Beginners Guide to ALE and IDocs a step-

by-step approach

This article will help you understand the basics of ALE and IDocs via a simple do-it-yourself
example. We will create a custom IDoc in one SAP system and then post some business data
through it to another SAP system. Business data will be picked up from custom data dictionary
tables.

ALE Application Link Enabling is a mechanism by which SAP systems communicate with
each other and with non-SAP EDI subsystems. Thus it helps integration of distributed systems. It
supports fail-safe delivery which implies that sender system does not have to worry about
message not reaching the source due to unavoidable situations. ALE can be used for migration
and maintenance of master data as well as for exchanging transactional data.

The messages that are exchanged are in the form of IDocs or Intermediate Documents. IDocs act
like a container or envelope for the application data. An IDOC is created as a result of execution
of an Outbound ALE. In an Inbound ALE an IDOC serves as an input to create application
document. In the SAP system IDocs are stored in the database tables. They can be used for SAP
to SAP and SAP to non-SAP process communication as long as the participating processes can
understand the syntax and semantics of the data. Complete documentation on IDOC is obtained
by using transaction WE60.

Every IDoc has exactly one control record along with a number of data records and status
records. Control record has the details of sender/receiver and other control information. Data
records contain the actual business data to be exchanged while the status records are attached to
IDoc throughout the process as the IDoc moves from one step to other.

Now, let us understand the ALE Configuration by means of an example scenario below:

The Scenario

Data from custom tables (created in customer namespace) is to be formatted into an IDoc and
sent from one SAP R/3 system to another using ALE service. We need to have two instances of
SAP R/3 systems or we can simulate this on two
clients of the same SAP R/3 system.

Create three tables as shown below.

Creating Custom IDoc type and Message type

All the objects created should be present on both source as well as target system(s).
1. Create segments Transaction WE31

Create a segment ZRZSEG1

Add all fields of table ZCUSTOMERS to it

Save the segment and go back

Release it using the menu path Edit -> Set Release

Similarly create two more segments given below

Seg. ZRZSEG2 to hold all fields of table ZSOHEADERS

Seg. ZRZSEG3 to hold all fields of table ZSOITEMS

2. Create Basic IDoc type Transaction WE30

Create a Basic type ZRZORDER

Add the created segments in the hierarchy shown

Maintain attributes for each of the segments

Save the object and go back

Release the object using the menu path Edit -> Set Release

3. Create/Assign Message type Transactions WE81/WE82

 Go to WE81

Create a new Message type ZRZSO_MT

Save the object

Go to WE82 and create new entry

Assign the message type ZRZSO_MT to the basic type ZRZORDER

Also specify the Release Version

Save the object

Thus we have defined the IDoc structure which will hold the data to be transferred.

Beginners Guide to ALE and IDocs Part II

In the previous part we created an IDoc structure which can carry our data from source system to
target system(s). In this part we will understand how to setup the source system to be able to
generate and send an outbound IDoc.

Outbound Settings

Define Logical Systems and Assign Client to Logical System Transaction SALE

Go to Define Logical System (See the

figure)

Define a new logical system to identify

the local system and save it

Now, go to Assign Client to Logical System (See the figure)

Add a new entry

Specify the client, previously created logical system and other attributes

Save the entry

Define a new logical system to identify the partner system and save it
Maintain RFC Destinations Transaction SM59

Create a new RFC destination for R/3 type connection

Specify the target host on Technical settings tab

Provide the Logon credentials on the Logon/Security tab

Save the settings

To verify the settings, Click on Test connection or Remote logon

Define Ports Transaction WE21

We need to define a tRFC port for the partner system

Click on Transactional RFC node

Create a new port

Provide a description

Specify the name of the target RFC destination

Save the object

Maintain Distribution Model Transaction BD64

Click on Change

Create a new model view

Provide a Short text and Technical name to the model view

Add message type

Specify sender and receiver systems

Also, specify the message type that we created previously

Save the Distribution model

Generate/Create Partner Profile Transactions BD82/WE20

 To generate Partner profiles automatically you may use BD82 or go to BD64 and use the
menu path Environment -> Generate partner profiles

o Otherwise, you may use transaction WE20 to create a partner profile

On selection screen, specify the model view, target system and execute

The result log will be displayed on the next screen

To verify the partner profile go to WE20

Check the partner profile for the target system

Distribute Model View Transaction BD64

Select the Model View

Go to menu path Edit -> Model View -> Distribute

Result log will be displayed on the next screen

Outbound IDoc Generation Program

Create an executable program ZRZ_ORDER_IDOC in SE38. Below, I have described the

program logic:
 Fetch the data from the DDic tables ZCUSTOMERS, ZSOHEADERS and ZSOITEMS
as per the selection criteria

