Ale Idoc Edi Slide Show

IBM Global Services
Overview of ALE / IDOCs
March, 2006
© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

IBM Global Services
Topics to cover
 What is ALE?
 Components of ALE.
 Anatomy of an IDoc.
 ALE Processing
 Transactions For Monitoring and Processing IDocs.
 Questions

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ALE Terminology
•ALE - Application Linking & Enabling
•IDoc - Intermediate Document
•EDI - Electronic Data Interchange

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ALE Objective

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ALE!! What is it ??
It is a set of
 Tools,
 programs and
 data definitions
that provides the mechanism for

distributing functionality and data across
multiple system.

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What Data can be Exchanged ?
Transaction Data
–SD, MM, FI, CO, etc.
Master Data
–Material, Customer, Vendor, etc.
Control Data
–Organizational Reference Information
•Plants, Sales Orgs, etc.
Data required to enable tightly coupled,

distributed applications
–Separate HR, Separate Treasury, etc.

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Features –ALE / IDocs
Distributed System yet integrated with SAP R/3
Based on ‘Application-to-Application integration using ‘Message

Architecture’
Reliable communication
Data is exchanged using “IDocs”
Support both R/2, R/3 and External system
If network problem, message is buffered
ALE support backward compatibility
ALE ensure that , data is transferred only once

IBM Global Services
ALE Scenario
Document
IDoc
SAP System R/3 SAP System R/3
IDoc IDoc
EDI Subsystem EDI Subsystem

IBM Global Services
Topics to cover
 What is ALE ?
 ALE Processing
 Trouble Shooting
 Questions

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Components of ALE
Services:
Application Services
Distribution Services
Communication Services
Tools:
Customizing Tools
Development Tools

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Services:
This is where the SAP
applications ( SD, FI,
MM etc. ) generate
their data and
Tools: documents
Customizing Tools
Development Tools

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Services:
Application Services  Recipients
Distribution Services  Formats and
Filters the data
 Creates IDocs
Tools:
Customizing Tools ( Intermediate
Development Tools Documents

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Services:
Communication Services •TCP/IP
•RFC
Tools:
•tRFC
Customizing Tools
Development Tools • etc

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Development Tools
 Model Maintenance Tool.
(for configuring the flow of data
between systems )
Services: Shared Master Data(SMD)tools
Application Services (for distributing master data )
Distribution Services  Customization parameters
(within SAP for IDoc filtering and
conversion. )
Tools:
Customizing Tools
Development Tools

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Customizing Tools
Services:
Tools:
Customizing Tools
Development Tools
Tools for creating
and modifying
IDocs

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In a Nut Shell
Application Distribution/ ALE Communication

Layer Layer Layer
Master
Application
Application IDOC Determine
Determine Filter/Convert
Filter/Convert Comm.
Receipients
Receipients Data,
Data, Create
Create IDOC
IDOC IDOC
Carrier
Carrier
Application
Data Application
Application Filter/Convert
Filter/Convert Comm.
Functions
Functions Data
Data IDOC

IBM Global Services
Topics to cover
 What is ALE ?
 ALE Processing
 Questions

IBM Global Services
IDoc Concept
System 1 System 2
SAP
Document
IDoc
 R/3 System  EDI subsystem

 R/3 System
 R/2 System
 3rd party software

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IDoc Structure
Control Record IDoc-ID

Sender-ID
Receiver-ID
IDoc type and logical message
External structure
Data Record IDoc-ID

Sequence/Hierarchy
Segment Format definition for
• header data
• item data
Status Record IDoc-ID

Status information

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Control record
Data Record
Status Record
IDOC
“Intermediate
Document”

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Control Record
The very first record of an IDoc package is always
a control record. The
structure of this control record of the structure
EDIDC and describes the contents of the data
contained in the package. The control record goes to
table EDIDC

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Message Type
Message Type indicates How to Know what the data Means

Data Exchanged by IDOC and EDI is known as Messages
Message of same kind belong to the same message type
Message types are stored in table EDMSG

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Data Record All records in the IDoc, which come after the
control record, are the IDoc data. They are all
structured alike, with a segment information part
and a data part, which is 1000 character in
length, filling the rest of the line. Data &
Segment info is stored in EDID4 for release 4.x
and EDID3 for release 2.x and 3.x.

