BAPI Vs API in S4Hana Cloud

[#1]

Hi All,

Our client have some existing interfaces integrating S4 Hana with other systems using custom BAPI in S4 Hana. Now the 3rd party middleware will be replaced by Cloud Integration of Integration Suite. Due to tight timeline, we prefer to reuse the existing BAPIs(exposed as SOAP or OData service). At the same time, want to explore the standard APIs available in S4 Hana.

what will be advantage and disadvantage of API over BAPI in this case?

Regards,

P Kumar

[PiotrRadzki · Accepted solution]

Of course there is a difference, with standard SOAP API's and ODATA API's you will get updates and new fields coming in with each release or version (depending if we are talking about S/4 HANA on-premise or S/4 HANA Cloud version). Many of your custom BAPI's are most probably calling standard BAPI's or FM's down the road with additional data enrichement so you should be able to find a proper replacement in API Business Hub.

Apart from this you will get proper monitoring capabilities and error handling, you will also decouple you interface from backend coding and integrate through proper integration/API layer.

You will be still able to implement your custom enhancement for example if you use SOAP API's you can extend it with custom fields and logic in BADI implementation.

I would definitely suggest going for API-led approach, especially use now the opportunity of moving to SAP Integration Suite as your iPaaS, you can also try to check if Events will bring any value in your scenarios.

Please also check my blog about options to move away from IDOC scenarios: SAP Cloud Integration: move away from those IDOC messages! | SAP Blogs

BR, Piotr

[manfred_reinart]

Good Morning,

as long as you stick to custom developments for whatever reasons I do not see much of a difference - besides the fact that the whole setup will be monitorable with less effort if you use homogeneous technology for the integrations.

As you mentioned yourself - with tight timelines - you might want to change only one end at a time (the 3rd party middleware) - unless you can determine that the scope of the now custom "BAPIs" can be covered with standard delivered (B)APIs.

Best regards, Manfred