IDOC , ALE ,EDI

04/10/23 Overview of ALE/IDOCs 1

Overview of ALE / EDI / IDOCs

Overview of ALE/IDOCs 204/10/23

EDI

What is EDI? Type of EDI process• Outbound EDI Process• Inbound EDI Process


What is EDI?

EDI is electronic exchange of business documents between the computer systems of business partner using a standard format over a communication network EDI is also called a paperless exchange.


Typical EDI/IDOC Scenario


Outbound Process

With Message Control Directly -With out Message Control


Inbound Process

With Function Module


EDI Configuration

How to Set Up an RFC Destination in SAP The Port Definitions Configure Partner Profile Configure Message Control


Complete EDI/ ALE scenario


ALEALE

What is ALE?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing

Transactions For Monitoring and Processing IDocs.

Questions


ALE TerminologyALE Terminology

•ALE - Application Linking & Enabling

•IDoc - Intermediate Document

•EDI - Electronic Data Interchange


ALE Objective ALE Objective


ALE!! What is it ??

It is a set ofIt is a set of Tools, programs and data definitions

Provides distribution model and technology that enables SAP Customer to interconnect programs across various platforms and systems..


Features –ALE / IDocsFeatures –ALE / IDocs Distributed System yet integrated with SAP R/3

Based on ‘Application-to-Application integration using ‘Message Architecture’

Reliable communication Data is exchanged using “IDocs”

Support both R/2, R/3 and External system

If network problem, message is buffered

ALE support backward compatibility

ALE ensure that , data is transferred only once


ALE Scenario ALE Scenario

Document

SAP System R/3 SAP System R/3IDoc

EDI SubsystemEDI Subsystem

IDocIDoc


What is ALE ?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing


Trouble Shooting

Questions

Topics to coverTopics to cover


Components of ALE Components of ALE

Services:Services:

Application ServicesApplication Services

Distribution ServicesDistribution Services

Communication ServicesCommunication Services



Services:Services:




This is where the SAP applications ( SD, FI, MM etc. ) generate their data and documents


Distribution ServicesDistribution ServicesServices:Services:




Recipients Formats and

Filters the data Creates IDocs

( Intermediate

Documents



Services:Services:



Communication ServicesCommunication Services •TCP/IP

•RFC

•tRFC

• etc


Application Data

MasterIDOC Determine

Receipients

DetermineReceipients

Filter/ConvertData, Create IDOC

Filter/ConvertData, Create IDOC

Comm.IDOC

Application Functions

Application Functions

Filter/ConvertData

Filter/ConvertData

Comm.IDOC

CarrierCarrier

Application Layer

Application Layer

Distribution/ ALE Layer

Distribution/ ALE Layer

Communication Layer

Communication Layer

ApplicationApplication

In a Nut ShellIn a Nut Shell



What is ALE ?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing


Trouble Shooting

Questions


IDoc ConceptIDoc Concept

R/3 System

System 1

SAPDocument

EDI subsystem R/3 System R/2 System 3rd party software

System 2

IDoc


IDoc StructureIDoc Structure

Status Record IDoc-IDStatus information

Data Record IDoc-IDSequence/HierarchySegment Format definition for

• header data• item data

Control Record IDoc-IDSender-IDReceiver-IDIDoc type and logical messageExternal structure


Control recordData RecordStatus Record

IDOC

“Intermediate Document”


The very first record of an IDoc package is always a control record. Thestructure of this control record of the structure EDIDC and describes the contents of the data contained in the package. The control record goes to table EDIDC

Control RecordControl Record


Message TypeMessage Type

Message Type indicates How to Know what the data Means

Data Exchanged by IDOC and EDI is known as Messages

Message of same kind belong to the same message type.

Message types are stored in table EDMSG


All records in the IDoc, which come after the control record, are the IDoc data. They are all structured alike, with a segment information part and a data part, which is 1000 character in length, filling the rest of the line. Data & Segment info is stored in EDID4 for release 4.x and EDID3 for release 2.x and 3.x.

Data RecordData Record


Status RecordStatus Record Information about the IDoc status like:IDoc identification numberStatus number - table verifiedIDoc typeDirectionData and time stamp; Structure: EDIDS


Status of IDOCStatus of IDOC

A two-digit status is assigned to an IDoc to allow the processing to be monitored.