Fill the control record structure of type EDIDC

o Specify message type, Basic IDoc type, tRFC Port, Partner number and Partner
type of the receiver

Fill the data records

o Define structures like the IDoc segments

o Fill the structures with fetched data

o Pass the segment name and the above structure to the appropriate fields of
EDIDD type structure

o Append the EDIDD structure to the EDIDD type internal table

Now, call the function module MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE and pass the IDoc
control record structure and data record table

Commit work if return code is zero

Function module returns a table of type EDIDC to provide the details about generated
IDoc

Display appropriate log

Thus we have completed sender side configuration required for ALE.

Beginners Guide to ALE and IDocs Part III

In the previous parts we learned how to create a custom IDoc and set up the source system to
send an outbound IDoc. In this part we will learn how to configure the receiving SAP R/3 system
to be able to receive and post the inbound IDoc.

Inbound IDoc Posting Function Module

In the receiving system, create a function module Z_IDOC_INPUT_ZRZSO_MT using SE37.
Below, I have described the logic for the same.

Add Include MBDCONWF. This include contains predefined ALE constants.

Loop at EDIDC table

Check if the message type is ZRZORDER. Otherwise raise

WRONG_FUNCTION_CALLED exception

Loop at EDIDD table

o Append data from the segments to appropriate internal tables

o For example: append data from ZRZSEG1 segment to the internal table of type
ZCUSTOMERS

Update the DDic tables from internal tables

Depending on the result of the update, fill the IDoc status record (type BDIDOCSTAT)
and append it to the corresponding table.

o Status 53 => Success

o Status 51 => Error

You can download the sample ABAP code for the above function module here.

Inbound Settings

Define Logical Systems Transaction SALE (Please refer to Outbound Settings

discussed in previous part)

Assign Client to Logical System Transaction SALE (Please refer to Outbound Settings
discussed in previous part)

Maintain RFC Destinations Transaction SM59 (Please refer to Outbound Settings

discussed in previous part)

Define Ports Transaction WE21 (Please refer to Outbound Settings discussed in

previous part)

Generate/Create Partner Profile Transactions BD82/WE20 (Please refer to Outbound

Settings discussed in previous part)

Assign Function Module to Logical message Transaction WE57

 o Create a new entry

o Specify name of the Function Module as Z_IDOC_INPUT_ZRZSO_MT

o Also, specify Type as F, Basic IDoc type as ZRZORDER, Message type as

ZRZSO_MT and Direction as 2 (Inbound)

o Save the entry

Define Input method for Inbound Function Module Transaction BD51

o Create a new entry

o Provide Function Module name as Z_IDOC_INPUT_ZRZSO_MT

o Specify the Input method as 2

o Save the entry

Create a Process Code Transaction WE42

o Create a new Process Code ZPCRZ

o Select Processing with ALE Service

o Choose Processing type as Processing by function module

o Save the entry

o On the next screen, select your function module from the list

o Save the changes

o Now you will be taken to the next screen

o Double-click on Logical message

o In the Assignment to logical message, specify the message type ZRZSO_MT

o Save the changes

Send and receive data

On the sender system, execute the IDoc Generation Program. Check the status of IDoc using
transaction WE02.
Check the status of the IDoc in the receiver system using transaction WE02. You can also check
the contents of DDic tables to make sure that the records have been created in the receiver
system.

Thus to summarize we have learned how to:

Create a custom IDoc

Write an Outbound IDoc Generation Program

Write Inbound Function Module to post Inbound IDoc

Configure and test ALE scenario to transmit data between systems distributed across the
network