topic Re: differences in Application Development and Automation Discussions

differences

Former Member — Tue, 08 May 2007 06:53:51 GMT

hi,

What’s the difference between BDC BAPI and LSMW?

We have any other method for data upload? (other then this 3)

regrads,

vijay

Re: differences

Former Member — Tue, 08 May 2007 06:56:09 GMT

BAPI - BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interfaces) are the standard SAP interfaces. They play an important role in the technical integration and in the exchange of business data between SAP components, and between SAP and non-SAP components. BAPIs enable you to integrate these components and are therefore an important part of developing integration scenarios where multiple components are connected to each other, either on a local network or on the Internet.

BAPIs allow integration at the business level, not the technical level. This provides for greater stability of the linkage and independence from the underlying communication technology.

LSMW- No ABAP effort are required for the SAP data migration. However, effort are required to map the data into the structure according to the pre-determined format as specified by the pre-written ABAP upload program of the LSMW.

The Legacy System Migration Workbench (LSMW) is a tool recommended by SAP that you can use to transfer data once only or periodically from legacy systems into an R/3 System.

More and more medium-sized firms are implementing SAP solutions, and many of them have their legacy data in desktop programs. In this case, the data is exported in a format that can be read by PC spreadsheet systems. As a result, the data transfer is mere child's play: Simply enter the field names in the first line of the table, and the LSM Workbench's import routine automatically generates the input file for your conversion program.

The LSM Workbench lets you check the data for migration against the current settings of your customizing. The check is performed after the data migration, but before the update in your database.

So although it was designed for uploading of legacy data it is not restricted to this use.

We use it for mass changes, i.e. uploading new/replacement data and it is great, but there are limits on its functionality, depending on the complexity of the transaction you are trying to replicate.

The SAP transaction code is 'LSMW' for SAP version 4.6x.

Check your procedure using this Links.

BAPI with LSMW

http://esnips.com/doc/ef04c89f-f3a2-473c-beee-6db5bb3dbb0e/LSMW-with-BAPI

For document on using BAPI with LSMW, I suggest you to visit:

http://www.saptechnical.com/Tutorials/LSMW/BAPIinLSMW/BL1.htm

Reward points if useful

Regards

Anji

Re: differences

Former Member — Tue, 08 May 2007 06:56:52 GMT

Hi Vijay,

BDC is the way to transfer data by writing a batch input program which can use either session or call transaction method.

LSMW used to transfer data without/less code.

What type of data we transfer using LSMW?

LSMW is best suited for transferring master data.

Actually BDC and LSMW are not comparable at all.

for example LSMW itself can use BDC as a way of mass data transfer.

BDC is a mass data transfer technique via screen logic of existing SAP Data entry transactions. It behaves as if you are manually making thousand of entires into sap system as a background job. And that is probably the reason why BAPI's are preffered over BDC's.

On the other hand LSMW is a tool to facilitate DATA migration from other legacy systems ... It contains step by step procedure for data migration.

Like Managing Data Migration Projects , Creating Source Structures , Mapping Source structures wid Target structures , etc etc

LSMW internally might well be using the following techniqes for data transfer..

1. IDOX

2. Direct Input / BDC

4. BAPI's

LSMW is an encapsulated data transfer tool. It can provide the same functionality as BDC infact much more but when coming to techinical perspective most the parameters are encapulated. To listout some of the differences :

LSMW is basicaly designed for a fuctional consultant who do not do much coding but need to explore the fuctionality while BDC is designed for a technical consultant.

LSMW offers different techinque for migrating data: Direct input ,BAPI,Idoc,Batch input recording. While bdc basically uses recording.

LSMW mapping is done by SAP while in BDC we have to do it explicitly .

LSMW is basically for standard SAP application while bdc basically for customized application.

Coding can be done flexibly in BDC when compared to LSMW

Re: differences

Former Member — Tue, 08 May 2007 06:57:39 GMT

hi,

Check these threads,

Cheers

Alfred

Re: differences

Former Member — Tue, 08 May 2007 07:00:09 GMT

Hi Vijay,

BAPI

BAPI stands for Business API(Application Program Interface).

A BAPI is remotely enabled function module

ie it can be invoked from remote programs like standalone JAVA programs, web interface etc..

You can make your function module remotely enabled in attributes of Function module but

A BAPI are standard SAP function modules provided by SAP for remote access.

Also they are part of Businees Objest Repository(BOR).

BAPI are RFC enabled function modules. the difference between RFc and BAPI are business objects.

You create business objects and those are then registered in your BOR (Business Object Repository)

which can be accessed outside the SAP system by using some other applications (Non-SAP) such as VB or JAVA.

In this case u only specify the business object and its method from external system

in BAPI there is no direct system call. while RFC are direct system call.

