SAP ALE / IDOCS

EXPERIENCE

TEAMWORK

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Agenda

1 INTRODUCTION

2 ALE

3 IDOCS

4 CONFIGURATION

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Agenda

5 Inbound system

6 Analysis

7 Design

8 Conclusion

9 References

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ERP

BriefOverview
Brief Overviewof
ofALE
ALE

VariousMethods
Various Methodsof
ofCA
CA

Benefits
Benefits

Disadvantages
Disadvantages

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ERP

BriefOverview
Brief Overviewof
ofIDOCS
IDOCS

CreatingNew
Creating NewIdocs
Idocs

Configuration
Configuration

Summary
Summary

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Overview of ALE

Abbreviation

Evolution

What is ALE?

Benefits

Disadvantages

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ALE

Application Link Enabling

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What is ALE ?
• ALE is SAP’s technology to support distributed yet integrated processes
across several SAP sytem
• Middleware tool in SAP’s Buisness Framework Architecture
• ALE can integrate business processes and functions between R/3 system
and non-R/3 systems as well as between loosely coupled R/3 Systems

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Benefits Of ALE
• Communication interfaces allow connections integration with non-SAP
systems.
• Distribution of applications between different releases of R/3 Systems
• Any SAP system can be upgraded to a newer release without affecting the
existing functionality.
• ALE has functions for monitoring messages flows and handling
communication problems. Thus provides reliable distribution.

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ALE Consists of
• Outbound Process
• Inbound Process
• Exception Handling

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ALE- Outbound Process Architecture

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Some Concepts used in outbound inbound

• Message Control
– Is an cross application technique used in pricing, account determination, and output determination. The output
determination technique triggers ALE and outputs for a business document

• Change Pointers
– Based on change document technique
– Changes made are recorded in change document header table CDHDR

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Concepts Contd...
• Selection Programs
– These are typically implemented as functional modules .
– Extracts Application data and creates a mater IDoc.
– A selection program exists for each message type.

• Filter Objects
– They remove unwanted data for each recipient of data

• Port Definition
– They are used in an outbound process to define the medium in which documents are transferred
– ALE uses tRFC port, which transfers data in memory to buffer

• RFC Destination
– It is the logical name used to define the characteristics of a communication link to a remote system on functions needs to
executed
– In ALE it specifies information required to log on to the remote SAP system to which IDoc is sent

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Concepts Contd..
• Partner Profile
– It specifies logical names, IDoc type, message type, tRFC port
– Packet size for an IDoc
– Mode in which process sends an IDoc (batch versus immediate)
– Person to be notified in case of errors.

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 The Technical flow an outbound process for Masterdata
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Process Flow for distributing Master Data:

Begin
No
Collect Idocs
Objects to be distributed are
selected

Data is read from the databa Yes

se and formatted into IDOC
format Execute RSEOUT00
Program

ALE service layer is invoked via Idoc Packets are stored in the
MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE ARFC Data

ALE Distribution model is cons

Execute RSARFCEX , which calls
ulted to determine recipients
INBOUND_IDOC_PROCESS
Filtering conversion & Version on the Remote System
change are carried out for each recipient

Communcation Idocs are saved No

Successful
in the database

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Processing in the Application Layer

• The customer distribution model is consulted to make sure that a receiver
has been defined
• If at least one receiver exists, then IDoc selection program creates reads
data object from database and creates master IDoc
• Master IDoc is stored in memory
• Program then calls ALE service layer using
MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE passing it master IDoc

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Processing in ALE interface Layer

• Receiver Determination
– Receivers are determined from the customer distribution model

• IDoc Filtering
– IDoc filter is specified in distribution model.
– If data record doesn’t meet filter criteria, it is dropped

• Segment Filtering
– A set of segment that are not required can be filtered out.

• Field Conversion
– Values in the data records can be converted to global or to specific values for receivers

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Processing in ALE Interface Layer contd..

• Version Change for segments
– A new version of segment always contains fields from the previous version and additional fields that are added for the
new version. Seg.Release in IDoc type.

• Communication IDocs are generated

– After all conversion and filtering operations ,communication records are generated .
– One master IDoc can have multiple IDoc depending upon number of receivers

• Syntax Check is performed

– Goes through syntax check and data integrity validation.

