Interfaces for standard business objects in S/4 HANA

[former_member532376]

Dear colleagues,

we are looking for a solution architecture to exchange pre-orders, orders and invoices between S/4 HANA and an external Field Sales Tool. As S4-implementation is in planning phase right now we wanted to use “modern integration” f.i. via APIs like it is possible in S/4 HANA Cloud.

After some investigation it seems in the on-premise world still BAPIs or IDocs and further more individual development is the way to go.

Isn’t there at least a packaged integration for CPI to ease up exposing these standard business objects?

Regards,
Michael

[gcybill · Accepted solution]

Hi Michael,

Your requirement is to ease exposing your BAPI plug and play by using so-called modern API, whereas CPI offers robust integration features such as Integration Content Advisor, Operation, Monitoring, Security, Data Standardization plus extensibility to Leonardo.

First, check the documentation of external Field Sales Tool you are using for any previous integration scenario with SAP ERP. The same will be applicable for S/4HANA.

Secondly, S/4HANA on-premise has different set of benefits and drawbacks in comparison to S/4HANA cloud. For example, as you are planning for on-premise, then you may have planned the ABAP skillset anyway for customizing & integration purposes. On the other hand, while S4H Cloud has the so-called modern API, you are unable to customize at the ERP end.

Third, you may want to learn from OpenSAP "Two-Tier ERP with SAP S/4HANA Cloud". It helps to understand the big picture of integration and includes the integration scenarios from on-premise to the cloud.

https://open.sap.com/courses/s4h9

[nabheetscn]

Dear Michael

As of now since SAP is moving towards API first approach i think it makes sense to use one of the integration options for example CPI/PO/Gateway. But since you do not want to any of these then we are left with below options which i can think of.

1. Exposing BAPI as web services as we were doing in earlier times
2. Alternatively you can make use of the power of SICF as explained here.

I am just wondering when you are already moving to the latest paradigms any particular reason for these reservations against CPI/PO/Gateway etc? Since FIORI/Cloud is the future how will we move forward without any of these integration options?

Am i missing something here?

Thanks

Nabheet

[SarhanP]

You are right Michael,

I am sure you are aware TR code BAPI, this screenshot from S/4HANA 1809. This might help you?

[former_member532376]

Thanks Sarhan, I am well aware of BAPIs. What I am looking for is, how to expose f.i. those BAPIs to external systems without the need of CPI, PO or Gateway in S/4 HANA on premise ?

Regards,

Michael

[SarhanP]

Hi Michael,

I am strongly recommending you to check SAP API Business Hub, there are many ( new ones are still being added) digital content packages with APIs, pre-packaged integrations, and sample apps from SAP and select partners.

Sarhan.

[former_member532376]

Hi Sarhan,

thanks, I am aware of SAP API Business Hub and did some advanced search there. But nothing really near to standard business processes (ordering, invoicing) and respective interfaces for S/4 HANA came across.

As SAP talking so much about enabling next generation business processes, one would expect that there exists a clear picture (meaning state-of-the-art standard interfaces described in detail and easy to follow) on how to enable f.i. order-to-cash in a scenario where SAP S/4 HANA (on-premise) is the Digital Core of a whole landscape.

Regards,
Michael