User Guide PUBLIC

SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0

Document Version: 1.0 – 2017-09-29

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Framework
Content

1 SAP Application Interface Framework. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2 Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3 Changes and New Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

3.1 Interface Monitor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2 Error Handling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.3 Value Mapping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3.4 SAP Solution Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3.5 Role Templates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.6 Business Rules Framework Plus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.7 Analyzer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.8 Automatic Reprocessing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.9 Process Observer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.10 SAP HANA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.11 Serialization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.12 Workflow Event Trigger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.13 System Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.14 Technology Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.15 Interface Test Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

4 Software Components for SAP Application Interface Framework. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

5 SAP Application Interface Framework for Business Users. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

5.1 Interface Monitor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Message Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Details and Processor Assignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
5.2 Error Handling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Selection Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Main Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Custom Objects Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Technology Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
5.3 Value Mapping Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

6 SAP Application Interface Framework for IT Personnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

6.1 Initial System Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Defining Error Handling Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Defining Trace Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

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6.2 Configuration of Security and Authorizations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Authorization Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Role Templates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Set Up Interface-Specific and Key Field-Specific Authorizations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Considerations about Data Protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
6.3 Set Up Monitoring and Error Handling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Analyzer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Interface Determination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Defining Recipients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Assigning Users to Recipients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Automatic Reprocessing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Process Observer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Custom Objects Administration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Parameter Transactions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
6.4 Monitoring in the SAP Solution Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
6.5 Serialization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
6.6 Workflow Event Trigger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
6.7 Operations for SAP Application Interface Framework. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Data Archiving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Performance Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Index Table Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Interface Objects Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Application Log Content. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Error Handling Changes Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Data Correction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Generation and Display of Snapshots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
6.8 Technology Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Engine Factory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Proxies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
IDoc Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Error and Conflict Handler Integration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Persistence Layer and Runtime. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
File Adapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
tRFC and qRFC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
OData Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165
Core Interface Post-Processing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Batch Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Cross Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
6.9 Interface Test Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Test Automation with Extended CATT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180

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Content PUBLIC 3
1 SAP Application Interface Framework

Product Information

Table 1:

Product SAP Application Interface Framework

Release 3.0

Based On SAP NetWeaver

Last Documentation Update September 2017 (Support Package 07)

Use

The SAP Application Interface Framework enables you to develop and monitor interfaces as well as execute
error handling in a single framework residing in your SAP back end system.

Possible sources of demand for the SAP Application Interface Framework are:

● You have a complex, heterogeneous system landscape using the SAP NetWeaver PI
● You want to decouple technical and business aspects of your interfaces, thus enabling business users to
perform error handling
● You experience difficulties in enforcing interface implementation guidelines

To achieve the goal of reducing the time and costs for implementing and maintaining interfaces, the SAP
Application Interface Framework enables you to:

● Do functional instead of technical monitoring

● Enhance data quality as a result of business users' ability to correct errors within related applications
● Restrict interface data and error monitor access by flexible authorization rules
● Enforce interface implementation guidelines
● Perform mass error handling

Features

The SAP Application Interface Framework provides you with the following functions:

● For business users:

○ Automatic alerts that notify business users to errors
○ User-friendly transactions for interface monitoring, error handling, and the correction of errors directly
from within the application system

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 ○ Both SAP GUI and Web-based user interfaces
○ Use of a single tool for monitoring and handling of messages regardless of the interface technology
involved
For more information about the SAP Application Interface Framework functions, for example, interface
monitoring and error handling, see SAP Application Interface Framework for Business Users [page 29].

● For IT personnel:
○ A powerful framework for the implementation of interfaces
○ A customizable interface framework for the generation and reuse of interface building blocks over
multiple interfaces
○ Flexible authorization rules to restrict access to data and to monitoring and error handling
○ Tools for system configuration and operation
○ Monitors interfaces with different interface technologies, for example, ABAP proxies and IDocs
For more information, see SAP Application Interface Framework for IT Personnel [page 61].

Implementation Considerations

The SAP Application Interface Framework is based on SAP NetWeaver technology. You can implement the SAP
Application Interface Framework as an add-on based on SAP NetWeaver.

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Integration

Figure 1: System Landscape

As is shown in the system landscape graphic above, the integration scenario for the SAP Application Interface
Framework involves at least a legacy system and an SAP back end system that contains the SAP Application
Interface Framework.

In your business processes, the legacy system can act as a sender or receiver of data. The SAP Application
Interface Framework supports business users in monitoring interfaces with different interface technologies, for
example, ABAP proxies and IDocs. In one scenario, for example, the legacy system exchanges data first with
the NetWeaver PI, which acts as a data broker. In another scenario, the legacy system exchanges data in the
form of IDocs with the SAP back end system.

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 Figure 2: System Architecture

The system architecture graphic above shows the SAP Application Interface Framework in detail in the SAP
application system. Data is exchanged, for example, with IDocs or between the SAP NetWeaver PI and the
Proxy Framework in the SAP application system. The SAP Application Interface Framework uses structure
mapping and value mapping to map the data from the source structure to the destination structure. Checks
are used to verify the validity of the data. Actions handle the execution of your business processes in the SAP
application system by calling standard functions, customer functions, or BAPIs. These processing blocks
contain the actual business transaction logic and can access the data in the SAP standard.

Errors that occur while processing a message in the SAP Application Interface Framework, for example, if a
check does not succeed or if a value mapping fails, are written to the application log. Application log messages
are loaded into the Monitoring and Error Handling transaction and support the authorized business user in
solving errors. Additionally, you can configure the system to send alerts to users, if certain errors occur during
message processing.

Activities

There are the following ways to access the menu of the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● SAP GUI (SAP NetWeaver 7.0)

○ Use transaction code /AIF/
Only the SAP Application Interface Framework menu is displayed.
○ In the SAP Easy Access menu, choose Cross Application Components SAP Application Interface
Framework .
● Web-based UI (SAP NetWeaver 7.31)
In the SAP Easy Access menu, choose Cross Application Components SAP Application Interface
Framework Monitoring and Error Handling (Web) .

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There are the following ways to access Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Use transaction code /AIF/CUST

Only Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework is displayed.
● In the SAP Easy Access menu, choose Cross Application Components SAP Application Interface
Framework Administration Configuration Customizing .

More Information

For more information about system integration scenarios, see Software Components for SAP Application
Interface Framework [page 28].

For more information about the technologies supported by the SAP Application Interface Framework, see
Technology Support [page 130].

For more information about individual Customizing activities, for example, Define Interfaces and Define Actions,
see the corresponding documentation in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework.

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2 Glossary

Table 2:

Term Definition

action An interface building block that handles the execution of the interface logic in the SAP application
system by calling standard functions, customer functions, or BAPIs.

AIF runtime The runtime environment of the SAP Application Interface Framework that enables the scheduling
of runs and packets for message processing. A runtime configuration group allows you to config-
ure the processing of a set of messages.

application engine A class that is responsible for handling the application-specific parts of a data message which dif­
fers for different interface technologies. For example, it is responsible for restarting and canceling
data messages. In addition, it connects the Monitoring and Error Handling transaction with the
other engines.

custom function A hotspot to call a transaction, a report, or a URL for one or more log messages.

data message A message that is transferred between systems and that carries the actual business content.

default recipient A type of recipient who receives alerts for an interface, regardless of the alert settings, if the sys­
tem cannot find any other recipient to notify.

Note
Superordinate term: recipient

enabler A class that lets you use your standard processing and not have to use the SAP Application Inter­
face Framework for processing; Use the enabler to write SAP Application Interface Framework-
specific data for a message to the data storage of the SAP Application Interface Framework so
that the SAP Application Interface Framework can monitor and display data.

fallback recipient A type of recipient who receives alerts when the alert settings mean that the specific recipient is
not notified.

Note
Superordinate term: recipient

field mapping The process of mapping the value or values of up to five fields of a source structure to the value of
a single field of a destination structure.

file adapter A support for the upload of files to the SAP Application Interface Framework. The content of the
file is then processed in the AIF runtime and can be monitored in Monitoring and Error Handling.

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Term Definition

fix value An attribute used in structure mappings to assign a constant value to a field in the destination
structure. Fix values that are assigned to a namespace can be reused in different structure map­
pings.

hierarchy mapping A structure mapping that is nested over multiple levels of a structure. An example is a table that
includes a table: The mapping for the first table is done on the first level, while the mapping for the
second table is done on a subordinated level.

interface The connecting point between the application data and data in an external format.

An interface consists of one or more of the following reusable building blocks:

● Value mappings
● Fix values
● Checks
● Actions

interface determina­ A class that is responsible for determining the correct SAP Application Interface Framework inter­
tion engine face. Interface determination depends on the interface technology that is used.

Interface Monitor A transaction that provides personalized access to interface monitoring and error handling.

interface variant An option used to change the behavior of an interface.

Interface variants are used for specific data messages where some adaptations to the interface
processing logic are required.

log message A message that is displayed in the application log. Log messages can be error, warning, success,
or information messages that are saved during data message processing.

logging engine A class that is responsible for retrieving the log messages data for monitoring and error handling.

message category A group of log messages. A message category can be created to group log messages of interest to
a certain user group. During recipient determination, the message category can be used to notify
the user group when log messages of interest to them occur during processing.

namespace A concept used for the logical structuring of objects, for example, interfaces and interface building
blocks.

payload The content (business data) of a message.

persistence engine A class that is used to handle the content a data message transfers. It is responsible for everything
that is related to the persistence layer of a data message, for example, retrieving and updating
message content.

playback function A function module that is generated based on an RFC enabled function module. The playback
function is used during data transfer to retrieve the data from the LUW/queue for tRFC/qRFC calls
that are struck.

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 Term Definition

processor A user responsible for following up and solving a certain error message. Users can assign process­
ors directly to detailed error messages and track the error-solving progress using statuses and
comments.

raw data structure The structure used for communication with external systems.

In structure mapping, the raw data structure is the source structure for inbound interfaces and the
destination structure for outbound interfaces.

recipient An entity that defines which messages a user or a group of users is responsible for. The recipient
defines in which cases the users assigned to it receive an alert and see messages in the Interface
Monitor. The messages are assigned to recipients by interfaces, by message categories, by key
field values, or a combination of message categories and key field values.

record type The characterization of information in the record type screen of the error handling transaction of
the SAP Application Interface Framework. The record types are used to display the multilevel ob­
ject structure of the interface data to select the data level to be displayed in the source data
screen.

reprocessing action A configuration name for automatic reprocessing. The configuration contains a function module
and a runtime configuration group and defines how a message should be reprocessed automati­
cally.

runtime configuration A configuration that defines the processing of a set of messages by the SAP AIF runtime environ­
group ment.

runtime queue The set of messages to be processed by the SAP AIF runtime environment.

SAP Application Inter­ A tool for the implementation of interfaces between SAP systems and external systems. It pro­
face Framework vides business users with the functionality of interface monitoring and error handling.

SAP data structure The structure used to process data in the application system.

In structure mapping, the SAP data structure is the destination structure for inbound interfaces
and the source structure for outbound interfaces.

selection engine A class that is responsible for selecting the data messages for Monitoring and Error Handling.

selection set The definition of which data is selected during data transfer for tRFC, qRFC, CIF post-processing,
and batch input.

serialization object A technical representation of a business object, where the messages have to be processed in the
correct order. A serialization object consists of a namespace and a serial object name.

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Glossary PUBLIC 11
 Term Definition

serialization type A setting that specifies how messages are serialized. The following serialization types are availa­
ble:

● External index
● Timestamp
● Internal timestamp
● No serialization

specific recipient A type of recipient who receives alerts for messages for one or more specific interfaces, message
categories, key field values, or a combination of message categories and key field values.

Note
Superordinate term: recipient

standard recipient A type of recipient who receives alerts for all messages for one or more specific interfaces inde­
pendent of message categories or key field values.

Note
Superordinate term: recipient

structure mapping The process of mapping the data of a source structure to a destination structure.

structured persistence A persistence layer in the SAP Application Interface Framework that enables the storage of inter­
face messages for different purposes. The structured persistence stores messages in database ta­
bles representing the structure of the interface.

trace level An option for defining the level of detail for tracing the steps that the system performs when proc­
essing data messages.

tracking variant A template for analyzing the performance of SAP Application Interface Framework interfaces that
is used for selected interfaces, users, or time ranges.

value mapping The process of mapping at field value level between up to five source values and a particular desti­
nation value.

variant mapping The process of defining alternative value mappings, actions, structure mappings, and fix values
that are used in an interface variant.

XML persistence A persistence layer in the SAP Application Interface Framework that enables the storage of inter­
face messages for different purposes. The XML persistence stores messages as strings represent­
ing the XML structure of the interface.

batch data communi­ Batch data communication (BDC) is also referred to as batch input.
cation (BDC)

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 Term Definition

batch input Data transfer technology that allows data sets to be passed in an automated way to dynpros
called by transactions, and thus to AS ABAP. Batch input is controlled by batch input sessions.

batch input session Contains all necessary information and data for data transfer using batch input, namely summary
of a sequence of transaction calls including the input data and user actions.

A batch input session can be used to execute dialog transactions in batch input, where some or all
of the screens are processed by the session. Batch input sessions are stored in the database as
database tables and can be used within a program as internal tables when calling transactions.

A batch input session (BI session) is created using a BI program. This BI session must then be
processed using the batch input monitor.

Core Interface (CIF) Interface for data transfer between an ERP system (SAP R/3 or SAP ERP) and a connected SCM
system (such as SAP Advanced Planning and Optimization (SAP APO) or SAP Supply Network
Collaboration (SAP SNC)). The basis for the data transfer is the integration model on the ERP
side.

eCATT eCATT is the abbreviation for “Extended Computer Aided Test Tool”. It is a tool to perform auto­
matic test cases.

Error and Conflict Han­ The Error and Conflict Handler supports forward resolution of asynchronous messages. It enables
dler clients to register errors and creates post processing orders accordingly.

Logical Unit of Work Inseparable sequence of database operations that must be executed either in its entirety by a da­
tabase commit, or not at all.

qRFC An enhancement of transaction remote function call that lets you define the order of the calls.

Service Implementa­ A tool for automatic or semi-automatic generation of the implementation of Enterprise Services. It
tion Workbench facilitates and accelerates the creation of uniform and standardized service implementations by
usage of code generation techniques.

tRFC A remote function call that flags the remote function to be executed and starts it with a COMMIT
WORK.

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

Glossary PUBLIC 13
3 Changes and New Features

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0 or that have been
made available with a Support Package for SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0.

3.1 Interface Monitor

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in the
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to the Interface Monitor.

Table 3:

Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information

Package (SP)

E-mail notification New For both a SAP GUI Interface Monitor

and a Web-based user [page 31]
interface, you can
manage e-mail notifi-
cation for alerts.

Status alert manage­ New For both a SAP GUI Interface Monitor
ment and a Web-based user [page 31]
interface, you can
manage the status of
alerts.

Details and Processor New SP05 From the Message Details and Processor
Assignment Summary, you can go Assignment [page 35]
into more message de­
tails, assign process­
ors and track the prog­
ress of error solving.

Last data transfer New SP05 You can get summary ● Interface Monitor
or detailed information [page 31]
about the last data ● Main Screen
transfer job for interfa­ [page 39]
ces.

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14 PUBLIC Changes and New Features
 Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information
Package (SP)

Calendar highlighting Changed SP06 For technical users, Interface Monitor

also past days are red [page 31]
for which there are
messages in process.
The current day is yel­
low, if there are mes­
sages in process.

My messages New SP06 From the Interface Interface Monitor

Monitor, you can di­ [page 31]
rectly jump into the
Details and Processor
Details and Processor
Assignment [page 35]
Assignment with only
those messages dis­
played for which you
are assigned as pro­
cessor.

Details and Processor New SP07 A new transaction ena­ Details and Processor
Assignment - mass re­ bles you to mass-re­ Assignment [page 35]
start and cancel start or cancel data
messages which have
the processing status
OK to restart and OK to
cancel.

3.2 Error Handling

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. or that have been
made available with a Support Package for SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to error handling.

Table 4:

Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information

Package (SP)

Debug function New The t/qRFC applica­ ● Data Messages

tion engines enable View [page 42]
the debugging of the ● tRFC and qRFC
LUW. [page 158]

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Changes and New Features PUBLIC 15
Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information
Package (SP)

Custom functions: off- Enhanced Parameters for trans­ ● Log Messages

set and length actions or reports can View [page 45]
be filled using the off- ● Custom Functions
set and length of the Maintenance
value of a message [page 53]
variable.

Custom message texts New A text can be created ● Log Messages

to replace the original View [page 45]
text of an error mes­ ● Custom Objects
sage. Maintenance
[page 50]

Structure labels Enhanced Structure labels can be Data Structure View

defined in Customizing [page 46]
and displayed in the
Data Structure view.

Field labels Enhanced Field labels can be de­ Data Content View
fined in Customizing [page 48]
and displayed in the
Data Content view.

Hidden fields Enhanced Single fields can be Data Content View

hidden and their con­ [page 48]
tent is not displayed in
the Data Content view.

Custom functions: Enhanced SP01 Parameters for trans­ ● Log Messages

value mapping actions or reports can View [page 45]
be filled using the ● Custom Functions
value mapping func­ Maintenance
tionality following an [page 53]
authorization check.

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16 PUBLIC Changes and New Features
 Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information
Package (SP)

Custom data link New SP01 A message can be en­ ● Log Messages
hanced with a custom View [page 45]
data link. ● Data Content
View [page 48]
● Custom Objects
Maintenance
[page 50]
● Custom Data
Links Mainte­
nance [page 56]
● Maintaining Cus­
tom Data Links
[page 56]

● Structure labels Enhanced SP03 Instead of maintaining ● Data Structure

● Field labels structure and field la­ View [page 46]
bels, you can decided ● Data Content
to replace all technical View [page 48]
names by the related
DDIC short descrip­
tions or data element
field labels.

Recipients Enhanced SP04 Recipients can be as­ Defining Recipients

signed to messages by [page 99]
key field values and
message categories.

Test file New SP05 You can create a test ● Data Messages
file from the content of View [page 42]
a data message, for ● Interface Test Tool
usage in the Interface [page 179]
Test Tool.

Last data transfer New SP05 You can get summary ● Main Screen
or detailed information [page 39]
about the last data ● Interface Monitor
transfer job for interfa­ [page 31]
ces.

Hide empty compo­ New SP06 In the Data Structure Data Structure View
nents view, you can automat­ [page 46]
ically hide components
containing no data val­
ues.

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

Changes and New Features PUBLIC 17
Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information
Package (SP)

Display content in New SP06 For OData messages, Data Messages View
source format you can display the [page 42]
source content of the
data message, that is,
the response and the
request, in XML for­
mat.

3.3 Value Mapping

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. or that have been
made available with a Support Package for SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to value mapping.

Table 5:

Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information

Package (SP)

Value mapping mainte­ Enhanced SP01 Three new checks can Value Mapping Mainte­
nance be specified to check nance [page 58]
the uniqueness of ex­
ternal values, internal
values, and their com­
bination before saving
the entries in value
mapping.

3.4 SAP Solution Manager

This section provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in SAP Application
Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. or that have been made available with
a Support Package for SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0. The following table provides an overview of
new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to the SAP Solution Manager integration.

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18 PUBLIC Changes and New Features
Table 6:

Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information

Package (SP)

Integration with the New SP07 In SAP Solution Man­ Monitoring in the SAP
Solution Manager
SAP Solution Manager ager version 7.2 SPS 5
[page 114]
or higher, you can
monitor the most im­
portant satistics of
SAP Application Inter­
face Framework inter­
faces.

3.5 Role Templates

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to role templates.

Table 7:

Function Type of Change Description More Information

Role templates Enhanced The SAP Application Inter­ Role Templates [page 70]
face Framework provides
predefined role templates
that you can use in order to
define roles for your specific
requirements.

3.6 Business Rules Framework Plus

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. or that have been
made available with a Support Package for SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to Business Rules Framework
plus (BRFplus).

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

Changes and New Features PUBLIC 19
Table 8:

Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information

Package (SP)

Business Rules Frame­ New SP01 The SAP Application Business Rules Frame­
work plus (BRFplus) Interface Framework work Plus Integration
integration provides an integration [page 91]
with the Business
Rules Framework plus
(BRFplus) tool.

3.7 Analyzer

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to the Analyzer.

Table 9:

Function Type of Change Description More Information

Analyzer New The Analyzer assists you with ● Analyzer [page 95]
the process of analyzing the ● Interface Test Tool [page
steps that are executed at 179]
runtime.

3.8 Automatic Reprocessing

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to automatic reprocessing.

Table 10:

Function Type of Change Description More Information

Automatic reprocessing New The SAP Application Inter­ Automatic Reprocessing

face Framework can be con­ [page 106]
figured to automatically re­
start messages where errors
occurred during processing.

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

20 PUBLIC Changes and New Features
3.9 Process Observer

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to the Process Observer.

Table 11:

Function Type of Change Description More Information

Process Observer New In the SAP Application Inter­ Process Observer [page 107]
face Framework, you can set
up your interfaces to be
monitored by the Process
Observer.

3.10 SAP HANA

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions for SAP HANA.

Table 12:

Function Type of Change Description More Information

SAP HANA New If you are running on an SAP

HANA database, there is an
improvement in perform­
ance, for example, in the se­
lection of data in the
Interface Monitor. In this
case, you do not need to run
the Data Correction [page
128] report, as the data dis­
played is selected directly
from the single index tables
and there is no statistics ta­
ble to be corrected.

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

Changes and New Features PUBLIC 21
3.11 Serialization

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to serialization.

Table 13:

Function Type of Change Description More Information

Serialization New Ensures that messages are Serialization [page 115]

processed in the correct or­
der.

3.12 Workflow Event Trigger

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. or that have been
made available with a Support Package for SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to the workflow event trigger.

Table 14:

Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information

Package (SP)

Workflow event trigger New SP04 You can define mes­ Workflow Event Trigger
sage processing work­ [page 117]
flows that are trig­
gered by events of SAP
Business Workflow.

3.13 System Operations

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to system operations.

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22 PUBLIC Changes and New Features
Table 15:

Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information

Package (SP)

Data Archiving Enhanced SP03 Supports the archiving Data Archiving [page
of additional types of 121]
data. These are data
changes, runtime ob­
jects, application logs,
file adapter logs, and
snapshots.

Uninstallation New SP07 If you do not want to 2497991

use SAP Application
Interface Framework
any more, you can re­
move the software
components AIF, AIFX
and AIFGEN from your
system.

3.14 Technology Support

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. or that have been
made available with a Support Package for SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to technology support.

Table 16:

Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information

Package (SP)

File adapter New The file adapter sup­ File Adapter [page
ports the upload of in­ 155]
bound files to the SAP
Application Interface
Framework.

Data transfer New The Data Transfer re­ Data Transfer [page
port enables the trans­ 176]
fer of qRFC/tRFC, CIF
PP, and BDC data into
the SAP Application In­
terface Framework.

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

Changes and New Features PUBLIC 23
Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information
Package (SP)

tRFC New The SAP Application ● tRFC and qRFC

Interface Framework [page 158]
supports monitoring of ● tRFC [page 160]
tRFC interfaces. ● Data Transfer
[page 176]

qRFC New The SAP Application ● tRFC and qRFC

Interface Framework [page 158]
supports monitoring of ● qRFC [page 163]
qRFC interfaces. ● Data Transfer
[page 176]

t/qRFC function mod­ New The Function Module tRFC and qRFC Func­
ule generation Generator report sup­ tion Module Genera­
ports interface devel­ tion [page 88]
opers in implementing
the t/qRFC interface
for the SAP Applica­
tion Interface Frame­
work.

