ALE is sap Technology to support distributed yetALE is sap Technology to support distributed yet integrated processes integrated processes

across level SAP System across level SAP System..

• A Distributed process is one in which part of a business process is carried out on one system and part on another.

• Sap Introduced ALE as its initiative to support a distributed yet integrated environment.ALE allows for efficient and Reliable communication between distributed processes across physically separate sap systems to achieve a distributed yet integrated logical sap system.

What is the Distributed

ALE have Three PartsALE have Three Parts

Out bound Out bound

InboundInbound

Exception handlingException handling

OutboundOutbound

..

Sending out the data from our system. The IDOC which is called as Outbound IDOC

Start a OutBound Program

Outbound ALE program

Master Idoc

ALE Service Layer

ApplicationRepository

Application data

Idoc data

Communcation layer

ALE Distribution Model

Receiver1Receiver2

Receiver3

Receiver4

Step1

Step2

Step3

Step4

The Technical flow an outbound process for The Technical flow an outbound process for MasterdataMasterdata

Begin

Objects to be distributed are selected

Data is read from the database and formatted into IDOC

format

ALE service layer is invoked via MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE

ALE Distribution model is consulted to determine recipients

Filtering conversion & Version change are carried out for each recipient

Communcation Idocs are saved in the database

Collect Idocs

Execute RSEOUT00 Program

Idoc Packets are stored in theARFC Data

Execute RSARFCEX,which calls INBOUND_IDOC_PROCESS

on the Remote System

Successful

Done

No

No

Yes

Master IDOC Master IDOC The document or Masterdata to be sent ready from The document or Masterdata to be sent ready from database and formatted into an idoc format.This idoc called database and formatted into an idoc format.This idoc called as a Master idocas a Master idoc..

Communication IDOC Communication IDOC The ALE layer generates a separate idoc from theThe ALE layer generates a separate idoc from theMaster idoc for each recipient.Who is intrested in the data.Master idoc for each recipient.Who is intrested in the data.Separate IDOCs are Generated because each recipient might Separate IDOCs are Generated because each recipient might demand a different version or a subset of the Master demand a different version or a subset of the Master Idoc.TheseIdoc.Theserecipient specific Idocs are called communcation idocs. recipient specific Idocs are called communcation idocs.

Note : The Master IDOC is kept in Memory buffers Note : The Master IDOC is kept in Memory buffers until communication IDOCS are generated. until communication IDOCS are generated. Communcation Idocs are stored in database.Communcation Idocs are stored in database.

Inbound Inbound

When the data is coming in, the process is called When the data is coming in, the process is called Inbound Process and the IDoc is known as Inbound Inbound Process and the IDoc is known as Inbound Idoc.Idoc.

The process occurs in the reciever system called The process occurs in the reciever system called inbound system.inbound system.

The inbound process must handle three types of The inbound process must handle three types of data.Transactional and Master data are received via data.Transactional and Master data are received via the ALE interface layer.control data is received via the ALE interface layer.control data is received via CTS process.CTS process.

The inbound process using a direct function The inbound process using a direct function modulemodule

Communcation IDOC from remote system

Conversion Filtering Version Change

IDOC_INBOUND_ASYNCHRONOUS

Application Idocs

RBDAPP01

Posting Program

Direct Input function module

Application Repository

Communication Layer

ALE Service Layer

The Technical flow of the inbound process using a direct function The Technical flow of the inbound process using a direct function ModuleModule

Begin

Remote system calls IDOC_INBOUND_ASYNCHRONOUS and passes communication idoc to the system

Userid is validated & authorizations are checked

Data in the control record is validated against the partner profile

ALE Services : Filtering conversion & Version change are carried out

Application Idoc is saved the databasecs are saved in the database

Process Idoc immediately

Program RBDAPP01is Executed

Read process code from the partner profile

Process code points to the posting module

Yes

No

Done

Posting Module creates the application document

Store the Idoc in the Database :Store the Idoc in the Database : First an idoc is received in the system and First an idoc is received in the system and stored in the database.The idoc goes through a basic integritystored in the database.The idoc goes through a basic integritycheck and syntax check.If every thing is fine,the next step is check and syntax check.If every thing is fine,the next step is performed.performed.

