CUSTOM WEB ACCESS TO SAP CRM AND SAP ERP VIA NETWEAVER PORTAL IVIEW
____________
A Project Presented to the Faculty of
California State University, Chico
____________
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree
Master of Science in
Interdisciplinary Studies Enterprise System Analytics
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by
Vishal Surendra Joshi Summer 2012
NETWEAVER PORTAL IVIEW
A Project by
Vishal Surendra Joshi Summer 2012
APPROVED BY THE DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND VICE PROVOST FOR RESEARCH:
_________________________________ Eun K. Park, Ph.D.
APPROVED BY THE GRADUATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE:
______________________________ _________________________________ Sharon A. Barrios, Ph.D. Raymond Boykin, Ph.D., Chair
Graduate Coordinator
_________________________________ James Connolly, Ph.D.
iii PREFACE
This project report has been prepared as a part of the fulfillment of my
Master’s degree in Enterprise System Analytics at CSU, Chico, in academic year of 2012. The purpose of this project is to develop a connection between ERP systems and CRM systems through a web interface. The different tools I used for this project include SAP ECC version 6.0 and SAP CRM 5.0.
All enterprises that implement ERP systems and CRM systems come under the target audience for this project. Reducing the efforts and saving time from a
manager’s perspective are the major goals to initiate this project.
I would like to mention that Dr. Boykin and Dr. Connelly have assisted me during different phases of the development, without which this project would not have been completed. I want to thank them as well as the graduate dean, Dr. Sharon Barrios, and Mr. Walter Louie, the support head for CSU, Chico, SAP support center.
I am hoping that this project, once implemented, will be of great use for clients, and I will try my best to provide the required support. Users can contact me at vishl.s.joshi@gmail.com.
Finally, I would like to convey my gratitude and appreciation to all my mentors and project guides as well as the committee members who evaluated my project. It’s been an honor to work on this project at CSU, Chico.
iv PAGE Preface ... iii List of Figures... vi Abstract... ix CHAPTER I. Project Introduction ... 1 Necessity in Market ... 4 Problem Statement... 5 Literature Overview... 6
II. Solution Description – Working Model ... 9
Deployment View of Project Concept... 9
Required Tools and Availability ... 12
Project Flow... 13
III. Technical Phases ... 14
Establishing RFC Connections... 14
Creation of Iviews ... 14
Configuring and Running GuiXT Web Server... 18
Start Web Server... 22
IV. Establishing CRM Middleware ... 26
Define Logical System for CRM 800... 26
Assigning Logical System to CRM Client ... 27
Define and Assign Logical System to ERP Client-185... 28
Define and Register Queue Under CRM Client ... 29
Settings Error Handler ... 30
v
CHAPTER PAGE
Defining Product ID Settings ... 31
Replicating Customizing Objects from ERP to CRM ... 34
V. Simulating Data Transfer Process from Iviews... 41
Access Via URL Iview ... 41
Running Same Process from Transactional Iview... 45
VI. Professional Implementation ... 47
References ... 50
Appendix A. Technical Acronyms... 54
vi
FIGURE PAGE
1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Overview ... 2
2. Flow Diagram of Project Stage 1... 9
3. Flow Diagram of Complete Model ... 10
4. SM59 Showing RFC Connection... 15
5. RFC Connection ECC-CRM... 16
6. Transactional Iview... 17
7. Transactional Iview Close View... 18
8. URL Iview ... 19
9. URL Iview Close View... 20
10. Iview, Page, User, and Worksheet ... 20
11. Web_UI_Page, Web_UI_User, and Web_UI_Worksheet... 21
12. GuiXT Web Server Design ... 22
13. GuiXT Script Behind ... 23
14. GuiXT Launchpad ... 23
15. Config.js File (Check Highlighted Part) ... 24
16. Web Server Running on Port 85 ... 25
17. Path to Define Logical System ... 26
vii
FIGURE PAGE
19. Path to Assign Logical System ... 27
20. CRM Logical System... 28
21. Display Client Overview ... 28
22. Logical System Assigned for 185 Client ... 29
23. Registering CSA Queues ... 30
24. Displaying CSA Queue... 31
25. Assigning Error Action to Messages ... 32
26. Error Action Details... 32
27. Administration Console Page to Display Site... 33
28. Administration Console Display Site ... 33
29. Path for Administration Console ... 34
30. Display Subscriptions ... 34
31. Define Storage Format... 35
32. Data Conversion for Product ID ... 35
33. Starting Initial Load ... 35
34. R3AS Start Transfer... 36
35. Click on Execute, Object Transfer Started ... 37
36. Status Check Under R3AM1 (Monitor Objects) ... 38
37. Data Transfer is in Progress... 39
viii
39. Logon Screen for Web Server... 42
40. Launch Pad Menu ... 42
41. Actual Launch Pad... 43
42. Starting Data Transfer... 43
43. Execute Option to Display Progress ... 44
44. Object Running Status ... 44
45. Running T-iview ... 45
46. User Logon Screen... 46
ix ABSTRACT
CUSTOM WEB ACCESS TO SAP CRM AND SAP ERP VIA NETWEAVER PORTAL IVIEW
by
Vishal Surendra Joshi
Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies Enterprise System Analytics