• IDocs are dispatched to the communication layer

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Processing in the Communication layer

• System reads the port definition specified in the partner profile which is
then used to read RFC destination
• RFC system contains communication settings to log on to remote system
• The sending system calls INBOUND_IDOC_PROCESS module
asynchronously on the destination system and passes IDocs via memory
buffers

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ALE- Inbound Process Architecture

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Some Concepts Used in Inbound

• Posting Programs
– They are implemented as function modules and they read data from IDoc and create an application data from it.
– A process code exists for each message type. like MATM for MATMAS
– A process code is assigned to each posting program. Like MATM to IDOC_INPUT_MATMAS

• Partner Profile
– It consists of partner number, mode in which IDocs are processed (batch versus immediate), and the person to be
notified in case of errors.

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ALE- Inbound Process Architecture

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Process Flow for Inbound JH SOFTECH
Begin

Yes
Remote system calls IDOC_INBOUND_ASYNCHR Process Idoc
ONOUS and passes communication idoc to the system immediately

User id is validated & authorizations are No

checked
Program RBDAPP01
is Executed

Data in the control record is

Read process code from the
validated against the partner profile
partner profile

ALE Services : Filtering conversion & Version

change are carried out Process code points to the
posting module
Application Idoc is saved
in the database

Posting Module creates the

application document

Done
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Processing in the Communication Layer

• The INBOUND_IDOC_PROCESS is triggered as a result of RFC from the
sending system.
• IDoc to be processed is passed as an input parameter.
• Control is transferred to ALE/EDI layer.

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Processing in the ALE/EDI Interface Layer

• Basic Integrity check
– A basic integrity check is performed on the control record data such as direction, message type, and IDoc type.

• Segment filtering and conversion

– Unwanted segments can be filtered out at this stage

• Application IDoc is created on database and syntax check is performed

• The IDoc is marked ready for dispatch
• IDoc is passed to the posting program
– Partner Profile is read. If the value of the Processing field is set to Process Immediately, the IDoc is passed to posting
program using RBDAP001
– Else it is buffered in the system until RDBAPP01 is executed explicitly

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Processing in the Posting Module

• The processing code in the partner profile points to posting module for the
specific message in IDoc
• The posting module implemented as function module either calls SAP
transaction using call transaction command for posting documents or
invokes a direct input function module.
• The results of execution is passed back via function module’s output
parameters
• If posting is successful, an application document is created and IDoc gets
status code of 53 else it gets status code 51

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Exception Handling
• Workflow is integrated in the outbound to handle exceptions. If an error occurs
at stage, a designated user is notified.
• Person to Be notified field in the Partner Profile is used to send the error
notification.

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ALE SETUP (SALE)

• Define logical systems
• Assign Logical Systems to Clients
• Define Communication Parameters: RFC Destination
• Modeling the distribution
• Generate Partner Profiles

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Define logical systems

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Assign Logical System Names for Clients

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Define Communication Parameters: RFC Destination

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Modeling the distribution

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Generate Partner Profiles

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20.8.26.12

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IDocs

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What is an IDOC?
• IDoc stands for intermediate document. It is simply a data
container used to exchange information between any two
processes that can understand the syntax and semantics of the
data.
• When we execute an outbound ALE or EDI Process, an IDOC is
created.
• In an inbound ALE or EDI process, an IDOC serves as input to
create an application document.
• Stored in the database.
• Every IDOC has an unique number (within a client).
• IDocs are based on EDI standards, ANSI X.12 and EDIFACT.

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• IDocs are independent of the sending and receiving systems.(SAP-

to-SAP as well as Non-SAP)
• Independent of direction of data exchange. i.e. can be used by
both outbound and inbound process.
• IDocs can be viewed in a text editor. Data is stored in character
format instead of binary format.

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IDOC Components
There are basically two types of IDocs .
• Basic IDocs
• Extended IDocs

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IDoc DEFINITION COMPONENTS

Basic IDOC Type (WE30)
• Basic IDoc type - defines the structure and format of the
business document to be exchanged between two systems. It
can either be SAP provided or customer – developed.
Characteristics-
 Name – up to 30 characters where last two signify the version
no.
 List of permitted segments.
 Hierarchy of segments.
 Mandatory/optional segments.
 Minimum/maximum range of each segment.

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Segments
Segments- A segment defines format and structure of the data
record.
They are reusable components.
Data fields in IDocs may be of two types- positional and based
on qualifiers.
Segment Components-
 Segment type- version independent name of segment.
SAP provided begin with E1 and customer defined by Z1.

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 Segment definition- version dependent.

