bapi

[Former Member]

hi

i have some doubts lie

1)at what situations we go for bapi

2)advantages of bapi over bdc

3)is rfc involved in bapi

4)and giv eme detail steps while we uploading some data using bapi

please help me

[Former Member]

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.

The following standardized BAPIs are provided:

Reading instances of SAP business objects

GetList ( ) With the BAPI GetList you can select a range of object key values, for example, company codes and material numbers.

The BAPI GetList() is a class method.

GetDetail() With the BAPI GetDetail() the details of an instance of a business object type are retrieved and returned to the calling program. The instance is identified via its key. The BAPI GetDetail() is an instance method. BAPIs that can create, change or delete instances of a business object type

The following BAPIs of the same object type have to be programmed so that they can be called several times within one transaction. For example, if, after sales order 1 has been created, a second sales order 2 is created in the same transaction, the second BAPI call must not affect the consistency of the sales order 2. After completing the transaction with a COMMIT WORK, both the orders are saved consistently in the database.

Create( ) and CreateFromData! ( )

The BAPIs Create() and CreateFromData() create an instance of an SAP business object type, for example, a purchase order. These BAPIs are class methods.

Change( )

The BAPI Change() changes an existing instance of an SAP business object type, for example, a purchase order. The BAPI Change () is an instance method.

Delete( ) and Undelete( ) The BAPI Delete() deletes an instance of an SAP business object type from the database or sets a deletion flag.

The BAPI Undelete() removes a deletion flag. These BAPIs are instance methods.

Cancel ( ) Unlike the BAPI Delete(), the BAPI Cancel() cancels an instance of a business object type. The instance to be cancelled remains in the database and an additional instance is created and this is the one that is actually canceled. The Cancel() BAPI is an instance method.

Add<subobject> ( ) and Remove<subobject> ( ) The BAPI Add<subobject> adds a subobject to an existing object inst! ance and the BAPI and Remove<subobject> removes a subobject from an object instance. These BAPIs are instance methods.

To develop a new custom ALE scenario, comprises 5 steps:

1. Design and develop the custom IDoc with it’s segments and a new message type

2. Configure the ALE environment with the new IDoc and message type (customer model,

partner profiles and linking IDoc to message type)

3. Develop the outbound process which does the following:

Populates the custom IDoc with control info and functional data

Sends the IDoc to the ALE layer for distribution

Updates status and handles errors

4. Configure the ALE inbound side (partner profiles with inbound process code)

5. Develop the inbound process which does the following:

Reads the IDoc into a BDC table; selects other data that is required

Runs transaction using call transaction or BDC session

Updates status and handles errors

Regards,

Santosh

[Former Member]

Hi,

In case of bdc data transfer takes place from flat file into sap system ie the file existing in sap system to sap sytem

where is bapi's r remotly enabled function modules which are assigned to some business objects n used to transfer the data between different business partners who are using different systems other than sap.

when you plan to upgrade your system version then bdc willnot support those upgradations where as bapi's will support.

Please refer to this link

/thread/400145 [original link is broken]

BAPI is used only when it is available for the particular transaction like Delivery Sales order. but BDC can be used for any transaction which have screen and fields.

BAPI is directly updated the database instead BDC run through the screen flow.

So BAPI can't handle all the flow logic checking and enhancement put by programmer to faciliate the user requirement.

BAPI is a higher end usage for tranfering the data from SAP to non-SAP and vice-versa. for ex: if we are using VB application,where in that we want to connect to SAP and retireve the data,and then change and update the data in SAP for that purpose we can use that.

Apart from that, we can also use it for Uploading/Downloading the data from SAP to Non-SAP like BDC, provided we have an existing BAPI for that.

BAPI function modules will also do all the checks required for data integrity like Transactions for BDC.

There is one more advantage using BAPI instead of BDC. When we go for upgradation, there might be pozzibility to change the screen elements for transactions depending on the requirement. In that case,our BDC pgm may or may not work (depending on the screen changes they have made). Unless and until we prepare new BDC we cant use the old BDC pgm. But in BAPI, SAP promises that they are going to keep the old BAPI and for new functionality they will provide an upgraded BAPI. Until we write a new BAPI pgm, we can use the exisitng BAPI pgm.

'

Regards

Kiran