California State University, Chico Summer 2012
By considering changing market demands and customer trends, organizations are focusing on maintaining current customers and targeting new ones. With this whole process, they have to act smart and make decisions in a short amount of time that are based on analytical surveys. Considering these situations, I decided to focus on how one can make things simpler by spending less time accessing huge amounts of data, accessing cross client data, and using shortcuts while accessing such data. Another focus of this project is to make it easier to access such data and making the user interface platform in-dependent.
The components used in this project are a web browser to access NetWeaver Portal, a NetWeaver Portal interface to launch iview, a SAP CRM server to access
x
for accessing the custom interface. All of these components function in specific sequence when a user tries to transfer data from one client to another.
This project can be a very useful tool from the perspective of higher manage-ment since this project is platform independent as well as centrally managed. This project can also save time for higher management during the decision making process. Finally, this project has the huge potential of bringing evolutionary changes in managing the ERP system.
1 CHAPTER I
PROJECT INTRODUCTION
In today’s economy, there are four important factors responsible for financial success of an enterprise: product features, profitability, marketing, and customer
satisfaction. The common challenge for every organization is how to gain clear visibility to customers by product positioning (Inc., 2012; “Position (marketing),” 2012), their demand, and sales processes. The main purpose of SAP CRM (SAP Customer
Relationship Management Module) is to provide continuous and satisfactory customer service. It emphasizes more on gathering and understanding customer requirements. Regardless of the financial status of any company, customer relationship management strives hard to maintain their old customers and acquire new customers (Katta, 2008). Business intelligence includes use of technologies which help organizations make better and efficient decisions. Data warehouse refers to a huge amount of data, which includes aggregated information from internal and external data sources. It is very important to provide the right information to higher authority management employees at the right time to make correct decisions. For this purpose, they need central and quick access to the huge amount of underlying data. If any organization wants to succeed in the market competition, they need to combine business logic with analytics (field deals with analysis on data to make better decisions) to increase their sales.
By considering the changing demands and activities of customers, enterprises have started concentrating on current market need. The focus is on change of resources and synchronizing business processes accordingly. In today’s global economy, customers have a huge choice of product selection from across the world. They consider price, quality, availability, durability, and service after purchase. SAP CRM concentrates on all these facts to help enterprises with their decision-making.
Figure 1 explains how customer experience depends on basic four sectors: Service, Marketing, Sales, and Analytics. There is inflow of information from Sales,
Figure 1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) overview. Source: Adapted from Katta, S. (2008). Discover SAP CRM. Boston, MA: Galileo Press.
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Marketing, and Services sectors towards the Analytics sector. Higher management employees focus on the Analytics sector of CRM to make quicker and smarter decisions by running reporting tools on gathered information. Thus, it denotes how Analytics plays an important role in CRM 360 degree model. My project focuses on the Analytics part of the model shown in Figure 1.
Smarter decision-making process requires consolidation of information from different sources and making it available to higher the management level in company in a simpler and cleaner format. Flexibility is a major factor of the infrastructure. It should be flexible enough to accommodate the new developments and the changes to business processes.
Requirement in the new application architecture should be able to use web services to reflect any changes and for new developments. Web access to SAP CRM module which would communicate with SAP ECC (SAP Enterprise Central Component) in backend is the possible working solution for this situation. Customers at a very end should be able to access ECC data from the web interface to CRM via any web browser. To access data from one SAP module to another SAP module RFC (Remote Function Call) functionality of SAP has been used. SAP functional module holds the necessary data associated with particular business process. One has to place remote function call to function module to access data stored within. This avoids manual navigation to another client and visiting associated transaction.
