Send XL to SAP using iRPA + OData

[shivamshukla12]

Hi ,

Let's see how you can automate your processes easily by leveraging the powerful iRPA and a very strong backend technology like SAP OData.

 

Problem Statement:

• Send your Excel data to SAP System - Just Store it somewhere in custom table Simple

 

Solution Proposed:

• Develop one RPA bot and integrate OData Endpoint and Make a POST Call to Update/Insert/Modify Information in SAP System.

 

• Once your data is in SAP system you will get the chance to play and process your information based on the need -> Here I am trying to explain the possibility of integration and development with iRPA and OData

 

A Simple Architecture:

Architecture

 

• Upload your excel file from desktop to iRPA


• Collect your data in some variable


• Make a POST call to backend SAP System and Update your custom table

 

Let's start...

 

• Get your excel ready with 4-5 Simple columns

         

 

• Create a new project upload_excel in Cloud Studio of RPA and create new automation for your project

 

Add following Activities one by in RPA Automation

 

1. Open File Dialog - It will be used to open the excel file from your machine


2. Add username & password in input parameters of automation


3. Encode String : In this activity encode your credentials ( We will use them during service call )


4. Custom Script : Add one input parameter name it as Credentials type string / One Output parameter name it as Token                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Note: We will Add the Service call later - Let's finish the RPA Piece first


5. Open Excel Instance : Just drag and drop this activity.


6. Excel cloud link: Drag and drop this activity and make few changes - Drag and drop your excel file here and create form data for your columns - Just add all the columns in form data - this will be your schema for the data which you are trying to upload through your sheet.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Map the path with workbook path from previous step                                                                                                                                                           


7. Log Message:  Display Excel return values using Log Message activity for confirmation if this is working fine .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Data looks good here 🙂                                                                                                       


8. Lets create one backend OData Service which take same structure as we have excel data and make a post call to the service to update this information in backend.


9. I assume you have services ready for your data - Now this is the time to call 2 services first one is to get x-csrf-token second to post your data


10. Release excel instance: Add this activity to release excel instance


11. Custom Script: Add custom script and name it POST_DATA for posting excel data to SAP

 

Fetch Token

async function fetchToken() {

    const token = {          

        resolveBodyOnly : false,

        method: 'GET',

        url: 'your Odata Service URL',

        headers: {

            'Accept' : 'application/json',

            'Content-Type': 'application/json',

            'Authorization' : 'Basic ' + credentials,

            'x-csrf-token': 'fetch'

        }

    };

    try {

        const response = await irpa_core.request.call(token);

        return response;   

    } catch (error) {

        const csrfToken = error.response;

        return error;

    }

}

let response = await fetchToken();

return response.headers['x-csrf-token'];

 

POST CALL

• Everything will be same as GET -  Make this small change - Add body for your Data .
  

  body:JSON.stringify(myObject)​

  
  

We got the token here now move to next call - POST Call - Your post call should look like this.

Execute your RPA Script and hope you will get the Data in backend like this -

 

Notes:

• Few things to notice - once we get the data in backend -  you can insert this into your custom table of anything do whatever is required


• Make your OData Service -  Make sure to follow the column naming convention - As it is


• In RPA -  Add your User Name and Password which will be used in your service calls

 

RPA Should Look like this:

 

In the end -  Keep things simple 🙂

 

Your feedback / Suggestions /  Question-Comments are most welcome 🙂

 

Thanks,

Shivam