Integrating SAP with External Systems: Connecting SAP with External Systems

In today’s interconnected business environment, integrating SAP with other external systems is crucial for seamless operations and enhanced data flow. SAP provides a robust set of tools and frameworks to facilitate integration, ensuring that different systems within an organization can communicate effectively. This blog post will explore key tools and techniques for integrating SAP with external systems, including practical code examples.

1. SAP Process Integration (PI) / Process Orchestration (PO)

SAP PI/PO is a powerful middleware tool designed to facilitate integration between SAP and non-SAP applications within a company’s internal network or with external entities. It supports both synchronous and asynchronous communication without requiring any coding, making it a preferred choice for many enterprises.

Example: Connecting SAP to a CRM System

Here’s a basic example of how you might configure SAP PI/PO to fetch customer data from an external CRM system:

<!-- Send Request to CRM System -->
<sync:syncmessage>
    <sync:receiver>
        <sync:system>CRM_SYSTEM</sync:system>
    </sync:receiver>
    <sync:request>
        <crm:CustomerRequest>
            <crm:CustomerID>12345</crm:CustomerID>
        </crm:CustomerRequest>
    </sync:request>
</sync:syncmessage>

This XML snippet is part of a configuration that would be set up in the SAP PI/PO system to send a synchronous message to an external CRM system to retrieve customer information.

2. SAP Gateway and OData Services

SAP Gateway facilitates the connection between SAP and external systems via OData services, enabling the consumption of SAP data in web applications, mobile apps, and other platforms.

Example: Exposing SAP Data as an OData Service

Here’s how you could create a simple OData service in SAP Gateway:

METHOD get_entityset.
  DATA: lv_entityset_name TYPE string.

  lv_entityset_name = io_tech_request_context->get_entity_set_name( ).

  CASE lv_entityset_name.
    WHEN 'Orders'.
      SELECT * FROM orders INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_orders) UP TO 10 ROWS.
      COPY DATA FROM lt_orders TO et_entityset.
  ENDCASE.
ENDMETHOD.

This ABAP code snippet is used to define a method in a class that handles OData requests, fetching data from the ‘orders’ table when the ‘Orders’ entity set is requested.

3. SAP Cloud Platform Integration (CPI)

SAP CPI provides cloud-based integration services that allow you to integrate various systems and applications seamlessly. It supports a wide range of integration patterns and connectivity options.

Example: Integrating SAP with Salesforce using CPI

import com.sap.gateway.ip.core.customdev.util.Message;
import java.util.HashMap;

def Message processData(Message message) {
    // Retrieving the payload from the incoming message
    def body = message.getBody(String.class);
    
    // Adding custom logic to modify the payload or enrich it
    body = '<SalesforceRequest>' + body + '</SalesforceRequest>';

    // Setting the modified body back to the message
    message.setBody(body);
    return message;
}

This Groovy script could be part of a SAP CPI integration flow, which modifies the incoming message payload before sending it to Salesforce.

4. IDoc Interface (Intermediate Document)

IDoc is a standard data structure used in SAP systems for asynchronous transactions. It is commonly used to send data to and from SAP systems.

Example: Sending an IDoc from SAP to a Vendor System

REPORT zsend_idoc.

DATA: idoc_control TYPE edidc,
      idoc_data TYPE TABLE OF edidd.

idoc_control-docnum   = '1234567';
idoc_control-mestyp  = 'INVOIC';
idoc_control-rcvpor  = 'VENDOR_PORT';

CALL FUNCTION 'MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE'
  EXPORTING
    master_idoc_control = idoc_control
  TABLES
    communication_idoc_control = idoc_data
  EXCEPTIONS
    error_in_idoc_control = 1
    others                 = 2.

IF sy-subrc <> 0.
  WRITE: / 'Error sending IDoc.'.
ELSE.
  WRITE: / 'IDoc sent successfully.'.
ENDIF.

This ABAP report demonstrates how to send an IDoc to an external vendor system, specifying the type of IDoc and the recipient port.

Integrating SAP with external systems opens up a multitude of opportunities for automating business processes, enhancing data accuracy, and improving operational efficiency. The tools and techniques discussed here are just the beginning. By leveraging these integrations, companies can achieve a more synchronized IT landscape, leading to better decision-making and improved customer satisfaction. Whether you are using traditional methods like IDoc or modern solutions

like SAP CPI, the goal remains the same: to create a seamlessly integrated environment that supports your business objectives.