My project goal is to establish communication between SAP ECC6.0 server and SAP CRM server, access it via custom web access to SAP CRM. This includes
establishment of RFC (Remote Function Call) connection and middleware between ECC and CRM. After establishing a communication link, next phase would be the data transfer between those two servers.
Necessity in Market
Currently, users can connect to any SAP client via SAPGUI logon utility and can access data as per their requirements. But in this case, there is a necessity of SAP logon software installation along with java stack at the user end.
Users can access SAP CRM via web browser which connects them to CRM server in backend. Users can also access SAP ECC via web browser which connects them to ECC server in backend via NetWeaver portal.
Sybase (a SAP Company) offers ‘mCRM’ suite, where users can access SAP CRM from their handheld devices. They do not provide a web UI unlike this project (Sybase, 2012).
GuiXT offers web access to ECC/CRM but there is no scope for iview (any kind of lightweight application/transaction or service that can be viewed on web browser) (SAP, 2002) integration and two client communication. Yet, there is no functionality where users can use custom web UI (web browser) to access both clients from common web access point. The focus of my project was entirely based on making such a suite which would allow:
1. Web access to SAP CRM. 2. Web access to SAP ECC. 3. Customization of user interface.
5 4. Integration of CRM and ECC in backend with middleware and RFC
connection.
The project emphasizes on simplifying access to the data from SAP dataset and removes dependency on other software. The most user-friendly way to access data is via a web browser. This will help customers access required data from a web browser without installing the SAP logon on their machines. This will also save a lot more time for users.
Problem Statement
Currently, establishing a connection to multiple SAP clients and their mutual data exchange is time-consuming task. One has to establish connection with the first client, navigate to transaction manually, perform action on dataset, log off, login to another client, and perform a same series of tasks.
How This Project Adds Ease to This Process?
This project has been focused on making this process less time consuming and easier. Creating a RFC connection between two different clients, ECC and CRM saves individual login time. Web interface access avoids installation and configuration of dependent softwares, transactional iview and URL iview, and allows user to access weight application from NetWeaver portal. The GuiXT web server allows the user
interface to be customized, which saves manual navigation time. In short, this project will provide a central custom web user interface that will allow multiple SAP clients to
Literature Overview
SAP CRM Web client UI white papers (sdn.sap.com) and SAP Community Network’s CRM Web Client UI Framework webpage (http://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/ display/CRM/CRM+Web+Client+UI+Framework) contain a wealth of information about CRM Web UI component, SAP NetWeaverportal, dynamic navigation to iviews, adding widgets to Web UI, etc.
I was not sure whether one can access SAP CRM from NetWeaver portal, If SAP CRM has its own WEB UI, and whether or not it is easy. This place contains a document, “UI Guidelines for CRM WebClient User Interface,” which puts more focus on which features are already available under CRM WebClient UI and which are not.
SAP NetWeaver Platform, SAP NetWeaver portal and Enterprise workplaces (http://help.sap.com/netweaver). This webpage gives brief introduction about how NetWeaver portal enables ease of accessing SAP and non-SAP applications across heterogeneous software environment.
With reference to this project, it helped me regarding how to create iviews, what parameters are necessary, and what are not, what are the different types of iviews and their properties etc.
Regarding usage of classic GuiXT component with integrated ITS, “Synactive GuiXT is not supported in connection with SAP integrated ITS” (SAPTechno, n.d.) Considering using GuiXT integration with NetWeaver portal IAS component was of limiting use. As result GuiXT Web server was alternative for using custom GUI interface.
7 SAP forum (http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-18971) is an interactive platform where I used to post queries and received possible solutions and right direction.
Under SAP service and support, there are various categories such as ECC, CRM, NetWeaver Portal, etc. One can post the queries by selecting correct forum. With reference to this project, the various forums found on this site emphasize SAP
Middleware necessity, where to start, if one wants to do a mutual data transfer between two SAP clients what steps they need to take, etc.
SAP Techies (http://www.saptechies.com/). This website provides a platform for students and professionals to access associated forums and tutorials. I created an account on this website and posted a few questions regarding the feasibility of the project. Some of the user replies were useful.
