Importing Data into the CRM System (SAP Library

Importing Data into the CRM System

Process Flow

The following steps are required to import data into the CRM system:

The ASCII file is placed in directories on operating-system level.

Data will be provided in simple text-files.
Data files can consist of fixed-length records(length of fields) or comma-separated values (CSV).
Data granularity is 1 record per line in the file.

Information for the parameter file.

Enter the directory structure and database information in the parameter file CRMASCAD.PAR that is present in the \param folder which is created when the ASCII Adapter client is installed.

Create temporary tables in the Customer Name Space.

A table structure similar to the schema of the text file is created in the Customer Name Space on the CRM Server.

Define schema information.

The schema information of the temporary table is entered in the control table SMO7ASCAD and SMO7ASCSTR. These tables contain information about the ASCII file name, table name, field name, field length etc.
This information can be filled as explained below:

Enter the ASCII file information (use transaction asc2)
Enter the name of the temporary table to be associated with the BDoc‘
In the Table Information screen, enter the details of the ASCII file. This updates the SMO7ASCAD table.
In the Field Information screen, fill the positions taken by the different fields of the temporary table with respect to the ASCII file (field name, data type and length are available by default). This updates the SMO7ASCSTR table.
Save the details. This associates the temporary table with the ASCII file.

Execute the client program to import data into temporary tables.

Run the ASCII Adapter client program after the text file is placed in the corresponding directory with the following command line parameters.

CRMASCAD ..\PARAM\CRMASCAD.PAR <Table name in CRM Server>

CRMASCAD ..\PARAM\CRMASCAD.PAR –F

Alternatively, the ASCII Adapter configuration tool can be used.

Creating a BDoc'.

Invoke the transaction /nASCI to create BDoc' information in the CRM Server.
Create a BDoc' by clubbing temporary tables together, which corresponds to one Business Scenario like Contacts, Business Partner, Activities etc.
Define the primary key and foreign key information.
Identify the BDoc type to which this BDoc' should be associated.
Enter a map name, which would correspond to the mapping that should be applied on this BDoc' in the Structure Mapper.

Structure Mapper definition must be completed before defining BDoc‘ details.

Create map information.

Invoke the transaction /nSMAP to create mapping information in the CRM Server.
Map the fields of temporary tables to segment fields.
Constant values can be filled in the segment fields through the mapper tool.
Plug in Business logic in exit.

Code Generation.

Press the Code generation button on both dialog program ASCII Adapter(/nASCI) and Structure Mapper(/nSMAP) to generate code for Data Import.

Any changes made to the mapping/BDoc‘ requires code regeneration.

Data Import.

Choose the Data Import button to import data (transaction asci).

Keygen service is called during this process to fill Primary Key, Foreign Key, and Extra Key information.

After this process, the BDoc type would be packaged into a message structure and put in the inbound queue of the CRM Server.

To execute the message in the queue automatically an entry should be made in the Queue Scheduler. Invoke the transaction /nSMQR and create a new entry with the Queue Name: CRM_ASCII_ADP_001 (if Multi-Queuing for Parallel Processing is off. Else provide the appropriate name). This would take care of automatically executing queued messages.

To view the Flow Control log of the messages that were imported, invoke the transaction SMO8FT and choose the F8 button. This would show the status of the message executed in the flow control.