Core Interface post- New The SAP Application ● Core Interface

processing Interface Framework Post-Processing
supports role-based [page 167]
monitoring of Core In­ ● Data Transfer
terface (CIF) post- [page 176]
processing records.

Batch input New The SAP Application ● Batch Input [page

Interface Framework 170]
supports monitoring ● Data Transfer
and processing of [page 176]
batch input sessions.

Batch input structure New The AIF Batch Input Batch Input Structure
generation and inter­ Structure Generator re­ Generation and Inter­
face definition port supports the cre­ face Definition [page
ation of a structure for 86]
a batch input record­
ing.

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24 PUBLIC Changes and New Features
 Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information
Package (SP)

Preprocessing New In the preprocessing Preprocessing [page

mode, the SAP Appli­ 175]
cation Interface
Framework executes
the mapping logic on
top of IDoc or Proxy
raw message data.

Mass IDoc structure Enhanced SP01 The Mass IDoc IDoc Structure Gener­
generation and inter­ Structure Generation ation and Interface
face definition and Interface Definition Definition [page 83]
report can be used for
the mass generation of
objects and Customiz­
ing entries based on a
list of IDoc types.

IDoc processing Enhanced SP02 The processing of out­ ● Process Out­

bound IDocs via the bound Docs Using
SAP Application Inter­ AIF [page 143]
face Framework is ena­ ● Combine Out­
bled. bound IDoc to
XML Message Us­
ing AIF [page 146]

File adapter Enhanced SP03 The file adapter sup­ File Adapter [page
ports specifying the 155]
file location using logi­
cal files.

The file adapter pro­

vides a transaction to
monitor the progress
and success of file up­
loads.

File adapter Enhanced SP04 The file adapter sup­ File Adapter [page
ports the upload of Mi­ 155]
crosoft Excel (.xlsx)
files.

File adapter Enhanced SP05 The file adapter sup­ File Adapter [page
ports the download of 155]
Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)
files.

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

Changes and New Features PUBLIC 25
Structured persistence New SP05 In addition to the XML Persistence Layer and
persistence of AIF, Runtime [page 150]
there is a structured
persistence available
that stores messages
in database tables rep­
resenting the struc­
ture. The structured
persistence is opti­
mized for the SAP
HANA database.

XML Persistence Mes­ New SP05 You can irreversibly de­ Persistence Layer and
sages Deletion lete messages from Runtime [page 150]
the XML persistence
layer of SAP Applica­
tion Interface Frame­
work.

OData Support New SP06 You can monitor error OData Support [page
messages for OData 165]
services. For errone­
ous data messages,
you can display the er­
ror messages and the
content of the data
message in its source
XML format.

AIF Persistence Mes­ Enhanced SP07 You can irreversibly de­ Persistence Layer and
sages Deletion lete messages also Runtime [page 150]
from the structured
persistence layer of
SAP Application Inter­
face Framework.

3.15 Interface Test Tool

This section of SAP Library provides an overview of changes and new features that have been introduced in
SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 since SAP Application Interface Framework 2.0. or that have been
made available with a Support Package for SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0. The following table
provides an overview of new, enhanced, and removed functions that are related to the interface test tool.

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

26 PUBLIC Changes and New Features
Table 17:

Function Type of Change Required Support Description More Information

Package (SP)

Transfer to eCATT Enhanced SP05 You can transfer test Interface Test Tool
files and create eCATT [page 179]
configuration variants
Test Automation with
automatically by one
Extended CATT [page
click.
180]

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

Changes and New Features PUBLIC 27
4 Software Components for SAP
Application Interface Framework

The following table contains the software units that you require to set up your system landscape:

Table 18:

Available Versions Required SAP Basis Software Enhancement Packages or Support

Packages

SAP Application Interface Framework SAP NetWeaver 7.0 NW 700 SP17 or above
1.0 - AIF 700

SAP Application Interface Framework SAP NetWeaver 7.0 NW 700 SP17 or above
2.0 - AIF 701 (main component)

SAP Application Interface Framework SAP NetWeaver 7.31 (Application Enhancement Package 3 for SAP Net­
2.0 - AIFX 701 (optional extension) Server ABAP 7.31) Weaver 7.0; SP01 for SAP NetWeaver
7.31

SAP Application Interface Framework SAP NetWeaver 7.0 NW 700 SP17 or above
3.0 - AIF 702 (main component)

SAP Application Interface Framework SAP NetWeaver 7.31 (Application Enhancement Package 3 for SAP Net­
3.0 - AIFX 702 (optional extension) Server ABAP 7.31) Weaver 7.0; SP01 for SAP NetWeaver
7.31

SAP Application Interface Framework SAP NetWeaver 7.0 NW 700 SP17 or above
3.0 - AIFGEN 700 (optional extension)

The following table contains the obligatory software units that you require to use the individual integration
scenarios:

Table 19:

Software Unit Installation

SAP Application Interface Framework add-on based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0

SAP NetWeaver 7.0 or the Enhancement Packages for 7.0

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28 PUBLIC Software Components for SAP Application Interface Framework
5 SAP Application Interface Framework for
Business Users

Use

If you are a business user, you can use the SAP Application Interface Framework for the following scenarios:

● To get an overview of the interfaces you are responsible for and their current status, use the Interface
Monitor (see Interface Monitor [page 31]).
● To correct errors, restart, or cancel messages, use Monitoring and Error Handling (see Error Handling [page
36]).

Prerequisites

You have been defined as a recipient for the alerts for the specific interfaces in the area of the business for
which you are the business super user. This means that you receive the alerts for error messages relevant to
these interfaces.

Process

Example of the Use of the SAP Application Interface Framework by a Business User

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

SAP Application Interface Framework for Business Users PUBLIC 29
The following graphic shows an example of the use of the SAP Application Interface Framework scenarios by a
business user handling error messages:

Figure 3: Example of a Business User Handling Error Messages

1. There is a new alert in your alert inbox in Alert Management and, for example, you receive an e-mail that
informs you.
2. In your application system, you use one of the following options to start the Interface Monitor to see an
overview of the interfaces that are assigned to you:
○ In the SAP Fiori launchpad, choose Message Dashboard.
○ In SAP GUI
○ Use transaction code /AIF/IFMON.
○ In the SAP Easy Access menu, choose Cross Application Components SAP Application
Interface Framework Interface Monitor .
○ In the Web-based UI
○ Use transaction code /AIF/ERR_WEB.
○ In the SAP Easy Access menu, choose Cross Application Components SAP Application
Interface Framework Monitoring and Error Handling (Web) .
3. In the Interface Monitor, you select the error icon for the interface for which the new alert is relevant and
you go directly to Monitoring and Error Handling for the message.
4. You check the error and do one of the following:
○ Cancel
There is no action required for this error and you can cancel it by choosing Cancel in the Data Messages
view.
○ Fix the error and reprocess the message by choosing Restart (SAP GUI) or Reprocess (Web–based UI)
in the Data Messages view
You can fix the error in one of the following two ways:
○ Change the data in the Data Content view
○ Correct the value mapping, if the error resulted from a faulty or missing value mapping
In the Log Messages view, you can select the application log message and choose Maintain Value
Mapping.

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30 PUBLIC SAP Application Interface Framework for Business Users
Result

In this example of a business user handling error messages, in the Data Messages view, the message has either
the status or .

More Information

For more information about the views in Monitoring and Error Handling, see Main Screen [page 39].

5.1 Interface Monitor

Use

In the Interface Monitor, the Message Overview provides you with a personalized overview of the interfaces you
are responsible for.

Note
The interface monitor is available with both a SAP GUI and a Web-based user interface (UI). In the SAP Fiori
launchpad, the SAP GUI version is available underInterface Monitor and the Web-based UI is available under
Message Dashboard.

The features that both types of UI have in common are discussed here and the different activities you can
have for each UI are also described.

For both types of UI, you can restrict the data range for the information in the message overview by selecting
dates in the calendar control. You can also access the Message Summary, you can navigate directly to
Monitoring and Error Handling from the Interface Monitor, and you can manage e-mail notification and the
status of alerts.

Prerequisites

Interfaces that are to be monitored in the Interface Monitor have to be assigned to a recipient.

In order to display messages in the Interface Monitor, your user has to be assigned to a corresponding recipient
and the Include in Overview Screen checkbox has to be selected.

For more information, see Assigning Users to Recipients [page 105].

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

SAP Application Interface Framework for Business Users PUBLIC 31
Features

Message Overview

The following are the possible statuses of your interfaces:

●
All messages were processed successfully or canceled manually.

●
There are some messages processed with warnings.

●
There are some messages processed with errors.

●
No message was selected in the selected data range.

In addition, the number of messages for each of the following statuses is shown:

●
Processed successfully with warning

●
Only visible if you are a technical user

●
Only visible if you are a technical user

The total sum of all messages is also displayed. If an interface’s key fields are used for recipient
determination, those are also displayed.

Note
The display of interfaces depends on your assignment to recipients. If you do not see the interfaces that you
expected to see, refer to your System Administrator for assistance.

Calendar

In calendar control in both UIs, the days when messages are in the system are highlighted depending on the
highest error status as follows:

● Red
There are error messages for this one day. There could also be successful, canceled, and warning
messages for this day.
For technical users, also past days are red for which there are messages in process.
● Yellow
There are only warning messages, or both warning and successful or canceled messages, and no error
messages for this one day.
For technical users, also the current day is yellow, if there are messages in process.

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32 PUBLIC SAP Application Interface Framework for Business Users
 ● Green
There are only successful or canceled messages for this one day.

Note
The tooltip tells you how many messages are available.

Activities

SAP GUI

You can access theInterface Monitor from the SAP Fiori lauchpad or the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing
Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Interface Monitor (transaction
code /AIF/IFMON).

Restrict Data Range

You can restrict the selection by selecting With date restriction and specifying a Date Range or marking a date
range in the calendar.

Message Summary

To access the Message Summary from the Interface Monitor, select a namespace or an interface and choose
.

Last Data Transfer

To access information about tRFC, qRFC, CIF, and Batch Input data transferred in background jobs by the Data
Transfer report, choose .

Note
This pushbutton is also available to you on the Error Handling screen.

On the Information About the Last Data Transfer popup, you can get the following information about a particular
data transfer job:

● Current status as well as the scheduled and actual start date and time
● Selection set name and the names of individual interfaces assigned to it
● A brief or detailed summary from the data transfer job log
The brief summary is displayed by default. To see the detailed summary, change the layout to include the
Detailed Job Log column and select there.

My Messages

To jump directly into the Details and Processor Assignment with only those messages displayed for which you
are assigned as processor, choose My Messages.

Switch to Error Handling

To navigate directly to Monitoring and Error Handling, select an interface, a namespace, or icons. If you select
individual icons, only the messages for these selected icons are displayed in Monitoring and Error Handling. All

Application Help for SAP Application Interface Framework

SAP Application Interface Framework for Business Users PUBLIC 33
parameters are passed automatically. The maximum number of messages that are displayed in Monitoring and
Error Handling depends on the Max. Number you define in the Interface Monitor.

If you choose Display only errors in the Interface Monitor and select a namespace or interface node, only those
messages that have a status Errors are displayed in Monitoring and Error Handling. If you choose Display all
messages, all messages are displayed independent of their status.

Web-based UI

You can access the Interface Monitor from the SAP Fiori lauchpad under Message Dashboard, or from the SAP
Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework
Monitoring and Error Handling (Web) (transaction code /AIFX/ERR_WEB).

Restrict Data Range

In the Calendar Monitor, you select the Current Week or Current Month or you mark a date range in the
calendar.

Message Summary

Select a namespace or an interface and choose Message Summary.

Switch to Error Handling

To navigate directly to Monitoring and Error Handling, select an interface or a namespace and double-click on
individual icons. Only the messages for the selected icon are displayed in Monitoring and Error Handling. All
parameters are passed automatically. You can also select an interface or a namespace and select Interface Key
Fields to enter search criteria for selecting messages, for example, according to the status, the time of creation,
or the maximum number of results, for display in Monitoring and Error Handling. If an interface-specific
selection screen is customized, it is also possible to search using the key fields.

Both SAP GUI and Web-Based UI

User E-Mail Notification

You can activate or deactivate your own e-mail notification by choosing from the following:

You do not receive e-mail notifications for the interface-recipient combination.

You receive only one e-mail notification for the interface-recipient combination. You can receive another
notification e-mail only after you or another user has confirmed the alert.

You receive an e-mail notification for every single error of the interface-recipient combination, regardless of
whether or not the alert has been confirmed.

Alert Status

You can manage the status of alerts using the following status icons:

Indicates that an alert does not exist

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34 PUBLIC SAP Application Interface Framework for Business Users
 ●

Indicates that an alert exists. You can confirm the alert by clicking this status icon. This confirmation results in
the display of the icon.

Note
Even if you have selected the No e-mail icon, the Click to Confirm icon can be displayed if another user
receives e-mails for this interface/recipient combination and an alert exists as a consequence.

More Information

For more information, see Message Summary [page 35] and Error Handling [page 36].

5.1.1 Message Summary

Use

The Interface Monitor has a Message Summary. This summary provides you with an overview of how often a
certain log message was written to the application log and how many data messages used a certain log
message.

Features

In the Message Summary, the messages are grouped by namespace, interface name, and version. The table
displays the message type, the message ID, the message number, and the message text. You can sort the
messages and search or filter for specific messages.

The Message Summary provides you with mass reprocess and cancel functions. By selecting at least one line in
the table and choosing or in the SAP GUI or or in the Web-based UI, all relevant messages can be
restarted or canceled. You need the authorization to restart and to cancel messages.

You can navigate directly to Monitoring and Error Handling by double-clicking on a line. The number of
messages displayed in Monitoring and Error Handling depends on the Max. Number you defined in the Message
Summary.

5.1.2 Details and Processor Assignment

From the Message Summary, you can go into more details, assign processors and track the progress of error
solving.

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In addition to the known features of the message summary, like mass restart and mass cancel, the Details and
Processor Assignment provides you with detailed log messages, grouped by concrete variable values. This
enables you to identify incorrect or missing values, for example, missing document types at accounting
document creation. You can also display the long texts of the messages, if available.

At this level of detail, you can assign processors to the log messages, who are responsible for solving the errors
that caused the messages. To keep track of the error solving progress, the processors can set processing
statuses and add comments.

Mass Restart and Cancel of Processed Messages

The transaction /AIF/DPA_PROCESS enables you to mass-restart or cancel data messages which have the
processing status OK to restart and OK to cancel.

The additional benefits of the transaction compared to the Details and Processor Assignment UI are:

● You can restart and cancel across processors.

● You have a test mode to preview the numbers of messages to be restarted or cancelled.
● You can schedule the restart and cancel as a periodic task.

For more information, see the system documentation of the transaction.

5.2 Error Handling

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can get a structured overview of the messages that are
generated during data processing. You can edit the underlying data content of the data messages and get
support to solve errors if the context of the error is known (which field was checked, which value could not be
mapped, and so on).

Prerequisites

SAP GUI

You access Monitoring and Error Handling (transaction code /AIF/ERR) for an interface you are responsible for
that has errors and use the selection screen to filter your messages. You choose to navigate to the
Monitoring and Error Handling main screen.

In the SAP GUI, the transaction offers a selection screen with various selection options (namespace, interface,
creation date and time, status, and so on). You can access the selection screen from the SAP Easy Access
menu by choosing Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Monitoring and
Error Handling .

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Alternatively, you accessed the Interface Monitor (from the SA Fiori launchpad or using transaction code /AIF/
IFMON) and saw that there were messages in the interfaces you are responsible for (see Interface Monitor
[page 31]). If you start error handling from the Interface Monitor, the selection screen is not displayed. Instead,
you select the messages by double-clicking on a node or icon in the Interface Monitor and navigating directly to
the Error Handling main screen.

Web-based UI

You first access the Interface Monitor (transaction code /AIFX/ERR_WEB) from the SAP Easy Access menu by
choosing Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Monitoring and Error
Handling (Web) . You then navigate to Monitoring and Error Handling by selecting messages by double-
clicking on a node or an icon.

Process

The following steps describe a typical error handling process:

1. You obtain an overview about the existing messages and you can do the following:
○ If you need to reduce the amount of information displayed on the screen, you can use different layouts,
filters, and selection options to show only the data you are interested in.
○ In the SAP GUI, if you need more detailed information and you have the authorization, you can switch
to technical mode and, for example, go to the application log. For more information about these
options, see Main Screen [page 39].
2. You analyze the errors:
○ If an error message seems to have a temporary reason, you can restart the processing and see if the
error still exists.
○ If an error does not require you to take action, you can cancel the message.
For more information, see Data Messages View [page 42].
3. You solve the underlying errors of the remaining messages. The system supports you with the following
functions:
○ If there is a missing value, you can navigate directly to Value Mapping from the Log Messages view.
For more information, see Log Messages View [page 45].
○ You can change the underlying data content in the Data Content view.
For more information, see Data Content View [page 48].
○ For other reasons, the system can provide message-specific buttons to resolve the errors.
4. In the SAP GUI, you confirm the alert in the Log Messages view.

Note
Confirming the alert is important. If you receive an alert e-mail for an interface for the first message that
ended with an error and you do not confirm the alert, you will not receive any further e-mails about
errors in this interface.

5. In the Data Messages view, you restart processing of the messages you have worked on as follows:

○ In the SAP GUI, choose . To see if the errors persist, choose .

○ In the Web-based UI, choose . To see if the errors persist, choose

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5.2.1 Selection Screen

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the Monitor and Error Handing selection screen (transaction
code /AIF/ERR) enables you to specify the main parameters that control the range of messages and how they
are displayed on the Monitoring and Error Handling main screen.

Features

The following are the various selection options available to you:

● Application Selection
You can input an application ID. The default value is AIF.
● Application specific selection
You can select the namespace, interface name, and interface version. Leaving one of the selection fields
empty results in the selection of all relevant objects. The same values can also be selected by choosing
Select Interface. A popup containing a tree view with all interfaces grouped by namespace is displayed. The
selection can be restricted by entering a message class and a message number. Depending on the
application ID, the application-specific selection might be different from this description.
● More specific selection
This subscreen is optional. It is only visible if key fields have been assigned for an interface and a
corresponding subscreen has been created by a developer. You can search for specific data messages.
What you can search for depends on the key fields defined for the interface.
● Generic selection
Only messages that occurred within the selected date/time range are displayed. It is possible to restrict
the selection by entering a message. The date refers to the point in time when the message was processed
in the SAP Application Interface Framework for the first time. It does not refer to the point in time when the
message was possibly restarted.
● Status Selection
Only messages are displayed that have the selected status. If no indicator is set, then all statuses are
selected.
● Additional Parameters
If you set the Technical Mode indicator, an additional fifth view is displayed in the error handling. This view
displays the interface processing. If you set the Emergency Correction indicator, all fields can be edited,
independently of what was defined in the Customizing activities for the SAP Application Interface
Framework. This, however, depends on your authorization level (if you do not have the required
authorization, then the indicators in Additional Parameters are not available). In Max.Number, you can
specify the maximum number of messages that should be displayed. If this number is exceeded, the
system informs you that more messages were found and that only the specified number will be displayed.

Note
If a transaction variant was defined and assigned to your user, the selection screen or some selection
options might be skipped or there might be default entries available on the selection screen.

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Activities

You can access the selection screen from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application
Components SAP Application Interface Framework Monitoring and Error Handling .

Use the selection screen to filter your messages and choose to navigate to the Monitoring and Error
Handling main screen.

5.2.2 Main Screen

Use

The main error handling screen provides an overview of all selected messages, a detailed analysis of one or
more selected messages, as well as functionality, such as, restarting and canceling messages.

Features

Figure 4: SAP GUI: Main Screen Views in Standard Mode

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 Figure 5: Web-based UI: Main Screen Views

As shown in the graphics above, the following views are displayed (in standard mode for the SAP GUI):

● Data Messages view [page 42]

Displays all selected data messages in a hierarchy. The messages are grouped by namespace and
interface. Optionally, the messages can be grouped by key fields, if these have been defined for an
interface.
● Log Messages view [page 45]
Displays the log messages that have been created while processing the selected message(s).
● Data Structure view [page 46]
Displays the structure (record type) of the message data.
● Data Content view [page 48]
Displays the data of the selected message(s).

SAP GUI

If you choose Technical Mode, an additional fifth view is displayed on the Monitoring and Error Handling main
screen. This view displays interface processing and some additional buttons are added in the four standard
views (for example, for sorting, printing, and transforming). The mapping steps and actions executed during
interface processing are displayed. The view enables you to analyze in which processing steps errors occurred.
You can choose a processing step to display the log messages related to it. This enables you to identify, for
example, those messages that derived from the value mapping process.

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In the main toolbar, the following functions are available:

Table 20:

Pushbutton Function

Switches to technical mode and back to standard mode. In

technical mode, an additional view is provided that displays
the structure of the interface processing enabling you to fil-
ter the log messages. Also, some additional technical but­
tons are supplied in the other four views. This button is only
displayed if you have the required authorization.

Displays the legend that describes all possible message sta­

tuses

Resets the content of every view. Reloads all data messages

with the current selection parameters.

Dialog box to change the date range. After you have con­
firmed the changed date, the system reloads all data mes­
sages with the current selection parameters within the new
date range. In addition, you can change the maximum num­
ber of messages displayed.

Navigates to the standard view for the log messages dis­

played (for example, transaction /AIF/LOG). The log mes­
sages that exist for the selected data message are displayed.

Navigates to the alert inbox (Web browser).

Navigates to information about the last data transfer jobs

(see Interface Monitor [page 31]).

Web-Based UI

In the main toolbar, the following functions are available:

Table 21:

Pushbutton Function

Navigates to the Interface Monitor

Saves

Cancels

Resets the content of every view

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5.2.2.1 Data Messages View

Use

In the Data Messages view, the messages are grouped by namespace, interface name, and version, and also by
key fields if these are customized.

Features

The Data Messages View Toolbar: SAP GUI

The following functions are provided:

● To expand or collapse the selected nodes, choose or .

● Read messages
To read messages, choose . Reading a message means reading the corresponding application log,
loading it into the Log Messages view, and displaying the data structure in the Data Structure view. If
multiple messages are selected, displaying the data structure works only if the structure is the same in all
selected messages. You have the following options:
○ Double-click a message for single selection
○ Double-click a node (root node, namespace, interface, or key field) for the selection of all messages in
the whole sub-tree
○ Select any number of messages/nodes and choose Read
● Restart
To restart the selected message, choose . If you have analyzed the error and corrected it, for example,
by changing the value mapping, you can restart the message by choosing Restart. You can select single or
multiple data messages or a whole node for restarting. After some seconds, choose Read on the main tool
bar. All the views are updated and the status icon of the message indicates the new message status.
● Cancel
To cancel the selected message, choose . The following are 3 different cases for canceling a message:
○ A new message was sent that was successful
○ The processing steps of the message were executed manually
○ The message has become irrelevant
You are also able to cancel single or multiple messages. When you cancel a message, the status icon is
updated.

Note
If you have canceled a message, you cannot restart the processing for this message anymore.