Some BAPIs provide basic functions and can be used for most SAP business object types.

These BAPIs should be implemented the same for all business object types.

Standardized BAPIs are easier to use and prevent users having to deal with a number of different BAPIs.

Whenever possible, a standardized BAPI must be used in preference to an individual BAPI.

List of all BAPIs

http://www.planetsap.com/LIST_ALL_BAPIs.htm

LSMW and BDC are vastly different.

BDC (Batch Data Communication) is a technology used for data transfer. it is meant for transferring data thru SAP transactions itself. when u use BDC for data transfer, the sequence of steps is the same as when u use standard sap transaction screens for data upload. the only difference is that u can use different options for foreground/background processing.

LSMW on the other hand is a tool that helps migrate data from a legacy system (non-sap system ) to SAP system. it offers u various options to use either batch input, direct input, BAPIs or idocs. it involves a series of some 17-18 steps to migrate data.

BDC:

Batch Data Communication (BDC) is the process of transferring data from one SAP System to another SAP system or from a non-SAP system to SAP System.

Features :

BDC is an automatic procedure.

This method is used to transfer large amount of data that is available in electronic medium.

BDC can be used primarily when installing the SAP system and when transferring data from a legacy system (external system).

BDC uses normal transaction codes to transfer data.

Types of BDC :

CLASSICAL BATCH INPUT (Session Method)

CALL TRANSACTION

BATCH INPUT METHOD:

This method is also called as ‘CLASSICAL METHOD’.

Features:

Asynchronous processing.

Synchronous Processing in database update.

Transfer data for more than one transaction.

Batch input processing log will be generated.

During processing, no transaction is started until the previous transaction has been written to the database.

CALL TRANSACTION METHOD :

This is another method to transfer data from the legacy system.

Features:

Synchronous processing. The system performs a database commit immediately before and after the CALL TRANSACTION USING statement.

Updating the database can be either synchronous or asynchronous. The program specifies the update type.

Transfer data for a single transaction.

Transfers data for a sequence of dialog screens.

No batch input processing log is generated.

LSMW:

The LSM Workbench is an R/3-based tool that supports You when transferring data from non-SAP systems ("Legacy Systems") to R/3 once or periodically.

The tool supports conversion of data of the legacy system in a convenient way. The data can then be imported into the R/3 system via batch input, direct input, BAPIs or IDocs.

Furthermore, the LSM Workbench provides a recording function that allows to generate a "data migration object" in an entry or change transaction.

The main advantages of the LSM Workbench:

• Part of R/3 and thus independent of individual platforms

• A variety of technical possibilities of data conversion:

• Data consistency due to standard import techniques:

Batch input

Direct input

BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interfaces)

IDocs (Intermediate Documents)

The import technique to be used in an individual case depends on the business object.

• Generation of the conversion program on the basis of defined rules

• Clear interactive process guide

• Interface for data in spreadsheet format

• Creation of data migration objects on the basis of recorded transactions

• Charge-free for SAP customers and SAP partners

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04s/helpdata/en/87/f3ae74e68111d1b3ff006094b944c8/content.htm

http://www.sap-img.com/sap-data-migration.htm

http://www.scmexpertonline.com/downloads/SCM_LSMW_StepsOnWeb.doc

http://allsaplinks.com/lsmw.html

http://myweb.dal.ca/hchinni/sap/lsmw_home.htm

For BDC:

http://myweb.dal.ca/hchinni/sap/bdc_home.htm

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/wiki?path=/display/home/bdc&;

http://www.sap-img.com/abap/learning-bdc-programming.htm

http://www.sapdevelopment.co.uk/bdc/bdchome.htm

http://www.sap-img.com/abap/difference-between-batch-input-and-call-transaction-in-bdc.htm

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_47x200/helpdata/en/69/c250684ba111d189750000e8322d00/frameset.htm

http://www.sapbrain.com/TUTORIALS/TECHNICAL/BDC_tutorial.html

Reward points if helpful.

Regards,

Hemant

Re: differences

Former Member — Tue, 08 May 2007 09:39:36 GMT

BDC and LSMW are mainly used for one time upload of data from non-sap tp sap system...

BAPI is an interface where it is executed whenever a data is posted..Ex:U consider a website and the data we enter want to be stored in the SAP DB.

Each time a person is entering data it want to affect the SAP DB.BAPI plays its role here only...

LSMW is used when there is no much alterations or conventions and there is a huge amount of data.It can be done by the function gus itself..

Re: differences

Former Member — Tue, 08 May 2007 09:54:57 GMT

hi friend,

next time if u post any query.. make sure that the subject line should be defined clearly i.e u mentioned that 'DIFFERENCES' how the readers know that what difference, mention the sub line as ex. 'difference between bdc,lsmw & bapi' is that clear...........

ok.