Segment definition is version dependent definition of a segment
where you specify the fields that belong to the segment.
Segment Definitions can be no more than 1000 bytes. SAP
Segment Definitions start with E2 and customer segment
definitions start with Z2.After a segment is released and a new
version of SAP is installed any change to the segment
definition creates a new segment definition. The name of the
Segment Definition is 10 characters long and is automatically
assigned by the system from the name of segment type. The
last three characters represent the version of the segment.
 Segment Documentation- Represents data dictionary
documentation for the fields in segments.

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• A segment definition is a version of a segment. A version

always contains all, and at least one field more, than the
previous one. There must only be one segment definition per
release. If a new segment definition is to be created, the
previous one must be released.

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Extended IDocs
Extending Existing IDOC Type
• Used in cases where some additional information is required in
addition to that supplied by the Standard IDoc Type.
• In Transaction WE30 we create the IDoc as an Extension and
specify the basic type for which it is an extension.

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IDOC RUNTIME COMPONENTS

An IDoc is an instance of an IDoc type. At runtime following
events occur.
 Unique IDoc no. is allocated.
 One control record is attached to the IDoc.
 Segments translate into data records.
 Status record are attached.

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TYPES OF RECORDS IN IDocs

• Control record
• Data record
• Status record

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CONTROL RECORD
• All control information like IDoc number , sender , receiver,
message type.
• There is only one control record per IDoc.
• Structure for control record is same for all IDoc.
• It is stored in EDIDC table.

Documentation- WE61

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DATA RECORD
They contain application data and are divided in two parts-
Administrative and Data section ( of 1000 bytes).
• Administrative Section consists of Idoc number, Segment Name,
Segment number, Version, Segment Hierarchy etc.
• Data Section contains the data of respective segment.
• Data section is mapped to a segment type as defined in
administrative section to interpret meaning of various data
values in a record.
Documentation- WE61

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STATUS RECORDS
• Attached to the IDOC throughout the process .
• Status code, date, time are assigned.
Status codes :- For outbound processing - 0-49
For inbound processing - above 50
• Latest status code is maintained in the control record.

List of status codes – WE47

Documentation- WE61

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IDoc DEVELOPMENT

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IDoc DEVELOPMENT

A steps to create a new IDoc are-

1. Create a new IDoc type or an extension.
2. Assign the IDoc type to message class(we82).
3. Create programs for new or extended IDocs.
4. Customize ALE interface to recognize the IDocs and their
programs.

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1. Creating a new basic IDOC type

1. Create Segment type - (WE31).
2. Create Basic IDoc type- (WE30).
3. Release the segment type and basic IDoc type.

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Creating a Segment
• Go to transaction code WE31.
• Enter the name for your segment type and click on the Create
icon.
• Type the short text.
• Enter the variable names and data elements.
• Save it and go back.
• Go to Edit -> Set Release.
• Follow steps to create more number of segments.

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Create IDOC Type

• Go to transaction code WE30.
• Enter the Object Name, select Basic type and click Create icon.
• Select the create new option and enter a description for your
basic IDOC type and press enter.
• Select the IDOC Name and click Create icon.
• The system prompts us to enter a segment type and its
attributes.
• Choose the appropriate values and press Enter.
• The system transfers the name of the segment type to the IDOC
editor.

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Create Message Type

• Go to transaction code WE81.
• Change the details from Display mode to Change mode.
• After selection, the system will give this message “The table is
cross-client (see Help for further info)”. Press Enter
• Click New Entries to create new Message Type.
• Fill details.
• Save it and go back.

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Assign Message Type to IDoc Type

• Go to transaction code WE82.
• Change the details from Display mode to Change mode.
• After selection, the system will give this message “The table is
cross-client (see Help for further info)”. Press Enter.
• Click New Entries to create new Message Type.
• Fill details.
• Save it and go back.

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1.Create a new IDoc type or an extension

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1. Creating a new basic IDOC type

Creating a new segment type (we31)

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Create an IDoc type – (we30)

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Release the segment type(WE31) and IDoc type (WE30)

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2. Create a new message class (we81)Assign the

IDoc to a message class (we82)

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2. Create a new message class (we81)Assign the IDoc to a message

class (we82)

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WE82

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3.Create programs for new or extended IDocs

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OUTBOUND PROGRAM FOR CUSTOM BASIC IDOC TYPES

Outbound bound are also referred as IDoc generation

programs. Based on the triggering mechanism used for IDoc
generation there are three types:
• Outbound IDocs from Message Control.
• Outbound IDocs from stand-alone programs.
• Outbound IDocs from change pointers.

