ERP-EWM ALE IDoc Master Data Integration for Decentralized-EWM on S/4 HANA

[former_member441415]

With the arrival of SAP Decentralized-EWM on its flagship S/4 HANA server, the EWM master data Integration with ERP has gone under a big transformation.

In the erstwhile Classical EWM on SCM applications, the master data distribution from ERP to EWM is based on the CIF (Core Interface) model. Whereas the master data from SAP ERP to the decentralized EWM on SAP S/4HANA is integrated using Application Link Enabling (ALE)-IDoc Interface or by using Data Replication Framework (DRF).

My blog mainly focuses on sharing the experience with ALE IDoc mechanism for the master data replication from ERP to EWM.

 

SAP recommends to create reduced IDoc Z-message types for MATMAS, CREMAS and DEBMAS, the key reason being by reducing the number of segments and fields, we are also reducing the number of customizing tables that need to be synchronized between both the systems. Thus we are only sending the data to EWM from ERP which is necessary to drive the process in EWM, not all the data fields would be needed in EWM, unlike ERP.

Following sections describes the steps performed for setting up the Master Data Transfer Integration between ERP to EWM using ALE IDoc.

Section 1: Various Activities to set-up ALE IDoc Master Data Integration between ERP & EWM

Steps	Activity	Details
1	Set-up of the Reduced Message Types (Z IDoc) in ERP System	This is executed using the report /SPE/R_DEC_EWM_REDUCE_MESSTYPE for creation of the reduced Z-message types for Materials, Customers, Vendors and Carriers in the SAP ERP system.
2	Creating IDoc ALE Configuration in ERP System & create a port for the receiver system in the sender system.	This is executed using the report /SPE/R_DEC_EWM_ALE_CUST in order to create ALE configuration in the SAP ERP system or manually using WE21 for the ALE port creation.
3	Creating ALE Configuration in decentralized EWM System	This is executed using the report  /SCWM/R_DEC_EWM_ALE_SETUP to create ALE configuration in the decentralized EWM system or or manually using WE21 for the ALE port creation.
4	Activating data segments in Reduced Message Types in ERP	With the help of the transaction BD53, reduce the basic types, by selecting the segments and fields that you want to distribute. Basically we activate only those data segments and fields that are required and needed in EWM and thereby generating a new Z-message type. Mandatory segments and mandatory fields cannot be deactivated by-default. ZEWMMATMAS (Material), ZEWMCREMAS (Vendor) and ZEWMDEBMAS (Customer) are created in this step.
5	Transporting Reduced Message Types to Decentralized EWM	Basis administrator would transport the reduced message types to the decentralized EWM system from ERP system using a Transport Request (TR).
6	Creating New Filter Object Types	In ERP, using BD59 transaction we can create new data filters. This is optional step and only needed if we want to leverage on the enhanced filtering options provided by SAP. For example: 1. Filter by sales organization and company code for customer message type ZEWMDEBMAS 2. Filter by purchase organization and company code for supplier message type ZEWMCREMAS 3. Filter for specific storage location for material message type ZEWMMATMAS
7	Creating data distribution model	In ERP, using BD64 transaction generate the data distribution model for each of the IDoc message types
8	Defining Partner Profile in sender (ERP) and receiving (EWM) system	With BD64, this can be generated automatically Or manually using WE20. If the report in ERP, /SPE/R_DEC_EWM_ALE_CUST is used then it’s not required to define partner profile manually. Same can be achieved in EWM by using /SCWM/R_DEC_EWM_ALE_SETUP
9	Converting data between ERP and EWM	As not all the data fields are required in EWM and hence not all data segments would be transferred to EWM, this would lead to the errors in ZEWMATMAS IDoc transfer. These errors can be controlled by adjusting PSTAT (maintenance status) and VPSAT (maintenance status of the complete material). This is possible by using ALE conversion rules in ERP, which can be either fixed or the flexible. - Fixed ALE conversion rule, for example fixing the MARC-PSTAT conversion value to “Q” (quality management” in ERP system using the conversion rule. - Flexible ALE conversion rule can be used in cases when the material master views would differ, due to for example diff. material types have specific view set. EWM specific conversion routine is used to set a flexible value. - For the fixed ALE conversion rule, we can use the report /SPE/R_DEC_EWM_ALE_CUST or maintain directly in the relevant SPRO setting. - For the flexible ALE conversion rule, the logic to compute the minimum amount of views which are required to transfer the material (i.e. based on the reduced message type ZEWMMATMAS) is implemented in the SAP conversion exit WMPS0. Here as well, use the report /SPE/R_DEC_EWM_ALE_CUST or maintain directly in the rule in relevant SPRO settings.
10	Activating change pointer in the sender ERP system	For the delta logging of the changes in the master data, the change pointers are used. Using the report /SPE/R_DEC_EWM_ALE_CUST or by manually activating the change pointers in BD53 for z-reduced message types like ZEWMMATMAS & BD50 for the rest of the standard message types like BATMAS. The activation of IDoc change pointers per message type would typically create the entries for the fields of the specific message type in another table. In order to check if the key fields are not missing, we can run the transaction BD52 for message type.
11	Activating enhanced settings for the  data transfer	For example, we want to have the enhanced filtering by the plant/storage location for the ZEWMMATMAS or by purchase organization or company code for the business partners like customers and vendors, activate enhanced features for the data transfer. It can be done using the report /SPE/R_DEC_EWM_ALE_CUST or manually with config. settings in SPRO

Section 2: Execution of Initial Transfer of Master Data

Sr. No.	Master Data Object	IDoc	Transaction
1	Characteristics	CHRMAS	BD91
2	Classes	CLSMAS	BD92
3	Materials	ZEWMMATMAS	BD10
4	Batches	BATMAS	BD90
5	Vendor	ZEWMCREMAS	BD14
6	Customer	ZEWMDEBMAS	BD12
7	Inspection Rule	MATQM	QL11

Section 3: Execution of Delta Transfer of Master Data

	Delta Transfer Manually	Delta Transfer Automatically
Transaction	BD21	Program: RBDMIDOC Run in the background batch job
Execution Mode	Manually run BD21 for any of message type below as per the need: ·         CHRMAS: Characteristics master ·         CLSMAS: Classes master ·         CLFMAS: Classification master ·         ZEWMCREMAS: Reduced message for vendors ·         ZEWMDEBMAS: Reduced message type for customers ·         ZEWMMATMAS: Reduced message type for materials ·         BATMAS: Batch ·         MATQM: Send Inspection Set up	Create variant for each of the message types below: ·         CHRMAS: Characteristics master ·         CLSMAS: Classes master ·         CLFMAS: Classification master ·         ZEWMCREMAS: Reduced message for vendors ·         ZEWMDEBMAS: Reduced message type for customers ·         ZEWMMATMAS: Reduced message type for materials ·         BATMAS: Batch ·         MATQM: Send Inspection Set up

Monitoring & Troubleshooting of Master Data IDoc Transmission

1. Using transaction SLG1 in EWM, I checked if the IDOC is processed or not for example for MATQM IDoc, use Object: QIE and subobject IRULEDISTR to check the processing log of inspection set-up data transfer.


2. Using WE05/WE10 transactions, we check the status of Inbound (EWM) and Outbound (ERP) IDocs and the success/error messages during the IDoc transmission and posting.


3. To reprocess the failed Inbound IDoc in EWM (i.e. post correction of the errors), I used BD87 transaction for IDoc reposting.

Key References:

1. SAP note: 2840129 - Release information and restrictions of Decentralized EWM on S/4HANA  1909


2. HTG_Integration_SAP_ERP_with_decEWM_on_S41909_V2_5