Chapter 3 - Agentic AI

Understand how agentic workflows differ from classic chat assistance and where they add the most value in SAP integration scenarios.

Reading time: 30 minutes
Practical time: 35 minutes

Reading

Agentic AI is not just question-answer chat. In an agentic workflow, the AI can plan steps, gather context, use tools, perform actions, and iterate until a task is complete. Instead of only generating suggestions, it can actively help execute development work such as reading SAP-related docs, querying connected systems through MCP tools, and validating results.

For SAP development, this is especially useful when tasks span multiple systems and artifacts (for example, ABAP objects, transport-related constraints, and project documentation). The key benefit is that the agent can move through a structured loop: understand the goal, collect context, act, verify, and refine.

Agentic Loop

How Claude Code Works - Understanding how agents work under the hood

The Agentic Loop

When you submit a prompt, the agent doesn't just generate code. It executes a loop:

Gather Context: Reads files, searches codebase, checks documentation
Take Action: Edits files, runs commands, creates new code
Verify Results: Checks test output, validates changes, assesses completion
Loop or Complete: Continues until task is done or hits a blocker

Additional Reading

Practical

Prerequisites

Before starting the practical part, make sure you have:

Environment ready. If needed, complete Chapter 0 - Setup and Requirements first (Eclipse, ADT, GitHub Copilot, and Copilot subscription setup)
MCP Server configured and connected Chapter 2 - MCP Server
Eclipse with your ABAP project open
Copilot Chat open in Agent mode

Exercise 1 - Create Unit tests

Goal: Use Agent mode to create a unit test.

Create the following ABAP class example in your local package. Replace ** with your initials.
Open Copilot Chat via Copilot -> Open Chat.
In chat, select Agent mode.
Choose a model (for example, Claude Sonnet).
Write a prompt for creating the unit test for class ZCL_**_CALCULATOR (coverage should be at least 90%)

abap

CLASS zcl_**_calculator DEFINITION
  PUBLIC
  FINAL
  CREATE PUBLIC.

  PUBLIC SECTION.

    METHODS addition
      IMPORTING
        iv_a             TYPE decfloat34
        iv_b             TYPE decfloat34
      RETURNING
        VALUE(rv_result) TYPE decfloat34.

    METHODS subtraction
      IMPORTING
        iv_a             TYPE decfloat34
        iv_b             TYPE decfloat34
      RETURNING
        VALUE(rv_result) TYPE decfloat34.

    METHODS multiplication
      IMPORTING
        iv_a             TYPE decfloat34
        iv_b             TYPE decfloat34
      RETURNING
        VALUE(rv_result) TYPE decfloat34.

    METHODS division
      IMPORTING
        iv_a             TYPE decfloat34
        iv_b             TYPE decfloat34
      RETURNING
        VALUE(rv_result) TYPE decfloat34
      RAISING
        cx_sy_zerodivide.

  PROTECTED SECTION.
  PRIVATE SECTION.
ENDCLASS.

CLASS zcl_**_calculator IMPLEMENTATION.

  METHOD addition.
    rv_result = iv_a + iv_b.
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD subtraction.
    rv_result = iv_a - iv_b.
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD multiplication.
    rv_result = iv_a * iv_b.
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD division.
    IF iv_b = 0.
      RAISE EXCEPTION TYPE cx_sy_zerodivide.
    ENDIF.
    rv_result = iv_a / iv_b.
  ENDMETHOD.

ENDCLASS.

Question

Why not add some abap documentation to the class aswell?

Exercise 2 - Analyze issues

Goal: Use Agent mode to analyze a defect and find a solution

Create the following ABAP class example in your local package. Replace ** with your initials.
Open Copilot Chat via Copilot -> Open Chat.
In chat, select Agent mode.
Choose a model (for example, Claude Sonnet).
Write a prompt to analyze why the result from the select returns 0 entries while there are entries in the table ILOA

abap

CLASS zcl_**_location_dao DEFINITION
  PUBLIC
  FINAL
  CREATE PUBLIC.

  PUBLIC SECTION.

    TYPES ty_accassgmt_nmbr    TYPE iloan.
    TYPES ty_accassgmt_nmbr_tt TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_accassgmt_nmbr WITH EMPTY KEY.

    METHODS get_accassignments
      RETURNING
        VALUE(rt_result) TYPE ty_accassgmt_nmbr_tt.

  PROTECTED SECTION.
  PRIVATE SECTION.
ENDCLASS.

CLASS zcl_**_location_dao IMPLEMENTATION.

  METHOD get_accassignments.
    SELECT DISTINCT maintobjectlocacctassgmtnmbr
      FROM i_locationaccountassignment
      INTO TABLE @rt_result.
  ENDMETHOD.

ENDCLASS.

Question

How much time would have taken you to find out the issue and fix it?

Exercise 3 - Create complex frameworks

Goal: Use Agent mode to generate a complex framework

Our MCP Server did some changes, but now let's allow it to create new files.

Please add the following options to the env part of your MCP Server:

shell

    "SAP_ALLOW_DATA_PREVIEW": "true",
    "SAP_ALLOW_FREE_SQL": "true",
    "SAP_ALLOW_TRANSPORT_WRITES": "true",
    "SAP_ALLOWED_TRANSPORTS": "S4DK*, DEVK*", 
    "SAP_ALLOWED_PACKAGES": "$TMP,Z*"

Open Copilot Chat via Copilot -> Open Chat.
In chat, select Agent mode.
Choose a model (for example, Claude Sonnet).
Your task is to design and implement a reusable ABAP OO REST service framework (for classic ABAP, not RAP)
The framework should include the following features: Request parsing, Response mapping Error handling, Authentication hooks, Versioning (/v1, /v2)

Detailed instructions

Note, not the entire specification has to be implemented

Note

Please adjust the scope of this exercise according to your remaining time. While experimenting is part of the exercises in this lab, respecting the time frame of the lab is more important for this chapter (later on you will have a chance to explore more regarding framework creation).

What's Next

Continue with Chapter 4 - Copilot CLI and Skills to extend your agentic workflows with CLI tooling and reusable skills.

Chapter 3 - Agentic AI ​

Reading ​

Agentic Loop ​

The Agentic Loop ​

Additional Reading ​

Practical ​

Prerequisites ​

Exercise 1 - Create Unit tests ​

Exercise 2 - Analyze issues ​

Exercise 3 - Create complex frameworks ​

What's Next ​