This book is based on our experiences with IDoc scenarios and the use of SAP NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure(SAP XI). IDocs still provide one of the most popular interfaces that enable the connection of SAP application

systems (SAP R/3, mySAP ERP) to both third-party and other SAP application systems. They can be generated easily from many application transactions and used to

generate various documents in SAP application systems,in all possible modules and solutions.With the introduction of SAP XI, it became much easier to use IDocs in the new XML world. SAP XI allows flexible integration using IDocs in standard form, with very little configuration needed to create a simple IDoc message flow.

Based on our experience, we assert that IDoc integration flows can be very effi cient if they are well designed.

This book explains both the concepts behind IDocs and how to process IDocs via SAP XI. Readers will gain comprehensive knowledge of all possible scenarios of IDoc flows, as this book covers many real solutions based on

our integration project experience.

Preface ... 3

1. IDocs Basics and Elemental Technical Configuration ... 5

... 1.1 Creating Connections Between Different Systems ... 6

... 1.2 Port Definition ... 9

... 1.3 Partner Profile Maintenance ... 11

... 1.4 Summary ... 14

2. Business Scenario Configuration ... 15

... 2.1 Purchase Orders and PO Changes in the MM Module ... 16

... 2.2 Receiving of Purchase Order Confirmations ... 27

... 2.3 Logistic Invoice Verification ... 30

... 2.4 Processing Inbound Orders in Sales and Distribution ... 33

... 2.5 Outbound Order Confirmation ... 36

... 2.6 Outbound Delivery ... 40

... 2.7 Outbound Invoice ... 43

... 2.8 Extension of Condition Tables ... 47

... 2.9 Summary ... 51

3. IDoc Monitoring ... 53

... 3.1 Searching for IDocs ... 53

... 3.2 IDocs Reprocessing ... 55

... 3.3 IDoc Editing ... 56

... 3.4 Summary ... 56

4. SAP XI in IDoc Scenarios ... 59

... 4.1 SAP XI Introduction ... 59

... 4.2 IDoc Exchange Basis with the Use of SAP XI ... 61

... 4.3 Sending IDocs to SAP XI ... 64

... 4.4 Sending IDocs from SAP XI ... 68

... 4.5 Monitoring IDocs Inside SAP XI ... 73

... 4.6 IDoc Control Record ... 73

... 4.7 IDoc Packages and Event-Driven Messages ... 75

... 4.8 IDoc Tunneling ... 77

... 4.9 IDoc Acknowledgments ... 78

... 4.10 IDoc Serialization ... 81

... 4.11 IDoc Bundling ... 84

... 4.12 Turning Off IDoc Processing Within the Integration Engine ... 85

... 4.13 IDoc Message Mappings ... 85

... 4.14 Summary ... 93

5. Summary ... 95

A Appendix ... 97

Index ... 101

Michal Krawczyk is a consultant at Business Consulting Center (http://www.bcc.com.pl). He is responsible for implementing integration technologies like RFC, IDocs, ALE, XI. His interests are new intergration applications including XI/PI and AII(RFID). He was awarded twice the 1 st place reward in the TOP Contributors Area - Section: Exchange Infrastructure (in years 2005 and 2006). Personal URL: http://www.english.bcc.com.pl

michal.krawczyk@bcc.com.pl