MS EXCEL as OLE Client (SAP Library - Tutorial: Communication Interfaces)

MS EXCEL as OLE Client

Task

From within MS EXCEL, call a function module from the R/3 system and display the R/3 data on an EXCEL worksheet for local processing. EXCEL as OLE client requests data from the R/3 system. The R/3 system as OLE server provides it after a function module call.

The example application shall

call the function module RFC_CUSTOMER_GET for displaying customer data.
be programmed as macro under MS EXCEL in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

Overview: Unit Objectives

In this unit you will learn how to

call a function module in the R/3 system via an MS EXCEL macro.
log on to and off from the R/3 system using the Function Control.
prepare import parameters for value transfer.
call a function module using the Function Control.
display the R/3 data, correctly formatted, on an EXCEL worksheet.
assign program steps to the components in the R/3 architecture.

Prerequisites

You are authorized to log on to the R/3 target system.

Your frontend is equipped with MS EXCEL, into which a Visual Basic Editor is integrated.

You have some basic knowledge in Visual Basic for Applications.

You have some basic knowledge about object-oriented programming.

You have determined the interface definition of the function module you want to call. See also: Evaluating Function Modules Using SAP Assistant.

Basics

There are two different variants for using EXCEL as OLE client to call the R/3 system remotely. The programming steps differ only slightly.

Using local OLE objects. In this case, an RFC server object is used as basic object:

CreateObject("RFC.ServerObject")

Using OCX Controls. You use the Function ActiveX Control to access the R/3 system. The Function Control in this case is defined as collective object for explicit functions:

CreateObject("SAP.Functions")

See also:
Accessing Function Modules Using Function OCX in VB

Since ActiveX Controls are DLLs, in connection with EXCEL as OLE client this variant offers a considerably better performance.

How to Continue

Architecture

Exercise 1: Program Framework and Declarations