● Debug
○ The Debug pushbutton works dynamically as follows:
○ tRFC
Only outbound queues are supported
○ qRFC

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 Both inbound and outbound queues are supported

● Navigate to the standard monitor

This is the monitor that is usually used to monitor messages of the interface technology that is used to
process the messages of the selected SAP Application Interface Framework interface.
Select a message and choose . There you can find more detailed information about the message.
● Navigate to qRFC monitor
Select a message and choose .
● Maintain Trace Level
To maintain the trace level for the selected message(s) or for a specific interface, select a message and
choose . If you need more information about why the processing of a message failed, you can increase
the trace level for the interface and restart the message. It is important that you specify an expiry date for
the trace level otherwise the message received by this interface will create more log messages than
necessary.
● Display Content in Source Format

Note
Available only for OData messages and only if activated in Customizing.

To open the content of a data message in its source XML format, select the message, choose , and
choose an option from the drop-down menu. The content will open in the program you have associated
with the file type, for example, an XML editor or a Web browser.
● Create Test File

Note
Available in technical mode only

To create a test file from the content of a data message, for usage in the Interface Test Tool (transaction
code /AIF/IFTEST), select a message and choose the Create Test File button.
● Change Layout
To change, save, and manage the layout of the hierarchical tree in the data message view, choose . You
select and manage a predefined layout or you can define a new layout that fits your needs.

The Data Messages View Toolbar: Web-Based UI

● To expand or collapse the selected nodes, choose or .

● Reprocess
To restart a selected message, choose . If you have analyzed the error and corrected it, for example, by
changing the value mapping, you can restart the message by choosing . You can select single or multiple
data messages or a whole node for restarting. After some seconds, choose on the main tool bar. The
icon in the Data Message view should be updated.
● Cancel
To cancel the selected message, choose . The following are 3 different cases for canceling a message:
○ A new message was sent that was successful
○ The processing steps of the message were executed manually
○ The message has become irrelevant

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 You are also able to cancel single or multiple messages. When you cancel a message and choose , the
status icon is updated.

Note
If you have canceled a message, you cannot restart the processing for this message anymore.

● Debug
○ The Debug pushbutton works dynamically as follows:
○ tRFC
Only outbound queues are supported
○ qRFC
Both inbound and outbound queues are supported
● Refresh Selected
Once you have reprocessed a message or selection of messages, to see whether or not errors persist,
choose . If the message is reprocessed successfully, the status icon is update to indicate success.
● Trace Level
To maintain the trace level for the selected message(s) or for a specific interface, select a message and
choose Trace Level. If you need more information about why the processing of a message failed, you can
increase the trace level for the interface and restart the message. It is important that you specify an expiry
date for the trace level otherwise the message received by this interface will create more log messages
than necessary.

Display of Messages in the Data Messages View: Both SAP GUI and the Web-Based UI

● The counter in the node text shows the number of messages in the corresponding sub-tree.
● The status of a message is indicated by an icon.
The following are examples of icons:

○
Message is in the queue but is not yet processed; See the qRFC Monitor.

○
Restart to reprocess the changed data message is necessary.

○
Errors are described in the log messages.

○
Message was manually restarted, it is in the queue, but is not yet processed (see qRFC Monitor).

○
● The columns to the right of the tree depend on the layout variant. The following columns can be displayed:
○ Error statistics display the number of log messages that exist (also added up on each tree level). The
error statistics are grouped into the number of abort, error, warning, success, and information log
messages.
○ Message GUID and interface keys
● The icons used for the hierarchy nodes depend on the current interface-specific Customizing.

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 Example

● The node text of a message contains a temporary message index and the date and time. The message
index is used to visualize the relation between the message in the Data Messages view and the log
messages in the Log Messages view.

5.2.2.2 Log Messages View

Use

The Log Messages view shows all related log messages that were saved during the processing of a message in
the SAP Application Interface Framework. These can be technical errors, application errors, warnings, success,
and information messages.

Features

The Log Messages View Toolbar: SAP GUI

The following functions are provided:

● To display or hide the messages of a certain message type (Success, Info, Warning, Technical Error), choose
the corresponding filter button.

Example

To show only the error messages, choose .

● If an error resulted from a faulty value mapping, you can select the application log message and choose
Value Mapping.

● If you have filtered the display of log messages in the Data Content view with , you can switch back to
displaying all log messages by choosing in the Log Messages view.
● If you want to create, edit, or delete a custom hint, function, message text, or data link, choose Customize
and select the relevant option (see Custom Objects Maintenance [page 50]).
● In addition to the custom functions, buttons can be added dynamically to the toolbar by interface
developers. These buttons can, for example, provide links to transactions where you can correct the reason
for an error.
● If the process started with an alert e-mail in your inbox, the system provides you with the Confirm Alert
button, which you use to confirm the alert when you have corrected the error.

The Log Messages View Toolbar: Web-Based UI

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The following functions are provided:

● View
You can filter your log messages by status by selecting one of the following:
○ All messages
○ All Errors
○ Application Error
○ Success
○ Technical Error
○ Warning
● Customize
If you want to create, edit, or delete a custom hint, function, or message text, choose Customize and select
the relevant option (see Custom Objects Maintenance [page 50]).
● Reset Object Filter
● If the log message is caused by a value mapping error, is displayed in the ValMap (Value Mapping)
column. To navigate to Value Mapping, choose this icon.

Message Display in the Log Messages View

The message status, for example, , is shown in the Type (SAP GUI) or Status (Web-based UI) column.

If you have created custom hints, functions, or message texts, an icon is displayed in the corresponding Hints,
Functions, or Texts column.

The message text or the custom message text you have created is displayed in the Message Text column.

If a long text exists for a message, the system displays the Long text exists icon in the LTxt (SAP GUI) or the
Long Text (Web-based UI) column. If you click on the icon, the system displays the long text in a dialog box.

The Index column shows the same number as the corresponding data message in the data messages screen.
This information helps you to identify which log message belongs to which data message, especially if multiple
messages are displayed.

To navigate to the corresponding data line (or data field) in the Data Content view, double-click the log
message.

If the message was restarted, you can only see the application log messages created during the restart. If you
want to see all log messages, you have to access the application log of the message (see Main Screen [page
39]).

5.2.2.3 Data Structure View

Use

The Data Structure view shows the structure of the datasets of the selected data messages. A dataset can
consist of several nested tables and structures.

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Features

The data structure displays the whole tree of substructures and the subtables of the raw data structure of the
selected data message(s). In the Web-based UI, select Data Structure to have the data structure opened in a
dialog box. If you double-click on a sub-node of the record type in the data structure, the data contained in the
structure is displayed in the Data Content view.

Some structures may be hidden based on the settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface
Framework under Error Handling Define Namespace-Specific Features Hide Structures and under
Error Handling Define Interface-Specific Features Hide Structures . If a structure is hidden, its content
cannot be displayed in the Data Content view.

You can also decide to automatically hide components of structures (substructures and tables) containing no
data values, in Customizing under Error Handling Define Namespace-Specific Features Define Interface-
Specific Features Hide empty components .

You can define structure labels in Customizing under Error Handling Define Namespace-Specific Features
Define Structure Labels and under Error Handling Define Interface-Specific Features Define Structure
Labels . In addition, you can replace the label of a raw structure.

Which Customizing table is evaluated depends on which of the following is selected:

● Interface Mode
If all selected messages belong to the same interface (the namespace, interface name, and version are
equal), the settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error Handling
Define Interface-Specific Features are relevant.
● Namespace Mode
If the selected messages belong to more than one interface, but the interfaces belong to the same
namespace, the settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error
Handling Define Namespace-Specific Features are relevant. This case only applies if all interfaces of
this namespace share the same raw data structure, otherwise the data cannot be displayed.
● Cross-namespace Mode
If the selected messages belong to more than one interface and these interfaces do not belong to the same
namespace, all structures are displayed independent of the Customizing settings. This case only applies if
all interfaces of the selected messages share the same raw data structure, otherwise the data cannot be
displayed.

Instead of maintaining structure and field labels, you can decided to replace all technical names by the related
DDIC short descriptions or data element field labels in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface
Framework under Error Handling Define Namespace-Specific Features Define Interface-Specific
Features .

SAP GUI

If you are in Technical Mode, a button is visible in the Data Structure view. If you choose , the data is
transformed from the source structure to the destination structure. The Data Structure view now contains the
destination structure. Double-clicking a node of the destination structure displays the transformed data in the
Data Content view. Any log message that occurred during the transformation (for example, errors resulting
from value mapping or checks) appears in the Log Message view. If you choose , you can switch back to the
previous display of the source structure.

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5.2.2.4 Data Content View

Use

In the Data Content view, the system displays the data content of the selected data message. You can edit the
data content according to your authorization level. Whether you can change certain field values depends also
on the settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error Handling Define
Namespace-Specific Features Define Changeable Fields and under Error Handling Define Interface-
Specific Features Define Changeable Fields .

Features

Data Display

The Data Content view displays the data of the selected record type from the data structure in a table. The
values are displayed in the external format (for example, for date or numeric fields).

Some fields may be hidden based on the settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework
under Error Handling Define Namespace-Specific Features Hide Fields and under Error Handling
Define Interface-Specific Features Hide Fields . If a field is hidden, its content cannot be displayed in the
Data Content view.

You can define field labels in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error Handling
Define Namespace-Specific Features Define Structure Labels and under Error Handling Define
Interface-Specific Features Define Structure Labels .

Instead of maintaining structure and field labels, you can decided to replace all technical names by the related
DDIC short descriptions or data element field labels in customizing for the SAP Application Interface
Framework under Error Handling Define Namespace-Specific Features Define Interface-Specific
Features . The data element field labels are displayed as column headings.

In the Data Content view, there are the following fixed columns that can never be edited:

● Exception (SAP GUI) or EXP_LED (Web-based UI)

Indicates whether or not the data line contains an error
● LINE_NR
Contains the message index with line numbers. If there are nested tables in the data structure, several line
numbers can be concatenated.

Example
For example, 1: 2.5 can have the meaning index of data message: second financial posting, fifth item.

SAP GUI

To switch to full screen mode, choose . In full screen mode, it is also possible to display the error messages
in an additional subscreen. Therefore, choose . The application log messages for the selected data message
are displayed. Double-clicking on the log message displays the field to which the error belongs.

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To save the current layout or select a different one, choose .

Data Editing

If a message has an error status and you have the required authorization, you can edit the content of those
fields that have been defined as editable in Customizing.

To support you in correcting errors, the fields have the following colors:

● Red
An error occurred that is related to the content of this field.

Note
A field is highlighted in red only if it was possible for the SAP Application Interface Framework to track
an error to that specific field.

● Yellow
Changed but not yet saved
● Blue
Not editable; System assigns value automatically

Fields are defined as editable in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework as follows:

● Under Error Handling Define Namespace-Specific Feature Define Changeable Fields

Fields maintained here are editable in every interface that contains them and that belongs to the specified
namespace.
● Under Error Handling Define Interface-Specific Feature Define Changeable Fields
Fields maintained here are editable in the specified interface.

SAP GUI and Custom Data Links

In the SAP GUI, you can enhance a message with a custom data link. If a custom data link exists for a table/
structure and field combination, the relevant column/field is highlighted in red in the Data Content view.

For more information about custom data links, see Custom Data Links Maintenance [page 56] and
Maintaining Custom Data Links [page 56].

Activities

Data Editing

To edit fields, do the following:

● SAP GUI
Double-click the field and edit the text in the dialog box that appears. To apply your changes to all rows,
mark the changed row and choose Apply.
● Web-based UI
The data content of all selected messages is displayed for the selected structure. If you choose , all this
data content is editable (if customized).

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 Note
For a field defined as date, time, or numeric type, you should maintain the value in the dialog text following
the relevant format defined in your personal profile (use transaction SU3 to view your personal profile).

When a column or row is selected where fields are editable, you can replace values by choosing in SAP GUI
or in the Web-based UI. In the dialog box that appears, you can enter a search string (whole cell content or
string with wildcard “*”) and a new value. If you confirm your entry in the dialog box, the system replaces all
corresponding values in the selected column with the new value.

If you have changed data, the cells are highlighted yellow. The changes will only be saved if you choose Save in
the Data Content view of the SAP GUI or in the main toolbar of the Web-based UI. If you select another record
type or choose to leave the transaction without saving, a warning message appears.

SAP GUI

To show only the error messages, choose . To switch back to the display of all messages, choose .

To display the log messages belonging to a data content line in the log messages screen, mark the data content
line or the concerned field in the Data Content view and choose .

5.2.3 Custom Objects Maintenance

Use

In Monitoring and Error Handling, in the Log Messages view, you are able to create, edit, and delete the
following:

● Custom hints
You can, for example, write a procedure on how to correct a common error.
● Custom functions
You can, for example, call a transaction for a selected message.
● Custom message texts
You can write a text to replace the original text of an error message.
● Custom data links
You can enhance a message with your own custom data link.

Integration

Business users maintain custom hints, functions, message texts, and data links in Monitoring and Error
Handling.

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System administrators can change existing custom hints, functions, message texts, and data links in the
following transactions, which they can access from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-
Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Configuration :

● Define Custom Functions (transaction code /AIF/CUST_FUNC)

● Define Custom Hints (transaction code /AIF/CUST_HINTS)
● Define Custom Message Texts (transaction code /AIF/CUST_TEXT)
● Define Custom Data Links (transaction code /AIF/CUST_LINK)

The activities for business users and system administrators are described separately in the relevant sections
below.

Features

In Monitoring and Error Handling, in the Log Messages view, the following columns are displayed:

● Hints
Custom hints you create are displayed with an icon.
If you choose this icon, the hint is displayed. If you choose an empty cell in this column, the screen to
create a new hint appears.
● Functions
Custom functions you create are displayed with an icon.
When you select an existing custom function, the action is executed. If you have entered values for
parameters for the action when you created the custom function, the values are passed to the transaction
or the report. You can also choose to use the values of the message variables in the transaction or report
(see Custom Functions Maintenance [page 53]).

● Texts
Custom message texts you create are displayed with an icon. If you choose this icon, the available message
texts are displayed on an overview screen. If you choose an empty cell in this column, the screen to create
a new message text appears.
● Message Text
Message texts or custom message texts you create are displayed here.

In addition to the links between log messages and data content created during the processing of data in the
SAP Application Interface Framework, you can create your own custom data link. In the Data Content view, if
you have custom data links, the relevant cells or columns are highlighted in red depending on whether the
custom data links are for structures or tables (see Custom Data Links Maintenance [page 56] and Maintaining
Custom Data Links [page 56]).

Activities

Business Users

If you select a message and choose to create a custom hint, function, or message text, the information of the
selected message is displayed in the popup.

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To create a custom data link, you must select both a message in the Log Messages view and a cell in the Data
Content view. If no custom data link exists, a popup is displayed and you can create a new one.

● SAP GUI
Select a message (and a cell in the Data Content view if you want to create a custom data link), choose
Customize, and then choose one of the following:
○ Custom Hints
You can enter a text and a tooltip text for your hint in the language of your choice.
○ Custom Functions
You can define functions, for example, transactions, that are specific to your user and an administrator
can make them visible for certain other users or all users. Custom functions that are visible for other
users are only displayed. They cannot be deleted or changed.
For more information, see Custom Functions Maintenance [page 53].
○ Custom Message Text
You can create a text, specific to your user, that replaces the original text of a message in the Log
Messages view. You can write a text in the language of your choice and you can subsequently edit it in
that language. Once you have created a text in a specific language, you are unable to change the
language of the text.
On the Log Messages view, if a custom text exists in the logon language, this text is displayed. The
original text is displayed if there is no custom text available as shown in the following sequence:
1. Written in the logon language
2. Written in the second language (set in the SAP system)
3. Written in English (the fall back language for the SAP Application Interface Framework)
When you choose the icon for a text in the Texts column, the selected text is displayed in all available
languages on the overview screen.
An administrator can make your custom message text visible for other users or for all users. You can
see your user-specific texts and those that are visible to all users or to a list of users that includes you.
Only an administrator can change the visibility of a text. The business user can only edit or delete user-
specific ones. Those that are visible for all users or a list of users are only displayed.
○ Custom Data Links
Select a message in the Log Messages view and a cell in the Data Content view. Choose Customize and
then choose Custom Data Link. If there is no existing custom data link, a popup appears to inform you
and you can create one for the structure/table and field combination you selected.
For more information, see Custom Data Links Maintenance [page 56] and Maintaining Custom Data
Links [page 56].
● Web-based UI
Select a message, choose Customize, and select one of the 3 options for the definition of custom hints,
functions, or message texts.

Note
If you have created a custom hint, function, message text (SAP GUI and Web UI), or data link (SAP GUI only)
for the selected message, you can choose to edit or delete it. You can only edit or delete user-specific ones.
Those that are visible for all users or a list of users are only displayed and you cannot edit them.

System Administrators

You can determine for whom the custom hints, functions, message texts, and data links are displayed, for
example, you can determine that a custom hint is only visible for a list of users. You can also determine whether
they are displayed for one or for all interfaces and for a selection of messages or all messages.

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In the SAP Easy Access menu, in Define Custom Functions, Define Custom Hints, Define Custom Message Texts,
and Define Custom Data Links, there are Visibility and Scope fields, which you can use as follows:

● Visibility
You can determine for whom the created custom hint, function, message text, or data link is displayed as
follows:
○ Just for current user
○ For a list of users
You can define users and recipients for visibility under the following:
○ Define Custom Functions
In the activities Assign Users and Assign Recipients
○ Define Custom Message Texts
In the activity Assign Users for Custom Message Texts
○ Define Custom Data Link
In the activity Assign Users for Custom Data Link
○ For all

Note
If you change the assignment of a message from user-specific to all users, the new assignment replaces
the previous assignment to a specific user.

● Scope
For the created custom hint, function, message text, or data link, you can determine whether it is displayed
for one or for all interfaces and for one or for all messages in the following combinations:
○ Visible for selected message in this interface
○ Visible for all messages in this interface
○ Visible for selected message in all interfaces
○ Visible for all messages in all interfaces

5.2.3.1 Custom Functions Maintenance

Use

In Monitoring and Error Handling, in the Log Messages view, you are able to create, edit, and delete custom
functions (see Log Messages View [page 45]).

Features

Create Custom Functions

To create a custom function, you can select from the following actions:

● SAP GUI
○ Transaction

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 ○ Reports
○ URL
● Web-based UI
○ Transactions
○ URL

You can test the custom function you choose.

Example
You choose to create a custom function that calls the transaction to display flight bookings that has the
name BC_GLOBAL_SCUST_DISP. Choose Test Function, which in this case navigates you to the transaction
to display flight customers.

To specify the function attributes, you can enter a short text and a tooltip for the function in the language of
your choice. You can select an icon, which is displayed for your custom function in the Functions columns for
messages in the Log Messages view.

You can also select to open a function that is a transaction or a report in a new session and you can decide
whether or not the first screen is to be skipped.

If you select a URL as an action, the URL is opened in the standard browser.

Fill Method for Parameters

The parameters for the selected transaction or report are automatically imported. In the Parameter group box,
in the Fill Method field, you can select from the following methods of filling the parameters of a report or
transaction:

● Manual Value
You can enter a value manually in the Value field.
● Message Variable
Use the Value from Message Variable field to select a value from 4 message variables.
● Offset Message Variable
See the Define Offset and Length from Message Variable section below.
● Value Mapping
See the Value Mapping section below.

Define Offset and Length from Message Variable

You can fill parameters for transactions or reports by using the offset and length of the value of a message
variable. If you select Offset Message Variable as the fill method, in the Maintain column, an icon appears
that you can choose to enable you to add details. The Details Offset in Message Variable popup is displayed and
you can enter values for using the offset and length of the value of a message variable.

Note
To assign the first character, use offset 0; to assign the second character, use offset 1 (see the Example
below).

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 Example
The following is an example of the use of offset and length from a flight booking:

Message: “Flight LH 1234 20140714 does not exist”

Message variable 1: LH 1234 20140714

Table 22:

Parameter Descrip­ Value Value from Message Offset Length

tion Variable

Airline Carrier ID LH Message variable 1 0 2

Number

Connection ID 1234 Message variable 1 3 4

Date 20140714 Message variable 1 8 8

Value Mapping

You can fill parameters for transactions or reports by using the value mapping functionality. If you select Value
Mapping as the fill method, in the Maintain column, an icon appears that you can choose to enable you to add
an assignment. On the Details Value Mapping popup that is displayed, enter the namespace and value mapping
name. In the Parameters group box, for parameters 1 to 5 in the Parameter VMAP field, the type of fill method
must be selected from the following options:

● Manual Value
Enter a value in the Value field.
● Message Variable
Select from 4 message variables fields.
● Offset Message Variable
See the Define Offset and Length from Message Variable section above.

Note
If you select Value Mapping as the fill method, the system uses the authorization object /AIF/VMAP to
check your authorization before you can execute a function, test a function, or simulate a value mapping.

The authorization check is done for the assigned namespace, value mapping name, and for the activity 03
(Display).

For more information about authorization objects and /AIF/VMAP, see the Master Guide for the SAP
Application Interface Framework.

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5.2.3.2 Custom Data Links Maintenance

Use

In Monitoring and Error Handling, you are able to create, overwrite, and delete custom data links.

For more information, see Maintaining Custom Data Links [page 56].

Features

If you select (double click) a message in the Log Messages view and a custom data link exists, the following is
displayed in the Data Content view:

● For a table and field combination, the relevant column is highlighted in red
● For a structure and field combination, the relevant field is highlighted in red

If you select multiple data messages and only one has a custom data link, the data is loaded in the Data
Structure view. You can select (double click) a structure or table and the content of all the data messages is
displayed in the Data Content view. In the column that contains the relevant field for the custom data link, the
only cells highlighted in red are those for the message with the custom data link.

5.2.3.2.1 Maintaining Custom Data Links

Prerequisites

In Monitoring and Error Handling, to create, overwrite, or delete custom data links, select both a message in the
Log Message view and a cell in the Data Content view.

Note
In the Data Content view, if a custom data link already exists, the relevant column or field is highlighted in red
as follows:

● For a table and field combination

In this case, the relevant line number is not known and may differ from the line number with which the
link was created. Therefore, the relevant column is highlighted in red.
● For a structure and field combination
The relevant field is highlighted in red.

Procedure

Creating a new Custom Data Link

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 1. In the Log Message view of Monitoring and Error Handling, choose Customize and then Custom Data Link.
2. If a custom data link does not exist for the table/structure and field combination, a pop up appears to
inform you.
3. On this Custom Data Link popup, choose Create to create a new custom data link.
4. You get a confirmation that the new custom data link has been created. In the Data Content view, the
relevant column/field is highlighted in red.

Overwriting an Existing Custom Data Link

1. In the Log Message view of Monitoring and Error Handling, choose Customize and then Custom Data Link.
2. A pop up appears to inform you of the existence of the custom data link and you can decide whether to
overwrite with the new combination of table/structure and a field or to delete it.
3. On this Custom Data Link popup, choose Overwrite to overwrite the existing custom data link.
4. You get a confirmation that the custom data link has been modified. In the Data Content view, the relevant
column/field is highlighted in red.

