Further Processing of Data in External Systems 

Use

In mass processes, the data is usually not actually processed within the SAP system. It is processed outside of the system using external software.

Integration

Depending on the form tool (SAPscript, Smart Forms, PDF-based forms) you can use separate data interfaces (RDI, XSF/XDF, XFP) that are an integrated component of the respective form tool and that mutually exclude each other.

Prerequisites

To process data externally, you have to configure logical output devices in the central SAP printer management (except in RDI IDoc (SAPscript) mode); these forward the files that result to an external address.

Features

Depending on the form tool used, you can use the following raw data variants:

Form Tool	Variants	Output Channel	Certifiable	Comment
SAPScript	RDI	IDoc	Yes
	RDI	Spool	Yes
	Simple RDI	Spool	No	Compressed variant (pure data)
Smart Forms	XSF	Spool	Yes	Meta information of layout document
	XDP	Spool	No	Pure data extraction
PDF-based forms	XFP (1)	Spool	Yes	With PDF-based form context evaluation
	XFP (2)	Spool	Yes	Without PDF-based form context evaluation

The supplement Spool defines that the data output is controlled by SAP spooling and the logical output devices. You can define logical output devices in the spool administration and define additional instructions, such as target directories or processing commands for the file.

SAP provides special device types for this (for example, RDI and XSF). See also the relevant SAP Notes (for example, SAP Note 6753).

Activities

To select one of the data formats supported, specify the option in the print options. You should also optimize the application forms used for the respective raw data variant.