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Information about the IDoc status like:

Status Record IDoc identification number
Status number - table verified
IDoc type
Direction
Data and time stamp; Structure:
EDIDS

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Status of IDOC
 A two-digit status is assigned to an IDoc to allow the processing to

be monitored.
 The statuses for outbound IDocs are between '01' and '49', while the
statuses for inbound IDocs begin with '50'.
 Status confirmation when using port type 'File':
The external system writes the status records in a status file, which is
read by the R/3 System. In this case, the confirmation always refers to
outbound IDocs.
 Status confirmation using IDoc type SYSTAT01:
The system sending the confirmation writes the status records as data
records of IDoc type SYSTAT01. All port types and both directions can
be entered.

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Idoc Segments
TCODE:
WE31

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Idoc Types
TCODE:
WE30

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How to Attach Segments

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Message Types
WE81
WE82

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IDOC Type/ Message Type/ Processing Function Module
Valid combination of Message type and IDOC type are stored in table
EDIMSG
Combination of message type and IDOC type determine the
processing algorithm. This is usually a function module and is set up in
table EDIFCT.

IBM Global Services
Topics to cover
 What is ALE ?
 ALE Processing.
i.Outbound Processing
ii.Inbound Processing

 Questions

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Outbound Processing

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Outbound processing: direct
Application ALE layer Comm. layer

posting
Need to Customer
create IDOC? Distribution Model
asynch. RFC
Create master or
M Receiver determination
IDOC EDI
Segment filter
Field value conversion

Application document
posted simultaneously Version change
with IDOCs
Dispatch
Links
C control C
Database

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Querying the Model

Comm. layer
posting
Need to -Customer
ALE supplies APIs (function modules) to
create IDOC? Distribution Model to query the model
allow applications
 Is anybody interested in my message type?
 Optional: what filter objects are theyasynch. RFC
Create master interested in? or
IDOC EDI RFC
asynch.
Segment filter or
EDI
with IDocs
Dispatch
Links
C control
Database C

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Handover IDoc to ALE

posting
Need to Customer
create IDOC? Distribution
- Model creates the IDOC
The application
- Technically it is stored as an
internal table
asynch. RFC
Create master - Passed to ALE via an API
or
IDOC (function module) EDI
Segment filter

with IDocs
Dispatch
Links
C control C
Database

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Receiver determination

posting
Need to Customer
create IDOC? Distribution Model - If the application has no specified
recipients
asynch. RFC
 ALE refers to the customer
Create master or to determine
distribution model
IDOC them asynch. EDI RFC
Segment filter or to receiver
 Data not relevant
(according toEDI
model) is removed
in ALE layer.
with IDocs
Dispatch
Links
C control C
Database

IBM Global Services
Segment filter

posting
Need to Customer
-
asynch. RFC
The filter is data-independent
Create master -
or
IDOC segments that are not
IDOC required asynch.
can beEDI RFC
removed
Segment filter - or
The filter is message and receiver-
specific EDI
with IDocs
Dispatch
Links
C control C
Database

IBM Global Services

posting
Need to Customer
asynch. RFC
- The contents of individual
Create master or
M Receiver determination fields can be
IDOC EDI RFC
asynch.
 translated to new values
Segment filter or
 suppressed
EDI
- The filter is message and
receiver-specific
with IDocs
Dispatch
Links
C control C
Database

IBM Global Services
Version change

Comm. layer
posting
Need to Customer
asynch. RFC
Create master or
IDOC - IDOCs can EDI RFCto older
asynch.
be changed
versions or
Segment filter
- Systems with different release
EDI
levels can communicate
Field value conversion without additional application
Application document logic
with IDocs
Dispatch
Links
C control C
Database

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Make Links

posting
Need to Customer
asynch. RFC
Create master or
IDOC EDI
Segment filter
-Links are written between IDOC

and
Version change  Application object contained
posted simultaneously
in IDOC
with IDocs
 Communication-Layer's
Dispatch
Links
C control
"Transaction-ID"
C
Database

IBM Global Services
Dispatch control

posting
Need to Customer
asynch. RFC
Create master or
IDOC EDI RFC
asynch.
- Technical comms parameters are
Segment filter defined
or
- EDI or aRFCEDI
(asynch. remote
Field value conversion function call)
- Send immediately or cumulate
Version change and send via batch job
posted simultaneously
 If batch, packet size is
with IDocs
determined
Dispatch
Links
C control C
Database

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Scenario analysis
• How does the IDOC look like ?
• How is data being sent ?
• How is the data being received ?

