Overview of ALE

/ IDOCs

7/17/2006 1
 Topics to cover

What is ALE?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing

Transactions For Monitoring and Processing IDocs.

Questions

7/17/2006 2
 ALE Terminology
•ALE - Application Linking & Enabling

•IDoc - Intermediate Document

•EDI - Electronic Data Interchange

7/17/2006 3
 ALE Objective

7/17/2006 4
 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.

7/17/2006 5
 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.

7/17/2006 6
 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

7/17/2006 7
 ALE Scenario

Document

IDoc
SAP System R/3 SAP System R/3

IDoc IDoc

EDI Subsystem EDI Subsystem

7/17/2006 8
Topics to cover

What is ALE ?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing

Transactions For Monitoring and Processing IDocs.

Trouble Shooting

Questions

7/17/2006 9
 Components of ALE

Services:
Application Services
Distribution Services
Communication Services

Tools:
Customizing Tools
Development Tools

7/17/2006 10
 Application Services

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

7/17/2006 11
 Distribution Services
Services:
Application Services  Recipients
Distribution Services  Formats and
Communication Services
Filters the data
 Creates IDocs
Tools:
Customizing Tools ( Intermediate
Development Tools Documents

7/17/2006 12
 Communication Services

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

7/17/2006 13
 DevelopmentModel
Tools
 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
Communication Services
(within SAP for IDoc filtering and
conversion. )
Tools:
Customizing Tools
Development Tools

7/17/2006 14
 Customizing Tools

Services:
Application Services
Distribution Services
Communication Services

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

7/17/2006 15
 In a Nut Shell

Application Layer Distribution/ ALE Layer Communication

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

7/17/2006 16
 Topics to cover

What is ALE ?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing

Transactions For Monitoring and Processing IDocs.

Trouble Shooting

Questions

7/17/2006 17
 IDoc Concept

System 1 System 2

SAP
Document
IDoc

 R/3 System  EDI subsystem

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

7/17/2006 18
 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

7/17/2006 19
 Control record
Data Record
Status Record

IDOC
“Intermediate
Document”

7/17/2006 20
 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

7/17/2006 21
 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

7/17/2006 22
 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.

7/17/2006 23
 Status Record
Information about the IDoc status like:
IDoc identification number
Status number - table verified
IDoc type
Direction
Data and time stamp; Structure: EDIDS

7/17/2006 24
 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.

7/17/2006 25
 Idoc Segments

TCODE:
WE31

7/17/2006 26
 Idoc Types

TCODE:
WE30

7/17/2006 27
 How to Attach Segments

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 Message Types

WE81
WE82

7/17/2006 29
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.

7/17/2006 30
 Topics to cover

What is ALE ?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing.
i.Outbound Processing

ii.Inbound Processing

Transactions For Monitoring and Processing IDocs.

Trouble Shooting

Questions

7/17/2006 31
 Outbound Processing

7/17/2006 32
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

7/17/2006 33
 Querying the Model
Application posting ALE layer Comm. layer
Comm. layer

Need to Customer Distribution

- ALE supplies APIs (function modules) to
create IDOC? Model
allow applications to query the model
 Is anybody interested in my message
type? asynch. RFC
or
Create master  Optional: what
Receiver determination filter objects are they
M interested in? EDI
IDOC asynch. RFC
or
Segment filter
EDI
Field value conversion
Application
document posted Version change
simultaneously with
IDocs Dispatch
C
Links control
Database C

7/17/2006 34
 Handover IDoc to ALE
Application posting ALE layer Comm. layer

Need to Customer Distribution

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

Field value conversion

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

7/17/2006 35
 Receiver determination

Application posting ALE layer Comm. layer

Need to Customer Distribution

create IDOC? Model
- If the application has no specified
recipients asynch. RFC
 ALE refers toor the customer
Create master distribution model
M Receiver determination EDI to determine
IDOC them asynch. RFC
or to receiver
 Data not relevant
Segment filter
(according toEDI
model) is removed
in ALE layer.
Field value conversion
Application
document posted Version change
simultaneously with
IDocs Dispatch
C C
Links control
Database

7/17/2006 36
 Segment filter

Application posting ALE layer Comm. layer

Need to Customer Distribution

create IDOC? Model

asynch. RFC
- The filter is data-independent
or
Create master Receiver determination - IDOC segments that are not
M EDI
IDOC required canasynch. RFC
be removed
- or
The filter is message and receiver-
Segment filter
specific EDI
Field value conversion
Application
document posted Version change
simultaneously with
IDocs Dispatch
C C
Links control
Database

7/17/2006 37
 Field value conversion

Application ALE layer Comm. layer

posting

Need to Customer
create Distribution Model
IDOC?
asynch. RFC
- The contents of orindividual
Create Receiver
M fields can be EDI
master determination asynch. RFC
IDOC  translated or
to new
Segment filter
values EDI
Field value  suppressed
Application conversion - The filter is message and
document posted Version change receiver-specific
simultaneously
with IDocs Dispatc
C C
Databas Links h
e control

7/17/2006 38
 Version change

Application ALE layer Comm. layer

Comm. layer
posting

Need to Customer
create Distribution Model
IDOC?
asynch. RFC
Create or
M Receiver
master - IDOCs can EDI
asynch.
be RFC to
changed
determination
IDOC Segment filter older versionsor
- Systems with EDI
different
Field value release levels can
conversion communicate without
Application additional application logic
document posted Version change
simultaneously
with IDocs Dispatc
C C
Databas Links h
e control

7/17/2006 39
 Make Links
Application ALE layer Comm. layer
posting

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

Field value - Links are written between

conversion IDOC and
Application
document posted Version change  Application object
simultaneously contained in IDOC
with IDocs Dispatc  Communication-Layer's
C C
Databas Links h "Transaction-ID"
e control

7/17/2006 40
 Dispatch control

Application ALE layer Comm. layer

posting

Need to Customer
create Distribution Model
IDOC?
asynch. RFC
Create or
M Receiver
master EDI RFC
asynch.
determination - Technicalorcomms
IDOC Segment filter
parameters
EDIare defined
Field value - EDI or aRFC (asynch.

