ALE / IDoc Training

Disha Jain
Mumbai,24th September, 2007

Atos, Atos and fish symbol, Atos Origin and fish symbol, Atos Consulting, and the fish itself are registered trademarks of Atos Origin SA. November 2006
2006 Atos Origin

Table of Contents

Logical Steps to ALE Development - Xn: SALE

ALE Customizing

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

ALE Inbound and Outbound Processing

Outbound
Sending out the data from our system, any IDoc which is sent out from the
system is called as Outbound.
Inbound
Receiving the data in the system is termed to be inbound

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

ALE Customizing - SALE

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Defining Logical Systems

Preparing the Sending and Receiving Systems

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Defining Logical System

Each system in the system landscape must have a logical system name.

The name should be unique throughout the whole system landscape. This name can then be
assigned to one client of an SAP system. To guarantee that the name is unique and to
simplify the assignment, SAP recommends the naming convention <System
name>CLNT<Client number>.

To view the existing names of logical systems, choose the following in the
IMG: Application Link Enabling (ALE) Sending and Receiving Systems Logical Systems
Define Logical System.

To view the assignments to clients, choose the following in the IMG:Application Link Enabling
(ALE) Sending and Receiving Systems LogicalSystems Assign Logical System to a
Client.

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Defining RFC Destination

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Defining RFC Destination

RFC destinations must be defined for the target systems.

SAP recommends calling the RFC destinations the same names as the logical
target system. This means that some settings can be automatically generated.
A user and a password are specified in the RFC destination. This user must exist in
the target system and must have the necessary authorizations.
To check the RFC destinations, choose the following in the IMG: Application Link
Enabling (ALE) Sending and Receiving Systems Systems in NetworkDefine
Target Systems for RFC Calls.
ALE uses type R/3 connections for communicating with a remote SAP system. EDI
uses type TCP/IP connections to communicate with the EDI subsystem.

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Port Definition

Transaction WE21

ALE customizingSending and Receving SystemsSystems in NetworkAsynchronous

Processing Assigning Ports Define Port

A port defines the medium in which the data is exchanged between the two systems.

Ports available in release 4.6 are

tRFC
- for ALE communication
File Ports
-for EDI communication
CPI-C
-for ports for R/2
Internet Ports -used to connect with Internet Applications
ABAP -PI ports -used to process data via ABAP Programming Interface
XML port
-used to process file in XML format

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

More info on Ports

The tRFC port used in the ALE process can be generated automatically when you generate
the partner profiles or it can be maintained manually.

For port definitions to be generated automatically, the RFC destination name must be the
same as the logical system name.

In Advanced settings, a standard program RBDMOIND is scheduled or executed to determine

whether IDoc has been dispatched to destination system. Updates status to 12, else IDoc
remains in status 3.

Cross system reporting RBDSTATE- run periodically on destination system, reports status of incoming IDocs to
the sending system using ALEAUD message.
RBDAUD01 executed on sending system, analyzes the audit log and displays the
output as report.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Modeling Business Process

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Distribution Model

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Distribution Model

To view the distribution system, choose the following in the IMG:

Application Link Enabling (ALE) Modeling and Implementing
BusinessProcesses Maintain Distribution Model and Distribute Views.
To ensure consistency, it is advisable to maintain the different views of a distribution
model in one central system, and distribute them or transport them to the other
systems in the process.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Partner Profile

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Partner Profile

For every message type, you need to make the outbound processing settings in
the sending system, and the inbound processing settings in the receiving system.
In every system, the settings are made for each partner in the partner profile.
To view the partner profile, choose the following in the IMG: Application Link
Enabling (ALE) Modeling and Implementing Business Processes Partner
Profiles and Time of Processing Maintain Partner Profile Manually.
This is transaction WE20.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Change Documents and Change Pointers

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Sources of more info on Master Data

Distribution

Sources of Information for Master Data Distribution

IMG documentation Master Data Distribution

SAP Library: Application documentation

for example : Logistics Logistics General Logistics Basic Data Material Master Transfer and Distribution
of Material Master Data

Business Process Library within the SAP Library

Cross-Application Components Business Framework Architecture(CA-BFA) ALE Business Process Library

Interface Adviser

For more information on the distribution of master data, see the Implementation Guide documentation (IMG) under:
Application Link Enabling (ALE) Modeling and Implementing Business Processes Master Data Distribution.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

ALE Configuration - RECAP

Setting up the Clients

Defining the Logical Systems for Clients

Defining the Communication Parameters

Modeling the Distribution

Generating Partner Profiles in Sending System

Distributing the Distribution Model

Generating Partner Profiles in Receiving System

Creating the Master Data

Sending the Master Data

Monitoring the Communication

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

EDI Configuration

Overview of EDI Configuration

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Outbound Processing Using Message Control

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Message Control

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Condition Elements

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Maintaining the condition table

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Maintaining the Condition Table

This is the table that defines the condition record keys.

The key is a Data Combination for which the messages are triggered. For each
Data combination, there is a condition record in the table.
The data part contains the actual message. In this you actually define the output
condition records.

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The condition records are nothing but the combination of fields that you want to
control in the output determination.

