SAP ABAP ALE IDoc Interview Questions and Answers[IDoc's]

SAP ABAP ALE IDoc Interview Questions and Answers[IDoc's]

Here, I am sharing the very important ALE/IDoc interview questions faced in several interviews at different MNC companies. I hope these questions will help you to crack any SAP ABAP Interview.

What is an ALE?

ALE stands for Application Link Enabling which links two systems.

ALE is a technology that can enable the exchange of data between two different Systems ( Sap - Sap OR Sap - Non Sap).

ALE architecture has the  3 layers : 

Application layer related to the application data ( SD, MM, FI, or data for any SAP application ). 

The distribution layer decides to whom should the data generated by the application layer has to be distributed

Communication layer responsible for delivering the Idoc to the receiving system and communicates to the receiving system via RFC, File ports, FTP or TCP/IP, etc.

ALE uses IDoc as a vehicle to transfer data between two systems.

What are the Advantages of ALE/IDOCS?

Reduced Data entry errors

Reduced processing time

Availability of data in electronic form

Reduced inventories and better planning

Standard means of communications

Better business process

What is an EDI?

EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange. It related to the electronic exchange of business data in a structured format between two systems. The EDI subsystem generally converts the Idoc data into one of the many EDI formats and generates an EDI file in an X12 format. The middleware then translates the X12 file to an IDOC format and the IDOC is sent to the SAP system.

What are the process types of EDI?

EDI has two processes:

1. Outbound process

2. Inbound process

What happens in the Outbound Process?

1. Application document is created.

2. IDOC is generated

3.Idoc is transferred from SAP to the 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

What happens in the Inbound Process?

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.

What is RFC Destination?

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

What is a Message Control in SAP?

The message control component enables us to encapsulate business rules without having to write ABAP programs.

What are the types of records in SAP ALE Idocs and where is this information stored?

There are three types of records in SAP ALE Idocs:

Control Records: IDoc is stored in standard table EDIDC.

Data Records:      IDoc is stored in standard table EDIDD.

Status Records:   IDoc is stored in standard table EDIDS.

What is Port? What are the types of Ports?

A port is a communication channel through which messages can be sent or received in SAP.

The common port types are the TRFC Port and the File Port.

If both sender and receiver mention TRFC ports, data is exchanged via RFC connections.

If however, a file port is mentioned, the IDOC is written in a flat-file at the specified location at the sender system. Then an FTP transfer should be done from that location to the receiver system or a Middleware that will send the file to the receiver system.

The transaction to maintain ports is WE21.

What is a Message type? 

you will find that a Message type is always associated with an IDoc type. , a Message type is used just to specify the kind of information that a system can send or receive to or from another system.

The link between a message Type and an IDoc type is maintained in Tcode WE82.

What is a partner profile? 

To be able to communicate with a partner via an IDoc interface, each system needs to maintain a partner profile. A partner profile is a mechanism by which the system can specify what kind of messages (message types) it can send or receive.

Partner profiles can be maintained in WE20.

 What is a distribution model in ALE IDocs? 

The distribution model describes how ALE messages flow between different logical systems.

You can mention the sender and receiver logical systems, the message type to be distributed, and also distribute data(IDocs) based on certain conditions by using the distribution model. 

How do you create a custom IDOC?

Creation of Segment Types

Run T-code ‘WE31’ to create segment type

Creation of IDoc type

Run T-code ‘WE30’ to create custom IDoc type

 Creation of logical message types 

Run T-code ‘WE81’ to create logical message types.

Linking Message type and IDoc type.

Run T-Code ‘WE82’. Now we have to link these created IDoc types and Message types.

What is the whole process to send custom IDOC from the source system to the destination system?

Common configurations on both sides:

Creating Logical System Names SALE

Setup RFC destinations SM59

Defining Port Destinations WE21 

In the Source system:

Segment Creation WE31

Basic IDOC Type Creation WE30

Message Type Creation WE81

Assign Message Type To Basic IDOC Type WE82

Distribution Model BD64

Writing Report Program SE38

Partner Profile WE20

Message control NACE

Check IDOCs WE02, WE05

In the Destination System:

Creating FM SE37

Assign FM to Logical Message WE57

Define I/P method for Inbound FM BD51

Create Process Code WE42

Generate Partner Profile BD64 

How can you create a flat-file from IDOC  generated through transaction code WE19 for outbound processing?

Choose the standard outbound processing and send the created IDOC file to your file. Port type file is maintained in transaction codes WE20 and WE21.

 How do I create a Filter group for my message?

To create a filter group, implement transaction codes BD59and BD95.

How do you Search error lines within the IDOC file?

Table EDID4 includes all the header and segment data of an IDOC file. Use transaction code SE16 to data browses the table. Another alternative is to implement transaction code WE09 or WE10. It retrieves IDOC files that match the condition you input (segment, field, and value.).

How do you view the IDOC file status history?

