Archiving IDocs

This document details about the step-by-step process in archiving the IDocs. Archiving is the process
of offloading Out-of-date data onto a file at the operating system. The following are the two important
reasons for archiving:

Improving the performance

Saving the disk space on the SAP Server

Scenario: In this scenario, let us archive the IDocs created before Jan 1st 1995.

Let us view at the IDocs created on or before 31 st Dec 1994. Go to transaction WE05 and provided
necessary details:

Press Execute. Following are the IDocs available in the given date range.
You can observe that all the above IDocs are in error state. The IDocs in error state cannot be
archived. However, we would leave this part to the end of the document and proceed further.

Initial settings to archive IDocs: (Maintaining Logical path and Physical path)

Go to Transaction FILE
Click on New Entries.

To assign physical path: Select the Z logical path created above and now double-click on the
assignment of physical paths on the left side of the screen.

Click on New Entries and enter the following data

Leave the file name as shown above.

Maintaining File Names: Now click on Logical file name definition and click on new entries. Provide
the details as shown below:

...Previous

Archiving of IDocs: There are two methods of archiving IDocs:

Using the transaction SARA

Using the standard programs like RSEXARCA (for archiving), RSEXARCR (for reading) and
RSEXARCL (reloading of data into the system)

This document would detail the procedure using the transaction SARA.

Go to transaction SARA and the enter the Archiving Object name as IDOC

Press Enter. You could observe some difference in the screen as shown below:
Click on Write button.

Click on Maintain. Enter a name for your variant.

Enter the information as shown below:

Click on Continue. Now in this screen, you would mention the data or the IDocs that needs to be
archived.

Click on attributes.
Click on Save and return to main screen. Now we need to mention the start date for the archive to
begin. Click on button Start Date.

Here we are scheduling the archival process immediate.

Save your entries. Now click on Execute button:

Following message appears:

From the above screenshot, you can observe that the IDOC could not be archived. The IDocs
shouldnt be in error status for the IDocs to be archived.

To change the status of the IDocs, execute the program RC1_IDOC_SET_STATUS.

Enter the list of IDocs and the new status

Click on Execute.

Now check in WE05 for the change in the IDoc status:

Now try executing the transaction SARA and archive the IDocs.