmation message in case the user selects Cancel. The quick confirmation popover is less disruptive than a dialog and the following guidelines apply:

• It should be displayed close to the action the user has triggered (such as Cancel)
• For all the other confirmation use cases (including Delete), please use a dialog.

Guidelines

Resources

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