Integrating Business Systems By Using the IDoc Adapter 

The following documentation describes an integration scenario in which the business system, which is connected to the Integration Server by means of the IDoc adapter, takes on the role of either a sender system or a receiver system, or both.

Use

SAP systems up to and including SAP Release 4.6 are not able to exchange data by using XML messages and http. The only way you can connect such systems to the Integration Server directly is by using the IDoc adapter (or the RFC adapter). You can also connect non-SAP systems as sub-systems. For more information about configuring the IDoc adapter, see the document SAP Exchange Infrastructure 3.0 - Configuration Guide.

SAP recommends that you only use the IDoc adapter to integrate business systems with the Integration Server if such a scenario represents significant advantages for your business, for example, connecting business systems or integration processes that were previously not integrated. You must only change existing functioning IDoc communication scenarios (ALE scenarios, for instance) so that IDoc traffic is diverted to the Integration Server if this will result in significant improvements over the current set-up. An example of such a situation would be that you want to make the IDoc data available to additional receivers in the form of XML messages, or if you require an additional mapping. For information about configuring the IDoc adapter, see IDoc Adapter

Description

A business system is connected to the Integration Server by means of the IDoc adapter and exchanges IDocs with the IDoc adapter.

The IDoc adapter receives an IDoc from the business system and converts it into an XML message that is processed further by the Integration Server.

To forward an XML message to a receiver business system by using the IDoc interface, the IDoc adapter receives the message from the Integration Server, converts it into an IDoc, and then sends this IDoc to the business system.

Example

A SAP Release 4.0B system sends an IDoc of type MATMAS01 to the IDoc adapter on the Integration Server. The IDoc is converted to an XML message and processed further by the Integration Server. Two receivers of the IDoc data are determined

·        Another SAP Release 4.0B system

·        An SAP System, which is able to receive XML messages directly

The IDoc adapter at the outbound channel of the Integration Server converts the XML message back into an IDoc of type MATMAS01 and sends this to the 4.0B system. The other SAP system on the other hand simply receives an XML message.