Select the IDOC file with transaction code WE02. Double-click on the IDOC file you wish to display. On the left side, you will have both the IDOC file content (segments) and the status history (successive status values). By clicking on the status, you will receive even more details, such as time and user ID.

What is an Idoc?   

An IDoc (Intermediate Document) is a vehicle that is used to transfer data from one system to another.

IDoc is not a technology of some sort, but it is just a container that holds data. 

It holds data in a structured format i.e. in the Fields of the Segments.

 What is the IDoc Type?  

IDoc Type vs. IDoc: 

An IDoc Type is nothing but a collection of one or more structures defined in a system with specific fields. It does not hold Data.

However, an IDoc is something that holds the values in the fields of the structure defined by the IDOC type. 

The transaction code to view an IDoc type (Basic and extension) is WE30.

Examples: ORDERS04, DEBMAS04, MATMAS04, CREMAS04.

These are all SAP standard Basic IDoc Types. 

What is an IDoc Extension?

You can even have an IDoc extension in which you can use the existing Basic IDoc type and add extra segments and fields to it. Usually, we extend an IDoc when the standard SAP IDoc type is not able to cater to the business process.  

Difference between IDOC and IDOC type?

IDOC type specifies Data Structure and IDOC is the instance based on IDOC type.

what is the structure of IDOC?

IDOC has three type of records:

 1.Control Record -- contains control info ex: receiver port etc

 2. Data record -- Contains IDOC data

 3.Status -- holds IDOC status.

How can debug runtime IDOC?

When it comes to debugging, I believe we can make use of WE19.

How to reprocess error IDOC's?

We can reprocess error IDOC's(status 51) using program RBDAGAIN

Can we send the IDOC to multiple subsystems?

If you are sending one IDoc to more systems, then we have to create one sender logical system and more receiver logical systems in Tcode is SALE. After then we will send In Tcode BD64.

What is the main difference between ALE/IDOC and BAPI?

ALE/IDocs are used for asynchronous information interchange. while BAPIs are used for synchronous information interchange

How do you correct and reprocessing the IDoc?

If we have any error in IDOC then we can edit it by using WE02 Tcode, after that you can reprocess the corrected IDOC by using BD87tcode.

How to reprocess edited IDOC's?

We can reprocess edited IDOC's using the program RBDAGAIE (Se38 program)

What is the difference between SAP memory and ABAP memory?

SAP memory is Global Memory that is available to a user during the entire duration of a terminal session. Its contents are retained across transaction boundaries as well as external and internal sessions.

The contents of the ABAP/4 memory are retained only during the lifetime of an external session.

Suppose I was sent 12 records using outbound in ale/IDoc 10  records are updated in database tables what happens for remaining records that did not show an error in WE02?

We are trying to generate the IDocs with 12 records, and u find only 10 records IDocs created remaining records are missing. We have to check with the filter set up for the records for its receiving partner system logical system. Correct the filters then try regenerating the IDocs(missing records).

 How do you reprocess previously generated IDoc with the same number?

We can use BD87 if you want to reprocess the same IDoc number.

How do you get output from IDOC?

Data in IDOc is stored in segments, the output from Idoc is obtained by reading the data stored in its respective segments.

How do we generate IDOC in SAP?

We can generate IDOC using the function module MASTER_IDOC_DISTRIBUTE

Where are all the IDOCs will be stored after creation?

EDIDC stores control/header record.

EDIDD/EDID4 stores data records.

EDIDS stores status records.

What is an Idoc status?  What are the different types of Idoc statuses?

When an IDoc is sent from one system to another, it goes through various stages. The IDoc status indicates the stage that the Idoc is currently in.

There about 75 IDoc statuses.

0-49 indicates an Outbound IDoc and 50-75 as Inbound IDoc. 

01  IDoc generated

02  Error passing data to port

03  Data passed to port OK

51  Application document not posted

52  Application document not fully posted

53  Application document posted

What is the conversion rule of LAE/IDOC?

Imagine, If both the systems have different configurations then we need to convert the measurements like Unit of measure/Text id that is converting field value from one value to another.

What is the Serialization of IDOC Message type?

IDocs are created, sent, and posted in a specific order. This prevents errors from occurring when inbound IDocs are processed. Interdependent messages can be distributed serially in different ways, as described in the following sections.

Serialization Using Message Types

Serialization Using Business Objects.

What is IDoc Filtration?

The system provides several filter objects for each message type to filter data. We have to choose the appropriate filter for our business needs and add it to our distribution model. 

We can create filter objects for a receiver in Distribution Model View: Tcode BD64.

How do you reprocess error inbound IDocs?

Open the IDOC in error in WE02 Transaction.

Expand the status records, and see which segment is in error.

Replace the error value with the correct value and click on the Save button.

Now go to transaction BD87, enter the IDoc number, and click on execute. It will re-process the IDOC with the modified data and display the success message if there are no errors in the edited data.

Also Read:

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Conclusion

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