ALE

Application Link Enabling (ALE) is a technology to create and run distributed applications.
It comprises the controlled exchange of business messages and consistent data
management inloosely-linked SAP application systems.
Application Link Enabling has three layers:
Application services
Distribution services
ommunication services
EDI
!ou use EDI i" you #ant to e$change business application documents #ith an (e$ternal)
partner system ("or e$ample% a customer or vendor). &he 'A( system sends EDI messages
in IDoc "ormat to an EDI subsystem% #here they are converted to a universal EDI standard
()*+EDI,A& or A*'I+-./). &his enables communication #ith non0'A( systems.
IDoc
IDoc (Intermediate Document) is a standard 'A( document "ormat. IDocs enable the
connection o" di""erent application systems using a message0based inter"ace. &here are
three di""erent types o" structure that are generated by IDoc inter"ace: control record% data
record and status record.
IDoc Type
An IDoc type is de"ined through its permitted segments. 'egments can be dependent on
each other (parent and child segments). ,or e$ample% segment E.ED(&. (document
item te$t identi"ication) is a child segment o" segment E.ED(1. (document item data%
general) in IDoc type E-(I*21. (e$port billing) and a child segment o" E.ED(13 (order
data shipping noti"ication) in IDoc type DE'AD21. (shipping noti"ication). &he segment%
there"ore% is used in several conte$ts and is the 4child4 o" several 4parents4.
IDoc Segment
Segments "orm the basic building blocks o" an IDoc type and are used
to store the actual data. Asegment type is the name o" a segment and is
independent o" the 'A( release.
Distribution Model
In the distribution model you can speci"y the messages to be sent to a
given logical system. !ou can also de"ine the conditions "or the content
and dispatch o" messages in the "ilters. &he distribution model consists
o" one or more vie#s that you can de"ine. 5ith more comple$ distribution
tasks you can assign business sub0areas or groups o" logical systems to
separate vie#s.
Partner Profile
(artner pro"iles are de"ined separately "or inbound and outbound
processing. Every partner% ho#ever% must be de"ined in the general
partner pro"iles. ,or outbound processing under 6essage ontrol (6)%
you must also con"igure additional parameters.
Process Code
In the partner pro"iles% the processing is never addressed directly but
rather al#ays using a process code. !ou can there"ore replace an old
process #ith a ne# one "or any number o" partners by assigning the
e$isting process code to the ne# process.
&#o types o" process code are used in con7unction #ith the partner
pro"iles:
8 9utbound (rocess ode : i" you are using outbound processing under
6essage ontrol% the IDoc is generated in the IDoc Inter"ace. &he
process code names the relevant "unction module.
8 Inbound (rocess ode : names the "unction module or #ork"lo#
#hich reads the IDoc data and trans"ers the data to the application
document.
Port
(orts are a "undamental re;uirement "or communicating by means o" the
IDoc Inter"ace. At least one port must e$ist "or each e$ternal system. &he
"igure belo# sho#s ho# IDocs are sent to t#o receiving systems via
three ports.
&he IDoc inter"ace "unction is under Tools IDoc Interface/ALE in the 'A( menu.

