EDI

[Former Member]

What is EDI? What are the steps involved in it?

[Former Member]

HI Tanuj,

Difference Between EDI and IDOC

EDI is nothing but Electronic data interchange. SAP will support EDI through Intermediate documents (IDOCS).

EDI (Electronic Document interchange) - EDI is the electronic exchange of business documents between the computer systems of business partners, using a standard format over a communication network.

EDI is also called paperless exchange.

Advantages:

Reduced Data entry errors

Reduced processing time

Availabilty of data in electonic form

Reduced paperwork

Reduced Cost

Reduced inventories and better planning

Standard means of communications

Better business process

EDI has two process

1. Outbound process

2. Inbound process

OP:

1.Application document is created.

2.IDOC is generated

3.IDoc is transferred from SAP to Operating system layer

4.Idoc is converted into EDI standards

5.Edi document is transmitted to the business partner

6.The Edi Subsystem report status to SAP

IP:

1.EDI transmission received

2.EDI document is converted into an IDOC

3.IDOC is transferred to the SAP layer

4.The application document is created

5.The application document can be viewed.

IDOC:

IDOC is a container that can be used to exchange data between any two process.

Each iDoc is assigned a unique number for tracking and future reference.

iDoc Consist of several segments,and segments contain several fields.

iDoc contains the following three type of records...

1.One Control Record.

2.One or many Data Record

3.One or many Status record.

PORT:

Port is used in the outbound process to determine the name of the EDI subsystem program,the directory path where the idoc file will be created at the operating system level,the idoc file names and the rfc desinations.

RFC Destination:

Used to define the characteristics of communication links to a remote system on which a functions needs to be executed.

Partner Profile:

Partner profile specified the various componets used in an outbound process ( Partner number,IDoc type,message type,Port,Process code),the mode in which it communicates with the subsystem(batch or immediate) and the person to be notified in case of errors.

Message Control

Used in pricing,account determination,material determination,and output determination.The message control component enables you to encapsulate business rules with out having to write abap programs.

Process:

Setup RFC destinations SM59

Port Destinations WE21

Partner Profile WE20

Message control NACE

Purchase Order ME21

Check IDOCs WE02,WE05

Explain to me about Idoc?

IDoc (for intermediate document) is a standard data structure for electronic data interchange (EDI) between application programs written for the popular SAP business system or between an SAP application and an external program. IDocs serve as the vehicle for data transfer in SAP's Application Link Enabling (ALE) system.

IDocs are used for asynchronous transactions: Each IDoc generated exists as a self-contained text file that can then be transmitted to the requesting workstation without connecting to the central database.

Another SAP mechanism, the Business Application Programming Interface (BAPI) is used for synchronous transactions.

A large enterprise's networked computing environment is likely to connect many geographically distributed computers to the main database. These computers are likely to use different hardware and/or operating system platforms. An IDoc encapsulates data so that it can be exchanged between different systems without conversion from one format to another.

IDoc types define different categories of data, such as purchase orders or invoices, which may then be broken down into more specific categories called message types. Greater specificity means that an IDoc type is capable of storing only the data required for a particular transaction, which increases efficiency and decreases resource demands.

An IDoc can be generated at any point in a transaction process. For example, during a shipping transaction process, an IDoc may be generated that includes the data fields required to print a shipping manifest. After a user performs an SAP transaction, one or more IDocs are generated in the sending database and passed to the ALE communication layer. The communication

layer performs a Remote Function Call (RFC), using the port definition and RFC destination specified by the customer model.

The IDoc is transmitted to the receiver, which may be an R/3, R/2, or some external system

Regards,

Points if helpful,

Phani.

[Former Member]

Hi,

Electronic Data Interchange

Cross-company exchange of electronic data (for example business documents) between domestic and international business partners who use a variety of hardware, software, and communication services. The data involved is formatted according to predefined standards. In addition to this, SAP ALE technology is available for data exchange within a company.