Deleting an Existing Custom Data Link

1. In the Log Message view of Monitoring and Error Handling, choose Customize and then Custom Data Link.
○ If a custom data link already exists for the table/structure and field combination, the column/field is
highlighted in red. A pop up appears to inform you of the existence of the custom data link and you can
decide whether to overwrite it with the new combination of table/structure and field or to delete it.
○ If a custom data link already exists with the exact same detailed combination of table/structure and
field, the column/field is highlighted in red. A pop up appears to inform you of the existence of the
custom data link and you can delete it.
2. On either of these two Custom Data Link popups, choose Delete to delete an existing custom data link.
3. You get a confirmation that the existing custom data link has been deleted. In the Data Content view, the
relevant column/field is no longer highlighted in red.

Result

You have created a new custom data link or you have modified or deleted an existing custom data link. For new
or modified custom data links, the relevant column/field is highlighted in red in the Data Content view.
Furthermore, when you double click on the Log Message view, the corresponding structure/table is displayed.

5.2.4 Technology Support

The SAP Application Interface Framework supports business users in monitoring interfaces with different
interface technologies, for example, ABAP proxies, IDocs, OData, batch input, and tRFC/qRFC.

Some functionalities are not available for certain supported technologies:

● In the SAP Application Interface Framework, messages from the following supported technologies are only
visible in Monitoring and Error Handling when they are in an error state:
○ tRFC and qRFC
○ OData

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 ○ Batch Input

Note
If you select the Keep Session checkbox, the batch input session is not deleted and is still visible
after it has been successfully processed.

● The editing of data is not supported for the following:

○ tRFC and qRFC
○ OData
○ CIF Post Processing

Note
The editing of data is supported for batch input; however, in this case, a new batch input session is
created and the original one is deleted.

5.3 Value Mapping Maintenance

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can maintain a value mapping table.

Integration

Before you can maintain a value mapping, it is necessary that a value mapping has been defined by the
interface developer when creating the value mapping during Customizing. This setting is made in Customizing
for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction code /AIF/CUST) under Interface Development
Define Value Mapping .

You have to have the corresponding authorizations to display and maintain value mapping for a given
namespace.

To define a date range for a validity period number for a value mapping, you can access validity period
maintenance (transaction /AIF/VPN) from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application
Components SAP Application Interface Framework Interface Development Maintain Validity Periods .

SAP GUI

You can access the maintenance of value mapping from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-
Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Value Mapping .

You can navigate directly to Maintenance of Value Mapping from the Log Messages view of the main screen of
Monitoring and Error Handling. If an error resulted from a faulty value mapping, you can select the log message
and choose to maintain the value mapping.

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Web-Based UI

You can navigate directly to Value Mapping from the Log Messages view of Monitoring and Error Handling. If an
error resulted from a faulty value mapping, you can select the log message and choose to maintain the value
mapping.

Features

SAP GUI

In Database Type, whether or not the values can be changed in the production system is displayed. This setting
is made by interface developers in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Define Value
Mapping.

In Value Mapping Type, which one of the following 2 value mapping types has been specified in Customizing is
displayed:

● Single value mapping

If the value mapping is defined as a single value mapping, one external value is mapped to one internal
value.
● Multiple value mapping
If the value mapping is defined as a multiple value mapping, up to five external values can be mapped to
one internal value. The number of external values is maintained by the interface developer in Customizing
for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Define Value Mappings .

In Sending System, you can specify the name of a particular business system that is to be used for the value
mapping. The selected value mapping is only valid for the specified sending system.

Missing Values is only displayed if you access Value Mapping from Monitoring and Error Handling. Missing
Values shows the values missing according to the error message in Monitoring and Error Handling. You can
enter the values into the value mapping table by choosing Insert Values.

The value mapping itself is displayed in a table. The first column is always an index, which you cannot edit. In
the following column(s), the external values are defined. The last column where values can be entered is for the
internal values.

Note
If an interface developer has maintained data elements for external values and the internal value in the value
mapping definition, the column headings are replaced by the corresponding labels.

Web-Based UI

In Value Mapping, the first column in the table displays the value mapping number, which you cannot edit. In
the following column(s), the external values are defined. In the IntValue (Internal Value) column, you can enter
the internal values.

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Activities

SAP GUI

To maintain the value mapping, choose . The transaction also provides you with a function that enables
you to check where the value mapping is used. If you have the authorization, double-clicking on an entry in the
provided list opens a new window and the Customizing where the mapping is used is displayed.

To enter new empty lines into the table, choose and select the number of lines you want to enter.

To delete single or multiple lines from the table, select the lines and choose .

If the value mapping was already defined for at least one sending system, you can enter those values into the
current value mapping. To do this, choose , select the business systems of the value mapping you want to
use, and choose OK. The values are automatically entered into the current value mapping.

Insert Values is only displayed if you access Value Mapping from Monitoring and Error Handling. To insert a new
value mapping using the missing values from Missing Values, choose Insert Values.

You are able to export data, for example, to a spreadsheet, by choosing .

You are also able to copy data from Microsoft Office Excel cells. Copy the data you want to insert to the
clipboard. Select the first cell the data is to be inserted into in the value mapping table and Paste. The lines are
inserted into the value mapping table. If the lines inserted exceed the number of available lines, then additional
lines are appended automatically.

Web-Based UI

If you have the authorization, in the ValMap (Value Mapping) column of the line with an error status, double-
clicking on navigates to Value Mapping. Once you have maintained the value mapping, choose to save
your correction and navigate back to Monitoring and Error Handling.

Validity Period

You can define the validity period type that should be used, that is, either the validity period number and/or the
validity dates, depending on the settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Define Value Mappings , where the following are available to define a validity
period:

● The Use Validity Period Number checkbox

Select to make the Validity Period Number field visible
● The Enter Validity Period Dates Directly checkbox
Select to make the Date From and Date To fields visible

For a value mapping, you can maintain either the validity period number or the dates or both of these.

Uniqueness of Internal and External Values

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Define Value
Mappings , you can specify whether or not the system checks the uniqueness of the external values, the
internal values, or a combination of both before saving the entries in value mapping. You have the option of
specifying whether you are alerted by an error or a warning if duplicate values are detected.

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6 SAP Application Interface Framework for
IT Personnel

Use

The SAP Application Interface Framework presents IT personnel with various options for configuring the
runtime and checking the system state.

The SAP Application Interface Framework provides IT personnel with a menu of Customizing activities to
facilitate interface set up. It enables you to reuse interface building blocks (structure mappings, value
mappings, checks, and actions), which you and your colleagues have created, over multiple interfaces. You can
set up flexible authorization rules and assign the relevant business users to monitor interfaces and to handle
errors. You have reports and options for analyzing the operation of the system. Integration with eCATT enables
automatic testing.

Process

Figure 6: Application Interface Framework for IT Personnel

The above graphic shows the typical activities for IT Personnel when using the SAP Application Interface
Framework:

1. The system is initially configured by defining the error handling application and the trace levels (see Initial
System Configuration [page 62]).
2. Security is configured by the Customizing of authorizations, for example, to limit access to monitoring and
error handling by business users (see Configuration of Security and Authorizations [page 67]).

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3. Interfaces are created and documented to enable the accurate and reliable transfer of data (see Interface
Creation [page 76], Interface Builder [page 79], SIW Support [page 81], IDoc Structure Generation and
Interface Definition [page 83], Batch Input Structure Generation and Interface Definition [page 86],
tRFC and qRFC Function Module Generation [page 88], Interface Documentation Maintenance [page
89], and Status Handling [page 90]).
4. Monitoring and error handling is set up by:
○ Defining recipients
○ Assigning users
○ Optionally creating parameter transactions
○ Maintaining engines depending on the interface technology you use
For more information, seeDefining Recipients [page 99] Assigning Users to Recipients [page 105],
Parameter Transactions [page 113], and Technology Support [page 130].
5. System operations can be analyzed continuously (see Operations for SAP Application Interface Framework
[page 120]).
6. Reports are provided for the following:
○ To detect and correct data inconsistencies (see Data Correction [page 128])
○ To create and display error statistics snapshots (see Generation and Display of Snapshots [page 129])
7. The SAP Application Interface Framework enables you to do automatic testing using eCATT (see Test
Automation with Extended CATT [page 180]).

More Information

To access Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework, in the SAP Easy Access menu, choose
Cross Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Configuration
Customizing or use transaction code /AIF/CUST. For more information about individual Customizing
activities, see the Customizing documentation.

6.1 Initial System Configuration

Use

The initial system configuration describes the steps necessary for you to configure the system for productive
use. You make the settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction
code /AIF/CUST) under Error Handling.

Process

1. To activate error handling, define an error handling application in Customizing for the SAP Application
Interface Framework under Error Handling Define Applications . For more information, see Defining
Error Handling Applications [page 63].

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 2. Define trace level information in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error
Handling Global Features . For more information, see Defining Trace Levels [page 66].

6.1.1 Defining Error Handling Applications

Context

To activate error handling in the Monitoring and Error Handling transaction, a standard error handling
application is required. The standard error handling application delivered with the SAP Application Interface
Framework is called AIF.

Recommendation
As an initial step, it is recommended that you check if the AIF application is correctly defined and, if it does
not exist, create and maintain it.

Procedure

1. Maintain error handling applications in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework
(transaction code /AIF/CUST) under Error Handling Define Applications .
2. Choose Maintain Application and check that there is an entry for application ID AIF. If the application ID AIF
does not exist, run the /AIF/SETUP transaction code. There should be the following entries:

Table 23:

Field Value

Short description AIF Application

Table of maintaining Appl. key fields /AIF/T_INF_TBL

Entry Data Facade /AIF/CL_AIF_ENTRY_DATA_FACADE

Module /AIF/SAPLAIF_SP_SSC

Screen Number 9101

Appl. Log Context Structure Name /AIF/BAL_CONTEXT

Action Handler /AIF/CL_AIF_ACTION_HANDLER

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 Field Value

Program Name (blank)

GUI Status (blank)

URL for Interface Monitor (blank)

Image Object Name for Interface Monitor /AIF/SAP_NETWEAVER_MONITOR

3. Make sure you select the AIF application and choose Maintain Application Specific Key Fields. There should
be the following three entries:

Table 24:

Position Sequence No. Field Value

1 Work Field P_NS

Field Name NS

Data Element /AIF/NS

Field Is Select-Option (blank)

2 Work Field S_IFNAME

Field Name IFNAME

Data Element /AIF/IFNAME

Field Is Select-Option X

3 Work Field P_IFVERS

Field Name IFVER

Data Element /AIF/IFVERSION

Field Is Select-Option (blank)

4. Make sure that you select AIF and choose Register Functions. There should be the following six entries:

Table 25:

Function View Code Field Value

CANCEL 1 Sequence Number 2

Button Description Cancel

Button tool tip Cancel

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 Function View Code Field Value

Icon @3J@

MONI 1 Sequence Number 3

Button Description (blank)

Button tool tip Integration Engine:

Monitor

Icon @16@

QRFC 1 Sequence Number 4

Button Description (blank)

Button tool tip QRFC Monitor

Icon @6P@

RESTART 1 Sequence Number 1

Button Description Restart

Button tool tip Restart

Icon @15@

SLOGS 3 Sequence Number 1

Button Description (blank)

Button tool tip Display Error

Message(s)

Icon @DR@

TRACELEV 1 Sequence Number 5

Button Description (blank)

Button tool tip Maintain Trace

Level

Icon @4H@

5. Make sure that you select AIF and choose Exclude Function from Appl. Toolbar. There should be no entries.

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6.1.2 Defining Trace Levels

Use

Trace levels define the level of detail for the log messages that are saved in the application log. There are four
trace levels in the delivery of the SAP Application Interface Framework: 0, 1, 2, and 3. The default trace level
that is used for message processing is 0.

Procedure

1. Maintain trace level information in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction
code /AIF/CUST_IF) under Error Handling Global Features .
2. Choose Define Trace Level and check that there is an entry for each trace level.

Recommendation
It is recommended that you maintain trace level information starting from trace level 0 because the
settings of a lower trace level are automatically applied to all higher trace levels.

3. To maintain trace level information, select the trace level and choose . You specify which message types
are to be included in the trace level. You can make separate entries depending on whether the message
source is from framework or from individual interface. To include a specific message type from the following
for a specific message category, select the corresponding checkbox:

Table 26:

Message Type Description

A Technical error

E Application error

I Information

W Warning

S Success

Note
The desired trace level for a specific message or all messages of an interface can be set in the Error Handling
[page 36] transaction or directly in the database table /AIF/FINF_TL.

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6.2 Configuration of Security and Authorizations

Use

The SAP Application Interface Framework uses flexible authorization rules to allow you to restrict access to
data and to monitoring and error handling. This security feature enforces compliance by following the need-to-
know principle when restricting access to interface data.

When you have given users the authorization to change and correct interface data, the system tracks all
changes that are made and allows you to trace which user made which change.

Features

The configuration of security and authorizations in the SAP Application Interface Framework includes the
following objects, roles, and data:

● Standard authorization objects (see Authorization Objects) [page 67]

● Predefined template roles (see Template Roles [page 70])
● The integration of custom-defined authorization objects (see Maintain Interface-Specific and Key-Field-
Specific Authorizations [page 71])
● Personal data
To secure your data properly, it is also required that you understand the personal data stored by the SAP
Application Interface Framework (see Considerations about Data Protection [page 72]).

More Information

Recommendation
For more information about security issues, see the Master Guide for the SAP Application Interface
Framework.

6.2.1 Authorization Objects

Definition

The SAP Application Interface Framework provides authorization objects for different purposes, for example,
the system uses the authorization object /AIF/CUST to check a user’s authorization for a Customizing activity.

When a user has the authorization to execute all transactions, then they implicitly also have the authority to
execute most of the transactions that are part of the SAP Application Interface Framework.

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 Note
Some transactions, for example, /AIF/CORRECTIONS and /AIF/EDCHANGES, are only protected by the
authorization object S_TCODE. For those transactions, it is not possible to restrict access, for example, at the
interface level.

Example

With the authorization object /AIF/ERR, the system checks the user’s authorization for error handling in the
SAP Application Interface Framework.

The table below shows the fields for the authorization object /AIF/ERR.

Using the activity field, you specify the actions that a user can execute in the system. You might want to specify
a user who only has read access to the transaction. You can further limit the authorization by namespace,
interface name, and interface version. As a result, the user can execute the specified activities only for the
defined namespace / interface name / interface version combination.

Authorization Fields

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Table 27:

Field Name Heading Authorization Object Setting

ACTVT Activity You can enter the following activities:

● Execute (16)
Select from index tables
● Read (33)
Read a data message's content
from the persistence layer
● Write (34)
Change a data message's content
● Administer (70)
qRFC Monitoring
● Analyze (71)
Display application log content
● Remove (75)
Cancel a message
● Resubmit (A4)
Restart a message
● General overview (GL)
XML monitoring
● Archive (24)
Start archiving report for SAP Ap­
plication Interface Framework per­
sistence using SARA
● Reload (25)
Restore archived data of SAP Ap­
plication Interface Framework per­
sistence using SARA
● Display archive (56)
Display archived data of SAP Appli­
cation Interface Framework persis­
tence

/AIF/NS Namespace This field refers to a namespace in the

SAP Application Interface Framework.

/AIF/IF Interface Name This field refers to an interface name in

the SAP Application Interface Frame­
work.

/AIF/IFVER Interface Version This field refers to an interface version

in the SAP Application Interface Frame­
work.

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More Information

Recommendation
For more information about authorization objects, see the Master Guide for the SAP Application Interface
Framework.

6.2.2 Role Templates

Definition

The SAP Application Interface Framework provides predefined role templates that you can use in order to
define roles for your specific requirements.

Features

Role Templates

The following role templates are delivered with the SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0:

● SAP_AIF_ADMIN: AIF Administrator

● SAP_AIF_ALL: AIF All Authorizations
● SAP_AIF_ARCHITECT: AIF Architect
● SAP_AIF_DEVELOPER: AIF Developer
● SAP_AIF_USER: AIF Business User
● SAP_AIF_POWER_USER: AIF Power User
● SAP_AIF_PROCESSING: AIF Processing
● SAP_AIF_TEST_TEMPL: AIF Test Template (Non-Productive)

Example

You use the template SAP_AIF_USER to create the roles for your business users doing the monitoring and error
handling. For a business user role, you can restrict the authorizations to the interfaces the business users are
allowed to see.

You use template SAP_AIF_DEVELOPER to create the roles for the users developing the interfaces of the SAP
Application Interface Framework.

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More Information

Recommendation
For more information about role templates and other security issues, see the Master Guide for the SAP
Application Interface Framework.

6.2.3 Set Up Interface-Specific and Key Field-Specific

Authorizations

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can set up interface-specific and key-field-specific
authorizations in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction code AIF/CUST). This
enables you to specify authorizations on the basis of a single message’s content. You can assign interface-
specific authorizations that allow or deny users certain activities depending on data received by the interface.

Example
A data message includes a plant and a business system identifier. A business user is responsible only for a
specific combination of a plant and a business system. You should only authorize them to display and
change messages for the specific combination that is relevant to them.

Process

1. You specify the fields that are relevant for authorizations as key fields and include them in a custom single
index table. You do this in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error Handling
Interface-Specific Features .
2. You create a custom authorization object in Maintain the Authorization Objects (transaction code SU21).
The authorization object needs to fulfill the following requirements:
○ It requires a field called ACTVT.
○ The available activities in the ACTVT field must be the same as for the /AIF/ERR authorization object.
○ It requires one field for each key field that serves as the basis for the authorization.
3. In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error Handling Interface-Specific
Features , you assign the authorization object to an interface, you specify a field sequence number, and
you link the key fields to the fields of the authorization object.

Note
When entering a field sequence number, you must enter the corresponding field sequence number from
the definition of the key fields.

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Result

You have defined the key fields, created the authorization object, assigned the authorization object to an
interface, and linked the key fields to the fields of the authorization object.

Example: Interface-Specific Authorizations

The interface-specific authorization can be used, for example, if you want to specify that users are only able to
display or change data if the data was received from a particular business system.

● Interface
INTERFACE01
● Users
USER01 and USER02
● Systems
SYSTEM01 and SYSTEM02

The INTERFACE01 interface can receive data from either SYSTEM01 or SYSTEM02. USER01 is only responsible
for data received from SYSTEM01 and USER02 is only responsible for data received form SYSTEM02. The
interface-specific authorization is used, for example, to ensure that USER01 is not able to change data received
from SYSTEM02.

6.2.4 Considerations about Data Protection

As a technical framework that enables changes to be made to business-critical interface data, the SAP
Application Interface Framework is required to save user-related information that could be marked as personal,
private, or confidential. The SAP Application Interface Framework provides you with authorizations you can use
to limit access to this information.

The following sections describe user-related or potentially confidential data that is saved and that could be
accessed using the SAP Application Interface Framework.

Single or Multi Message Index Table

The single or multi message index tables, which record aggregated information on a per-data-message-level,
contain fields for the following:

● The user name of the user that processed the message along with the date and time of the initial message
processing
● The user name of the user that last changed the message (restarted or canceled it) along with the date and
time of the action

Data in the single or multi index tables is not visible on any screen in the SAP Application Interface Framework.
It can only be accessed through direct database query or the ABAP dictionary.

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Log of Changes in Error Handling

Changes to a data message’s field values, which originated from the Monitoring and Error Handling transaction,
are recorded in a log table. The following information is saved:

● The name and path of the changed field along with the old and new value
● The user name of the user who initiated the change along with the date and time of the change

The change log data can be viewed in the Error Handling Changes Log (transaction code /AIF/EDCHANGES),
which you can access from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application Components SAP
Application Interface Framework Administration Log Error Handling Changes Log . The transaction
enables the user to see a list of changes. It is only when the user selects a change log entry and chooses to view
the details that the user name of the user who made the change is displayed. For this functionality (display the
user name), a separate authorization is needed (the /AIF/CDLOG authorization object).

Note
This transaction is protected by authorization object S_TCODE.

Information Contained in Interface Data

Depending on your interfaces, message data can contain personal, private, or confidential information. This
information can be accessed by all users who have the authorization to display or change messages of the
interface in the Monitoring and Error Handling transaction. If you identify such information and do not want the
information to be available for error handling, you can define the corresponding structures as Hide Structures.
You do this in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Error Handling Namespace-
specific Features .

6.3 Set Up Monitoring and Error Handling

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, IT personnel set up monitoring and error handling as appropriate
to the various authorized business users.

Process

IT personnel are involved in setting up monitoring and error handling as follows:

1. Interfaces Developers create interfaces to enable the accurate and reliable transfer of data.
For more information, see Interface [page 74] and Interface Determination [page 97].

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2. System Administrators define recipients.
For more information, see Defining Recipients [page 99]
3. System Administrators assign users.
For more information, see Assigning Users to Recipients [page 105].
4. System Administrators optionally create parameter transactions.
For more information, see Parameter Transactions [page 113].

More Information

For more information about setting up monitoring and error handling, see the SAP Application Interface
Framework Cookbook on the SAP Community Network. To access the SAP Community Network for the SAP
Application Interface Framework, go to SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com/ SAP Business Suite
SAP ERP Add-Ons SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 Additional Information .

6.3.1 Interface

Definition

A connecting point between the application and the data in the external format. At the most basic level, every
interface needs data structures, data, and business logic.

Use

Building an interface can be complicated and the effort needed to build, maintain, and monitor interfaces can
be underestimated. SAP Application Interface Framework provides a structured framework that enables users
to easily implement interface building blocks, providing Customizing menus that allow an IT project team to
start generically and then tailor the interface to business processes and the team’s specific needs. This
simplifies and standardizes the building and implementation process reducing development costs and time.
After the key interface components are built, they can easily be reused in other interfaces. Interface
components are assigned to namespaces, that is, grouped by functional area so users can easily access the
components. Every time a new interface is required, interface developers working with SAP Application
Interface Framework can leverage their previous work, as well as the work of their colleagues, to streamline the
process, reduce errors, and contribute to cost savings.

Example
An interface requires that a validation be completed for a material number. SAP Application Interface
Framework not only provides the steps to implement that validation as part of the interface, but also retains
that implementation so the validation can be reused in other interfaces.

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Structure

In SAP Application Interface Framework, there are the following four key interface building blocks:

● Structure mappings
The sending system and receiving system often do not have the same data structures for their business
objects or functions. Structure mappings are needed to map interface data from the source structure to
the destination structure.
● Value mappings
The sending system and receiving system might have different values for an object or business value. A
value mapping from a source value to a destination value solves this.
● Checks
To ensure that your interface data is correct, checks are needed to verify that the interface data is in the
right format, that it is valid from a business perspective, and that it can successfully be interpreted by the
application system.
● Actions
Actions need to be triggered to execute the interface's business logic, for example, an action triggers a call
to a Business Application Programming Interface (BAPI) to create a purchase order.

Integration

Use transaction code /AIF/CUST to access Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework. In the
following Customizing activities, you can define interface building blocks:

● Define Structure Mappings

● Define Value Mappings
● Define Fix values
● Define Checks
● Define Actions

The Interface Builder provides you with a quick and easy graphical way to create structure mappings for
interfaces in the SAP Application Interface Framework (see Interface Builder [page 79]).

You can generate SAP Application Interface Framework relevant interface objects via the Service
Implementation Workbench (see Service Implementation Workbench Support [page 81]).

The Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition report (transaction code /AIF/IDOC_GEN) enables you to
create a structure from an IDoc basic type and, optionally, to create a corresponding SAP Application Interface
Framework interface definition for the newly created structure (see IDoc Structure Generation and Interface
Definition) [page 83].

