Outbound uses 2 methods:
Message Control and ALE
Inbound uses 2 methods:
Workflow and ALE
Summary
Glossary
Access An access identifies the document fields used by the system when searching for a condition record.
Access sequence Sequence used by Message Control to access condition records when searching for messages.
Basic type IDoc type supplied by SAP. Basic types can be modified by customers to create a new, upward-compatible IDoc type.
Condition element Part of hierarchy which is examined when searching for a message. An example is the output type which is at the top of this hierarchy: When a (new) purchase order is posted, only the messages under the node for the message type NEW are searched.
Condition record Data record in which the key fields represent the condition under which the message is "found". The remaining fields describe the message itself. Therefore, if one of the data records transferred from the application matches these key fields, the message is found and can then be processed (for example exported as a print form or as an electronic message).
Control record The part of an IDoc which contains the data for identifying the sender and recipient, as well as the structure of the IDoc itself. Each IDoc always has one control record.
Data record The part of an IDoc which contains the application data. An IDoc usually contains more than one data record.
EDI = Electronic Data Interchange. EDI (for example of business documents) between business partners, sometimes in separate countries, who may use different hardware, software and communication services. The data is formatted according to specific standards.
EDI message Standard format for a business process (for example, a purchase order) to be handled by EDI. Various EDI standards (EDIFACT or ANSI X12) can define different EDI messages for the same business process.
EDI standard General format for data to be transferred electronically. An EDI standard generally comprises:
o EDI syntax
o Data element service o Message type service
The SAP standard 'IDoc' is not yet an EDI standard, but can be compared to other EDI standards.
EDI subsystem System which converts the SAP standard IDoc into an EDI standard (for example EDIFACT, ANSI X12) and vice versa. In addition to this task (which is carried out by the EDI subsystem convertor), there are also administration activities, for example, archiving the transferred messages, and technical tasks, for example, technical connection to the subsequent system and syntax checks for formats, to be considered.
Field catalog Contains all fields which can be selected as key fields for condition tables in Message Control.
real business process formatted according to a certain IDoc type.
Inbound processing Conversion and processing of data for a business process from the time the data is received in IDoc format to the posting of the corresponding document(s) in the SAP application.
Mandatory segment The part of an IDoc type which contains important application data and must therefore exist in an IDoc for an actual business process.
Mapping Rules for assigning the data elements of an EDI message type to the fields of an IDoc type.
Message Business process (for example, a purchase order), which is transferred in IDoc format between an SAP System and an external system.
Message Control Module designed to offer interfaces for further processing for applications. This includes descriptions of the various data configurations and the required actions. An example of an action is printing a document at a certain time in German. The action is triggered when the application transfers data which matches your configuration.
Message determination A check to determine whether the application data matches the condition records (specified in Customizing). If this is the case, one or more messages are "found" and can then be processed (for example, sent electronically). In message determination, a search is made for the condition records using a predefined hierarchy.
Message status record = MC record. Log record for the MC table which describes the send status of a message in Message Control.
Notification If an error occurs (for example, an IDoc with incorrect syntax), a notification is sent to one or more users. The users responsible are defined in the IDoc Interface or indirectly via the organization model. Notifications are sent to the integrated inbox.
Optional segment Part of an IDoc type which can include additional, optional data about the business process. The segment does not therefore have to appear in an IDoc for a specific business process.
Outbound file Contains specific IDocs to be sent for port type “file”.
Outbound processing Conversion and processing of SAP document data from posting a document to sending the data in IDoc format.
Partner Communication partner for the IDoc Interface. Definition from Sales and Distribution: "An individual within or outside of your own organization who is of commercial interest and who can be contacted in the course of a business
transaction".
Partner profile Definition of the general conditions for electronic data interchange with a business partner via the IDoc Interface: which message is sent in which direction using which method?
If a partner profile does not exist, communication with a partner via the IDoc Interface is not possible.
Port Description of the channel used by the SAP system for communicating with the external system during external data interchange. There are various technical methods for implementing this type of communication (port types). The selection of the port type depends on the technical configuration of the external system.
Example: Most EDI subsystems read IDocs in the form of sequential files, that is,
- Control record - Data record - Status record
Segment Structure which includes the application data for an IDoc from the data records. As a result, the data can be assigned to the correct application fields.
Status Processing status of an IDoc, either "generated" or "ready for sending".
An IDoc usually has several statuses which are stored in the status records and reveal information about the IDoc history. The current (processing) status is also stored in the control record for the IDoc.
Status confirmation Report from an external system about the processing status of business data received from the R/3 System in the form of status records. The status confirmation is added to the IDoc in the R/3 System in the form of status records.
Status file File which contains the status records sent to the IDoc Interface by the EDI subsystem for outbound messages.
Status group The status group contains several statuses ("milestones" in the process chain), so that the monitoring programs only have to consider these groups and not each individual status. Examples:
Group 3 = outbound: IDoc in the external system Group B = inbound: IDoc sent to the application
Status record One of three record types in an IDoc (SAP standard format for electronic exchange of application data).
Each status record contains a status which corresponds to one step in IDoc
processing. This means that the number of status records increases as the processing continues.
Translator Converts internal data formats (IDocs) into EDI messages and vice versa. The translator is a component of the EDI Subsystem.
Transmission file A data packet which contains the messages to be exchanged electronically. The messages are EDI messages, that is, they are formatted according to an EDI standard (for example EDIFACT).
The conversion of the SAP standard IDoc into the EDI standard is carried out by an external system (EDI subsystem).