The statuses for outbound IDocs are between '01' and '49', while the statuses for inbound IDocs begin with '50'.


Idoc SegmentsIdoc Segments

TCODE:

WE31


Idoc TypesIdoc Types

TCODE:

WE30


How to Attach SegmentsHow to Attach Segments


Message TypesMessage Types

WE81WE82


IDOC Type/ Message Type/ Processing Function IDOC Type/ Message Type/ Processing Function ModuleModule

Valid combination of Message type and IDOC type are stored in table EDIMSG

Combination of message type and IDOC type determine the processing algorithm. This is usually a function module and is set up in table EDIFCT.



What is ALE ?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing.

i.Outbound Processing

ii.Inbound Processing


Trouble Shooting

Questions


Outbound Processing


Outbound processing: directOutbound processing: directApplication posting

Need to create IDOC?

Create master IDOC

Customer Distribution Model

Receiver determination

Segment filter

Field value conversion

Version change

ALE layer

Dispatch controlDatabase

M

Application document posted simultaneously with IDOCs

Comm. layer

asynch. RFCor

EDISystem call FM

( INBOUND_IDOC_

PROCESS )On destination

CLinks C

Comm. layer


Dispatch controlDispatch control

Application posting

Need to create IDOC?

Create master IDOC

Customer Distribution Model

Receiver determination

Segment filter


Version change

ALE layer

Dispatch controlDatabase

M

Application document posted simultaneously with IDocs

C

asynch. RFCor

EDI

Links C

asynch. RFCor

EDI

C

Comm. layer

- Technical comms parameters are Technical comms parameters are defineddefined

- EDI or aRFC (asynch. remote EDI or aRFC (asynch. remote function call)function call)

- Send immediately or cumulate Send immediately or cumulate and send via batch joband send via batch job If batch, packet size is If batch, packet size is

determineddetermined


Scenario analysisScenario analysis

• How does the IDOC look like ?

• How is data being sent ?

• How is the data being received ?


Outbound program development

• Program logic

– “How is the IDOC being created ?”

• Triggering

– “How is the IDOC creation kicked off ?”


Program logicProgram logic

• Select data from application tables• Fill data into IDOC • Pass IDOC to ALE layer (Call function MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE)• Commit Work

• Receiver determination• Segment filtering• Version Control• Dispatch Control

IDOC program

ALE layer

MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE


MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTEMASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE

Call function ‘MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE’ Exporting

master_idoc_control: IDOC control record

Tables

communication_idoc_control: returned information about the

distribution

master_idoc_data: IDOC data segments


Filling an EDIDD structureFilling an EDIDD structure

Header (55bytes) SDATA (1000bytes)…. SEGNAM ….EDIDD

Z1SEGField1 Field2 Field3 Field4

“10” “ABC”

MOVE “Z1SEG” to EDIDD-SEGNAMMOVE “10” to Z1SEG-FIELD1MOVE “ABC” to Z1SEG-FIELD2MOVE Z1SEG to EDIDD-SDATA


General Programming rulesGeneral Programming rules Design Guidelines for creating IDOC data records:

• Left-justified filing of IDOC Fields

• Replacing SAP codes with ISO codes

currency keys

country keys

unit of measure

shipping instructions

• Converting Currency Amounts


Left-justified FillingLeft-justified Filling

All fields must be left-justified Character fields:

automatic

Non-character fields:

‘Condense’ statement must be used

Check IDOC documentation to find out which fields require a ‘condense’

All types unequal to ‘char’, ‘cuky’, ‘clnt’, ‘accp’, ‘numc’, ‘dats’, ‘tims’ or ‘unit’ require a condense


Code ConversionsCode Conversions Replacing SAP codes with ISO codes

– Currency keys: ‘currency_code_sap_to_iso’– Country keys: ‘country_code_sap_to_iso’– Units of measure: ‘unit_of_measure_sap_to_iso’– Shipping instructions: sap_iso_package_type_code’

• Conversion of currency amounts– ‘currency_amount_sap_to_iso’


Basic Configuration ElementsBasic Configuration Elements

Define RFC Destinations Define Ports Maintain Customer Model Create Partner Profiles


Maintaining RFC DestinationsMaintaining RFC Destinations

TCODE:

SM59


Displaying and Maintaining PortsDisplaying and Maintaining Ports

A port is a logical representation of a A port is a logical representation of a communication channel in SAP with communication channel in SAP with the data communicated being IDocsthe data communicated being IDocs.

