In this post we sapabapiq.com, presenting article on how to deal with IDoc, for functional consultants. This series of IDoc tutorials will help functional consultants as well for the ABAP technical consultants. Please read this first article on IDoc (Intermediate Document) tutorials for functional consultants.
IDoc Tutorials For Functional Consultants
IDocs are used in most of the SAP applications
for transfer of message from SAP to other systems and vice versa. A lot
of documentation is available on web for IDocs but most of them are technical
in nature.
This document is written from perspective of a functional
consultant and this will help in dealing with support issues related to IDoc.
An effort has been made to capture all the necessary information about IDocs
that a functional consultant needs to be aware of.
Overview on IDoc Information for Functional Consultants
IDoc
is an SAP object that carries data of a business transaction from one system to
another in the form of electronic message. IDoc is an acronym for Intermediate Document.
The purpose of an IDoc is to transfer data or information
from SAP to other systems and vice versa. The transfer from SAP to
non-SAP system is done via EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) subsystems whereas
for transfer between two SAP systems, ALE is used.
IDoc
can be triggered in SAP system or in EDI subsystem. This depends on the
direction in which IDoc is sent and is called as Inbound IDoc and Outbound IDoc
accordingly.
In case of outbound flow, IDoc is triggered in SAP through
document message control which is then sent to EDI subsystem. EDI converts the
data from IDoc into XML or equivalent format and then sends the data to partner
system through Internet.
For
inbound flow, EDI converts partner data and IDoc is created in SAP. After
successful processing of this IDoc, Application Document is posted in SAP.
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) STANDARDS AND IDOC
“EDI
is electronic exchange of business document between the computer systems of
business partners, using a standard format over a communication network”. EDI
stands for Electronic Data Interchange.
For
transmission of information electronically, two widely used standards are ANSI
ASC X12 and EDIFACT. ANSI ASC X12 is a committee formed by representatives of
major organizations, government bodies and EDI software companies which defines
standards and guidelines for information interchange over EDI.
UN/EDIFACT
stands for United Nations EDI for Administration, commerce and Transport and
was formed in 1985 using ANSI X12 and UNTDI (United Nations Trade Data
interchange) as base standards.
ANSI X12 describes business document as
transactions and each transaction is represented by three digit number e.g. 850
– Purchase Order, 855 - Purchase Order Acknowledgement.
EDIFACT describes
business document as messages, represented by standard names e.g. ORDERS for
purchase order.
IDOC BASIC TERMINOLOGIES
IDOC
(BASIC) TYPE
IDoc
Types are based on the EDI standards and mostly on EDIFACT standards.
Basic
Types (or IDoc Type) defines the structure of an IDoc. Each basic type
describes standard IDoc segments, format of data fields and their size. Basic
Type also defines number of segments and fields in an IDoc.
All the fields that
are necessary for transmission of message for a particular business transaction
are mapped in different segments. It also defines the structure and
relationship of IDoc segments along with mandatory and optional segments.
IDOC
EXTENSION
Basic
type contains all the standard fields that are necessary for carrying out a
business transaction. However, if any additional values are to be sent to the
partner then we can make use of the IDoc Extension feature.
IDoc extension is
extension of basic type and contains additional custom IDoc segments and fields
that are not available in standard basic type.
IDOC
SEGMENTS
IDoc
segments contain the actual data that is sent to or received
from a partner. These segments contain the actual values that are sent
as part of IDoc transmission.
PARENT AND CHILD SEGMENTS
IDoc
segment is termed as Parent segment if it contains its own segments. The
dependent segments are called as child segments.
INBOUND/OUTBOUND
IDOCS
IDocs
sent outside the system are termed as Outbound IDocs and the ones that are
received into the system, are called as Inbound IDocs.
IDOC
DIRECTION
This
signifies the direction is which information is sent and is similar to
terminology used in mails. If information is sent outside the system then the
direction is outbox when it is received into the system then direction is inbox.
In SAP Outbox direction is represent by “1” i.e. outbox and Inbox direction is
represented by “2”.
PARTNER
Partner
is the Business Partner with which the exchange of information is to take place
using IDoc. It can be a vendor or customer or any other system.
Depending on
the direction of information in which the information is sent it plays a role
of either a “sending partner” or a “receiving partner”.
PARTNER
TYPE
Partner
type/role is used to identify partners within the sap systems. Partner type is
KU for customer, LI for vendor and LS for Logical System.
MESSAGE
TYPE
IDoc
processing involves transmission or receipt of document in the form of a
message, each of which represents a document in SAP. These documents can be
Order, Shipment Confirmation, Advance Shipping Notification, Goods Receipt, or
Invoice.
Message type is associated with Basic IDoc Type (Basic Type) and
defines the kind of data or document that is exchanged with the partner.
PROCESS
CODE
The
process code contains the details of the Function Module that are used for IDoc
processing. Message Type can be linked to the Process code.
PORT
IDoc
Port contains the information about the way data is sent between the source or
target system. The type of port defines the information contained within the
port.
For port type “Internet” Port will contain IP address of the target
system. For port type “file”, directory or file name information is maintained.
“tRFC” port contains information about the RFC destination of the target
system.
For IDoc transmission using ALE “tRFC” ports are used.
Thanks for reading this first article in the series of IDoc tutorials for functional consultants. Keep visiting sapabapiq.com or subscribe to our mail list for latest articles.
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