Adobe Document Services
Adobe Document Services—also known as “ADS”—is required by both SAP Interactive Forms and SAP S/4HANA Forms to generate the desired file or print formats (rendering). In other words, these are the services that create and generate the documents at runtime.
The generated file formats are PDF or PDF/A. The PDF/A format is a variant of PDF used to ensure long-term archiving. This allows documents to be reproduced repeatedly, regardless of the software used, since all relevant information is embedded in the file.
The following most important print formats can be generated by the ADS:
- PCL
- ZPL
- PostScript
Depending on the ADS version, printer languages such as IPL, DPL or TPCL are also supported.
When it comes to Adobe Document Services, a distinction must be made between two versions: a local on-premise version (“local ADS”) and a cloud version (“SAP Forms Service by Adobe” (Cloud ADS))”.
ADS On-Premise
- SAP maintenance and support
- SAP NetWeaver Application Server Java until 2027 (extended maintenance until 2030)
- SAP S/4HANA Java until 2030
- The successor solution will run on SAP HANA Extended Application Services Advanced Model (XSA) and is planned for Q1 2027 with the S/4HANA 2025 FPS03.
- License-free for print forms
SAP Forms Service by Adobe (Cloud-ADS)
- Runs as a service on the SAP BTP (Cloud Foundry Environment)
- Provision and maintenance by SAP
Additional information under note 2219598
You can quickly and reliably check whether Adobe Document Services is set up and connected in your system using the FP_TEST_00 test program (Form Processing – Central Test Program).
Other test programs are:
- FP_TEST_01 Form Processing – Central test program with archiving
- FP_TEST_02 Form Processing – test program for different data types