There are some PDF files available at www.sap.com/crm. They give a brief idea about why companies implement SAP CRM software, how customers are benefited, and finally how CRM helps in maintaining relation with customers. Initially, I was not sure what client should be integrated with ECC from a web access perspective. After referring to this URL, I made my moves towards CRM integration, which would be of most demand in the market.
For basic RFC introduction, I found the following link very helpful:
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_sm32/helpdata/en/b3/dd773dd1210968e10000000a114084/c ontent.htm. While working on the initial phase of my project, establishing RFC
connection, this information helped me a lot. Another link about technical details is http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/25/76cd3bae738826e10000000a11402f/co ntent.htm
GuiXT web server (http://www.guixt.com/solutions/webui.php) enabled me to integrate URL iview with web server which could read custom GuiXT script and allow users to launch transactions from custom UI. Afterwards I decided to integrate iviews with GuiXT Web Server.
9 CHAPTER II
SOLUTION DESCRIPTION – WORKING MODEL
The project concept is completely based on current market needs. The ultimate aim of the project is to let user access data stored on SAP ECC and SAP CRM via central access of the NetWeaver Portal (iviews) web browser.
Deployment View of Project Concept Figure 2 shows stage 1 deployment view of project.
Figure 3 shows complete working model of project along with all required necessary components.
Figure 3. Flow diagram of complete model.
SAP ECC Server
SAP R/3 server in now known as SAP ECC6.0 server. This software is used for client/server computing. It is highly customizable using SAP’s proprietary
programming language, ABAP/4. ECC6.0 is scalable and highly used for many types and sizes of organizations to store various department data. The BPI processes runs on this end. There will be RFC connection between SAP ECC6.0 server and SAP CRM server.
11 SAP CRM Server
SAP CRM Module is mainly developed to focus on customer driven growth issue. It supports all processes related to entire customer relation cycle. SAP CRM helps to improve business processes associated with sales, marketing, and distribution. In my project, the SAP CRM server will be communicating with the SAP ECC6.0 server and vice versa. In final stage of my project, there will be a web-based accessibility to SAP CRM server. Customers can fetch data from CRM server and ECC server by using NetWeaver portal (iviews) from web browser.
NetWeaver Portal System
Place where SAP NetWeaver portal has been installed and hosted. Ideally, ECC installation and NetWeaver portal installation should not be on same machine (SAP Training and Certification Shop, n.d.). It is central web browser access to complete SAP ECC data set.
GuiXT Web Server
Place where GuiXT Web server has been installed and running. Within same machine GuiXT Launchpad script for custom interface is also residing. Connection between end user and SAP ECC or SAP CRM has been routed via this machine (Synactive, 2012).
Web Browser
This could be any remote machine where user will be accessing data from SAP ECC and SAP CRM via SAP NetWeaver portal iviews.
Stage 1
In stage 1 there will be interaction between SAP ECC 6.0 server and SAP R/3 server. There will be RFC connection between these two ends (Hagemann & Will, 2003). Once this has been established, SAP middleware has been configured between these two servers for data exchange purpose (see Figure 2).
Stage 2
In this stage, there will be interaction SAP ECC 6.0 server, SAP CRM server, GuiXT web server from NetWeaver portal iviews via web browser. This is complete working model (SAS, n.d.).
Required Tools and Availability SAP ECC 6.0
SAP Enterprise Central Component, usually known as SAP ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software, should be implanted by organizations in association with SAP (“SAP ERP,” 2012).
SAP CRM 5.0
Customer Relationship Management Software manufactured by SAP AG should be implemented by any organization in association with SAP (“SAP CRM,” 2012).
Web Browser
Web browsers are available as freeware on the Internet. Basic hardware and Internet connection is required.
13 NetWeaver Portal
Provides role based online portal experience to integrated SAP systems and third party applications in multilingual format (SAP Netweaver Portal, n.d.).
GuiXT Web Server
Provides centralized browser based functionality which allows user to access SAP server online from Web browser with GuiXT customizations (Synactive, n.d.).
Project Flow
Getting access to SAP ECC, SAP CRM and NetWeaver portal.
Interconnecting SAP CRM and SAP ECC6.0 server via RFC connection. Establishing middleware between these two servers and creating object subscriptions for data transfer.
Creating transactional iviews under NetWeaver Portal for data exchange and data overview.