It is described below:
Processing IDocs
Describes the various inbound and outbound processing paths and status
processing. This section is intended for both administrators and end users.
Configuring Ports .
Describes the technical link to the external sstem! right down to the operating
sstem level. Ports must be configured before data exchange with the external
sstem can take place. This section is intended for administrators.
Defining a Partner
The partner profiles are a further prere"uisite for data exchange. This involves
defining who can exchange messages with the #$P #stem and using which
port. This section is intended for administrators.
Processing Tests
The IDoc Interface provides tools for testing IDoc processing. These tests should
be performed when new messages are used and when new IDoc tpes are
defined.This section is intended for administrators.
%onitoring
&oth passive 'displa processing( and active 'dispatch warnings and notes(
monitoring functions are documented here.This section is intended for both
administrators and application end users.
$rchiving IDocs
The options available for archiving IDocs are described here. This section is
intended for administrators.
#tructure! Documentation and Definition of IDoc Tpes
Customer extensions to IDoc tpes are described here. This section is intended for
developers and administrators.
General configuration
$dditional #ettings
There are other was of configuring the working environment for our IDoc
Interface! although this is not usuall necessar. These options are listed here. This
section is intended for administrators.
Introduction to EDI and ALE:
EDI (Electronic Document interchange) 0 EDI is the electronic e$change o" business
documents bet#een the computer systems o" business partners% using a standard
"ormat over a communication net#ork.
EDI is also called paperless e$change.
$dvantages:
)educed Data entr errors
)educed processing time
$vailabilit of data in electronic form
)educed paperwork
)educed Cost
)educed inventories and better planning
#tandard means of communications
&etter business process
*DI has two process
+. ,utbound process
-. Inbound process
,utbound Process:
+.$pplication document is created.
-. ID,C is generated
..Idoc is transferred from #$P to ,perating sstem laer
/.Idoc is converted into *DI standards
0.*di document is transmitted to the business partner
1.The *di #ubsstem report status to #$P
Inbound Process:
..EDI transmission received
/.EDI document is converted into an ID9
<.ID9 is trans"erred to the 'A( layer
=.&he application document is created
>.&he application document can be vie#ed.
iD!:
ID9 is a container that can be used to e$change data bet#een any t#o processes.
Each ID9 is assigned a uni;ue number "or tracking and "uture re"erence.
ID9 consists o" several segments% and segments contain several "ields.
ID9 contains the "ollo#ing three types o" records...
.. 9ne ontrol ?ecord.
/. 9ne or many Data ?ecord
<. 9ne or many 'tatus record.
In ID9s the "ollo#ing terms are to be kno#n.
P"#:
(ort is used in the outbound process to determine the name o" the EDI subsystem
program% the directory path #here the ID9 "ile #ill be created at the operating
system level% the ID9 "ile names and the ?, destinations.
"$! Destination:
)sed to de"ine the characteristics o" communication links to a remote system on
#hich a "unctions needs to be e$ecuted.
Partner Profile:
(artner pro"ile speci"ied the various components used in an outbound process
((artner number% ID9 type% message type% (ort% (rocess code)% the mode in #hich
it communicates #ith the subsystem (batch or immediate) and the person to be
noti"ied in case o" errors.
%essage !ontrol
)sed in pricing% account determination% material determination% and output
determination. &he message control component enables you to encapsulate
business rules #ith out having to #rite A@A( programs.
&9 (rocess ID9' the "ollo#ing &9DE' #ill be used.
On both sides:
2ogical #stem 3ames #$2*
#etup )4C destinations #%05
Port Destinations 6*-+
In Source system:
#egment Creation 6*.+
&asic ID,C Tpe Creation 6*.7
%essage Tpe Creation 6*8+
$ssign %essage Tpe To &asic ID,C Tpe 6*8-
Distribution %odel &D1/
6riting )eport Program #*.8
Partner Profile 6*-7
%essage control 3$C*
Check ID,Cs 6*7-! 6*70
In Destination System:
Creating 4% #*.9
$ssign 4% to 2ogical %essage 6*09
Define I:P method for Inbound 4% &D0+
reate (rocess ode 5E=/
Aenerate (artner (ro"ile @DB=
ID! processing in the same instance of "&' !lients(
,or e$ample t#o clients in the same ?+< instance.
lient C11.
lient D11.
&o trans"er the data bet#een t#o clients the table structures and their data types
should be match.
In this e$ample% lient C11 is 'ource system% and lient D11 is destination system.
In lient C11 I have created a customiEed table and inserted some records.
In lient D11 I have created only table.
!ommon Steps in )oth !lients:
!reating the Logical System *ames and Assigning to !lients:
Ao to &9DE 'ALE.
I6A path IDoc Inter"ace + Application Link Enabling (ALE) 0F @asic 'ettings 0F
Logical 'ystems 0F De"ine Logical 'ystem

lick on Display + hange @utton

lick on *e# Entries

'peci"y the Logical 'ystem name and description.
*ote: Logical 'ystem *aming convention is G'IDFL*&G***F

lick on 'ave and @ack buttons
*o# you #ill come back to the I6A path screen. lick on Assign Logical 'ystem to
client.

lick on Display + hange @utton

lick on *e# Entries

Click on #ave and &ack.
IDoc Interface/ALE
Purpose
The IDoc interface exchanges business data with an external sstem.
The IDoc interface consists of the definition of a data structure! along with
processing logic for this data structure.
The data structure is the IDoc. The IDoc is the exchange format common to all the
communicating sstems. ;ou can specif exception handling in the #$P &usiness
6orkflow! with IDocs! without the data alread having to exist as #$P application
documents.
;ou need the IDoc interface in the following scenarios:
*lectronic data exchange '*DI(
Connect other business application sstems 'e.g. PC applications! external
6orkflow tools( b IDoc
$pplication 2ink *nabling '$2*(.
$pplication 2ink *nabling '$2*( is a technolog to create and run distributed
applications.