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Maintaining the Access Sequence

Access Sequence is nothing but a four digit Alpha-Numeric Key which is used by
the SAP as the search criterion to search the condition records.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Maintaining the Output Types

The output type represents the different types such as Quotations, Order
confirmations and delivery notes in the SAP system.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Assigning Output Types to partner functions

In this step, you can assign the defined output type to the Partner Function. In
addition to this, you also can specify the allowed type of output types for
combination of output types and partner functions.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Maintaining Output Determination Procedure

In this step you can configure the o/p determination (i.e. you define the steps say
10, then you attach the o/p type defined by you or any std. o/p type.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Assigning the Output Determination to

Procedures:
Here you assign the o/p determination to the procedure or the o/p type.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Generating TRFC Port

Now, go to transaction WE21 to create Port Definition.

After the above screen, you select Generate Port Name radio button. It will
automatically generate the port. Then it will show the following screen where
you have to fill in the information like the RFC Destination for the Port and short
description etc
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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Generating TRFC Port

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Generate Partner Profiles

For any type of communication to take place, you must have partners associated
with your business practices. The Vendors, Customers etc. are considered as the
partners of the process. So for each of them to be getting identified with
distinguished profile, we need to create the profile for all of them.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Partner Profile
Execute the transaction WE20 for generating the partner profile.
Once this screen appears, we have to fill in the required information like Message
Type, Receiver Port, the IDoc transfer packet size, basic type for corresponding
message type etc

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

EDI configuration
At this point, our configuration for EDI system is over. Now we have to actually
generate the sales order and we need to create the IDoc associated with it. So go
to the transaction
VA01 Create Sales Order. Enter in to the required fields of sales order and save
it. It will generate the document number.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

EDI Configuration

Then go to transaction VA02 and view this same document.

Then, to create IDoc, go to the menu level in the following manner. Extras
Output Header Edit.
Once the above screen gets displayed, after saving it, the IDoc gets generated.

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Display IDoc
After that you can go to the transaction WE02 Display IDoc List.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Purchase Order Scenario

As the purchase order is created in MM, outbound processing has to take place using
Message Control. The master data for the vendor therefore contains a condition record which
uses the order to find the corresponding EDI message and writes an MC record.

The key fields in the MC record are assigned to the corresponding key fields in the partner
profile (outbound processing using Message Control). They determine the process code,
which in turn defines the outbound processing (generating an outbound IDoc using a function
module).

The key fields in the partner profile (outbound processing using Message Control) are
assigned to the corresponding key fields in the partner profile (general outbound processing).
This determines the IDoc type (ORDERS01) and the port.

The IDoc Interface now knows which IDoc type to generate with which function module. The
IDoc is created. The partner profile specifies that the IDoc is immediately sent to the port.

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

EDI Relevant Master Data in Purchasing

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

EDI Relevant Master Data in Purchasing

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The MM master data must contain certain parameters which are sent to the order recipient
via IDoc:

Apart from the partner number and type, the vendor master record must contain the
partner function. The partner function is a required field entry in the additional outbound
partner profile using Message Control (MC).

The vendor master record should contain the name which appears as the partner number
in the recipient partner profiles as the "account with vendor" (field LFB1-EIKTO). This field
is compared with the partner number value in the recipient inbound partner profile. If this
field is not maintained, additional conversions are required in the recipient system.

The vendor material information must contain the material name for the vendor, because
the recipient determines from the contents of a segment of type E1EDP19 which material
has been ordered.

The MC condition record must contain a transmission medium "6 (EDI). The recipient
cannot see this value. If another transmission medium is entered, the IDoc Interface will
not be activated.

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

EDI Specific Master Data In Sales

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

EDI Specific Master Data In Sales

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The SD master data must contain EDI-specific parameters which are compared with the data
from the order IDoc:

Partner number, type and function of the sender are assigned according to the data in the
partner profile. This data must also exist in the SD master data.

The material number is transferred in a segment of type E1EDP19. This material must
exist in the material master record. The qualifier 002 in the segment shows that this is the
material number for the vendor.

If the EDI subsystem does not assign the combination of customer and vendor to a sales
organization via segments of type E1EDK14 (document header organizational data), you
must maintain this assignment yourself using the customizing transaction (VOED).

ALE./IDOC Technical Training

More on EDI

NACE - Configuring Message Control setting corresponding to various applications.

NACO - Configuring Message Control setting corresponding to various applications.

WE81 - Defining new message types.

WE82 - Linking the message type with the basic IDoc type.

WE20 - Partner Profile settings.

WE21 - Port Definition

SM59 - RFC Destination

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

EDI- RECAP

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

EDI Configuration-RECAP

Step by Step Overview for Sales and Distribution

Maintaining the Condition Table
Maintaining the Access Sequences
Maintaining the Output types
Assign output types to the partner functions
Maintain output determination procedure
Assign output determination Procedures

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Information Sources

https://websmp207.sap-ag.de/int-adviser

Information on Predefined ALE Business Processes

IMG / SALE: Menu path
- Model and implement business processes
Configure Pre-Defined ALE Business Processes

Interface Adviser

SAP Library: Business process library

Cross-application components
- Business Framework Architecture (CA-BFA)
- ALE Business Process Library

. SAP Library: Application documentation

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ALE./IDOC Technical Training

Thank You

Atos, Atos and fish symbol, Atos Origin and fish symbol, Atos Consulting, and the fish itself are registered trademarks of Atos Origin SA. November 2006
2006 Atos Origin