Creating URL iviews under NetWeaver Portal.
Connecting URL iview to GuiXT Web Server in backend to show customized user interface.
Schedule objects transfer between ECC and CRM. Check the transfer status from status overview.
14 CHAPTER III
TECHNICAL PHASES
This chapter includes detail description of establishing RFC Connection and steps to setup CRM Middleware.
Establishing RFC Connections
This section puts focus on creating Remote Function Call (RFC) connection from one SAP Client to another one.
RFC Connection From CRM 800 to ECC 185 Under 800 Client
RFC connection is required for accessing mutual data between SAP ECC and SAP CRM. User should be able to access SAP ERP data from SAP CRM without
logging off and vice versa. Figures 4 and 5 shows successful implementation of mutual RFC connections.
RFC Connection From ECC 185-CRM 800 Under 185 Client.
From both ends, it has been tested and verified as working correctly.
Creation of Iviews
After success establishment of RFC connection, the next phase would be creating iviews on SAP NetWeaver portal. As I mentioned before, iview is any kind of lightweight application/transaction or service that can be viewed on web browser.
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Figure 4. RFC connection CRM-ECC.
Logging in to the NetWeaver portal, creating Transactional iview and URL iview.
Transactional Iview
Transactional iview executes SAP transaction (Figure 6). Highlighted part in Figure 7 shows Transactional iview created under NetWeaver Portal which would launch SAP transaction.
Figure 5. SM59 showing RFC connection.
Transactional iviews have been created for following transactions.’R3AS’-Initial load start and ‘R3AM1’- Object Monitor. T-codes refer to SAP transaction codes which are shortcuts for particular SAP business process. In this case, we need to transfer data from CRM system to ECC system and then check whether data transfer has been actually scheduled. Above mentioned T-codes are used for same purpose.
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Figure 6. Transactional iview.
Creation of URL Iview (Custom Interface)
URL iview executes URL mentioned within and display results on a new Web browser (Figure 8). Figure 9 shows URL iview for launching specific URL mentioned within it. Following URL iview launches GuiXT Web Server URL mentioned within. URL connecting behind: http://localhost:85/guixt4web/logon.gsp
Figure 7. Transactional iview close view.
Creating Web_UI_Page, Web_UI_User, and Web_UI_Worksheet
Figures 10 and 11 show complete development of Page, User, and Worksheet components. These all components can be found under CRM iview folder.
Configuring and Running GuiXT Web Server
This section focuses on how to configure GuiXT Web Server, how to start the same, and how to establish connection via Web Server.
Displaying Overview Model
A simplified model of GuiXT Web server is shown in Figure 12. End users using web browser perform screen modifications via GuiXT script and send that information towards SAP R/3 server via GuiXT Web server.
GuiXT Web Server parses the request, removes any screen modifications, and passes the request to SAP R/3 server.
19
Figure 8. URL iview.
After SAP responds to above request, it again reapplies screen modifications and sends such data towards the web browser, as result, users are able to see modified screens again with populated data fields.
Figure 9. URL iview close view.
Figure 10. Iview, page, user, and worksheet.
Design GuiXT Scripts to Create Launchpad Menu
The following script shown in Figure 13 has been designed in GuiXT language which will create Launchpad as shown in Figure 14.
21 Figure 11. Web_UI_Page, Web_UI_User, and Web_UI_Worksheet.
Configuring ‘Config.js’ File (Web Server Configuration File)
Config.js file is GuiXT Web Server internal configuration file. Here we need to specify what would be SAP R/3 server name to which web server will be connecting, which is highlighted below in Figure 15. Underneath highlighted line it is web server port, which is specified as ‘85’.
Start Web Server
Once the configuration file has been designed, the next thing would be starting the guixt web server by double clicking the GuiXT4web.bat file, which would execute the guixt4webapp.exe file behind (Figure 16).
Figure 12. GuiXT web server design.
Source: Adapted from Synactive. (n.d.). Web server overview. Retrieved from http://www.guixt.com/guixt/webserver_overview
23
Figure 13. GuiXT script behind.
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26 CHAPTER IV
ESTABLISHING CRM MIDDLEWARE
SAP Middleware is necessary for creating path of data transfer between SAP ECC and SAP CRM. This process includes sequence of steps which finally would result in successful information exchange (Bode, Golze, & Schroder, 2008).
