Open Catalog Interface (OCI) (SAP Library

Open Catalog Interface (OCI)

Use

Using this function you can call up an external catalog from a maintenance order, service order, or network, and transfer components from the catalog to the order or activity. In standard Customizing a default connection to the NRX catalog is delivered. In Customizing, you can connect other catalogs that correspond to the OCI specification.

The Open Catalog Interface (OCI) is a log that enables communication between the SAP R/3 System and the external catalog. The connection is made using a Business Add-In (BAdI).

Integration

You can use an external procurement system for processing purchase requisitions further (see Transferring a Purchase Requisition to an External Procurement System).

Prerequisites

You entered the required data about the catalog you want to connect in the Customizing for Project System or Plant Maintenance and Customer Service. You can find the corresponding activities under Interface for Procurement Using External Catalogs (OCI).

You implemented and activated the Business Add-In (BadI) PLM_CATALOG_IF using the method COMPONENT_VIA_CATALOG.
So that the SAP R/3 System creates a purchase requisition from the transferred material, you must set the item category of the selected components to N (non-stock item) in Customizing.

Features

SAP R/3 saves the catalog data (for example, text, material number, item category) in the table RESB. You can define fixed values for the catalog data or write function modules in Customizing designed to search for a material number in SAP R/3 that corresponds to a material number in the external catalog.

SAP R/3 creates a purchase requisition from the catalog data, which can be handled in either the SAP R/3 System or an external system.

Activities

To call up the external catalog, choose Choose Catalog in the component view of the order or network activity (for networks, see Calling Up the Component Overview). From there you can select the required material and transfer it to the SAP R/3 system. The OCI enables efficient communication between the catalog and SAP R/3.