Webcast replay: B2B collaboration with SAP NetWeaver Process Orchestration
If you have joined the Process Orchestration webcast series or have seen the recordings you know that each session demonstrated a different aspect of the SAP Middleware platform and all new and continuous investments that make it best in class. The sessions also showed how SAP NetWeaver Process Orchestration can help extend on and maximize the value of other trendy SAP solutions.
We have received a lot of positive feedback that these sessions were useful to many participants. This blog series is to help continue the discussion, drill down in each topic, expand on the Q&A and share key takeways from the sessions with our SCN community. Recordings will be available until the end of 2013 to all registrants. Feel free to post your questions in the related blog.
This particular blog is dedicated to the June 5th, 2013 webcast:
Need to trade faster with business partners? Looking to efficiently extend your business processes to include your trading partners?
SAP offers a supplementary component for SAP NetWeaver Process Integration and Orchestration allowing you to more efficiently trade with your trading partners and extend your business processes beyond the four walls of your organization. From a technical perspective this solution delivers B2B adapters, EDI converters and much more allowing you to exchange EDI documents with your partners.
Components of the SAP’s B2B Add-on:
These are the benefits of implementing B2B processes with SAP NetWeaver Process Orchestration with B2B add-on:
- Tightly integrated in Process Orchestration stack
- Reuse of design and configuration tools
- Leverage known implementation approach
- Incorporated in standard operations & lifecycle management
- One solution for A2A and B2B integration
- Prepackaged B2B integration content delivered with SAP Electronic Data Interchange Rapid Deployment Solution (see http://service.sap.com/rds-edi for more details).
Questions & Answers from the webcast:
Q: Approximately how many customers have the SAP B2B / EDI modules in production at this time?
A: Official references are made available on SAP.com. SAP does not disclose information other than official references. It is worth pointing out that SAP NetWeaver PI has been used for many years as a B2B hub leveraging standard capabilities or adapters from partners.
Q: How can we test the B2B add-on? Does SAP offer a trial license?
-
A: SAP offers the following options for testing B2B add-on:
- For customers: Request a trial license from your SAP sales contact. This license is valid for max. 90 days.
- For partners: B2B add-on is included in many test and demo license for SAP partners such as the one for SAP NetWeaver. Test and demo software allows to use SAP software for internal testing, internal training and demonstrations to customers.
Q: If only the B2B add-on is purchased for implementation to an existing PI environment, does that contain prepackaged content?
A: The SAP B2B add-on contains a few mapping samples allowing you to implement some B2B integration scenarios quickly (e.g. for proof-of-concepts). You can find the list of mappings delivered with the B2B add-on here at SAP Service Marketplace (requires S-user login). However, if you plan to implement core B2B processes together with SAP ERP then it is recommended to choose the SAP Electronic Data Interchange Rapid Deployment Solution delivering more comprehensive mapping templates for the order-to-cash and the procure-to-pay process supporting the EDIFACT and ANSI ASC X.12 standard (see http://service.sap.com/rds-edi for more details).
Q: Is the B2B add-on able to handle custom (non-standard) EDI formats?
A: Yes. The EDI Content Manager allows you to create, edit, or delete message components in an EDI document or to create custom EDI formats from scratch. See Configuring the EDI Content Manager for details.
Q: I’m using SAP NetWeaver PI 7.3 can I add PGP protocol?
A: Yes. The PGP adapter module is delivered with the Secure connectivity add-on for SAP NetWeaver Process Orchestration. This add-on is available for release 7.11 (minimum support package stack 8), 7.3 (min. SP5), 7.31 (min. SP3).
Q: Is SAP introducing any B2B / EDI specific end-to-end tracking tool along with the B2B add-on?
A: Yes, SAP intends to deliver an integration visibility solution allowing to monitor messages (internal & B2B) along the integration process. This planned innovation was presented as part of the Roadmap of Process Orchestration with SAP webcast.
Q: Can SAP NetWeaver Process Orchestration with B2B add-on replace existing B2B gateway solutions?
A: Yes, We see that more and more of our existing Process Integration and Orchestration customers wish to consolidate their integration solutions for reducing costs and complexity. These plans include replacement of classical existing B2B gateway installations which often don’t meet today’s integration requirements anymore. SAP NetWeaver Process Orchestration with B2B add-on enables you to run A2A and B2B/EDI integrations on a single platform.
Want to know more?
- Register or sign in here to access the replay of the webcast online.
- Visit the SCN landing page of B2B integration with SAP NetWeaver Process Orchestration here.
Also check the other webcasts offered with this series:
Webcast replay: Process Orchestration overview
Webcast replay: Business Rules with SAP
Webcast replay: Roadmap of Process Orchestration with SAP
Webcast replay: SAP Operational Process Intelligence powered by SAP HANA
Q&A: Process Orchestration Webcast Series [including sapopint Q&A]
Feel free to share with us your questions and comments below.
Hi
We are looking for message converters from MT101 and other MT messages in the SWIFT package. I thought that it was a standard that you was supporting but I cannot see any information on it.
Is that something that is in the plan?
Daniel Graversen
Hello Daniel,
at the moment there are no plans of delivering converters for SWIFT messages as part of B2B add-on. The reason for this is that alternative offerings are available: For instance when using SAP Bank Communication Management SWIFT compliant messages are generated by SAP ERP. In addition to this, SWIFTNet integration is enabled using SAP Integration Package for Swift which is based on SAP NetWeaver Process Integration.
Best regards,
Katrin
Hi Katrin,
Thanks for the response. We will find an other solution.
BCM can create the MT101 outbound messages, but we want to be using a number of the other messages.
SAP Integration Package for Swift is for handling XML messages.
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
if you have a scenario where you receive various SWIFT flatfile message with some standard protocol from the Bank (e.g. AS2 which is used by several banks), then you might have the possibility to use the Seeburger BIC for such cases.
The Classifier recognizes the SWIFT messages, and a See_Swift-Main Mapping would have to be created, where you can then execute the different ChildMappings.
However, SWIFT is not as standardized and common as for example EDIFACT or ANSI X12 formats, therefor it would be good to make some initial tests with your different files and verify that everything can be handled.
(Also it would be recommended to uset he new Adapter Version 2.2).
Let me know if you would like to discuss further if this might be an option
(e.g. in case your client already uses the See-Adapters)
Stefan
Hi Katrin,
I found that thanks to the PGP-SFTP add-on it is possible to configure the receiver file to use a SOCKS proxy.
I was wondering if the B2B add-on was bringing the same (using a SOCKS proxy) in the Web service configuration ? It is necessary for our outbound communication (PO to our SAAS internet partner) through our SOCKS server in the DMZ.
I did't find any information till now.
Regards,
Naguy