General Middleware settings for Data Exchange

[jothivenkatesh_m]

Dataexchange in CRM carries a very unique perspective and utilizes the CRM Proprietary called CRM Middleware. Especially we will see about the basic settings which are required for the exchange between CRM and ERP systems considering Business partners. Before getting into the important tables to be checked, we will look into few important things which are of prime interest.

• Logical System:
  • A Logical system is pretty much important to be present prior hand because this is important to establish the connection with that system.
  • When data is distributed between different systems, each individual system within a network has to be clearly identifiable.
  • A Logical system is an application system in which the applications work together on a common data context.
  • In SAP terms, logical system is considered to be a CLIENT.
  • Since logical system is the name used to identify a system uniquely within the network, two systems cannot have same name if they are connected to each other.
• RFC Connection:
  • RFC connections are the ones which physically enable the system to share the information over the network.
  • To create a RFC connection, use transaction SM59.

After these two entities are ready, we can look at certain tables which are important at the ECC system followed by the tables and certain transactions in CRM system.

Important tables in ERP system:

• CRMRFCPAR - Definitions for RFC Connections*

                  

Parameter Name	Description	Recommended values
CONSUMER	User of consumer that uses the OLTP plugin or the r/3 adapter functionality to receive the data.	CRM
OBJNAME	For which object  the destination is allowed to receive the data	*(means all sending data ).
RFCDEST	Specifies the destination of the CRM server.	Any connected CRM server (RFC destination for crm system )
DOWNLOAD	Which kind of load would be allowed to send to destination.	*(all Load types)
SEND XML	XML support(should data be sent in XML support)	Mixed Mode

* - All the details indicated for the tables are for illustrative purposes only. Any required data can be used.

• CRMCONSUM - Possible Users of R/3 Adapter Functionality

Parameter Name	Description	Recommended values
CONSUMER	User of consumer that uses the OLTP plugin or the r/3 adapter functionality to receive the data.	CRM
AKTIV	Flag to indicate whether the application is active.	X
TEXT	Description	CRM
Q_PREFIX	Prefix for the Q Name used	R3A

• CRMFILTAB - Filter Conditions for Download

When there is a filter defined in R3AC1 transaction and the filters are synchronized, then all the filters will be present in this table in ECC. In CRM it will be  present SMOFFILTAB.

• CRMPAROLTP - CRM OLTP Parameters

When the filters are maintained in CRM system, then there should be an entry with the text CRM_FILTERING_ACTIVE for the correspnding adapter object. Sample screenshot:

• CRMSUBTAB - Subscription Table for Upload and Download Objects

This is the table which will have the function modules for the upload or download objects.

Important tables and transaction in CRM system:

• SMOF_ERPSH - ERP-Site Header table
  • This table fills automatically whenever you create the site in the CRM system by using the administration console (SMOEAC)
  • Site ID is the unique ID provided for the each site created via SMOEAC.
• CRMM_BUT_CRMOBJ - Buffer: Which BPs are in Which Systems
  • This table will carry the partners which are successfully replicated and the SITE ID of the system to which the data is replicated.
• SMOEAC (Transaction for Administraton console)   
  • In CRM server every system which is connected to it are defined as  sites and to enable the data exchange the sites must be define in the CRM system  using the tool SMOEAC.
  • To enable the data exchange between the CRM server and the connected system first we have to create the site for the particular RFC destination in the SMOEAC.
  • Following are the steps to create site:
    • Open transaction smoeac.
    • choose object type SITE.
    • Click on create.
    • Fill all the required fields like name of site , type of site.
    • Click on site attribute button.
    • Enter the RFC destination in our case it should be any ECC system and hit enter the system will automatically fetch all the relevant data for the site like logical system name,release of the system etc.
• After creating the site the screen will look like the below screen.
• Once the site is created, the connected site has to be subscribed for the available publication.
• Publication:
  • Publication is the definition of one or more replication objects with specific criteria for replication means to say that Publication is kind of container which may consist different replication object.
• Subscription:   
  • Subscription is a replication object within the publication which connected site can subscribe to it.
  • Subscription is a means by which the site can subscribe for some particular set of replication objects from publication which he want to get it from the CRM server..
  • For eg. Site can subscribe for the all the business partner to flow to him or only the relationship should be replicated to him. It all depends on the customer requirement that what data he want to replicated to the connected site.         

• In our case most of the time we subscribe for two business objects BUPA_MAIN i.e. all business partner  and BUPA_REL i.e. all business partner relationship means to say that the connected ECC side can accept all BP data and BP relationship data from the CRM system other than this it will discard all other types of data.
• After defining the ECC as a site in the CRM system we must assign subscription to it below are the screenshot which will show how to create and assign subscription to the ECC site.
• Following will be the steps where the subscription will be created and assigned to the site.

In the above scenario, we have only assigned one subscription i.e “ALL BUSINESS PARTNER RELATIONSHIP” during replication only the relationship from the CRM server will send to the ECC and not the BUSINESS PARTNER.

There are mainly two kind of subscription are available in the CRM server.

• Types of Subscription.

  • Simple Bulk subscription.

    • Simple bulk subscription is the standards subscription which given by the SAP standard SAP delivery and customer are not allowed to make any change in this subscription. General recommendation is to have bulk subscription.

  • Simple intelligent subscription.

    • Simple intelligent subscription is something which customer can create their own subscription with some filter criteria according to their requirement.

So the above mentioned details will give us the head start for the basic settings from the middleware side to set up replication between CRM and ERP.