Application conversion remote function call)

document posted Version change - Send immediately or
simultaneously cumulate and send via
with IDocs Dispatc batch job
C C
Databas Links h  If batch, packet size
e control
is determined
7/17/2006 41
 Scenario analysis

• How does the IDOC look like ?

• How is data being sent ?

• How is the data being received ?

7/17/2006 42
 Outbound program development

• Program logic
– “How is the IDOC being created ?”

• Triggering
– “How is the IDOC creation kicked off ?”

7/17/2006 43
 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

7/17/2006 44
 MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE

Call function ‘MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE’

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

7/17/2006 45
 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

7/17/2006 46
 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

7/17/2006 47
 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

7/17/2006 48
 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’

7/17/2006 49
 Basic Configuration
Elements
 Create and allocate Logical System
 Define Ranges (Idocs, Ports, etc )
 Define RFC Destinations
 Define Ports
 Maintain Customer Model
 Create Partner Profiles

7/17/2006 50
 Logical System

TCODE:
BD54; Stored in
table T000

7/17/2006 51
 Allocate Logical System to
the client

TCODE:
SCC4

SALE > BASIC SETTINGS > SET UP

LOGICAL SYSTEM > ASSIGN LOGICAL
SYSTEM TO THE CLIENT
7/17/2006 52
 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

7/17/2006 53
 Maintaining RFC
Destinations

TCODE:
SM59

7/17/2006 54
 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

7/17/2006 55
 Partner Profiles

TCODE:
WE20

7/17/2006 56
 Partner Profiles-
Outbound

7/17/2006 57
Partner Profiles-Inbound

7/17/2006 58
 Distribution Model

TCODE:
BD64

7/17/2006 59
 Transfer of data

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

or system with BALE

7/17/2006 60
 Filter Objects

BD95
BD59

7/17/2006 61
 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

7/17/2006 62
 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

7/17/2006 63
 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

7/17/2006 64
 Change Pointers

BD61
BD50

7/17/2006 65
 Change Pointers… Continued

BD52
BD60

7/17/2006 66
 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

7/17/2006 67
 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

7/17/2006 68
ALE For Transactional data -
--- Output Determination

NACE

7/17/2006 69
 Output Determination --
Access Sequence

7/17/2006 70
 Output Determination --
Output Types

7/17/2006 71
 Output Types -- Details

7/17/2006 72
 Output Types -- Partner
Functions

7/17/2006 73
Output Types -- Processing
Routines

7/17/2006 74
Output Types -- Procedures

7/17/2006 75
Output Types -- Procedures
Control

7/17/2006 76
 Output Types -- Condition
records

7/17/2006 77
 Inbound Processing

7/17/2006 78
 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

7/17/2006 79
 Input Control
Comm. layer ALE layer Application
posting
C

-
Version change
For each message type and sender
one can define
 when
asynch. RFCto process 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
A Serialization Process IDOC

Simultaneously update
IDOC's status
Post application
Database document

7/17/2006 80
 Application Input
Comm. layer ALE layer Application
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
A Serialization Process IDOC
interface

Simultaneously update
IDOC's status
Post application
Database document

7/17/2006 81
 Serialization
Comm. layer ALE layer Application
posting
C
Version change

- When processing the Segment filter

asynch. RFC
inbound IDOC, the
or
application can call an ALE Field value conversion
EDI
API (function module) to
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
Simultaneously update
IDOC containing the IDOC's status
later change) Post application
Database document

7/17/2006 82
 FM Assignment to Message
Type and IDoc type

TCODE:
WE57

7/17/2006 83
 Process Codes

WE41
WE42

7/17/2006 84
 Process Codes in Inbound and Outbound

TCODE:
WE64

7/17/2006 85
 FM For Inbound EDI

TCODE:
BD67

7/17/2006 86
 Inbound Program
Development
INBOUND_IDOC_PROCESS
IDOC • Version change
• Segment filter
• Field conversion
Call function
Return Variables
If ERROR, trigger
ALE layer
7/17/2006
ALE configuration
• Partner Profiles
• Process Code
• Function module attribute
• Function module registry
IDOC_INPUT_<MSGTYPE>
• Read IDOC data
• Post Application data
• Send Success info back to ALE layer
Workflow Task
87
 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

7/17/2006 88
 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

7/17/2006 89
 Advanced Inbound Topics

• Data consistency

• Serialization

• Individual vs. mass processing

• Call transaction function modules

7/17/2006 90
 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’

7/17/2006 91
 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

7/17/2006 92
 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 !?
!?

7/17/2006 93
 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

7/17/2006 94
 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

7/17/2006 95
 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
7/17/2006 96
 Topics to cover

What is ALE ?

Components of ALE.

Anatomy of an IDoc.

ALE Processing

Transactions For Monitoring and Processing IDocs.

Questions

7/17/2006 97
 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.

7/17/2006 98
List Of All IDocs Created. (Default,
Additional, EDI)-- WE02/ WE05

7/17/2006 99
 Selection Program For
Issuing Output -- WE15

7/17/2006 100
 Process All Selected IDocs.
WE14

7/17/2006 101
 Test Tool For Idoc
Processing (WE19)

7/17/2006 102
 Select IDocs BD87

7/17/2006 103
 Idoc Search For Business
Contents (Database). WE09

7/17/2006 104
Status Conversion With Trfc
Execution. BD75

7/17/2006 105