Distribution Using BAPIs 
The Integration of BAPIs and ALE makes it easier for you to develop your own ALE business processes for distribution.
BAPIs are methods of SAP business objects. They are defined in the Business Object Repository (BOR) and are subject to strict design guidelines. BAPIs are implemented as RFC-enabled function modules in the SAP system.
For further
information on BAPIs see the 
BAPI User Guide
and BAPI
Programming.
As of
Release 4.5A BAPIs can also be defined that are implemented outside the SAP
system, but can be called from the SAP System. For further information see BAPIs Used for
Outbound Processing in the BAPI Programming guide and BAPIs of SAP Interface
Types in the BAPI User Guide.
ALE provides a complete programming model for implementing BAPIs. ALE supports these method calls:
● Synchronous method calls
Synchronous method calls can also be used in ALE distribution scenarios. These calls may either be BAPIs or Dialog Methods.
In ALE Customizing you can assign the RFC destinations to be used for a synchronous method call.
● Asynchronous method calls
If BAPIs are called asynchronously, ALE error handling and ALE audit can be used.
If an asynchronous BAPI call is to be used for the distribution, the BAPI-ALE interface required for inbound and outbound processing can be automatically generated. Developing an ALE business process in ABAP is restricted to the programming of the BAPI.
An object-oriented approach has the following advantages:
- Only one interface, which can be maintained by the application
- Automatic generation of the BAPI-ALE interface avoids coding errors
Process Flow
If you are not enhancing an SAP BAPI and you are not creating your own BAPI when you are implementing an ALE business process, you can simply follow the steps below:
● Determining the Receiver of a BAPI
If, on the other hand, you want to enhance a BAPI or create your own, you have to follow these steps:
● Maintaining the BAPI-ALE Interface
●
Determining the
Receiver of a BAPI
Application programs must call a function module for the receiver
determination and a generated application function module in the BAPI-ALE
interface.
You can
verify the quality of the ALE layer and ALE business processes using Automatic
Tests.
See also:
Developing BAPIs for Interactive Processing
Enhancing IDocs of BAPI-ALE Interfaces