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Connect SAP via OData (S/4HANA)

This use case describes how to check documents out from SAP and reply the job status back to SAP via OData. This is an alternative to RFC, refer to SAP_COMM_TECHNOLOGY. OData communication requires SAP S/4HANA.

seal-dpf-workingunit-hdm-checkout and seal-dpf-workingunit-odata-notify are DPF working units, part of the DPF included in PLOSSYS Distribution Engine, refer to Architecture Overview. The workflow integration itself, switching to these services when SAP_COMM_TECHNOLOGY = ODATA, is DIST-NGN-specific, refer to Activate OData Communication in SAP.

Prerequisites

  • PLOSSYS Distribution Engine 2.2.0 or later.
  • SAP S/4HANA.
  • SAP DDD 1.6.0 or later, refer to SAP_COMM_TECHNOLOGY.
  • seal-dpf-workingunit-hdm-checkout installed as part of DPF, for the check-out.
  • seal-dpf-workingunit-odata-notify installed as part of DPF, for the member- or job-based notification via OData.

  • The SAP system reachable via two OData services: API_CV_ATTACHMENT_SRV for check-out and /SEAL/BAS_OD_USRFCT_SRV for the reply.

    Hint - activating these services in SAP

    Activating these OData services in SAP is outside PLOSSYS Distribution Engine. Refer to the SAP Document Distribution Director documentation (https://www.sealsystems.de/fileadmin/mediaFiles/OtherFiles/Downloads/Doku/ddd_tec_en.pdf).

Activate OData Communication in SAP

Set SAP_COMM_TECHNOLOGY to ODATA for the output system in SAP, in table /dvsrepro/plsy.

PLOSSYS Distribution Engine then does this per job:

  • During Retrieve, WantSapCheckout = Y switches to seal-dpf-workingunit-hdm-checkout for the check-out, instead of the RFC check-out.
  • During Notify, WantNotify = Y and WantNotifySap = Y switch to seal-dpf-workingunit-odata-notify for the reply, instead of the RFC reply.

Hint - defaults

WantSapCheckout, WantNotify, and WantNotifySap default to Y. A job only needs to set SAP_COMM_TECHNOLOGY to switch technology.

Both keys read SAP_COMM_TECHNOLOGY from the job's JOBINFO section. RFC is used for any other value, or if the SAP system does not transmit the parameter at all.

Configure the Working Unit Services

seal-dpf-workingunit-hdm-checkout and seal-dpf-workingunit-odata-notify are DPF services, configured entirely at the DPF level. Refer to HDM Interface (OData) for the SAP connection and service configuration.

Select the Reply Granularity

SAP_REPLY_MODE controls whether the reply is member-based or for the whole job.

  • JOB: one reply for the whole job. Default. Works for both RFC and OData.
  • OMS: one reply per document. seal-dpf-workingunit-odata-notify builds it from PLS_SRCAPPL, for the spool ID of each document. Only implemented for OData, not for RFC.

Validate

  1. Set SAP_COMM_TECHNOLOGY = ODATA for a test SAP order type.

  2. Trigger a job in SAP for that order type.

  3. Check that seal-dpf-workingunit-hdm-checkout checked the documents out, refer to the DPF Tracker.

  4. Check that seal-dpf-workingunit-odata-notify sends the reply to SAP, and that the job status updates in SAP.

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