Some BAPIs and methods provide basic functions and can be used for most SAP business object types. Such BAPIs are known as "standardized" BAPIs.

With object methods and especially with BAPIs, you can differentiate between instance methods and class methods. Instance methods refer to precisely one instance (one specific occurrence) of an SAP Business Object type, for example, to one explicitly specified customer order. Whereas class methods are instance-independent.

The following BAPIs provide you with read-only access to data in the associated business object type:

With the BAPI GetList() you can select a range of object key values, for example, company codes and material numbers. The BAPIs GetList() is a class method.

The BAPI GetDetail() uses a key to retrieve details about an instance (one specific occurrence) of a business object type and returns this data to the calling program. Then this information is reported back to the calling program. The BAPI GetDetail() is an instance method.

The BAPI GetStatus() is used to query the status of an SAP business object instance, for example, the processing status of a sales order. This BAPI is used only for displaying the status of an object and does not retrieve full details like the BAPI GetDetail(). The BAPI GetStatus() is an instance method.

The BAPI ExistenceCheck() checks whether an entry exists for a business object instance, for example, whether the customer master has been created. The ExistenceCheck() BAPI is an instance method.

The following BAPIs can create, change or delete instances of a business object type:

The BAPI Create() or CreateFromData() creates an instance of an SAP business object type, for example, a purchase order. These BAPIs are class methods.

The BAPI Change() changes an existing instance of a SAP business object type, for example, a purchase order. The Change() BAPI is an instance method.

The BAPI Delete() deletes an instance of an SAP business object type from the database, for example, a purchase order.

The BAPI Undelete() removes a deletion flag.

These BAPIs are instance methods.

Unlike the BAPI Delete () the BAPI Cancel() cancels an instance of a business object, that is the instance to be cancelled remains in the database and an additional instance is created that is canceled).

The Cancel() BAPI is an instance method.

The BAPI Add<sub-object> adds a sub-object to an existing object instance and the BAPI and Remove<sub-object> removes a sub-object from an object instance. These BAPIs are instance methods.

The BAPIs listed in the above section, "BAPIs for Creating or Changing Data", can also be used for mass processing. Here, when a BAPI is called, several business object instances are processed at the same time.

With BAPIs for mass processing, the suffix "Multiple" is added to the method name, for example, ChangeMultiple(), CreateMultiple(), DeleteMultiple(). The BAPIs here are always class methods.

The following BAPIs are used for replicating business object instances:

The BAPIs Replicate() and SaveReplica() are implemented as methods of replicable business object types(). They enable specific instances of an object type to be copied to one or more different systems. These BAPIs are used mainly to transfer data between distributed systems within the context of Application Link Enabling (ALE). These BAPIs are class methods.