The AIF Batch Input Structure Generator report (transaction code /AIF/BDC_GEN) enables you to create a
structure for a batch input recording and, optionally, to create a corresponding SAP Application Interface
Framework interface definition for the newly created structure (see Batch Input Structure Generation and
Interface Definition [page 86]).

The Function Module Generator report (transaction code /AIF/RFC_FUNC_GEN) supports interface
developers in implementing the t/qRFC interface for the SAP Application Interface Framework by generating
the SAP structure, an interface for the SAP Application Interface Framework, and the playback function module
(see tRFC and qRFC [page 158]).

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The SAP Application Interface Framework can use preprocessing to execute some logic on top of IDoc or Proxy
raw message data with limited maintenance effort. To activate preprocessing, you select the Preprocessing
checkbox in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Define
Interfaces (see Preprocessing) [page 175].

More Information

For more information about individual Customizing activities, for example, Define Interfaces and Define
Structure Mappings, see the corresponding Customizing documentation.

6.3.1.1 Interface Creation

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, interface developers create and customize interfaces and assign
recipients to them to enable business users to monitor the interfaces they are responsible for.

Prerequisites

Before an interface can be developed using the SAP Application Interface Framework, some steps have to be
performed. However, the actual steps to be performed depend on the interface technology you want to use.

Example
● For proxy interfaces, it is necessary that the proxy class and the related proxy structure are generated.
● For IDocs, some ALE settings have to be made, for example, create message type and maintain process
code.

Depending on the interface technology and scenario, the following steps have to be executed before the
interface can be customized for the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Implement the call of the SAP Application Interface Framework

● Find or create BAPI(s) and function module(s)
Usually, the business logic in the backend is executed by methods (for example, of business objects),
BAPIs, or function modules that can be predefined by SAP or implemented specifically for your company.
In order to call these objects in an action of the SAP Application Interface Framework, you have to build
your SAP data structure to accommodate the required data and their expected format.
● Create SAP data structure
You need to create an SAP data structure to exchange values during the processing of the function
modules. The structure can consist of a hierarchy of substructures and tables. For an outbound interface,
the SAP data structure constitutes the source structure. Its components are usually defined by the format
of the data stored in the system. For an inbound interface, the SAP data structure constitutes the

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 destination structure. Its components are usually defined by the class methods or function modules you
want to execute in the system.

Process

Note
Depending on your scenario and interface technology, the steps described below might vary.

1. You define a namespace in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction
code /AIF/CUST) under Interface Development Define Namespace .
2. You define an interface in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface
Development Define Interfaces .
You have to define an interface name, a version, the name of the inbound or outbound proxy class, the raw
data structure, and the SAP data structure.

Note
If your interface is a proxy interface, when you define the name of the inbound or outbound proxy class
and choose Enter, the raw data structure and record type (which are derived from the proxy class) are
filled automatically in the raw data structure.

3. Depending on the interface technology and scenario, you have to maintain the engines used to handle
messages of the interface. You maintain engines in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface
Framework under Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines .
4. You can define your interface building blocks in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework
(transaction code /AIF/CUST) under Interface Development as follows:
○ Create structure mappings
In structure mapping, you map the fields of the source structure to the fields of the destination
structure. You also assign value mappings, fix values, checks, and actions. You do this under Define
Structure Mapping.

Note
You can define the following objects in the list either by forward navigation from Define Structure
Mapping or you can access Customizing activities to create them individually. If you want to use
forward navigation from Define Structure Mapping, enter the namespace and the name of the object
you want to create and choose Enter. If the object does not exist, you can choose to create it. If you
want to access Customizing activities to create the objects individually, it is recommended that you
create the objects (value mappings, fix values, checks, actions) before you create the structure
mapping.

○ If necessary, define the following:

○ Value mappings
Value mappings are used to derive one value in the destination structure from up to five values in
the source structure that can be optionally enriched with further data from the back end system.
You do this under Define Value Mappings.

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 ○ Fix values
You can use fix values if you want a certain field in the destination structure to always have the
same value. You can either enter a fix value directly into the structure mapping or you can create a
named fix value, which can be assigned to a field in the structure mapping. You define fix values
under Define Fix Values.

Recommendation
It is recommended to use a named fix value so that you can reuse it in different structure
mappings.

○ Checks
You can use checks to verify if the content of the specified field or fields match a certain condition.
Checks can be used in several places in the SAP Application Interface Framework, for example you
can assign them in structure mapping or you can assign them to a function in an action. You define
checks under Define Checks.
○ Actions
Actions contain the business logic of your interface. You can assign multiple action function
modules. Within these function modules, you can call BAPIs, SAP standard function modules, or
customer function modules that process the data of the SAP data structure. You define actions
under Define Actions.
5. Depending on your scenario, you have to set up interface determination to configure which interface in the
SAP Application Interface Framework should be used to process a message. You do this in Customizing for
the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Determination (see Interface Determination [page
97]).

Example
Scenario: You have multiple interfaces in the SAP Application Interface Framework for the same ABAP
Proxy.

Scenario: You use the generic process function delivered with SAP Application Interface Framework to
process an IDoc in the SAP Application Interface Framework.

6. You define a recipient, which is needed for alert configuration, and you can subsequently assign users to it.
You define the recipient in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error
Handling Namespace-Specific Features . Enter the namespace you want to create the recipient for and
choose Define Recipients. Define a name and a description for your recipient.

Note
You can reuse existing recipients.

7. You assign users to your recipient in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
System Configuration Assign Recipients . Enter the namespace and the name of your recipient.
You can assign users, roles, or external addresses as follows:
○ Assign users/roles
Select the message type that is to be included in an alert message. If you set the Include in overview
screen indicator, the users or roles that are assigned to the recipient see the messages in the Interface
Monitor of the SAP Application Interface Framework. If you set the Technical User indicator, this
identifies technical users or roles who can also see messages that have the status In Process or
Technical Error in the Interface Monitor.

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 ○ Assign external addresses
This enables you to define external addresses (for example, e-mail and fax) that are notified if
messages with the specified type occur.

Note
While assigning users to recipients provides you with a recipient-specific view, a user-centric view exists
as well. You can use transaction /AIF/RECIPIENTS to display and maintain the recipients a specific
user belongs to. Alternatively, you can use transaction /AIF/MYRECIPIENTS to see the recipients your
user is assigned to.

More Information

For more information about the maintenance of users and recipients, see Defining Recipients [page 99] and
Assigning Users to Recipients [page 105].

For more information about creating interfaces, see the SAP Application Interface Framework Cookbook on the
SAP Community Network. To access the SAP Community Network for the SAP Application Interface
Framework, go to SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com/ SAP Business Suite SAP ERP Add-Ons SAP
Application Interface Framework 3.0 Additional Information .

6.3.1.2 Interface Builder

Use

The Interface Builder (transaction code /AIF/IFB) provides you with a quick and easy graphical way to create
your structure mappings for interfaces in the SAP Application Interface Framework. You can create field
mappings and use drag and drop to assign value mappings and fix values.

Prerequisites

You have defined an interface in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction
code /AIF/CUST) under Interface Development Define Interfaces .

You require authorization to use Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface
Development Define Structure Mappings .

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Features

Figure 7: Interface Builder Views

As shown in the graphic above, the Interface Builder screen consists of the following 4 views:

● The first view contains the source structure in a hierarchical tree.

● The second view contains the destination structure in a hierarchical tree.
● The third view allows you to toggle between value mappings and fix values, which are also displayed in a
hierarchical tree.
● The fourth view displays the field mappings of the currently selected structure mapping in a table.
There are both display and change modes available to you.

Activities

You can access the Interface Builder report from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application
Components SAP Application Interface Framework Interface Development Interface Builder .

To create a structure mapping, you drag and drop a structure or table from the source structure to a structure
or table in the destination structure. The fields of the destination structure are then displayed in a table in the
fourth view containing the field mappings.

To create a field mapping, you drag and drop a field of the source structure to a corresponding field in the field
mapping table. You can also map fields of the current destination structure by dragging a cell of the column
containing the destination column and dropping it on a cell for the source field.

If you want to create a value mapping or fix value, drag and drop the entries from the third view to the
corresponding field in the field mapping table.

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6.3.1.3 Service Implementation Workbench Support

Use

The Service Implementation Workbench (SIW) offers a single point of entry for you to create, implement, and
recreate enterprise services quickly and easily in a semi-automated and guided process to ensure reusability of
business functionality.

The SAP Application Interface Framework provides you with an SIW configuration and template. You can
generate SAP Application Interface Framework relevant objects and data entries via SIW in different system
landscapes. In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can use the delivered SIW configuration to
integrate with ECH (see Error and Conflict Handling Integration [page 148]).

Prerequisites

You require authorization for the following 3 authorization objects:

● S_CTS_ADMI
● S_CTS_SADM
● S_SIW_CFG

You must define the SIW system landscape and configuration.

Features

The SIW template delivered with the SAP Application Interface Framework supports you in generating many of
the objects needed for an SAP Application Interface Framework interface. For example, the following objects
can be generated with the template:

● Proxy class implementation

● Interface definition
● Action
● Action function
● SAP data structure

In order to guarantee flexibility and scalability, the custom SIW configuration does the following:

● Supports both bulk and single service

● Supports both synchronous and asynchronous
● Provides all the needed context variables
● Provides one template for above mentioned functions
● Is able to inject Customizing entries into transport request

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Activities

Variables Maintenance and Object Generation in SIW

In SIW, a project is created based on a configuration defined for the proxy-based creation type. On the SIW
Project Creation Screen, there is an SAP Application Interface Framework-specific creation sub-screen for
proxy-based services where an interface developer can enter the following key variable values:

● Prefix
Used for all repository objects generated with the SIW
● Package
The package storing generated objects
● Function group
Contains the generated action function module
● Namespace / interface name / interface version
The AIF interface keys. The namespace is not generated by SIW, but must be defined in advance.
● Interface description
● Action
The AIF action used by the AIF interface. The generated action function module is assigned as a function of
this action.
● Action description

After the project is created, the Project Implementation Screen is displayed. Here, you enter the project-specific
context data, for example, the SAP data structure name used for DDIC structure generation. You specify the
function module or BAPI that should be called in the action function. The SAP data structure is generated to fit
this function module’s or BAPI’s parameters. Interface developers can define their SAP Application Interface
Framework interface via the context variables.

Once all the required context variables are correctly maintained, a service developer can generate the
following:

● An implementation based on the existing proxy class

● DDIC objects, for example, table type and structure
● An SAP Application Interface Framework-specific action function module, as well as generate code
snippets for the action function module
● Basic Customizing data for the SAP Application Interface Framework, for example, interface definition

More Information

For more information about SIW, see SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com SAP NetWeaver 7.0 Service
Development on AS ABAP Service Implementation Workbench (BC-ESI-SIW) .

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6.3.1.4 IDoc Structure Generation and Interface Definition

Use

The Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition report (transaction code /AIF/IDOC_GEN) enables you to
create a structure for an IDoc basic type or a structure for a combination of IDoc basic type and IDoc extension.
The report provides optional functionality to create a corresponding SAP Application Interface Framework
interface that uses the newly created structure.

The structure generated by the report consists of the control record and the basic type’s segments. If the
structure was created for an IDoc basic type together with a specific extension, the generated structure also
contains the extension segments. It can be used in the SAP Application Interface Framework interface
definition as a raw data structure for the following:

● Displaying existing IDocs in the Monitoring and Error Handling transaction

● IDoc processing using the runtime of the SAP Application Interface Framework, calling the IDoc standard
process function module in an action
● IDoc processing with ALE runtime, writing index tables with the AIF enabler

In the above scenarios, the generated structure is used as raw data structure and SAP data structure.

The structure generated by the report can also be used as the raw data structure for IDoc processing using the
runtime of the SAP Application Interface Framework, calling any other function module or BAPI in an action. In
this scenario, the SAP structure has to be defined in a way that it accommodates the structure of the function
modules or BAPIs you want to call.

Mass IDoc Structure and Interface Generator

The Mass IDoc Structure and Interface Generator report (transaction code /AIF/IDOC_MASS_GEN) provides
the same functions and features as the Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition report but can be used
for the mass generation of structures and interfaces based on a list of IDoc types.

Integration

The report can create an interface if the corresponding data is maintained on the screen. In those cases where
the raw data structure created by the report and the SAP data structure are identical structures, the Move
Corresponding checkbox is selected automatically by the report in Customizing for the SAP Application
Interface Framework under Interface Development Define Interfaces to map the source to the
destination structure during the runtime of the SAP Application Interface Framework.

If the raw and SAP data structures are not the same, you must enter the SAP data structure in Customizing for
the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Define Interfaces and you have to
define a structure mapping under Interface Development Define Structure Mappings .

The engines for the interface are set automatically in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework
under Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines .

Furthermore, the basic type and message type are automatically maintained in Customizing for the SAP
Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Assign
IDoc Types .

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Mass IDoc Structure and Interface Generator

If you execute the selection screen of the Mass IDoc Structure and Interface Generator report, the system calls
the Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition report in a second step.

You can define an IDoc collection that contains a list of IDocs types for use with the Mass IDoc Structure and
Interface Generator report. You do this in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Define IDoc Type Collection .

Features

IDoc Structure Generation and Interface Definition

The report enables you to create one structure per basic type/extension combination. If you created a
structure once for a specific basic type, it is possible to recreate the structure. However, the report does not
allow you to create a structure with the same basic type/extension combination but a different structure name.

A proposal for the IDoc data structure is automatically created from the basic type and the prefix for the
structure. The proposed name can be changed by the user.

The report gives you the option of creating a corresponding SAP Application Interface Framework interface
definition together with the structure. The report allows you to create a new interface for a structure that is
already created.

The report also enables you to transport the created objects.

After you enter your selection on the Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition screen and choose ,
the report generates the required structures. It also creates the interface if the corresponding information has
been provided.

Mass IDoc Structure Generation and Interface Definition

On the first screen of the Mass IDoc Structure and Interface Generator, you can select the IDoc type collection.
You can maintain an IDoc type collection in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Define IDoc Type Collection .

After you enter your selection on the Mass IDoc Structure and Interface Generator screen and choose , the
report selects the corresponding IDoc types from the IDoc type collection and displays them in a table on the
next screen. On this screen, there are pushbuttons and a Generation Status column that use traffic lights to
show the current status of IDoc generation as follows:

● Green
Successful or job finished
● Yellow
Created with warning or job running
● Red
Errors occurred during the last generation
● Grey
No structure created

Furthermore, the data maintained in the IDoc type collection is displayed in the list. You can change some of
the data, for example, the message type and interface name.

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From this list, you select IDoc types and choose Execute. You can enter the namespace for the interface, the
prefix for the structure, the package, and transport requests. Choose Execute to trigger jobs to generate the
IDoc structures and interface.

Note
If the interface already exists for the namespace entered, the existing interface is not overwritten by the
Mass IDoc Structure and Interface Generator report. Instead, an information message is added to the log.

Activities

SAP Easy Access

You can access these 2 reports from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application Components
SAP Application Interface Framework Interface Development under the following:

● IDoc Structure Generator

For the Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition report
● Mass IDoc Structure Generator
For the Mass IDoc Structure and Interface Generator report

SAP Structure

To create structures, you specify the following data:

● The name of an IDoc basic type

If you create an interface, the basic type is automatically assigned to the interface.
● A prefix for use as a prefix for the structure names
● The name of the root structure
● Maintain a message type to assign it automatically to your interface
● An extension, which is combined with an IDoc type from the SAP standard version (a basic type) to create
a new, upwardly-compatible IDoc type (optional)

Note
The basic type and message type you maintain here are automatically assigned in Customizing for SAP
Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Assign
IDoc Types , also when creating an interface with the report.

Interface Definition

To create a corresponding SAP Application Interface Framework interface definition for newly created
structures, you specify the following data:

● The name of the interface namespace

● The interface name
● The interface version
● The variant ID
Decides if the created structure is used as the raw and SAP data structure and that the Move
Corresponding checkbox is selected in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under

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 Interface Development Define Interfaces . Furthermore, the variant ID decides which Logging Engine,
Selection Engine, Application Engine, and Persistence Engine should be used.
● The interface description

Transport

To transport data, you specify the following data:

● A package where the created structures are to be stored

● A workbench request where the created structures are to be stored
● A Customizing request where the Customizing data is to be stored, for example, the interface definition
● The name of the RFC destination for Customizing handling in another system client

Note
If you enter package $TMP, the workbench objects are assigned to your local objects and it is not necessary
to specify a workbench request.

More Information

For more information about monitoring and processing IDocs in the SAP Application Interface Framework, see
IDoc Scenarios [page 135].

6.3.1.5 Batch Input Structure Generation and Interface

Definition

Use

The AIF Batch Input Structure Generator report (transaction code /AIF/BDC_GEN) enables you to create a
structure for a batch input recording. The report provides optional functionality to create a corresponding SAP
Application Interface Framework interface that uses the newly created structure. The structure generated by
the report can be used in SAP Application Interface Framework interface definition as a raw and an SAP
structure for the following:

● Displaying batch input using the standard batch input runtime

● Displaying batch input using the AIF enabler

Features

The report enables you to create a structure for a batch input recording created by a specific user.

The report gives you the option of creating a corresponding SAP Application Interface Framework interface
definition together with the structure. If an interface definition is generated, the report also generates custom
field labels that are displayed in Monitoring and Error Handling.

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The report also enables you to transport the created objects.

Activities

You can access the AIF Batch Input Structure Generator from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-
Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Interface Development Batch Input
Structure Generator .

SAP Structure

To create a structure, you specify the following data:

● The name of the batch input recording

● The name of the creator of the batch input recording
● The name of the structure to be created
● A prefix for use as a prefix for the rest of the structures to be created

Interface Definition

To create a corresponding SAP Application Interface Framework interface definition for the newly created
structure, you specify the following data:

● The name of the interface namespace

● The name of the interface
● The version of the interface
● A description for the interface
● The variant ID
You specify which scenario, of the two supported for batch input (see Batch Input) [page 170], you are
using to monitor and process batch input sessions.

Note
The system only allows you to monitor batch input sessions with one transaction. You cannot generate a
structure for a batch input session with multiple transactions. The structure that is generated contains a
table type that can contain multiple transactions of the same type. In Monitoring and Error Handling, you can
monitor batch input sessions that contain multiple transactions of the same type and screen flow.

Transport

To transport data, you specify the following data:

● A package where the created structures are to be stored

● A workbench request where the created structures are to be stored
● A Customizing request where the Customizing data is to be stored, for example, the interface definition
● The name of the RFC destination for Customizing handling in another system client

Note
If you enter package $TMP, the workbench objects are assigned to your local objects and it is not necessary
to specify a workbench request in this case.

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More Information

For more information about monitoring and processing batch input sessions in the SAP Application Interface
Framework, see Batch Input [page 170].

6.3.1.6 tRFC and qRFC Function Module Generation

Use

Function Module Generator

Based on a remotely-enabled function module existing in either a local or a remote system, the Function
Module Generator report supports interface developers in implementing the t/qRFC interface for the SAP
Application Interface Framework by generating the following:

● SAP structure
● AIF interface
● Playback function module
This is called by the Data Transfer report to read the data of the t/qRFC transactions.

Note
Authorization checks are performed by the Function Module Generator before objects are generated.

The related authorization objects are: S_DEVELOP and /AIF/CUST.

In this way, with the support of the Function Module Generator, the following SAP AIF monitoring functions are
available for t/qRFC integration:

● Restart, cancel, and debug of the LUWs as appropriate for tRFC and qRFC transactions
● Display the tRFC and qRFC data
● Display the logs of each tRFC and qRFC transaction

Mass Function Module Generator

The Mass Function Module Generator report (transaction code /AIF/RFC_MASS_GEN) provides the same
functions and features as the Function Module Generator report but can be used for the mass generation of
objects and Customizing entries based on a list of t/qRFC function modules.

You can define a list of t/qRFC function modules in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Define RFC Function Module Collection .

On the first screen of the Mass Function Module Generator, the prefix of new objects can be input to combine
the newly generated SAP structure and playback function module with the short name maintained in
Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Additional Interface
Properties Define RFC Function Module Collection in the sub-activity Assign Function to RFC Function
Module Collection.

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More Information

For more information, see tRFC and qRFC [page 158].

6.3.1.7 Interface Documentation Maintenance

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the interface is implemented in a structured way. You can use this
structured information to generate documentation that describes the interface structure and contents. In
Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction code /AIF/CUST), under individual
Customizing activities for interface creation, you can maintain documentation related to an interface object, for
example, an interface or a value mapping.

The Interface Documentation Tool (transaction code /AIF/DOCU) enables you to write documentation for an
interface or for a Customizing object in the language of your choice.

Features

Maintaining Interface Documentation

During interface implementation, interface developers can enter texts to describe an interface object. The
structure of the interface and the texts are used to generate an interface documentation.

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework, under individual Customizing activities related to
interface creation, there is a Documentation pushbutton with a traffic light showing one of the following
statuses:

●
Documentation is maintained and released

●
No documentation is maintained

●
Documentation is maintained but not yet released

Choose Documentation to maintain and release texts.

A warning is displayed if you do not save your documentation.

Interface Documentation Tool

In the Interface Documentation Tool, if you select Interface and execute the report, you get an overview of all
objects belonging to the specified interface for the specified namespace. You can see if documentation is
available and if any such documentation is available in the selected target language. Selecting a line enables
you to create, edit, and release documentation.

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If you select Customizing Object, the Customizing objects that fit the selection criteria are displayed. The
following is a list of the possible Customizing objects:

● Interface definition
● Structure mapping
● Fix value
● Value mapping
● Action
● Check
● Field mapping
● Condition

You can export the documentation, for example, to a Microsoft Office Excel file.

Activities

You can access the Interface Documentation Tool from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-
Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Interface Development Interface
Documentation Tool .

6.3.1.8 Status Handling

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, handling of statuses (for example, in development, test,
productive, obsolete) is available for interfaces.

Integration

You can make settings for status handling in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction
code /AIF/CUST) under Interface Development Define Interfaces .

Features

The interface status and end date are checked and, if the interface in status handling is client dependent, are
compared with the system role in Client Administration.

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In Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Define Interfaces, you can do the following:

● Enter the status

For example, Test or Obsolete
● Enter the end date
● Select the Automatic Client Control checkbox
Indicates that status handling is client role dependent

Note
In order to set up a client dependent interface, you have to maintain the system role in Client Administration
(transaction code SCC4).

Example

● The status of the interface is Obsolete, the end date is later than the current date, and all system roles are
valid
You receive a warning message that the interface is obsolete and that it is only valid until the end date is
reached.
● The status of the interface is Obsolete, the end date is earlier than the current date, and all system roles are
valid
You receive an error message and the processing of the current message is stopped.

6.3.1.9 Business Rules Framework Plus Integration

Use

The SAP Application Interface Framework provides an integration with the Business Rules Framework plus
(BRFplus), which you can access using the BRFplus transaction code. BRFplus is a rule tool that provides a
comprehensive application programming interface (API) and user interface (UI) so that you can define and
implement technical and business process-oriented sets of rules.

Integration

A function is the rule interface in BRFplus and it acts as a link between the application code and the BRFplus
code. A function carries a context and a result. It imports the context and returns a result after processing.