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Outbound program development
• Program logic
– “How is the IDOC being created ?”
• Triggering
– “How is the IDOC creation kicked off ?”

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Program logic
IDOC program
• Select data from application tables
• Fill data into IDOC
• Pass IDOC to ALE layer
(Call function MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE)
• Commit Work
MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE
• Receiver determination
• Segment filtering
• Version Control
• Dispatch Control
ALE layer

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MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE
Call function ‘MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE’

 Exporting
 master_idoc_control: IDOC control record
 Tables
 communication_idoc_control: returned information
about the distribution
 master_idoc_data: IDOC data segments

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Filling an EDIDD structure
Header (55bytes) SDATA (1000bytes)

EDIDD …. SEGNAM ….
Field1 Field2 Field3 Field4

Z1SEG
“10” “ABC”
MOVE “Z1SEG” to EDIDD-SEGNAM

MOVE “10” to Z1SEG-FIELD1
MOVE “ABC” to Z1SEG-FIELD2
MOVE Z1SEG to EDIDD-SDATA

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General Programming rules

 Design Guidelines for creating IDOC data records:
• Left-justified filing of IDOC Fields
• Replacing SAP codes with ISO codes

 currency keys
 country keys
 unit of measure
 shipping instructions
• Converting Currency Amounts

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Left-justified Filling
 All fields must be left-justified

 Character fields:
 automatic
 Non-character fields:
 ‘Condense’ statement must be used
 Check IDOC documentation to find out which fields
require a ‘condense’
 All types unequal to ‘char’, ‘cuky’, ‘clnt’, ‘accp’, ‘numc’,
‘dats’, ‘tims’ or ‘unit’ require a condense

IBM Global Services
Code Conversions
 Replacing SAP codes with ISO codes

– Currency keys: ‘currency_code_sap_to_iso’
– Country keys: ‘country_code_sap_to_iso’
– Units of measure: ‘unit_of_measure_sap_to_iso’
– Shipping instructions: sap_iso_package_type_code’
• Conversion of currency amounts

– ‘currency_amount_sap_to_iso’

IBM Global Services
Basic Configuration Elements
 Create and allocate Logical System

 Define Ranges (Idocs, Ports, etc )
 Define RFC Destinations
 Define Ports
 Maintain Customer Model
 Create Partner Profiles

IBM Global Services
Logical System
TCODE:
BD54; Stored in
table T000

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Allocate Logical System to the client
TCODE:
SCC4
SALE > BASIC SETTINGS > SET UP

LOGICAL SYSTEM > ASSIGN LOGICAL
SYSTEM TO THE CLIENT
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Number Ranges
 Maintain number ranges for ports

 Maintain number ranges for IDocs
 Maintain number ranges for IDoc types and segment version
 Maintain number range for change pointers

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Maintaining RFC Destinations
TCODE:
SM59

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Displaying and Maintaining Ports
TCODE:
WE21
A port is a logical representation of a

communication channel in SAP with
the data communicated being IDocs.
IDocs

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Partner Profiles
TCODE:
WE20

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Partner Profiles-Outbound

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Partner Profiles-Inbound

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Distribution Model
TCODE:
BD64

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Transfer of data
Transfer master data for material, customer, vendor to different client

or system with BALE

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Filter Objects
BD95
BD59

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Sending Master Data Idocs
Master
data ?
Only send N Standalone program

objects that have with user-definable
changed ? selection criteria
Change Standalone with

Pointer N
custom logic to keep
available? track of changes
Change Pointer
based Program