Define Logical System for CRM 800
Logical system is a name assigned to SAP client system by which it should get identified. Two client systems should have unique logical name in the network (SAP, 2009). Figure 17 shows SAP transactions SPRO path to be followed by user to define logical system (SAP, 2009).
Figure 17. Path to define logical system.
Figure 18 shows the logical system assignments to Dakar ECC client 185 defined via SAP transaction SCC4.
27
Figure 18. ECC 800 logical system.
Assigning Logical System to CRM Client
Figure 19 shows SAP transaction SCC4, and it takes user to a place where they can assign logical system to client.
Figure 20 shows logical system has been successfully assigned to CRM client 185.
Figure 20. CRM logical system.
Define and Assign Logical System to ERP Client-185
Figure 21 shows high-level view of logical system assignment.
29 Figure 22 shows complete assignment of logical system to SAP ERP client
185. Details about logical system can be found below.
Figure 22. Logical system assigned for 185 client.
Define and Register Queue Under CRM Client
CSA Queues are used during SAP Middleware data transfer from one client to another client. These are responsible for internal asynchronous data transfer (Bode et al., 2008). If we delete them, BDoc (Container of Business data like envelope which contains required information for that Business process) (SAP Community Network, 2010) data transfer gets stuck in middle state. Figure 23 shows path to follow to register CSA Queues, transaction SMQR. Figure 24 shows list of registered CSA queues for data transfer purpose.
Figure 23. Registering CSA queues.
Settings Error Handler
Organizer automatically receives email if errors occur in the related BDOC (Fratian, 2008) (Figures 25 and 26).
Site IDs and Subscription for ERP (In CRM)
Need: The ERP system must be defined as a site for data transfer purpose between CRM and ECC, like the other systems of the distribution model. The CRM site is already predefined so there is need to create the ERP site only. Once you have created this site, you must define the distribution rules (subscriptions) about in which states the data is to be received by ECC from CRM. We need to create subscriptions to upload data from CRM to OLTP (Online Transaction Processing systems, mostly used under places which need faster data processing and data transfer) (Bode et al., 2008).
Figure 27 shows path required getting on ‘administration console display site’ and Figure 28 shows actual place for same.
Figures 29 and 30 shows path to get on Admin Console (transaction SMOEAC) and actual subscription page.
31
Figure 24. Displaying CSA queue.
Defining Product ID Settings
Figure 31 shows path to get on product ID conversion place and Figure 32 shows initial step of same.
Figure 25. Assigning error action to messages.
33
Figure 27. Administration console page to display site.
Figure 29. Path for administration console.
Figure 30. Display subscriptions.
Replicating Customizing Objects from ERP to CRM
Figure 33 shows path to start initial data transfer and Figure 34 shows place to click on within menu path to launch same.
35
Figure 31. Define storage format.
Figure 32. Data conversion for product ID.
37 Figure 35 shows first step of starting initial data transfer load where source,
destination, and actual data to be transferred is to be provided.
Figure 35. Click on execute, object transfer started.
Figure 36 shows status (confirmation page) of data transfer process. It shows that the process has already been started and currently under running state. Figure 37 shows the process started within whole list of running processes.
Figure 38 capture shows status of data transfer process. It shows process has already been started and currently under running state.
39 39 Figure 37. Data transfer is in progress.
40 40 Figure 38. Data transfer in progress close view.
41 CHAPTER V
SIMULATING DATA TRANSFER PROCESS FROM IVIEWS
1. URL iview: iview is executed by running URL.
2. Transactional iview: iview is executed by running transaction.
Access Via URL Iview
Accessing SAP dataset by running iview, it executes URL mentioned within it. Ultimately it connects to GuiXT Web server and then to SAP CRM/ECC server and accesses information.
Login to SAP NetWeaver Portal and Run CRM_WEB_UI iview (Figures 39-41).
Selecting data to transfer (Figure 42).
Checking Transfer Status. Status can be checked with button below, ‘Check Transfer Status’; we need to execute that by doing mouse right click and then selecting ‘Execute’ (Figure 43).
Showing as Running Process. Figure 44 shows the status of data transfer process. It shows that the process has already been started and currently under running state. (Note: With the help of other pushbuttons, Subscription, Logical Systems and RFC connection can be checked.
Figure 39. Logon screen for web server.