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the BRFplus integration is done with a function that you define for
value mapping, structure mapping, and checks. In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework
(transaction code /AIF/CUST) under Interface Development, you specify the name of the BRFplus application

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(in the BRFplus Application Name field) and the name of the BRFplus function (in the BRFplus Function Name
field) under the following:

● Define Value Mapping

● Define Structure Mapping Assign Destination Structure
● Checks Define Single Checks

Prerequisites

SAP NetWeaver 7.0, EhP2 and add-on release SAP Application Interface Framework 3.0 - AIF 702 (main
component) Support Package 01.

Features

During data processing in the SAP Application Interface Framework, a BRFplus function, which is assigned to a
value mapping, structure mapping, or check, is called. The data from the SAP Application Interface Framework
is transferred to the BRFplus function. The BRFplus function is executed and the result is returned to the value
mapping, structure mapping, or check.

Activities

In order to use a BRFplus function in the SAP Application Interface Framework, the function needs to be set up
in the following specific ways:

Structure Mapping

A function for structure mapping within an application can have the following context:

Table 28:

Component Name in BRFplus Function Description

RAW_STRUCT Contains the source structure of the interface

RAW_LINE Contains the row of the table/structure of the source struc­

ture for which the BRFplus mapping function is currently
executed

SENDING_SYSTEM A field of the source structure needs to be maintained in

Field for the Sending System in the interface definition. If the
BRFplus function should behave differently for different
senders, you can use this parameter to differentiate the be­
havior.

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 Component Name in BRFplus Function Description

OUT_STRUCT Contains the destination structure

DEST_LINE Contains the data of the current line in the destination struc­
ture. You might change the data of this parameter in this
function module.

DEST_TABLE Contains the data of the current structure in a table

You can define the following objects as result data objects:

● OUT_STRUCT
● DEST_LINE
● DEST_TABLE

Value Mapping

A function for a value mapping within an application needs to be defined with the following context:

Table 29:

Component Name in BRFplus Function Description

● VALUE_IN The fields defined in the field mapping (Fieldname 1 to

● VALUE_IN2 Fieldname 5) are used as importing parameters.
● VALUE_IN3
● VALUE_IN4
● VALUE_IN5

SENDING_SYSTEM A field of the source structure needs to be maintained in

Field for the Sending System in the interface definition. If the
BRFplus function should derive different values for different
senders, you can use this parameter to differentiate the be­
havior.

Furthermore, one result data object, with a name of your choice, is required. The resulting value of the BRFplus
function is passed back to the SAP Application Interface Framework. The value is passed to the corresponding
field in the destination structure.

Check

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A function for a single check within an application can have the following context:

Table 30:

Component Name in BRFplus Function Description

DATA_STRUCT Contains the data of the current structure. If the check is

executed during structure mapping, the current structure is
either the SAP or raw data structure. This is dependent on
the Check raw data checkbox in the check assignment. If the
check is executed in an action, the structure is the destina­
tion structure. If the check is executed for a condition, the
current structure is the source structure.

DATA_LINE Contains the current line of the structure that is mapped

DATA_FIELD If the check is executed in the structure mapping or as con­

dition and at least Fieldname 1 is defined, this field contains
the value of the field defined in Fieldname 1.

● VALUE1 Contains the values of the fields defined when the check is
● VALUE2 assigned (Fieldname 1 to Fieldname 5).
● VALUE3
● VALUE4
● VALUE5

SENDING_SYSTEM A field of the source structure needs to be maintained in

Field for the Sending System in the interface definition. If the
BRFplus function should behave differently for different
senders, you can use this parameter to differentiate the be­
havior.

One result data object can be added. This result data object should simply indicate if the result of the function
is successful or if it has an error.

More Information

For more information about BRFplus, see SAP Library at http://help.sap.com under Technology SAP
NetWeaver Platform 7.0 EHP2 Business Rules Framework plus .

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6.3.2 Analyzer

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the Analyzer assists you with the process of analyzing the steps
that are executed at runtime. It shows you the order in which Customizing settings are executed and helps you
locate errors and the origin of incorrect mapping.

The Analyzer supports you in finding the root cause of incorrect values. It allows you to analyze how the values
have changed during runtime. Furthermore, it helps you to understand how the runtime works.

Integration

You access the Analyzer in the Interface Test Tool (from the SAP Fiori launchpad or transaction code /AIF/
IFTEST) where you can create test data or reuse existing test data for the interface you have selected for
analysis (see Interface Test Tool [page 179]).

In the tool bar of the Test File Overview screen, select Read Data to trigger the runtime with the transformation
of the data and processing of the defined actions. When the runtime is finished, the Process Test Files screen of
the Analyzer is displayed.

Note
When opening the Analyzer by choosing Analyze, the last executed step is selected showing the
corresponding raw and SAP structure values in the left and right hand views respectively. Thus, you see all
values at their state at the end of the process.

Features

Screen Areas

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 Figure 8: The Process Test Files Screen of the Analyzer

The following three areas are displayed on the Process Test Files screen of the Analyzer:

● Raw structure on the left

○ RAW Structure
Shows the data of the raw structure at the selected process step
○ Value
Shows the value before the selected process step was executed
● Process tree in the center
○ Process Step
Shows the sequential process steps of the specified interface, displayed in the order they had been
executed in the runtime
Each process step corresponds to a Customizing setting. The process steps are grouped according to
their hierarchy level and are displayed as a tree. Each step shows how the runtime processed the
interface by transforming the data and performing actions.
○ Result
Shows the result of a specific process step, for example, whether or not a check or a value mapping
was successful, or a fix value that was added.
● SAP structure on the right
○ SAP Structure
Shows the data of the SAP structure at the selected process step
○ Value
Shows the value after the selected process step is executed

Highlighted Nodes

The selected process step and the corresponding pre- and post-runtime values are highlighted in the following
colors:

Table 31:

Yellow The selected process step.

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 Orange If available, the fields and values used for the mapping or the check.

Depending on your settings the fields can be in both, the SAP and the RAW struc­
ture.

Blue If available, the fields and values that were changed or set by the mapping, check, or
fixed value.

Activities

You can start at any node in the process or the structure areas to analyze different aspects of the interface
processing, for example:

● Retrace the process steps

In the Process Step area, you can jump back to any step by double-clicking on the node. This updates both
the raw and SAP structure trees and highlights the fields and values involved in this step.
You can make transparent what happened in which sequence and correct, for example, the order of your
process steps.
● Show where a field is used
In the RAW Structure and SAP Structure areas, you can select a field and choose . This highlights the
process steps that will transform data from this field, and the field that will receive the transformation
result.
You use this function to take a look forward in the history of a value. For example, to find out why a value
that you see in the raw structure did not find its way into the right field in the SAP structure.
● Explain the changes made to a field

In the RAW Structure and SAP Structure areas, you can select a field and choose . This highlights the
process steps that transformed the data in this field and the fields that delivered the input values for the
transformation.
You use this function to take a look backwards in the history of a value. For example, to find out how it came
to an incorrect value that you see in the SAP structure.

6.3.3 Interface Determination

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, interface determination enables you to configure which interface
should be used to process a data message. Interface determination is available for inbound messages for
different interface technologies, for example, coming from the SAP NetWeaver PI proxy or sent via IDocs or
XML. You can also develop a customer-specific interface determination.

You can use interface determination to decide which interface should be used for message processing.
Different Field Categories exist, for example, the content of the data message, IDoc control records, or fields
from the XI header data. Which Field Categories are available depends on the interface technology used.
Interface determination also determines if the message is a restart message (the SAP Application Interface

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framework interface used while restarting the message should be the same as the one used for the initial
processing of the message) or if the message is new.

The SAP Application Interface Framework provides version handling for the Customizing activity Interface
Determination.

Integration

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction code /AIF/CUST), you can make
settings for interface determination in the following activities under System Configuration Interface
Determination as appropriate:

● Define Interface Determination for Proxy Interfaces

● Define Interface Determination for IDoc Interfaces
● Define Interface Determination for XML Interfaces
● Define Interface Determination for Customer-Specific Engines

Prerequisites

Interfaces are maintained in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction code /AIF/
CUST) under Interface Development Define Interfaces .

Features

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, interface determination is based on the following rules:

● Standard
○ Proxy class
The name of the proxy class that handles the data message is compared to the Customizing settings
for the interface. If there is an interface that has the proxy class name as its inbound proxy class name,
then the highest version of this interface is used to process the message.
If the inbound/outbound proxy class has multiple operations, you need to maintain an appropriate
entry in the Proxy Method field in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Define Interfaces . In addition, you have to maintain the Proxy Method
field in Interface Determination for Proxy Interfaces if more than one interface is assigned to the proxy
method. If the inbound/outbound proxy class has only one operation, you can leave the Proxy Method
field empty.
○ IDoc
If a data message is sent via IDoc, the basic type and the message type is compared to the settings for
the interface in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction code /AIF/
CUST) under Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Assign IDoc Types . If there
is an interface that has the same basic type and message type, then the highest version of this
interface is used for processing the messages.

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 ○ XML
If a data message that is sent as XML, the name of the input structure is compared to the raw data
structure in the Customizing settings for the interface. If there is an interface found, then the highest
version of this structure is used.
● Non standard
Instead of using the standard behavior, you can explicitly customize interface determination.

Activities

Version Handling

You can define a validity period for the interfaces and additional checks for verifying the right interface
definition.

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Determination , to maintain the
validity period, you can enter the Date From, the Date To, both of these dates, or the validity period. You can
only maintain the dates or the validity period but not both.

More Information

For more information about Customizing for interface determination and version handling, see the
corresponding documentation for the individual activities in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface
Framework.

6.3.4 Defining Recipients

Use

In SAP Application Interface Framework, you use recipients to define which users are responsible for which
data messages. The recipient assignment of a user defines which data messages he will see in the Interface
Monitor and for which data messages he will receive alert notifications, for example, emails. Using recipients,
you can make sure the data messages reach the right persons in your organization, and only the right persons.

To enable the routing of data messages, you create recipients, assign interfaces to the recipients, and assign
the recipients to users or user groups. The creation of recipients and their assignment to interfaces is
described here. For information about assigning recipients to users or user groups, see Assigning Users to
Recipients [page 105].

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Features

When you create a recipient, it is not assigned to an interface. For assigning interfaces to your recipients, you
can apply the following strategies:

Recommendation
We recommend that you first make yourself familiar with the concepts, assignment options, and recipient
types described here. For complex scenarios, you should outline a recipient matrix before you start creating
and assigning recipients in the system.

By interface

As a basic strategy, to make sure that no message slips through without anybody being notified, you can set
one recipient per interface as the default recipient. If the system cannot find any other recipient that receives a
notification, a notification is always sent to the default recipient regardless of the alert settings.

In a simple business scenario, you can assign specific recipients to one or several interfaces. These recipients
will receive all messages of the interface(s) according to their alert and monitoring settings.

Caution
Other than the default recipients, you cannot combine interface-specific recipients (“Recipients Without Key
Fields”) with message category or key field recipients.

By Message Categories

You can group log messages in message categories and assign the categories to recipients using an
assignment table. You can assign specific recipients who will be notified about a data message if a log
message in their category was thrown for this data message. Usually, you map such recipients to users or
groups that are responsible for handling specific errors in the business content of the data messages.

For central administration users, who are responsible for monitoring a whole business process and need to
have an overview of the entirety of (error) messages, you can add a standard recipient. This recipient will get
all messages of the interface regardless of their category. In addition, to track which log messages are thrown
but not assigned to any specific recipient, you can create a fallback recipient. The fallback recipient will get
only those messages that are not covered by one of the specific recipients.

Example
During the processing of an interface Financial Accounting (FI) and Controlling (CO) errors might occur.
Depending on the error type (FI or CO), different users are responsible for handling these errors. To dispatch
the error messages, you create two message categories (FI and CO) and two corresponding recipients
(FI_RECIPIENT and CO_RECIPIENT). You assign the users responsible for the FI-related errors to recipient
FI_RECIPIENT. These users will only be notified if there is an FI-related error and in the Interface Monitor
they will only see the FI-related messages. Do the same for the CO_RECIPIENT.

To collect the log messages that go past the specific recipients FI_RECIPIENT and CO_RECIPIENT, you
create a fallback recipient (FALLBACK). This recipient will get all messages with error types other than FI or
CO. In addition, you create a standard recipient (STANDARD). This recipient gets all log messages of the
interface, independent of their message category.

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 The following table shows how incoming messages are dispatched to the different types of recipients at
runtime:

Table 32:

Message GUID Message Category Specific Recipients Fallback Recipient Standard Recipient

3433 FI FI_RECIPIENT STANDARD

3983 CO CO_RECIPIENT STANDARD

3457 FALLBACK STANDARD

3953 CO CO_RECIPIENT STANDARD

3567 FALLBACK STANDARD

By Key Field Values

You can route the log messages based on the content of the data messages using an assignment table. You can
define the key fields of a single index table as recipient-relevant and create specific recipients for certain
values of the key field. If an error message is thrown for a data message containing this key field value the
corresponding recipient gets notified. Usually, you assign these recipients to users or groups that are
responsible for handling specific errors in the business content of the data messages.

For central administration users, who are responsible for monitoring a whole business process and need to
have an overview of the entirety of (error) messages, you can add a standard recipient. This recipient will get
all messages of the interface regardless of the key field values. In addition, to track which messages are not
assigned to any specific recipient, you can create a fallback recipient. The fallback recipient will get only those
messages that are not covered by one of the specific recipients. This way, you can track, for example, if
someone entered an incorrect value in your key field or someone introduced a new correct value, for which you
need to create a new recipient.

Example
In an interface, data messages from different subsidiaries of your company are processed. Dependent on
the company code, different business users are responsible for the log messages in case of errors. One
group is responsible for company code 1000 and the other group for company code 2000. You define the
company code as a single key field and mark it as relevant for recipient determination. You create the
specific recipients COMPANY_CODE_1000 and COMPANY_CODE_2000 and assign them to the
responsible user groups.

To collect the log messages that go past the specific recipients COMPANY_CODE_1000 and
COMPANY_CODE_2000, you create a fallback recipient (FALLBACK). This recipient will get all messages
with company codes other than 1000 and 2000. In addition, you create a standard recipient (STANDARD).
This recipient gets all messages of the interface, independent of the company code value.

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 The following table shows how incoming messages are dispatched to the different types of recipients at
runtime:

Table 33:

Message GUID Company Code Specific Recipients Fallback Recipient Standard Recipient

2443 1000 COM­ STANDARD

PANY_CODE_1000

2986 2000 COM­ STANDARD

PANY_CODE_2000

2417 4000 FALLBACK STANDARD

2993 2000 COM­ STANDARD

PANY_CODE_2000

2547 FALLBACK STANDARD

By Message Categories and Key Field Values

You can combine these assignment strategies to implement a complex recipient matrix. In a single assignment
table, you can assign message categories and key field values to recipients. You can have specific recipients
and fallback recipients on different levels, which is, per category, per field value, and per category/value
combination. And you can have standard recipients per category, per field value, and for all messages of the
interface.

Example
To dispatch your messages, you want to use both, the company code key field values and the FI/CO
message categories. For example, you want to use specific recipients to target users responsible for the
controlling-related log messages of subsidiary 1000 only, users responsible for financial accounting
messages of subsidiary 2000 only, and so on. To track all messages, you need standard recipients and
fallback recipients on the different levels.

Your recipient assignment table could look as follows (simplified):

Table 34:

Recipient Message Category Company Code Fallback

FI_1000 FI 1000

FI_2000 FI 2000

FI_STANDARD FI

FI_FALLBACK FI X

CO_1000 CO 1000

CO_2000 CO 2000

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 Recipient Message Category Company Code Fallback

CO_STANDARD CO

CO_FALLBACK CO X

STANDARD

FALLBACK X

The following table shows how incoming messages are dispatched to the different types of recipients at
runtime:

Table 35:

Message GUID Message Cate­ Company Code Specific Recipi­ Fallback Recipi­ Standard Recipi­
gory ents ents ents

4812 FI 1000 FI_1000 FI_STANDARD

STANDARD

4815 FI 5000 FI_FALLBACK FI_STANDARD

STANDARD

4815 5000 FALLBACK STANDARD

4564 CO 2000 CO_2000 CO_STANDARD

STANDARD

4431 CO CO_FALLBACK CO_STANDARD

STANDARD

Activities

Creating Recipients and Specifying Default Recipients

Note
Perform the following steps for every strategy.

1. In Customizing of SAP Application Interface Framework, create all required recipients under Error
Handling Define Namespace-specific Features Define Recipients .
2. Specify one default recipient per interface under Error Handling Define Namespace-specific Features
Configure Alerts Default Recipient .

Assigning Recipients to Interfaces

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 Note
Perform the following step only if you want to have interface-specific recipients but no message category or
key field recipients.

Assign recipients to interfaces under Error Handling Define Interface-specific Features Assign Recipients
Without Key Fields .

Make sure that there is no entry in Error Handling Define Namespace-specific Features Configure Alerts
Recipient Assignment Table . If there is an entry, the system uses the assignment table and ignores the setting
in Assign Recipients Without Key Fields.

Assigning Recipients to Message Categories

1. In the ABAP dictionary, create a recipient assignment table by copying the template table /AIF/
RECA_TMPL.
2. Assign the table to your interface under Error Handling Define Namespace-specific Features
Configure Alerts Recipient Assignment Table .
3. In transaction /AIF/MSG_CAT_DEF, create your message categories.
4. In transaction /AIF/MSG_CAT_ASGN, assign messages to your message categories.
5. In your recipient assignment table, enter the message categories, map specific recipients to the
categories, and enter a fallback recipient.

Assigning Recipients to Key Fields

1. In the ABAP dictionary, create a single index table by copying the template table /AIF/STD_IDX_TBL and
add the required key fields.
2. Assign the single index table to your interface under Error Handling Define Namespace-specific
Features Define Interface-Specific Features Message Idx Table
3. Add your key fields under Error Handling Define Interface-specific Features Define Key Fields for
Multi. Search and select Relevant for Recipient Determination.
4. If you want to have a key field name in your recipient assignment table that is different from the name in
the single index table, enter the different key field name in Field Name in Alert Recipient Assignment Table.
If the field names are the same, leave this field empty.
5. In the ABAP dictionary, create a recipient assignment table by copying the template table /AIF/
T_ALRT_DEF.
6. Assign the recipient table to your interface under Error Handling Define Namespace-specific Features
Configure Alerts Recipient Assignment Table .
7. In your recipient assignment table, add the key fields, map specific recipients to values of the key fields,
and enter a fallback recipient.

Assigning Recipients to Message Categories and Key Fields

To combine both strategies, you need to do all the steps described in both sections above. For the combined
recipient assignment table, use template /AIF/RECA_TMPL and add your key fields to the table.

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6.3.5 Assigning Users to Recipients

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, there are two key approaches that you can take to assign users
and recipients, namely, a user-centric and a recipient-specific approach.

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction code AIF/CUST), you can assign
interface-specific authorizations to restrict or expand users' activities.

Features

User-Centric Approach

For a user-centric approach for assigning users to recipients, use Assign Recipients (from the SAP Fiori
launchpad or transaction code /AIF/RECIPIENTS). In the SAP GUI, you can also access it from the SAP Easy
Access menu by choosing Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework
Administration Configuration Recipients of a User .

This gives you an overview of the assignments of a user to recipients and enables you to make new
assignments.

For each recipient, you can specify a message type that defines which kind of message, for example,
Application Error or Warning, is included in an alert.

Set the Include in Overview Screen indicator to specify that the user can see the message of this recipient in the
Interface Monitor.

Set the Technical User indicator to specify that the user can monitor messages with the status In process and
messages with technical errors on the Interface Monitor screen.

You can also view the recipients for the current user from the SAP Fiori launchpad (My Recipients or, in the SAP
GUI, from SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface
Framework Recipients of Current User .

Recipient-Specific Approach

The second approach offers a recipient-specific view for assigning a user to recipients and you access it in
Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error Handling System Configuration
Assign Recipients . You can see which users are assigned to which recipient and you can assign users, roles,
and external addresses to a recipient.

For each assignment, you can specify a message type and set the Include in Overview Screen and Technical
User indicators.

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6.3.6 Automatic Reprocessing

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the error handling process can perform automatic reprocessing.
When triggered by error messages you have registered, the SAP Application Interface Framework automatically
generates a background job to reprocess them.

Prerequisites

In the SAP Easy Access menu under SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Configuration
Runtime Configuration Group (transaction code /AIF/PERS_CGR), you have set up the runtime
configuration group to define the processing of a set of messages by the SAP AIF runtime environment. You
have selected the Runtime Configuration Group Active and Run Scheduled checkboxes here.

Features

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, a reprocessing action is the technical representation of a function
module that is called by a batch job. A reprocessing action contains the appropriate AIF runtime configuration
group and the function module that is called by the reprocessing job.

The AIF runtime schedules a reprocessing action for registered error messages according to your settings in
the following configuration tables:

● AIF Automatic Reprocessing: Define Reprocessing Action (transaction code /AIF/REP_AC_DEF )

● AIF Automatic Reprocessing: Assign Reprocessing Action (transaction code /AIF/REP_AC_ASGN)

The SAP Application Interface Framework delivers the /AIF/RESTART_MSG function module to automatically
restart registered error messages.

You can implement your own automatic reprocessing actions depending on your requirements. You can use the
delivered /AIF/TEMPL_RESTART_AUTO_REPR template function module to call custom-specific automatic
reprocessing actions.

Activities

Define Reprocessing Action

In the SAP Easy Access menu under Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework
Administration Configuration Define Reprocessing Action , you set up a reprocessing action by defining
the AIF runtime configuration group and the function module that is called by the reprocessing job.

Assign Reprocessing Action

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In the SAP Easy Access menu under Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework
Administration Configuration Assign Reprocessing Action , you register the AIF interface and the
corresponding single error messages by message class and number for automatic reprocessing. You also
assign a reprocessing action and you define the following:

● A minimum and a maximum waiting time

Note
○ If there is an existing job scheduled between the minimum waiting time and the maximum waiting
time, the message is assigned to this job.
○ If there is no suitable job available, a new job is created with the maximum waiting time as starting
point.

● A maximum number of reprocessing trials

● Status
You can select one of the following intermediate statuses that the message should reach while it is waiting
for the next automatic reprocessing:
○ I
In process
○ E
Application error
○ A
Technical error

Note
This is the status that the message has in the SAP Application Interface Framework; the status in the
standard monitor can differ.

Example

For automatic reprocessing, you registered an AIF interface and the corresponding single error message by
message class (R1) and number (084), for example, R1/084 = Business Partner &1 is Currently Being
Processed By &2. You assigned an action, a waiting time of 5 minutes, a maximum of 3 reprocessing trials, and
a status I (in process).

The business partner is locked and a job is triggered to restart this data message after 5 minutes, up to 3 times,
and with the status I (in process) while waiting for the next reprocessing.

6.3.7 Process Observer

Use

The Process Observer is a standard application that enables you to manage and optimize your business
processes across different applications and along the entire process management lifecycle. To enable a cross-

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system monitoring of message flow for business users, the Process Observer is used to store all messages in
the context of the corresponding business process.

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can set up your interfaces to be monitored by the Process
Observer. If the processing of a message in an interface is part of a business process defined in the Process
Observer, you can make Customizing settings to be able to monitor the interface in the Process Observer,
which provides you with an overview of the current status of a business process.

Integration

To be able to monitor messages in the Process Observer, you make the relevant configuration settings in
transactions POC_FACADE (business objects and tasks definition) and POC_MODEL (business process
definition).