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Brief rundown:
 Outbound IDocs from Message Control.
These programs are implemented as function modules and are
specifically designed for applications that make use of message
control component to generate IDocs.The interface is preset by SAP.
This is mainly used by EDI processes for transactional data. ALE uses
the message control for distributing transactional data. Example
Purchase order.
 Outbound IDocs from stand alone program
These programs are developed as stand alone programs with their
own interface. They can be implemented as reports or separate
function modules that can be called from another program. These
programs are mainly used for master data distribution in ALE.

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Outbound IDocs from Change Pointers

These programs are implemented as function modules and their
interface is set by SAP. These programs are mainly used for
master data distribution based on changes made to master
data. For example when material master is changed.

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PROGRAM FLOW FOR STAND ALONE

• Select application data from the database .
• Populate control record information.
• Populate an internal table of type EDID with data records for the
various segments.
• Call the ALE service layer(MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE) to
create the IDoc in the database.
• Commit work.

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INBOUND PROGRAM FOR CUSTOM BASIC IDOC TYPES

Inbound programs are also called posting programs.

Basic scenario – The ALE layer calls the posting program and
passes IDoc data to it. Posting programs are implemented as
function modules and are designed to read IDoc data and
create an application document.
Advanced scenario - Function modules can be designed for
advanced scenarios like mass processing , serialization
checks, advanced workflow programming etc.

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PROGRAM FLOW
• Read control record information. Verify control information(msg
type) if message type is incorrect, raise the exception.
• Read the IDoc data for the idoc.Several IDocs can be posted
together.
• Parse through each data record and build internal tables as
required by the direct posting function module.
• Call the posting program and capture the results.
• Populate the return parameters.
• If more IDocs are present go to step 2 else go to next one.
• Return the function module. The results of the exceptions are
passed to the ALE layer.

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4.Customize ALE/EDI interface to recognize the IDocs

and their programs

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The steps in configuring an outbound process depend on the type of program

you have developed for the outbound IDoc .
For stand alone programs we have following steps-
• Add the message to the ALE distribution model IN sender’s side. (BD64)
• Create or change partner profile.

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Configuring the inbound process

• Add the message type to the ALE distribution model in receiver’s
side.
• Define attributes for the inbound function module. (BD51)
• Allocate the function module to the logical message type.(WE57)
• Create a new process code(WE42)
• Create/ change a partner profile to add the message type and the
process code.(WE20)

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Developing and Assigning process code to the inbound

function module (WEDI)

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Attributes of inbound function module (BD51)

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Assignment of FM to logical message and IDoc type(WE57)

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Inbound Process code(WE42)

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Setting Inbound Parameters for Partner Profile (we20)

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Triggering the outbound process

• Triggering the outbound process via change pointers.
• Triggering the outbound process via stand alone programs.
1. Standard program for the master data
2. Custom program for your own message type

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Triggering the outbound process via change

pointers.

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Change Pointers
• Tracks changes made to key documents in SAP, such as Material master ,
customer master , and sales orders.
• When master data is changed , Changes made to a document are recorded in the
change document header table CDHDR, and additional change pointers are
written in the BDCP table for changes relevant to ALE.
• Report RBDMIDOC is executed to process change pointers and call the
function module for IDoc generation logic.

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Triggering the outbound process via change pointers

Activating change pointers globally (BD61)

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Activating change pointer for a message type ( BD50)

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Specify the Fields for which Change pointers are to be written (BD52)

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BD21 – Create idoc type from change pointers

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Triggering the outbound process via stand alone

programs.

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Triggering the outbound process via stand alone programs.

1. Standard program for master data e.g RBDSEMAT (BD10)

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Triggering the outbound process via stand alone programs.

2. Custom program for your own message type

REPORT zrep_idoc_outbound.
TABLES: z1seg_1,zvcust.
*data declaration
DATA: itab_data TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF edidd WITH HEADER
LINE,
itab_control_data TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF edidc WITH
HEADER LINE,
itab_comm_idoc TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF edidc WITH HEADER
LINE,
itab_cust TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF zvcust WITH HEADER
LINE.

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SELECT customerid fname INTO CORRESPONDING FIELDS OF

TABLE itab_cust
FROM zvcust WHERE customerid = '000000000010000'.
*fill control table
itab_control_data-direct = '1'.
itab_control_data-rcvpor = 'A000000083'.
itab_control_data-rcvprn = 'REC_IDOC'.
itab_control_data-rcvprt = 'LS'.
itab_control_data-doctyp = 'ZIDOC_1'.
itab_control_data-mestyp = 'ZGET'.
APPEND itab_control_data.