Refer

http://www.erpgenie.com/sapedi/index.htm

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/72/c18ee5546a11d182cc0000e829fbfe/frameset.htm

https://www.2020software.com/products/Fourth_Shift_Edition_for_SAP_Business_One_Electronic_Data_Inte...

http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/SoftwareandWebDevelopment/SoftwareDevelopmentTools/ElectronicData+Interchange/

http://www.erpgenie.com/sapedi/index.htm

http://www.kostal.com/english/downloads/EDI_AGB_eng.pdfd

EDI FLOW :

Here is some thing which helps you and here the purchase order is taken as example too..

Electronic Data Interchange, or EDI, is the electronic exchange of business data. Using a standard format, EDI provides a method of transmitting business data from one computer to another, without the need to re-key data. This electronic link can result in more effective business transactions. With EDI, paper documents such as invoices can be replaced with electronic transmissions, thus time is saved, and the potential for error is minimized. Data can be exchanged at any time. Related business expenses, such as postage, printing, phone calls, and handling, can also be significantly reduced. EDI can aid in the support of manufacturing efforts, such as Just-in-Time and Third Party Warehousing, and financial efforts, such as Electronic Payments.

What parts of the business cycle can be supported by EDI?

Any business documents that are currently exchanged using paper can be converted to an EDI. Standards. Standards include ANSI X12 and XML/EDI are primarily used in the United States, while EDIFACT is used in Europe and Asia.

How does EDI get started?

EDI gets started when one company contacts another expressing interest in trading business documents electronically using Electronic Data Interchange. The two companies must first determine each other's EDI capabilities. If you do not already know your EDI capabilities, we have prepared a questionnaire to help you determine them. If you are already EDI capable, we will coordinate with your technical staff to determine a testing plan. Upon completion of testing the EDI documents, the appropriate business personnel will set a production start date to begin the exchange of EDI business data. If you are not EDI capable, we recommend you first obtain a commitment from your upper management. Your company will need to allocate resources and capital for software, hardware, testing, possible programming, and training.

What is the flow of EDI?

The flow of EDI depends on the sophistication of your systems and your EDI software. If you have internal purchasing/order entry systems, you will need interface programs that can extract and insert data out of and into these systems. EDI programs that interface with your internal systems are preferred over software that requires re-keying of data. Embassy Software specializes in seemless interface between EDI and your back office systems. Using a purchase order as an example of a business document your customer would send that PO electronically (850) to you. It could be sent either through a VAN (Value Added Network) or through an FTP server. You would take that 850 and convert it either into and ODBC database, a flat file or XML document to be imported into your Order System with the use of EDI Software such as PassportXchange.. Using EDI communication software, which is part of the PassportXchange package you would pull down data at set intervals from the VAN or FTP. These documents are then processed through EDI translation software and output to our order entry system. Finally, an EDI document called a functional acknowledgment (997) is sent to your customer.

Regards,

Raj.

[Former Member]

Hi,

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a set of standards for structuring information to be electronically exchanged between and within businesses, organizations, government entities and other groups. The standards describe structures that emulate documents, for example purchase orders to automate purchasing. The term EDI is also used to refer to the implementation and operation of systems and processes for creating, transmitting, and receiving EDI documents.

Despite being relatively unheralded, in this era of technologies such as XML services, the Internet and the World Wide Web, EDI is still the data format used by the vast majority of electronic commerce transactions in the world.

EDI testing is to test the EDI transmissions and validate the accuracy and consistency of data mapping between the sender, translator/middleware (if any) and receiver systems.

Check the following link:

http://www.sapbrainsonline.com/TUTORIALS/TECHNICAL/EDI_tutorial.html

Regards

Kiran Sure

[Former Member]

Have a look at below link:

[EDI |http://help.sap.com/printdocu/core/Print46c/en/data/pdf/BCSRVEDI/CAEDI.pdf]

I hope it helps.

Thanks,

Vibha

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