To be able to use the Process Observer with the SAP Application Interface Framework, you make the relevant
settings in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure
Interfaces for Process Observer .

Prerequisites

You have at least one current or remote system with the Process Observer in your system landscape. The
Process Observer must be active and configured correctly.

Note
Monitoring with the Process Observer is only available with NetWeaver Business Suite Foundation 731, 702
SP06, 701 SP11, and higher releases and support packages.

You have a defined a corresponding RFC destination (the SM59 transaction code) if the Process Observer is on
the remote system.

To be able to monitor messages in the Process Observer, you have made the relevant configuration settings in
transactions POC_FACADE (business objects and tasks definition) and POC_MODEL (business process
definition) as follows:

● In transaction POC_FACADE, you have defined the business object types that are used to monitor
interfaces.
A business object type is a representation of a uniquely identifiable business entity, for example, a sales
order or a purchase order. You must define a business object type for the message of the SAP Application
Interface Framework. In order to pass the namespace, interface name, and interface version to the Process
Observer you can also define a business object type for the interface.

Recommendation
We recommend that you create the AIFME (AIF Message) and AIFIF (AIF Interface) business object
types as these are the default values used in the SAP Application Interface Framework.

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 Note
You can also create business object types of your choice.

● In transaction POC_FACADE, you also have defined the task types, which represent the business object
activity of the implementation layer in the facade of the Process Observer.

Example
Task type AIF1 (Received in AIF (Start Event)) specifies that this message is from the first step or “start
event” at the start of the business process defined in the Process Observer. It also tells you that there is
no preceding step in the business process, no preceding event has been raised in the Process Observer,
and no preceding message has been received in the SAP Application Interface Framework.

Recommendation
We recommend that you create the task types that are used as default values in the SAP Application
Interface Framework (see the section on Configuration of the Process Observer Using the POC_FACADE
Transaction below).

Note
You can also create task types of your choice.

● In transaction POC_MODEL, you have defined a business process.

You assign tasks to the activities of your process. Each task is assigned to a business object type. Each
activity should have a task for the business object type “message”.
The message is the main task. If you want to be able to search for the interface and a business key (for
example, business partner ID) in the Process Observer, you can also create tasks for those business object
types.

Recommendation

In Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure
Interfaces for Process Observer , indicate that an interface or any other business key is an Additional
Task.

Note
For business keys, you can also use an existing business object type and task from POC_FACADE.

Activities

Configuration of the Process Observer Using the POC_FACADE Transaction

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In the Process Observer, in transaction POC_FACADE, you define the following business object types, task types,
and tasks for use with the SAP Application Interface Framework:

Business Object Types

Table 36:

Business Object Type Business Object

AIFME AIF Message

AIFIF AIF Interface

Task Types

Table 37:

Task Type ID Task Type

AIF1 Received in AIF (Start Event)

AIF2 Received in AIF (Previous Step)

AIF3 Restart in AIF

AIF4 Processed Successfully in AIF (Not Finished)

AIF5 Processed Successfully in AIF (Finish Event)

AIF6 Processed with Errors in AIF

AIF7 Canceled in AIF

AIF8 Assigned to AIF Interface

Tasks

Table 38:

Business Object Type Task Type ID Task

AIFIF AIF8 Assign Interface

AIFME AIF1 Processed in AIF (Initial)

AIFME AIF2 Received in AIF

AIFME AIF3 Restarted in AIF

AIFME AIF4 Forwarded by AIF

AIFME AIF5 Finished in AIF

AIFME AIF6 Error in AIF

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 Business Object Type Task Type ID Task

AIFME AIF7 Canceled in AIF

Note
You can also create your own business object types and task types.

Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework

In order to use the Process Observer with the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can make the following
settings in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure
Interfaces for Process Observer :

● Configure Process Observer

Note
If you maintain entries for the Configure Process Observer sub-activity and the interface keys
(namespace, interface name, and version) are empty, these entries are regarded as the default. These
settings are used when there is no interface-specific setting.

Furthermore, if you leave the fields for event types and business object types empty, the system tries to
use the defaults described above.

For an interface you want to be monitored by the Process Observer, specify the following:
○ The different event types, for example, Initial Event Type and Finished Event Type, which are forwarded
to the Process Observer while a message is being processed
If you leave these fields empty, default event types are used.
○ The business object type to be used for the interface of the SAP Application Interface Framework
If you leave this field empty, the default type AIFIF (AIF Interface) is used.
○ The business object type that is used to monitor a message in the Process Observer
The message is the main object to be monitored by the Process Observer. The initial, start, restart,
continue, finished, error, and cancel event types are raised to the Process Observer with this business
object type.
If you leave this field empty, the default business object type AIFME (AIF Message) is used.
○ The RFC destination, if the Process Observer is on a remote system

● Configure Interfaces for the Process Observer

For an interface you want to be monitored by the Process Observer, specify the following:
○ The key field from the single index table that contains information about the preceding business object
ID, for example, the message GUID or the IDoc number.
For a message of an interface that is not the first step in a process defined in the Process Observer, the
ID of the preceding business object has to be passed to the Process Observer to enable it to link the
current message to the correct process instance.
○ Whether or not the interface is the last step within a business process
If you select the Process Finished checkbox, you ensure that the process instance is marked as finished
in the Process Observer (transaction POC_MONITOR). If a message in this interface is the last step in a
business process and it has been processed successfully, the process is completed and the finished
event is raised.

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 ○ Whether or not the events are raised when a message is processed in the runtime
If you select the Raise POC Events in Runtime checkbox, events for the Process Observer are forwarded
while the message is processed in the runtime of the SAP Application Interface Framework.
○ Whether or not the events are raised when a message is processed by the enabler
If you select the Raise POC Events in Enabler checkbox, events for the Process Observer are raised
while the message is processed in the enabler of the runtime of the SAP Application Interface
Framework. The enabler is called during message processing to monitor a message in the SAP
Application Interface Framework.

Example
○ You are using IDocs and you select both the Raise POC Events in Runtime and the Raise POC
Events in Enabler checkboxes.
○ You are using outbound proxies and you only select the Raise POC Events in Runtime checkbox.

● Assign Key Fields to Additional Tasks

You can assign single key fields of your interface (for example, business partner ID) to be passed to the
Process Observer as an additional task. You are then able to search for those key field values in the Process
Observer.

Note
Only single key fields can be used.

More Information

For more information about the Process Observer, see SAP Library on SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com
under SAP Business Suite SAP ERP 6.0 EHP6 SAP ERP SAP ERP Cross-Application Functions
Cross-Application Components Process Observer (CA-EPT-POC) .

6.3.8 Custom Objects Administration

Use

System administrators can change existing custom hints, functions, message texts, and data links in the
following transactions, which they can access from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-
Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Configuration :

● Define Custom Functions (transaction code /AIF/CUST_FUNC)

● Define Custom Hints (transaction code /AIF/CUST_HINTS)
● Define Custom Message Texts (transaction code /AIF/CUST_TEXT)
● Define Custom Data Links (transaction code /AIF/CUST_LINK)

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More Information

The relevant activities for custom objects maintenance are described in the System Administrators section of
Custom Objects Maintenance [page 50].

6.3.9 Parameter Transactions

Use

You are able to access a base transaction for both the error handling and the value mapping transactions. Both
transactions can be used to create a parameter transaction. Using a parameter transaction, the base
transaction can be called with a certain number of reserved parameters.

Features

Error Handling Base

If you create a parameter transaction for transaction /AIF/ERR_BASE, the Error Handling transaction can be
triggered directly using the created parameter transaction code.

By using the parameter selection, you are able to decide whether or not the selection screen Monitoring and
Error Handling is shown. It is also possible, for example, to select the message status that is to be displayed to
the user. Nine additional selection parameters are also available.

Value Mapping Base

If you create a parameter transaction for transaction /AIF/VMAP_BASE, you are able to trigger Value Mapping
directly using the created parameter transaction code.

By using the parameter selection, you are able to decide whether or not the selection screen of Value Mapping
is displayed and whether the transaction is to start in display or in change mode.

Activities

You can access the base transactions from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application
Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Base Transactions and Error
Handling Base or Base Transaction for Value Mapping.

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6.4 Monitoring in the SAP Solution Manager

You can monitor SAP Application Interface Framework interfaces using the SAP Solution Manager. As of SAP
Solution Manager version 7.2 SPS 5, an integration scenario for SAP Application Interface Framework is
available.

In the SAP Solution Manager, you can display the most important staistics for all messages of a specific SAP
Application Interface Framework namespace or interface, independently from the interface technology.

Prerequisites

● In the SAP Solution Manager, the SAP Application Interface Framework system(s) and the other source or
target systems of SAP Application Interface Framework interfaces are defined.
The SAP Application Interface Framework system(s) have the SAP Solution Manager agents installed.
For more information, see http://help.sap.com/solutionmanager.
● The users that SAP Solution Manager uses to access the SAP Application Interface Framework system(s)
have the ALL recipient assigned.
For more information, see Assigning Users to Recipients [page 105].

Configuring the Integration Scenario in SAP Solution Manager

1. Open transaction SOLMAN_SETUP.

2. In the Scenarios pane, select Application Operations Integration Monitoring Interfaces and
Connections .
3. In the roadmap, select step 4 Define Scope and choose Edit.
4. In the Scenario Selection pane, create a new scenario.
5. In Define Technical Elements, select an SAP Application Interface Framework system and the source or
target systems of your SAP Application Interface Framework interfaces.
6. In the roadmap, select step 5.1 Preparation and execute all available automatic preparation steps.
7. In step 5.2 Configuration, in the Interface channels pane, create a new channel of type SAP AIF.
Depending on the SAP Application Interface Framework scenario (inbound or outbound) select the SAP
Application Interface Framework system and the other system as source or target system.

Note
Always set the measuring point to the SAP Application Interface Framework system.

8. In Details of interface channel... Interfaces , add a new interface.

Enter an SAP Application Interface Framework namespace, and, optionally, a specific interface and version.
In Metric configuration, define for which message statuses you want to see the total numbers.
9. In step 5.3 Activation, go to the Interface Channel Activation pane .
10. In the Managed Object Type column, for each object type, select the Metric Group icon and define a data
collection interval and a threshold.

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 11. In the roadmap choose Save.
12. In the Interface Channel Activation pane, choose Apply and Activate Selected Interface Channel Only .
13. In step 6 Complete, choose Finish.

Monitoring the SAP Application Interface Framework Interfaces in SAP

Solution Manager

1. Open transaction SM_WORKCENTER.

2. Choose System and Application Monitoring Interface Monitoring .
3. In the Technical Scearios pop-up, select your SAP Application Interface Framework scenario.
You can see a status overview for the messages of your SAP Application Interface Framework interfaces.
4. To see more details, choose your scenario in the Scenarios pane and drill down further.

6.5 Serialization

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, for some processes, it is required that messages are processed in
the correct order. Serialization ensures that the SAP Application Interface Framework does not start to process
a message until the preceding message, which is related to the same business object, is fully processed.

Messages that are related to the same business object can be handled by different interfaces. If the order in
which messages are processed is important, you can set up serialization. Messages related to different
business objects do not have to wait for each other to be processed, even though they may be handled by the
same interfaces.

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, for some processes, the order in which the messages are
processed is not important. However, it may be important that the messages are not processed in parallel to
avoid locking errors.

Messages that edit business objects that are already locked for editing by another process should wait until the
other process releases the lock.

Prerequisites

Key fields must be defined for the interface in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Error Handling Define Interface-Specific Features .

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Features

There are four options for serializing messages:

● Internal time stamp of the creation of the message in the SAP Application Interface Framework
● External time stamp of the sending system
● External index
If messages are not received in the receiving system, or if messages overtake each other, the time stamp
does not indicate that a message is missing. In this case, the sending system has to determine the order in
which the messages should be processed and passes this data in a field in the payload of the message to
the SAP Application Interface Framework. This external index is then used to process the messages in the
correct order.

Recommendation
If you want to make corrections to the last processed index for a specific business object/key
combination, use the AIF Serialization: Manual Change Of External Index report (transaction code /AIF/
SERIAL_INDEX).

● No serialization
At the beginning of message processing, the SAP Application Interface Framework tries to lock the object.
If the object is already locked by another message, the current message has to wait until the object is
unlocked (you can configure the waiting time and number of retries). Once the message is processed, the
lock is released. You can define multiple objects that can be locked per interface of the SAP Application
Interface Framework.

Activities

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Additional
Interface Properties Define Serialization Settings , you make the following settings to enable serialization:

● You define a serialization object with the serialization type, serialization table, and other related settings.
The serialization type can be one of the following:
○ External index
○ External time stamp
○ Internal time stamp
○ No serialization
Select No serialization when you want to define that certain objects/messages should not be
processed in parallel.

Note
Templates for the serialization table are provided.

Recommendation
For the serialization table, if a high volume of data can be expected, you should consider the sequence of
the table key fields or the use of a dedicated secondary table index.

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 ● You assign the serialization object to one or more interfaces.
● You assign the interface key fields to the serialization object for serialization and locking.

Note
If a serialization object been assigned to more than one interface, note the following:

● These interfaces share the same serialization table and the same index sequence
● Make sure their serialization key fields are the same (field names in serialization table and total number
of serialization key fields)

6.6 Workflow Event Trigger

Use

In SAP Application Interface Framework, you can define message processing workflows that are triggered by
events of SAP Business Workflow. You can, for example, have flight booking SAP Business Workflow events in
system ABC automatically trigger outbound proxy calls with messages containing the flight details to system
XYZ.

The workflow event trigger functions of SAP Application Interface Framework support you in setting up and
filling the required structures and interfaces, and setting up the required actions for such a scenario. You do not
need to write a single line of code. Using the monitoring and error handling functions of SAP Application
Interface Framework, you can control the process flow.

Features

To enable a workflow event trigger scenario, you need to create the following interfaces including mappings and
actions:

● A reading interface for extracting the event details.

● A sending interface for feeding the outbound proxy.

We ship the following system objects:

● Several Customizing activities and configuration transactions for setting up the scenario.
● Function modules:
○ /AIF/WET_EVENT_TRIGGERED: Event function for receiving the SAP Business Workflow event and
triggering the reading interface.
○ /AIF/WET_FILL_SAP_STRUCT: Mapping function for filling the SAP structure of the reading interface.
○ /AIF/WET_AC_TRIGGER_NEXT_INF: Action function for triggering the sending interface.
○ /AIF/WET_AC_TRIGGER_PROXY_OUT: Action function for triggering the outbound proxy call.
● Report /AIF/WET_GEN for generating the SAP structure for your reading interface from the function
module (BAPI) of your business object.

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● Generic DDIC structure /AIF/WET_EVENT_DETAILS_PROXY.

The following graphic shows how the created interfaces and the shipped function modules interact, once the
scenario is set up:

Figure 9: Workflow Event Trigger

Example
You want flight bookings created by local travel agents in system ABC to be automatically sent to your
central system XYZ. If everything is set up correctly, this is what happens at runtime:

1. A local travel agent enters the flight details in system ABC and saves them. This booking activity triggers
the SAP Business Workflow event FlightCreated of the business object SBOOK.
2. The system calls and executes the /AIF/WET_EVENT_TRIGGERED function module that is registered for
this particular event. The function triggers the processing of the reading interface
WET_FLIGHTBOOK_REC which has a generic raw structure and is registered for the particular event
details of the flight booking event.
3. The reading interface maps the event details, like the event name FlightCreated and the object type
SBOOK, and the event key values, like airline ID and booking number, to the SAP structure, which you
have generated based on a BAPI reading flight booking details. In addition, the reading interface reads
the flight booking details, like flight date and travel agency number, using this flight booking BAPI, and
fills the rest of the raw structure.
4. The reading interface starts an action that triggers the processing of the sending interface
WET_FLIGHTBOOK_SEND (still in system ABC). This sending interface maps the flight booking details
from the generated structure to the output structure of the outbound proxy class method
POST_BOOKINGS01.
5. The sending interface starts an action that triggers the POST_BOOKINGS01 proxy method to send out
the flight booking details to system XYZ.

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Activities

To set up a triggered workflow for the “Read Function and Outbound Proxy” scenario, proceed as follows:

Preparation

In transaction /AIF/WET_GEN, from the function module (BAPI) of your business object, generate the SAP
structure for your reading interface.

Note
Predefined data types that are not supported in structures used for SAP Application Interface Framework.

Setting up the Event

1. In transaction SWE2, link the SAP Business Workflow event type, enter /AIF/WET_EVENT_TRIGGERED as
the receiver function module, and select Linkage Activated.

Note
You can only use events with the object category BOR Object Type.

2. In transaction /AIF/WET_CONFIG, specify an SAP Application Interface Framework runtime configuration

group suitable for filling your reading interface.
3. In Customizing of SAP Application Interface Framework, specify the type of event trigger scenario you want
to use for this event under Interface Development Event Trigger Settings Define Event Trigger

Setting up the Reading Interface

1. Create the reading interface with the generated BAPI structure as SAP structure and the generic
structure /AIF/WET_EVENT_DETAILS_PROXY as the raw structure under Interface Development
Define Interfaces
Make sure that, for this interface, the Application Engine and the Persistency Engine are set to XML under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines .
2. If you use the generic structure /AIF/WET_EVENT_DETAILS_PROXY in more than one interface, set up an
XML interface determination for each use with the object type, event, and receiver type as selection criteria
under System Configuration Interface Determination Define Interface Determination for XML
Interfaces .
3. Map the event details and the object key to the corresponding fields of the structure generated from the
BAPI under Interface Development Define Structure Mappings

Note
The object key is a combination of all key field values of the business object. You can look up the key
fields of a business object in transaction SWO1 by selecting the object and opening theKeyfields node.
For the length of each field, open its data object. The object key of the flight booking object SBOOK, for
example, is a concatenation of the carrier ID and the booking number. Booking 45 for Lufthansa has the
object key 0LH00000045.

4. Enter /AIF/WET_FILL_SAP_STRUCT as the Function Module After Mapping.

5. Define and assign an action with the function module /AIF/WET_AC_TRIGGER_NEXT_INF.

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6. Specify the function module (BAPI) you used for generating the SAP structure of the reading interface
under Interface Development Event Trigger Settings Define Interface-Specific Settings .
7. In transaction /AIF/WET_INF_CONFIG, select a runtime configuration group suitable for filling your
sending interface.

Setting Up the Sending Interface

1. Create the sending interface with the generated BAPI structure as raw structure and the structure of the
outbound proxy method as SAP structure under Interface Development Define Interfaces .
Make sure that, for this interface, the Application Engine and the Persistency Engine are set to XML under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines .
2. Map the structures under Interface Development Define Structure Mappings .
3. Define and assign an action with the function module /AIF/WET_AC_TRIGGER_PROXY_OUT.

Note
If you are using a synchronous proxy and you want to process its return parameters, you need to
implement a custom function module for this.

4. In transaction /AIF/WET_PRXY_CONFIG, specify a logical port of the proxy if you want to use a port other
than the default.
5. Specify the class and method of the outbound proxy under Interface Development Event Trigger
Settings Define Proxy-Specific Settings .

6.7 Operations for SAP Application Interface Framework

Use

This section provides an overview of the system operations that are specific to the SAP Application Interface
Framework.

Features

The SAP Application Interface Framework provides you with the following options for analyzing system
operations:

● Archive data (see Data Archiving [page 121])

● Measure the performance of the SAP Application Interface Framework (see Performance Analysis [page
123])
● Examine interface data for the number of messages and errors (see Index Table Overview [page 125])
● Get an overview of the objects that are used by a specific interface (see Interface Objects Summary [page
125])
● Investigate log content for the changes made to the data messages of the selected interface (see
Application Log Content [page 126])

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 ● Display changes made in Error Handling to the data messages of the selected interface (see Error Handling
Changes Log [page 127])
● The Data Correction Report checks for inconsistencies between the Proxy Framework and the SAP
Application Interface Framework and corrects them (see Data Correction) [page 128]
● A snapshot takes the content in the statistics tables at a specific point of time (see Generation and Display
of Snapshots [page 129])

6.7.1 Data Archiving

Use

Data Archiving – a service provided by SAP NetWeaver – removes mass data that the system no longer needs
online, but which must still be accessible at a later date, if required, from the database.

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can archive the following types of data:

● Data messages
● XML persistence
● Data changes
● Runtime objects
● Application logs
● Structured persistence
● File adapter logs
● Snapshots

Prerequisites

Data in the database can only be archived using archiving objects, which describe the data structure and
context. To set up Data Archiving (transaction code SARA) for the SAP Application Interface Framework, you
enter the name of the SAP Application Interface Framework-specific archiving object /AIF/PERSX in the Object
Name field on the Archive Administration: Initial Screen.

The archiving uses the Archive Development Kit (ADK) to provide the archiving object /AIF/PERSX, which
includes all the necessary archiving programs and defines the structure of the archive file to be written. To
maintain the archiving object, use transaction AOBJ.

All archiving programs maintained in the archiving object are started using Archive Administration (transaction
code SARA).

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Process

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the archiving process is divided into the following main steps,
some of which are optional:

1. Creation of archive files

In the write phase, the data to be archived is written sequentially into newly created archive files.
In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the AIF Data Archiving: Write Program (/AIF/PERSX_WRI)
report controls the writing process of the archive files produced by the archiving object /AIF/PERSX.You
can decide which data should be archived using a variant and a selection screen.
On the selection screen, you can select the types of data you want to archive. You can further restrict the
selection using dates and users. For data messages, XML persistence, structured persistence, data
changes, and application logs, you can restrict using the interfaces. In addition, there are many type-
specific selection parameters. By defining the package size, you can optimize the performance and
memory consumption of the archiving runs. In addition, you can tweak the layout of the resulting logs.
You can run the write program of the archiving object in test mode, which means that the program
simulates the creation of an archive, based on your selection criteria and other archiving object-specific
checks that test the data's suitability for archiving. The program does not create an archive file but does
generate statistics about which table entries would be written to the archive and the size and number of
archive files that would be created in production mode.
Once you schedule the write process, you can monitor the corresponding job on the Job Overview screen.

Recommendation
We recommend that you schedule the archiving as periodic background jobs that run in off-peak hours.

2. Deletion from the database

The delete program reads the data from the archive files and deletes the data from the database.
In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can use the Archiving of the AIF Persistence: Delete
Program (/AIF/PERSX_DEL) report to control the deletion of persistence entries that have been written
successfully to an archive file and to generate statistics about the table entries that were deleted.
If you run the delete program of the archiving object in test mode, data is not deleted from the database as
the deletion is only simulated.
Once you schedule the deletion process, you can monitor the corresponding job on the Job Overview
screen.
3. Optional: Display of archive files
You can use the Archiving of the AIF Persistence: Sequential Read Program (/AIF/PERSX_READ) report to
display the data stored in archive files of the archiving object /AIF/PERSX. If you double click on a line,
more details about the corresponding entry are displayed.
4. Optional: Reloading of archive files
You can use the Archiving of the AIF Persistence: Reload Program (/AIF/PERSX_REL) report to reload
successfully archived data, produced by the archiving object /AIF/PERSX, to the SAP Application
Interface Framework tables.
You can also run the reload program in test mode. The reload is only simulated and there are no changes
made to the database.
Once you select a successfully deleted archiving session, maintain the variant, and schedule the reload
process, the corresponding job is displayed on the Job Overview screen.