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*fill data table

LOOP AT itab_cust.
CLEAR itab_data.
CLEAR z1seg_1.
z1seg_1-customerid = itab_cust-customerid.
z1seg_1-fname = itab_cust-fname.
itab_data-sdata = z1seg_1.
itab_data-segnam = 'Z1SEG_1'.
APPEND itab_data.
ENDLOOP

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CALL FUNCTION 'MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE'

EXPORTING
master_idoc_control = itab_control_data
TABLES
communication_idoc_control = itab_comm_idoc
master_idoc_data = itab_data

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EXCEPTIONS
error_in_idoc_control =1
error_writing_idoc_status =2
error_in_idoc_data =3
sending_logical_system_unknown = 4
OTHERS = 5.
COMMIT WORK.
IF sy-subrc <> 0.
WRITE sy-subrc.
ELSE. WRITE / itab_status-status.
WRITE / itab_status.
ENDIF.

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Inbound Processing of IDocs

Application Layer
ALE Layer
Reads Idocs
Process message Type
Lock Idocs Call direct input function module
or call transaction
Return the results
Call Inbound Program
Application
Document
Write Status records

Commit work

Unlock Idocs
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INTERFACE FOR THE FUNCTION MODULE

• Importing parameters:-
Input_method- specifies the mode for call transaction method.eg
A (all screens), e(error) and space (background)
Mass processing:-used for advanced workflow scenarios. Default
value is space.
• Exporting parameters:-
Workflow_result:- Indicates if the posting was successful or not. Value
of 0 indicates success and 99999 indicates failure.
Aplication variable:- Used in advanced workflow scenarios.
In_update_task:-specifies how the piece of code that updates
database tables was invoked.

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Call_transaction_done- specifies how status codes are updated. In

ALE enabled transactions the codes are updated in the program.
• Tables:-
IDoc_control :- Input parameter
Idoc_data_:- Input parameter
IDoc_status:- Output parameter.Contains the status records for each
idoc.
Return variables:- Output parameter and is used for workflow
processing.It has two field wf_param and doc_num .Doc_num
contains the Idoc no. or the document no. and the values for the
wf_param are processed_idocs, error_idocs, appl_objecs.

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INBOUND Function Module for Customer defined programs

FUNCTION Z_IDOC_INPUT_ZGET2.
*INCLUDE MBDCONWF.
DATA: segty_data LIKE Z1SEG_1.
DATA: itab_cust LIKE zvcust OCCURS 0 WITH HEADER LINE.
DATA:wa_cust LIKE zvcust OCCURS 0 WITH HEADER LINE.
LOOP AT IDOC_CONTRL.
IF IDOC_CONTRL-MESTYP NE 'ZGET'.
RAISE wrong_function_called.
ENDIF.
CLEAR: itab_cust.
REFRESH itab_cust.
LOOP AT idoc_data WHERE docnum EQ idoc_contrl-docnum.
CASE idoc_data-segnam.
WHEN 'Z1SEG_1'.
segty_data = idoc_data-sdata.
MOVE-CORRESPONDING segty_data TO itab_cust.
ENDCASE.
ENDLOOP.
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SELECT SINGLE * FROM zvcust INTO wa_cust WHERE customerid EQ

itab_cust-customerid.
IF sy-subrc NE 0.
INSERT INTO zvcust VALUES itab_cust.
ELSE
SELECT MAX( customerid ) FROM zvcust INTO wa_cust-customerid.
itab_cust-customerid = wa_cust-customerid + 1.
INSERT INTO zvcust VALUES itab_cust.
ENDIF.
IF sy-subrc EQ 0.
Workflow_result = 0.
return_variables-wf_param = 'PROCESSED IDOCS'.
return_variables-doc_number = idoc_contrl-docnum.
return_variables-wf_param = 'APPL_OBJECTS'.
return_variables-doc_number = itab_cust-customerid.
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APPEND return_variables.
idoc_status-docnum = idoc_contrl-docnum.

idoc_status-status = '53'.

idoc_status-msgty = 'I'.

idoc_status-msgid = 'ZE'.

idoc_status-msgno = '006'.

idoc_status-msgv1 = itab_cust-customerid.

idoc_status-msgv2 = itab_cust-FNAME.

APPEND idoc_status.
ENDIF.
ENDLOOP.

ENDFUNCTION.

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THANK YOU!

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Agenda

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Q&A

Q&A

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Thank you

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