ale/edi differences

[Former Member]

plz tell me the differences between ale and edi

[Former Member]

Hi,

ALE: used to trnasfer IDOC with in the R3distributed system.

EDI: used to transfer IDOC from R3system to nonsap system

IDOCS:

IDOCS are intermediary documents which are like CARRIERS of the data

IDOCs are safe to transfer data, but less volume of data. User is not allowed to access (modify) the data like PSA. IDOCs have 3 parts.

1. Control Record - SOURCE & TARGET details,

EDI

EDI concept in SD: the EDI concept is intended to realize the sales and distribution process completely automatically with the help of electronical documents. These documents are sent from one customer to another, are processed mostly on the background and give a possibility to realize the sales process extremely efficiently.

While IDocs have to be understood as a data exchange protocol, EDI and ALE

are typical use cases for IDocs. R/3 uses IDocs for both EDI and ALE to

deliver data to the receiving system.

check these links also

http://expertanswercenter.techtarget.com/eac/knowledgebaseAnswer/0,295199,sid63_gci983331,00.html

http://searchsap.techtarget.com/loginMembersOnly/1,289498,sid21_gci879631,00.html?NextURL=http%3A//s...

http://sapabap.iespana.es/sapabap/sap/faq/ale_idocs_bapi.htm

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Thanks.

[Former Member]

hi,

can we use edi to exchange information with more than 2 systems

[Former Member]

Hi

We use EDI mostly to send information to external partners like Customers, Vendors

We use sending the PO's and SO's info to them

So it is for External Partners

Where as ALE we use with in the same orgn to exchange the data between the dept departments(application Servers)

EDI needs a EDI sub system which is a 3rd party system to receive the data.

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Regards

Anji

[Former Member]

hi,

Refer to these related thread

Regards,

Santosh

[Former Member]

Hi,

The basic difference with ALE and EDI is ALE used for internal communications and EDI is meant for external communications.

Since ALE uses an IDOC format to exchange data between systems, both participating systems should understand the IDOC format.

In other words ALE normally used to distribute the master data (Ex: Material Master, Vendor Master) with in a company when you are maintain the distributed environment.

For example data transfer between a SAP R/3 and SAP APO where the data transfer is implemented using ALE technology.

EDI is for exchanging transaction data (Purchase order, Delivery) between two different business partners.EDI is all about the standards (Ex: ANSI X12, EDIFACT) you have to follow when you are transferring business documents.

Technically speaking, ALE transfers the data using memory buffers whereas EDI uses file port to transfer the data.

With EDI technology you always need a translator to convert the IDOC to X12 (Outbound), X12 to IDOC (Inbound).But with ALE you don’t need a translator.

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Regards

[Former Member]

can we use edi for more than 2 systems

[Former Member]

Hi,

Both are interfaces

But both having some difference

Ale it will move the records to memory to memory

EDI it will move the rocords to flat file to flat file

Ale not require the connecting one more server

eDI requires EDI Interface

ALE is SAP to non sap or ssp data transfer

EDI SAP to non SAP datatransfer

Regards,

Nandha

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