IBM Global Services
Sending Transactional Data Idocs
Transaction
Data ?
Ensure trans- N
actional
See Master data
Integrity?
Output User-Exit N
Determinat N hard coded ALE
available?
ion layer
available ? Modification
y Y
Output determination Hardcoded ALE layer

based Program no Modification

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Change Pointers
Application Posting
Batch Program
• Post Application document Master data (RBDMIDOC)
• Determine IDOC module
• Create Change Document • Call IDOC module
ALE configuration
• Are changes ALE relevant ?
• ALE relevant Fields IDOC Module
•Write Change Pointers (Masteridoc_Create_
SMD_<MSGTYPE>)
• Commit Work • Read Change Pointers

Change pointers • Fill IDOC
• Call ALE layer
• Update Change Pointer
ALE layer
Master_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE

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 Change Pointers
BD61
BD50

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 Change Pointers… Continued
BD52
BD60

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IDOC module
 IDOC module has to be implemented as function module
 Naming Convention: MASTERIDOC_CREATE_SMD_<msgtype>
 Function module reads change pointers information to get data that
needs to go into IDOC
 Function module logic:
 Read change pointers
 Fill IDOC structure
 Call ALE layer
 Update Change Pointer status
 Commit Work

IBM Global Services
ALE Configuration For Change Pointers
• Define change pointer creation

• Define which change document fields are to be logged
• Change pointer activation

• Activate generally
• Activate per message type
• “Publish” new function module

• Link message type to function module

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ALE For Transactional data ---- Output Determination
NACE

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Output Determination -- Access Sequence

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Output Determination -- Output Types

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Output Types -- Details

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Output Types -- Partner Functions

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Output Types -- Processing Routines

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Output Types -- Procedures

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Output Types -- Procedures Control

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Output Types -- Condition records

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Inbound Processing

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Inbound Processing.
Comm. layer ALE layer Application

posting
C
Version change
asynch. RFC Segment filter

or
EDI Field value conversion
Input
control A
A Serialization Process IDOC
Simultaneously update
IDOC's status
Post application
Database document

IBM Global Services
Input Control

posting
C
- For each message type and senderVersion change

one can define
asynch. RFCto process
 when Segment filter
or(immediate/batch)
 whether to call application Field value conversion
EDIdirectly or start customer
workflow
 who should get work items in Input
case of error control A
- Incoming IDOC packets are passed to
application
IDOC's status
Post application
Database document

IBM Global Services
Application Input

posting
C
Version change
asynch. RFC Segment filter

or
EDI Field value conversion
- Input
Inbound IDOCs are passed to
the application via a control A
standardized function
interface
IDOC's status
Post application
Database document

IBM Global Services
Serialization

posting
C
Version change
- When processing the

When processing the Segment filter
asynch. RFC
inbound IDOC, the
or
application can call an ALE Field value conversion
EDI(function module) to
API
check that the IDOC has not
been overtaken Input
control A
 If change No. 1 arrives
after change No. 2, the A Serialization Process IDOC
IDOC containing it has
been overtaken (by the
IDOC containing the IDOC's status
later change) Post application
Database document

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FM Assignment to Message Type and IDoc type
TCODE:
WE57

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Process Codes
WE41
WE42

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Process Codes in Inbound and Outbound
TCODE:
WE64

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FM For Inbound EDI
TCODE:
BD67

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Inbound Program Development

ALE configuration
INBOUND_IDOC_PROCESS • Partner Profiles
IDOC • Version change • Process Code
• Function module attribute
• Segment filter • Function module registry
• Field conversion
Call function
IDOC_INPUT_<MSGTYPE>
• Read IDOC data

Return Variables • Post Application data
• Send Success info back to ALE layer
If ERROR, trigger
Workflow Task
ALE layer

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ALE error handling
User action R/3 action
Error in inbound function module
ALE triggers error event
input Error Occurred
Workitem appears in user's Inbox
Execute Workitem
Display IDoc for user processing

(IDoc method "InputForeground")
Fix error and reprocess IDoc

or
Flag IDoc for deletion
ALE triggers end event
input Finished
Workitem completed