TCODE:

WE21


Partner ProfilesPartner Profiles

TCODE:

WE20


Partner Profiles-InboundPartner Profiles-Inbound


Partner Profiles-OutboundPartner Profiles-Outbound


ALE For Transactional data ---- Output ALE For Transactional data ---- Output DeterminationDetermination

NACE


Output Determination -- Output TypesOutput Determination -- Output Types


Output Types -- DetailsOutput Types -- Details


Inbound Processing


Inbound Processing.Inbound Processing.Application posting


ALE layer

Input control

Database

A

Simultaneously update IDOC's status

Comm. layer

asynch. RFCor

EDI

Version change

Segment filter

C

A

Post application document

Process IDOCSerialization


Input ControlInput ControlApplication posting


ALE layer

Input control

Database

A


Comm. layer

asynch. RFCor

EDI

Version change

Segment filter

C

A



- For each message type and sender For each message type and sender one can defineone can define when to process when to process

(immediate/batch)(immediate/batch) whether to call application whether to call application

directly or start customer directly or start customer workflowworkflow

who should get work items in who should get work items in case of errorcase of error

- Incoming IDOC packets are passed to Incoming IDOC packets are passed to applicationapplication


Application InputApplication InputApplication posting


ALE layer

Input control

Database

A


Comm. layer

asynch. RFCor

EDI

Version change

Segment filter

C

A



- Inbound IDOCs are passed to Inbound IDOCs are passed to the application via a the application via a standardized function standardized function interfaceinterface


SerializationSerializationApplication posting


ALE layer

Input control

Database

A


Comm. layer

asynch. RFCor

EDI

Version change

Segment filter

C

A



- When processing the When processing the inbound IDOC, the inbound IDOC, the application can call an ALE application can call an ALE API (function module) to API (function module) to check that the IDOC has not check that the IDOC has not been overtakenbeen overtaken If change No. 1 arrives If change No. 1 arrives

after change No. 2, the after change No. 2, the IDOC containing it has IDOC containing it has been overtaken (by the been overtaken (by the IDOC containing the IDOC containing the later change)later change)


FM Assignment to Message Type and FM Assignment to Message Type and IDoc typeIDoc type

TCODE:

WE57


Process CodesProcess Codes

WE41WE42


Process Codes in Inbound and OutboundProcess Codes in Inbound and Outbound

TCODE:

WE64


FM For Inbound EDI FM For Inbound EDI

TCODE:

BD67


Inbound Program DevelopmentInbound Program Development

INBOUND_IDOC_PROCESSIDOC

ALE layer

IDOC_INPUT_<MSGTYPE>

• Read IDOC data• Post Application data• Send Success info back to ALE layer

ALE configuration• Partner Profiles• Process Code• Function module attribute• Function module registry

Workflow Task

Call function

Return Variables

If ERROR, trigger

• Version change• Segment filter• Field conversion


Basic Scenario

Direct Method Call Transaction Method


Advanced Scenario

Mass processing Serialization Advanced Workflow


Flow Of Program

Read IDOC-Lock IDOC-Call Inbound Program-Write Status-Commit Work-Unlock IDOC


Interface of Inbound FM

Importing Parameter -Input Method -Mass_processing

EXPORT parameter .-Workflow_result-Application_variable-In_Update_task-Call_transaction_done

Tables parameter : IDOC_ControlIDOC_DATAIDOC_STATUSReturn_variable



What is ALE ?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing


Questions


Monitoring IDocsMonitoring IDocs

• The IDoc interface offers 2 different approaches for tracking of data load and data flow:

Reports for monitoring

Workflow for notifications

• Both approaches are based on the concept of status transitions, i.e. an IDoc changes its status from a given value to another value.


List Of All IDocs Created. (Default, Additional, EDI)-- List Of All IDocs Created. (Default, Additional, EDI)-- WE02/ WE05WE02/ WE05


Selection Program For Issuing Output -- Selection Program For Issuing Output -- WE15WE15


Test Tool For Idoc Processing (WE19)Test Tool For Idoc Processing (WE19)


Idoc Search For Business Contents Idoc Search For Business Contents (Database). WE09(Database). WE09


QuestionsQuestions