Basics

SAP GUI Basics — Login, Navigation & Version Check

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Version note: v1 — initial release

Section 1 of 5

Your First Login

What is SAP GUI?

SAP GUI is the desktop client used to connect to an SAP ERP system. It runs on Windows (and Mac via SAP GUI for Java). When you double-click a system entry in the SAP Logon pad, a login screen appears.

The login screen fields

Three fields matter before you even type a password:

  • Client — a self-contained business environment within the same SAP system. Think of it as a company code at the system level. Your company might have client 100 (production), 200 (quality), 300 (training). Always confirm with your administrator which client to use.
  • User — your personal SAP user ID, typically assigned by your system administrator via transaction SU01.
  • Password — case-sensitive after the first login. You are forced to change the initial password on first use.

What you see after login

Once logged in, the SAP Easy Access screen appears. It has four key areas:

  1. Menu bar — System, Help, and module-specific menus across the top.
  2. Standard toolbar — icons for Save, Back, Exit, Cancel, Find, and more.
  3. Command field — the small box top-left where you type T-codes (transaction codes) to jump directly to any screen.
  4. Navigation tree — an expandable tree of all SAP menus, organised by module. Useful when you don't know the T-code.

Checking which SAP version you are on

Go to Help → About SAP… in the menu bar. The dialog shows:

  • SAP release (e.g., SAP ERP 6.0, SAP S/4HANA 2023)
  • Support Package level
  • Kernel version

Alternatively, run T-code SM51 (Application Servers) for system-level detail, or run program RSPFPAR via SA38 and filter for the rsdb/msserv parameter to see the system details.