IBM Global Services
ALE error handling
 Necessary Steps:
 Create new object type in Business Object Repository for IDOC;
object is child of IDOCAPPL
 Create new customer task
 Create event-couplings linking
 Event ‘inputErrorOccured’ linked to standard task
 Event ‘inputFinished’ to function module
 To support mass processing:
 Create new object type as child of IDOCPACKET
 Maintain process code to refer the above objects and events

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Advanced Inbound Topics
• Data consistency
• Serialization
• Individual vs. mass processing
• Call transaction function modules

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Data Consistency
• Problem:
– Ensure transactional integrity
• Don’t process and IDOC twice
• Allow for IDOC reprocessing after rollback of
application document posting
• Solution:
– Application document must be posted in the same
LUW as the IDOC status records
– IDOC function module must not use a ‘Commit Work’

IBM Global Services
Data Consistency
ALE Layer Application

function module
Lock IDoc(s)
Read IDoc(s)
Lock application objects

Optional: Serialization check
Process IDoc data
Write application data to DB
Write IDoc(s) status

Write links
Optional:
Write serialization data
Trigger event(s)
Commit Work
Unlock IDoc(s) and

application objects

IBM Global Services
Serialization
Sender Comm. Layer Receiver
Object X, First IDOC Input from IDOC 1

changed twice: overtaken must be prevented
in order not to lose
information from
1 IDOC 2
2 2
1 !?
!?

IBM Global Services
Serialization
 Check, if IDOC has been overtaken

 Use function module ‘IDOC_SERIALIZATION_CHECK’
 react to overtaken IDOCs according to your needs
 Prerequisite is the definition of a serialization

object

IBM Global Services
Mass Processing
 Processing more than one IDOC can improve
throughput:
 more than one IDOC is processed per Commit Work
 the function can be coded to add multiple entries to a table
with one update command (‘array insert’)
 Function module has to be coded in a way that it

supports mass processing
 Attribute of delivered function module specifies if
mass processing is supported or not

IBM Global Services
Call Transaction
 Pros:
 Error reprocessing in foreground
 Easy to program
 Cons:
 Call Transaction has significant performance overhead
 Automatic Commit work, no data consistency
 Recommendation:
 Try to use function modules that update database directly
 If you want to use ‘Call transaction’, they have been ‘ALE-
enabled’ to guarantee data concistency

IBM Global Services
Topics to cover
 What is ALE ?
 ALE Processing
 Questions

IBM Global Services
Monitoring IDocs
• The IDoc interface offers 2 different approaches for tracking of data

load and data flow:
Reports for monitoring
Workflow for notifications
• Both approaches are based on the concept of status transitions, i.e.
an IDoc changes its status from a given value to another value.

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List Of All IDocs Created. (Default, Additional, EDI)-- WE02/ WE05

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Selection Program For Issuing Output -- WE15

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Process All Selected IDocs. WE14

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Test Tool For Idoc Processing (WE19)

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Select IDocs BD87

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Idoc Search For Business Contents (Database). WE09

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Status Conversion With Trfc Execution. BD75

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Questions

IBM Global Services

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What is ALE and what are its main components?

What is ALE and what are its main components?

What is an IDoc and what information does it contain?

What is an IDoc and what information does it contain?

IBM Global Services

Overview of ALE / IDOCs

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

•ALE - Application Linking & Enabling

•IDoc - Intermediate Document

•EDI - Electronic Data Interchange

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

that provides the mechanism for

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

What Data can be Exchanged ?

Data required to enable tightly coupled,

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

Features –ALE / IDocs

Distributed System yet integrated with SAP R/3

Based on ‘Application-to-Application integration using ‘Message

Data is exchanged using “IDocs”

Support both R/2, R/3 and External system

If network problem, message is buffered

ALE support backward compatibility

ALE ensure that , data is transferred only once

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

EDI Subsystem EDI Subsystem

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

Application Distribution/ ALE Communication

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

 R/3 System  EDI subsystem

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

Control Record IDoc-ID

Data Record IDoc-ID

Status Record IDoc-ID

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

Message Type indicates How to Know what the data Means

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

Information about the IDoc status like:

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

 A two-digit status is assigned to an IDoc to allow the processing to

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

How to Attach Segments

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

IDOC Type/ Message Type/ Processing Function Module