Working with outbound iDocs

[Former Member]

Hi,

I want to send data from R/3 to a legacy system. I want to use an iDoc to send the data. The legacy system expect to get a flat file that contains all the objects that were changed on a given day.

I find it much more easier to create the flat file containing several iDocs on the R/3 side (using the file port & packet definition) than using the XI for that purpose (BPM to collect messages and file conversion).

Am I missing something ?

Thanks, Nir.

[Former Member]

Hi all,

Well, a little detail I forgot to mention...

I have to implement around 130 outbound interfaces like the one described.

I'm not quite happy with the fact that I use the XI only as "file copier" for outbound interfaces, I assume that some of the interfaces will require ack. and more complicated business processes and than i'll use some other features.

Well, now i'm facing another problem. I have to deal with 40 inbound interfaces (to the R/3 system). In this case i'm not quite sure that the R/3 system can handle flat files that contain several iDocs. And I think that the solution is to use the XI-BPM to split the incoming message to several single iDoc messages.

Am I in the right direction ? please guide me...

Thanks, Nir.

[MichalKrawczyk]

Hi,

>>>In this case i'm not quite sure that the R/3 system can handle flat files that contain several iDocs

you mean the XI ?

if so... yes it can split all messages with the file adapter

parameter:

Recordsets per Message

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/2c/181077dd7d6b4ea6a8029b20bf7e55/content.htm

no BPM needed

Regards,

michal

[Former Member]

Hi Nir,

may be to give you bit more confidence, I can exaplain something what we have. we have around 1000 Interfaces, conencting sites across the world, though I dont have exact figures of Inbound /outbound, I can say that we have quite a huge numbers, other than Ib/Ob, we have something called Reverse Idocs, thats something different to IB/O. But what I would like to convey is that this system is running for around 8 yrs without any issue (and will run in future as well). But based on the volume & other complexities, In this architecture we have load balancers & other accessories / scripts, logging, monitoring etc and a main data transformation tool. you will have to use an ALE adpater/ Partner profile setting to interface the SAP systems from your OS (file based).

But now, we are going XI , because of varied business requirements & usage.

Also, I forget to mention that we have different formats on the other end, while one end is static "IDOC" (whether IB / OB) and a messaging layer (to transfer data to sites).

We even send Idoc Packet (which contains multiple Idocs) to SAP as Inbound transaction

Hope this helps

Regards

Vishnu

[Former Member]

Hi Nir,

Yes, you are right & dont seem to miss anything.

For the above scenario, you can collect all the Idocs in SAP & send the Idoc Packet which contains all of them in a flat file. If your legacy system reads in a different format then you can use a simple Data Transformation tool to convert the Idoc packet to the required format.

Easy/difficult, appropriate/Inappropriate - all depends upon the current/ future requirements of business.

If the above scenario is a constant & the only requirement, then this way of working may suit better.

SAP (Idoc packet) -> flat file (in OS) -> flat file (legacy format,if reqd) -> Legacy System

you can use scripts to drive the events within OS.

Hope this helps

Regards

Vishnu

[MichalKrawczyk]

Hi Nir,

Here are a few my thoughts:

- if you use the file port the file will be stored on the server can you let your legacy system access your R/3 server folders?

if not you may have to use file/FTP adapter to store it somewhere else

- if you'll have to do some mapping (material numbers, etc.)

then if you want to use file port the only way is to do it in the master data idoc user exit

if you use XI then you can have the value mapping table anywhere

(either on the XI or some other value mapping table in R/3)

- how will you monitor what happend to your files?

It's not always the case how easy it is to develop but how easy it is to maintain, extend, monitor...

This is why we use the XI:)

but sure you can use file port if this is OK with you

Regards,

michal

[MichalKrawczyk]

one more thing:

if you decide to use XI take a look at this note: 814393

Regards,

michal