Invoke the posting Module :Invoke the posting Module : The control information in the idoc andThe control information in the idoc andconfiguration tables are read to determine the posting configuration tables are read to determine the posting program.program.The Idoc is then transferred to its posting program.The Idoc is then transferred to its posting program.

Create the Document :Create the Document : The posting program reads the idoc The posting program reads the idoc data and then creates a document in the system.The resultsdata and then creates a document in the system.The resultsare logged in the idoc.are logged in the idoc.

ExceptionhandlingExceptionhandling Any errors occurs while tranfering the data from one Any errors occurs while tranfering the data from one

system from another is recievingfield by the exception system from another is recievingfield by the exception handling process.Errors can be identified by status code handling process.Errors can be identified by status code generated by the idoc.generated by the idoc. They are Two Types Exception handling processThey are Two Types Exception handling process

1) Outbound1) Outbound

2) Inbound2) Inbound

Outbound Exception Outbound Exception HandlingHandling

Data TransferNO

Execute RBDBOIND

Checkbox

12-Data System

0 to 50( error occurrs in Outbound process)0 to 50( error occurrs in Outbound process)

01 IDoc created 02 Error passing data to port 03 Data passed to port OK 04 Error within control information of EDI subsystem 05 Error during translation 06 Translation OK

07 Error during syntax check 08 Syntax check OK 09 Error during interchange handling 10 Interchange handling OK 11 Error during dispatch 12 Dispatch OK 13 Retransmission OK 14 Interchange Acknowledgement positive 15 Interchange Acknowledgement negative

16 Functional Acknowledgement positive 17 Functional Acknowledgement negative 18 Triggering EDI subsystem OK 19 Data transfer for test OK 20 Error triggering EDI subsystem 21 Error passing data for test 22 Dispatch OK, acknowledgement still due 23 Error during retransmission 24 Control information of EDI subsystem OK 25 Processing despite syntax error (outbound) 26 Error during syntax check of IDoc (outbound) 26 Error during syntax check of IDoc (outbound) 27 Error in dispatch level (ALE service) 29 Error in ALE service 30 IDoc ready for dispatch (ALE service) 31 Error - no further processing 32 IDoc was edited

33 Original of an IDoc which was edited

34 Error in control record of IDoc 34 Error in control record of IDoc 35 IDoc reloaded from archive 35 IDoc reloaded from archive 36 Electronic signature not performed (timeout) 36 Electronic signature not performed (timeout) 37 IDoc added incorrectly 37 IDoc added incorrectly 38 IDoc archived 38 IDoc archived 39 IDoc is in the receiving system (ALE service) 39 IDoc is in the receiving system (ALE service) 40 Application document not created in receiving 40 Application document not created in receiving

system system 41 Application document created in receiving system 41 Application document created in receiving system 42 IDoc was created by test transaction 42 IDoc was created by test transaction

0 to 50( error occurrs in Outbound process)0 to 50( error occurrs in Outbound process)

50 IDoc added 51 Error: Application document not posted 52 Application document not fully posted 53 Application document posted 54 Error during formal application check 55 Formal application check OK 56 IDoc with errors added 57 Test IDoc: Error during application check 58 IDoc-Copy from an R/2 connection 60 Error during syntax check of IDoc (inbound) 61 Processing despite syntax error (inbound) 62 IDoc passed to application 63 Error passing IDoc to application 64 IDoc ready to be transferred to application by test transaction

63 Error passing IDoc to application 64 IDoc ready to be transferred to application 65 Error in ALE service 66 IDoc is waiting for predecessor IDoc (serialization) 67 Not used 68 Error - no further processing 69 IDoc was edited 70 Original of an IDoc which was edited 71 IDoc reloaded from archive 73 IDoc archived 74 IDoc was created by test transaction