43
Figure 41. Actual launch pad.
Figure 43. Execute option to display progress.
45 Running Same Process from
Transactional Iview
Transactional iview enables user to run any SAP transaction from NetWeaver Portal by running transaction mentioned within. In this case, it will be running R3AS transaction.
Transactional iview for R3AS Transaction
This transaction is required to start initial data transfer between CRM and ECC. When we execute this iview, it processes transaction behind and take user to mentioned transaction (Figure 45).
Figure 46 shows user logon screen for SAP CRM client from NetWeaver Portal.
Figure 46. User logon screen.
After executing the above transaction, it leads to the remote login to the ERP-ECC system to get the object mentioned within transaction (Figure 47).
47 CHAPTER VI
PROFESSIONAL IMPLEMENTATION
Today’s market demands lightweight applications which can be accessed through web browsers. Organizations do not want any hassle of installation,
configuration, deployment, and implementation. They spend millions of dollars on process optimization techniques that mainly focus on error minimization and accuracy while streamlining business processes.
This project has been implemented for upper management professionals who need to make decisions within a very short span of time without knowing details about underlying implementation and configuration. They do not want to waste their time while logging for different clients, provide matching data, type specific transactions, check details, log off, log back onto a different client, get into a different transaction, compare results, and make decisions. Rather, they would prefer central optimized transactional access for different clients, click on few buttons, display results, and make quick decisions.
The Internet is getting faster every day. No one wants to spend time on installing and configuring a product on individual machines. Cloud computing is replacing data replication. Projects are being outsourced by contracting offshore teams. Multitasking is becoming a must for any organization.
These techniques increase the possibility of erroneous data transmission from person to person which could result in chaos at the end. My project targets such
scenarios. All of the above factors have been considered during implementation. The following are key points of this project:
Central web access to multiple clients avoids individual installation and configuration efforts.
Central implementation of project reduces human error possibilities which are likely to happen during independent implementations.
As configuration and script files reside within a single instance, it reduces data redundancy.
Saves time.
Custom GuiXT access to transactions reduces knowledge transfer efforts. Users do not have to know details about transaction codes.
Operating system independent—can be accessed from Mac or Windows OS where web browser can be launched.
Required system hardware is very basic, unlike other machines that require supporting hardware to install Java stack bundled with SAPGUI.
Updates are not required at individual end—scripts updates, server updates can be done under a central machine which hosts this project setup.
Independent of SAPGUI and patch level upgrades.
If error happens, system has been configured in such a way that it would send an email to alert the administrator immediately.
49 Money saving.
Go green/environment supporting, as it does not require any packaged software delivery.
51 REFERENCES
Bode, J., Golze, S., & Schroder, T. (2008). SAP CRM middleware optimization guide. Boston, MA: Galileo Press.
Fratian, G. (2008). Planning your SAP CRM implementation. Boston, MA: Galileo Press. Hagemann, S., & Will, L. (2003). SAP R/3 system administration: The official SAP guide.
New York, NY: SAP Press.
Inc. (2012). Product positioning. Retrieved from
http://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/product-positioning.html Katta, S. (2008). Discover SAP CRM. Boston, MA: Galileo Press.
Position (marketing). (2012). In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 23, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positioning_(marketing)
SAP. (2002, May). SAP iView guidelines: What is an iView? Retrieved from
http://www.sapdesignguild.org/resources/ma_guidelines_3/introduction/what. html
SAP. (2009). SAP NetWeaver® 2004 support package stack 23 including BI content 3.5.3 add-on SP 06: Logical system names. Retrieved from
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/da/5990df015b5b43a36f6ce7fa 1ee8c0/content.htm
SAP Community Network. (n.d.b). SAP forum homepage. Retrieved from http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-18971
SAP Community Network. (2010). What is a BDoc? Retrieved from
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TECHNICAL ACRONYMS
BI: Business intelligence concept. BA: Business analytics concept.
BPI dataset: Business Process Integration elements. CRM: Customer relationship management.
ECC 6.0: ERP central component .Its new version of SAP R/3 (Real time 3). EIM: Enterprise information management.
EPM: Enterprise products management.
iView: Program that calls up data from any information source and outputs this data in the content area of the portal.
RFC: Technique to establish connection between 2 clients, known as Remote Function Call. This link will be established between end ‘B’ and end ‘C’.