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 Recommendation
We recommend that you use this feature in exceptional circumstances only.

More Information

For more information about archiving, see the SAP Help Portal under Introduction to Data Archiving (CA-ARC).

6.7.2 Performance Analysis

Use

You can use Performance Tracking (transaction code /AIF/PERFORMANCE) to measure the performance of the
SAP Application Interface Framework. Using this performance analysis tool, you are able to detect time-
consuming routines and processes within the SAP Application Interface Framework.

Using tracking variants available in this transaction, you can track the performance of specific objects, for
example, particular interfaces, users, and time ranges within the SAP Application Interface Framework.

Goals

The goals of the performance optimization process and the Performance Tracking transaction include:

● Measuring interface performance in back end systems

● Determining the area for performance improvements (for example, interface-specific logic and mapping
logic)
● Defining measures for bottlenecks with most saving potential
● Implementing performance improvement measures
● Confirming the positive impact of performance improvement measures

Features

Scope

The scope of the interface performance measuring is defined for all interfaces via SAP NetWeaver Process
Integration and the SAP Application Interface Framework.

The following are measured:

● ABAP Proxy
● Interface-specific logic (for example, value mappings and validations)
● Posting logic (for example, BAPIs)

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The following are not measured:

● Legacy extractors
● Transmission of data (for example, file transfer and MQSeries)
● SAP NetWeaver Process Integration

Activities

You can access the Performance Tracking report from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-
Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Tools Performance
Tracking .

Set Up Tracking

In order to track performance, a variant needs to be set up. You can either select a variant that already exists or
create a new variant. If you select an existing variant, the corresponding data for the variant is displayed on the
screen.

If a variant has not been created, the default values are shown in the selection screen of the transaction and the
variant is marked as Unsaved. While creating a variant on the selection screen, you can specify a message ID,
namespace, interface name, interface version, and the name of the user starting the message. You can also
enter the minimum duration and the time range.

You can start tracking by choosing . You can stop tracking by choosing .

Analyze Results

Performance issues could arise in the following areas:

● Interface-specific logic
● Posting logic (for example, SAP BAPIs)

Examples of performance issues in above areas and possible solutions for you for these issues are shown in the
following table:

Table 39:

Examples of Performance Issues Possible Solutions

Frequent selection of identical data, for example, function Buffering in hashed internal table
modules that are Customized on an item level

Slow select statements, for example, database index not ● Usage of database index, if available
used ● Creation of database index, if feasible
● Database access via alternative table

Long read access to internal tables ● Usage of sorted or hashed tables

● Usage of field symbols

Long runtime of SAP BAPIs ● Check for user exits with poor performance
● Redesign of interface if BAPI supports multi-post

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6.7.3 Index Table Overview

Use

The Index Tables Overview report (transaction code /AIF/IDXTBL) gives you an overview about the number of
messages and the number of errors that exist for each interface of the SAP Application Interface Framework.

Features

On the selection screen of the Index Table Overview transaction, you can select the namespace, interface name,
and interface version. If you leave those fields blank, all interfaces that exist are selected. In addition, you can
decide if only error messages are to be counted or if all existing messages are to be counted.

Activities

You can access the Index Table Overview report from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-
Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Tools Index Table
Overview .

Example

An interface administrator runs the report to check if the message number for each interface is within the
expected range. The administrator identifies an unusual high number of messages for one interface and
decides to do the following:

● Checks that data archiving is set up for the interface

● Ensures that performance is still good in the error handling
● Runs a performance report
● Checks technical attributes of the corresponding single index table in order to see if it is optimized for such
a large number of messages

6.7.4 Interface Objects Summary

Use

The Summary Report (transaction code /AIF/CUST_OVERVIEW) provides an overview of the objects in the
SAP Application Interface Framework that are used by a specific interface.

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The SAP Application Interface Framework introduces several objects for the development of interfaces, for
example, value mappings, fix values, checks, and actions. Since most of these objects are maintained in
different locations in the SAP Application Interface Framework, there is no aggregated view of all the objects
used by a specific interface. The Summary Report provides you with such a consolidated view.

Activities

You can access the Summary Report from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application
Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Tools Summary Report .

6.7.5 Application Log Content

Use

Interface Logs (transaction code /AIF/LOG) offers you a specialized view of the transaction to analyze the
application log (transaction code SLG1). In the specialized view, the log object is predefined as /AIF/LOG, so
that only application log messages created by the SAP Application Interface Framework are displayed.

Features

On the Select Interface Logs screen, you have options to restrict the selection, for example, by using the
following:

● Subobject
In the SAP Application Interface Framework, this refers to the namespace and interface name.
● External ID
The message GUID or a file number of the test tool
● Time Restriction
You can define a date and time range.
● Log Triggered By
The user, transaction code, or program that triggered the log
● Log Class
All logs or logs with various degrees of importance

Output

In the upper part of the Display Interface Log Messages output screen, the selected application log messages
are displayed grouped by the date, time, and user. An icon shows whether the messages have the message
type Information, Warnings, Error, or Termination depending on the highest error status of the group. When you
select an icon, the number of individual messages for each individual message type is displayed. When you
then select an icon, for example, for those with message type Error, the details for the individual log messages
with message type Error are displayed in the lower part of the output screen.

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Activities

You can access the Interface Logs report from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application
Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Log Interface Logs .

More Information

For more information about the application log, see SAP Help Portal at SAP NetWeaver SAP NetWeaver 7.0
(2004s) SAP NetWeaver 7.0 SAP NetWeaver 7.0 Library (English) SAP NetWeaver Library SAP
NetWeaver by Key Capability Solution Life Cycle Management by Key Capability Application Log – (BC-SRV-
BAL) .

6.7.6 Error Handling Changes Log

Use

You can use the Error Handling Changes Log (from the SAP Fiori launchpad or transaction code /AIF/
EDCHANGES) to display the changes made to the data messages of the selected interface or interfaces in Error
Handling.

Features

You can restrict the selection by namespace, interface name, and version. You can refine the selection by
entering a date range or the message ID.

Output

On the output screen, a tree view displays all selected interfaces. When you select a node, the following
changes made to the messages are displayed:

● The GUID of the data message

● The field path of the field that was changed by the user
● LINE_NR that contains the message index with line numbers
● The new and old value
● The date and time of the modification

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Activities

In SAP GUII, you can also access the Error Handling Changes Log report from the SAP Easy Access menu by
choosing Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Log
Error Handling Changes Log .

6.7.7 Data Correction

Use

There might be inconsistencies between the Proxy Framework and the SAP Application Interface Framework.
The Data Correction Report (transaction code /AIF/CORRECTIONS) checks for inconsistencies and corrects
them. A test mode exists that allows you to check for inconsistencies but not to actually correct them. By
default, the Testrun checkbox is selected.

Features

The following inconsistencies can be fixed:

● There might be inconsistencies between the message status in the Proxy Framework and the single index
tables in the SAP Application Interface Framework. These inconsistencies can occur if a message was
canceled, deleted, or archived in the Proxy Framework, but the status was not updated in the single index
tables of the SAP Application Interface Framework.
● There might be inconsistencies between the message index table and the SAP NetWeaver PI message
status. These inconsistencies occur if a message, which ended with errors in the SAP Application Interface
Framework, is restarted with the Proxy Framework and processed successfully. In this case, the status in
the SAP Application Interface Framework might not be updated.
● If an SAP NetWeaver PI message was deleted or archived, the corresponding application log written by the
SAP Application Interface Framework must be deleted. Inconsistencies must be corrected.
● When there are changes made in Customizing for alert recipients, the alert index table might not be
updated correctly. Therefore, the table might contain inconsistent records when compared to current
Customizing for alert recipients. You can regenerate the messages’ statistics to ensure that no
inconsistencies exist and the messages’ statistics can be compressed.

When running the Data Correction Report, the system checks for messages that exist in the message index
tables of the SAP Application Interface Framework but not in the Proxy Framework. These are regarded as
inconsistent and are deleted from the message index tables of the SAP Application Interface Framework. It is
recommended to also delete the corresponding application log messages. Hence, the Data Correction Report
should be planned as a background job after execution of the deletion or archiving jobs for the Proxy
Framework with the following settings:

● Namespace, Interface Name, and Interface Version should be blank

● Testrun should not be selected
● Check/Fix Deleted or Archived Messages should be selected

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 ● Check/Fix Application Log should be selected
● Regenerate Statistics should be selected

Activities

You can access the Data Correction Report from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application
Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Tools Correction Report .

Recommendation
It is recommended that the Data Correction Report is run regularly as a background job to ensure that no
inconsistencies exist.

Recommendation
It is further recommended that you run the Data Correction Report after your deletion or archiving job for
messages in the Local Integration Engine was executed.

6.7.8 Generation and Display of Snapshots

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework you are able to generate and display snapshots. A snapshot takes
the content in the statistics tables (/AIF/MSG_STAT and /AIF_MSGSTATALL) at a specific point of time and
saves it in separate snapshot tables. The same applies to the message summary table (/AIF/T_MMSG_IDX).

Features

Generation of Snapshots

A snapshot can be taken using Generate Snapshot (transaction code /AIF/GENMSGSNAP). This transaction
allows you to create snapshots of statistics and summary data for messages in the SAP Application Interface
Framework and track this data over time.

On the Generate Snapshot selection screen, select a date for which the snapshot is to be created (this only
applies to daily statistics data). You can also select a package size, that is, the size of the packages in which the
single messages are processed. Changing the number of the package size could increase or decrease the
performance of the report considerably. 1000 is the suggested value for most situations. However, the
optimum package size depends on the system hardware and the current system load.

Display of Snapshots

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A snapshot can be displayed using Display Snapshot (transaction code /AIF/DISPMSGSNAP). This transaction
allows you to display snapshots of statistics and summary data for messages available in the SAP Application
Interface Framework and track this data over time.

There are several ways you can filter for snapshots, for example, ID, creation data, creation user, and the date
the snapshot was created.

You can select from the following 4 views:

●
Lists all the statistics entries for messages available in the system at the time of snapshot creation.

●
Lists all the message statistics for the effective date specified for the snapshot.

●
Lists all the log message entries available in the system at the time of snapshot creation. Log messages are
grouped and their amount cumulated on the basis of namespace, interface name, interface version,
recipient namespace, recipient name, message type, message ID, and message number. You can see the
message text (with placeholders) and the key fields that were the basis for the determination of the
specific recipient.

●
Shows all the log messages for a specific date, that is, the effective date of the snapshot.

Activities

You can access the reports to generate and display error statistics snapshots from the SAP Easy Access menu
by choosing Cross-Application Components SAP Application Interface Framework Administration
Snapshots and Generate Snapshot or Display Snapshot.

Recommendation
It is recommended that Generate Snapshot is run daily as a background task.

6.8 Technology Support

Use

The SAP Application Interface Framework supports business users in monitoring interfaces with different
interface technologies, for example, ABAP proxies and IDocs. It is also possible for users to monitor interfaces
that are not processed by the SAP Application Interface Framework interfaces.

Depending on the interface technology of an interface, data displayed in Monitoring and Error Handling is
selected from different sources. Also, the restart and cancel functions are supported for all technologies.

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Features

To support Monitoring and Error Handling functions for different interface technologies, the SAP Application
Interface Framework has an engine factory with many different types of engines, for example, Application
Engine, Persistency Engine, Selection Engine, and Logging Engine. Engines for some scenarios are provided by
SAP and you can also create your own engines. For more information, see Engine Factory [page 131].

When you define an interface, you need to maintain the engines that should be used for the interface. If you do
not maintain any settings for engines, the SAP Application Interface Framework default is that the interface is
in an ABAP proxy interface that is processed with the SAP Application Interface Framework.

More Information

For more information for business users about the technology supported by the SAP Application Interface
Framework , see Technology Support [page 57] under SAP Application Interface Framework for Business
Users.

6.8.1 Engine Factory

Use

To support monitoring and error handling functions for different interface technologies, the SAP Application
Interface Framework has an engine factory.

Integration

You define which engines are to be used by an interface in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface
Framework (transaction code /AIF/CUST) under Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface
Engines . Interface developers have to define the application engine, persistence engine, selection engine, and
logging engine that Monitoring and Error Handling uses to handle messages of the interface. The interface
developer is able to maintain engines provided by SAP as well as customer-specific engines. The system
default is to handle an interface as an ABAP proxy. This default setting also ensures that interfaces can still be
monitored after an upgrade.

Features

The following is a list of the engines available:

● Application engine

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 The application engine either handles a request from the Monitoring and Error Handling itself or it forwards
the request to one of the other engines. The application engine is responsible for restarting and canceling
messages. Depending on the interfaces’ interface technology, the corresponding restart and cancel
procedures are triggered. Furthermore, the application engine is responsible for the navigation to the
external monitor. The external monitor is the transaction that is usually used for monitoring messages of a
specific technology. The application engine enables the initial processing of a message received by the
system the SAP Application Interface Framework is located on. The application engine also sends
messages to a different system using the SAP Application Interface Framework.
● Persistence engine
The persistence engine is responsible for handling the data a message transferred. The persistence engine
reads the data from an interface’s persistence layer. In order to display the message data in the Data
Content view, the persistence engine transforms the data into the raw or SAP data structure (see Data
Content View [page 48]). If data is changed by a user in Monitoring and Error Handling, the persistence
engine is responsible for transforming the changed data into a format that can be persisted. Afterwards,
the persistence engine updates the data on the persistence layer. Furthermore, if a user edits a message’s
content, the persistence engine locks the message to prevent different users from editing the same
message at the same time. The persistence engine unlocks the data after the user has saved the data to
the persistence.
● Selection engine
The selection engine is responsible for selecting the data displayed in the Data Message view (see Data
Messages View [page 42]). If the SAP Application Interface Framework is involved in processing a
message, this data can be selected from an interface’s index table. For scenarios where the SAP
Application Interface Framework is not involved in processing the message, the data is retrieved from the
table containing the header data of the processed messages. For example, for IDocs, the data is selected
from the IDoc control records. The data the selection engine selects is dependent on the entries made on
the selection screen. Furthermore, the selection engine has to format the data so that it can be displayed in
the Data Message view.
● Logging engine
The logging engines retrieves the data displayed in the Log Message view (see Log Messages View [page
45]). The log messages are retrieved and arranged in the SAP Application Interface Framework application
context structure that can be displayed in the Log Messages view. Furthermore, if log messages exist,
which are related to a specific field/line of the data message, context data is prepared to allow the user to
navigate to the error in the Data Content view (see Data Content View [page 48]).
● Custom engines
You can define your own engines in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Additional Interface Properties Define Custom Engines . You must define a namespace and a custom
engine ID. For each namespace / custom engine ID combination, you can maintain an application engine,
persistence engine, selection engine, and/or logging engine. Once you define a custom engine, you can
maintain it in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Additional Interface
Properties Specify Interface Engines .
● The following are engines supported when processing data with the SAP Application Interface Framework:
○ Selection engine for index tables
For messages that are processed within the SAP Application Interface Framework, index table entries
are written during processing. If the selection engine for index tables is selected in interface definition,
data message are selected from an interface’s index tables. Which data messages are selected
depends on the selection criteria entered on the selection screen. If an interface-specific sub-selection
screen is customized, selection criteria inserted there are considered when the messages are selected.
○ Logging engine for application log

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 For data messages processed within the SAP Application Interface Framework, an application log is
written. The application log engine is responsible for selecting log messages from the application log.
● The following are engines to support test files:
The file engines are used to display test file data processed with the Interface Test Tool (transaction
code /AIF/Test) in Monitoring and Error Handling. The file engines are used if this was specifically
Customized during interface definition, or if the file was processed with the Interface Test Tool of the SAP
Application Interface Framework.
○ Application engine for test files
The application engine for files is responsible for test files processed with the Interface Test Tool.
Independent from the engine customized in the interface definition, the application engine for test files
is always called if the message is a test file.
○ Persistence engine for test files
The persistence engine retrieves and updates test files processed with the Interface Test Tool in
Monitoring and Error Handling. Furthermore, it locks and unlocks the test file if a user edits a file in
Monitoring and Error Handling.
● The following are the default engines used:
○ Application engine for ABAP proxies
○ Persistence engine for ABAP proxies
○ Selection engine for index tables
○ Logging engine for application log

More Information

Fore more information about the individual views on the main screen of Monitoring and Error Handling, see
Main Screen [page 39].

6.8.2 Proxies

The proxy engines of SAP Application Interface Framework are responsible for messages received from the
SAP NetWeaver PI or sent to the SAP NetWeaver PI using an ABAP proxy.

Furthermore, the engines for proxies are responsible for web service messages.

Note
From SAP NetWeaver 7.40, there is a new WebService infrastructure available. For new web service
messages, SAP Application Interface Framework provides a dedicated application engine and a persistence
engine. The Proxy engines are still functional for all web service messages, but the new web services engines
provide better performance.

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In detail, there are the following engines available:

Application Engines

Proxy and New WebService can be used in inbound scenarios and in outbound scenarios.

Proxy is used for messages that are processed in the local integration engine of SAP NetWeaver PI and is
responsible for web service messages. New WebService is used for web service messages of the new
WebService infrastructure (from SAP NetWeaver 7.40).

Persistence Engines

Proxy and New WebService can be used in inbound scenarios. They can also be used in outbound scenarios
where the messages are only monitored in SAP Application Interface Framework, but no mapping is performed
in AIF.

Proxy and New WebService are responsible for retrieving the SAP NetWeaver PI or web service messages from
the persistence layer. The payload is transformed to the source data structure to display it in the Data Content
view of Monitoring and Error Handling.

In outbound scenarios where the mapping is performed in AIF, you need to use the XML persistency engine.

Selection Engine and Logging Engine

Use AIF Index Tables and AIF Application Log in all proxy scenarios.

6.8.3 IDoc Support

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can process and monitor IDocs.

Features

The following IDoc engines are available:

● Application engine for IDocs

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 In order to display IDocs in the SAP Application Interface Framework, the application engine for IDocs is
used. The application engine for IDocs enables the users to restart and cancel all IDocs displayed in
Monitoring and Error Handling.
● Persistence engine for IDocs
The persistence engine for IDocs retrieves an IDoc’s data records. Furthermore, the persistence engine
locks and unlocks the IDoc. After an IDoc is edited, the persistence engine updates the IDoc’s data records.
● Logging engine for IDoc status records
If the IDoc was not processed with the SAP Application Interface Framework, the status records written by
the IDoc runtime have to be read from EDIDS. In order to display the status records in the Log Message
view of Monitoring and Error Handling, the status records are added to a temporary application log. If a
segment number and field name exists in the status record, it is possible to navigate from the Log Message
view to the erroneous field in the Data Content view. If the IDoc has written its own application log, the log
content is also displayed in the Log Message view.
● Selection engine for IDoc control records
For IDocs processed without the SAP Application Interface Framework, no index table entries exist and the
data has to be selected from the IDoc control records. In order to determine which IDoc belongs to which
interface, you need to maintain the basic type and message type. Optionally, you can maintain a logical
message variant and logical message function. You can maintain these in Customizing for SAP Application
Interface Framework under Interface Development Assign IDocs Types . In the Selection Screen of
Monitoring and Error Handling, you can select by namespace, interface name, and version. You can also
select by status, creation date, and IDoc number.

6.8.3.1 IDoc Scenarios

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can monitor and process IDocs.

Integration

In Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Additional Interface
Properties Specify Interface Engines , you need to make settings for the engines for each of the scenarios
where IDoc technology is supported by the SAP Application Interface Framework.

Features

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, there are the following different scenarios in which you can
process and monitor IDocs:

● IDoc Scenario 1: See Monitoring of existing IDocs in Monitoring and Error Handling [page 136]
● IDoc Scenario 2: See Process IDoc Using AIF; Call IDoc Function Module in Action [page 138]

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● IDoc Scenario 3: See Process IDoc Using AIF; Call BAPI in Action [page 140]
● IDoc Scenario 4: See Process IDoc Using ALE; Write Index Tables with AIF Enabler [page 141]
● IDoc Scenario 5: See Process Outbound Docs Using AIF [page 143]
● IDoc Scenario 6: See Combine Outbound IDoc to XML Message Using AIF [page 146]

6.8.3.1.1 Monitor Existing IDocs in Monitoring and Error

Handling

Use

In this scenario, existing IDocs are monitored in Monitoring and Error Handling in the SAP Application Interface
Framework. IDocs are processed in the ALE runtime. This scenario is applicable for inbound and outbound
IDocs.

You should use this scenario if you have an existing IDoc, for which you do not want to change the configuration
but which you want to monitor with the SAP Application Interface Framework.

Integration

In order to display an existing IDoc in Monitoring and Error Handling, you have to create a raw and an SAP data
structure for an IDoc’s basic type and you need to define an SAP Application Interface Framework interface. To
do this, use the Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition report (transaction code /AIF/IDOC_GEN, see
IDoc Structure Generation and Interface Definition [page 83]).

The raw and SAP data structures are the same.

Figure 10: Monitoring of Existing IDocs in Monitoring and Error Handling

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In the scenario for processing IDocs shown in the graphic above, the SAP Application Interface Framework is
not involved in processing the IDoc and the IDoc from the legacy system is, as always, processed with ALE
runtime.

The standard process function, process code, and message type is used. During processing, the data is written
to the standard IDoc tables, for example, EDIDC. In the SAP Application Interface Framework, there is no data
written to the AIF tables and data is selected from the IDoc tables in order to display the IDocs in Monitoring
and Error Handling.

The raw data structure containing the data from the IDoc tables is displayed in the Data Structure view of
Monitoring and Error Handling.

The status records written during IDoc processing are displayed in the Log Messages view. If an application log
for an IDoc was written, the application log containing the data from the IDoc tables is displayed in the Log
Messages view too.

Features

In this scenario, the following are not possible in the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Displaying messages in the Interface Monitor

There are no entries in the AIF index and statistic tables as the IDoc is not processed by SAP Application
Interface Framework
● Creating alerts using and sending e-mail notifications
● Defining an interface-specific selection screen
● Using a key fields based search in Monitoring and Error Handling
There are no index table entries

Activities

In order to display an existing IDoc in Monitoring and Error Handling, engines have to be assigned to interfaces
in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Additional Interface
Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● Application engine for IDocs

● Persistence engine for IDocs
● Selection engine for IDoc control records
● Logging engine for IDoc status records

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6.8.3.1.2 Process IDoc Using AIF, Call IDoc Function Module
in Action

Use

In this scenario, IDocs are processed using the SAP Application Interface Framework and an IDoc function
module is called in an action.

Integration

In order to display the IDoc in Monitoring and Error Handling, you have to create a raw and an SAP data
structure for an IDoc’s basic type and you need to define an SAP Application Interface Framework interface. To
do this, use the Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition report (transaction code /AIF/IDOC_GEN, see
IDoc Structure Generation and Interface Definition [page 83]).

The raw and SAP data structures are the same. In Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Define Interfaces , you can select the Move Corresponding checkbox. This maps
the data from the raw to the SAP data structure while processing the data in the SAP Application Interface
Framework. If you require further logic, for example, checks and value mappings, you can define these in
Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Define Structure
Mappings .

Figure 11: Process IDocs Using AIF and Calling IDoc Function Module in Action

In the scenario for processing IDocs shown in the graphic above, the IDoc from the legacy system is processed
in the SAP Application Interface Framework where index tables are written.

A generic process function is delivered with the SAP Application Interface Framework. A new process code is
needed. The process function transforms the IDoc data into the raw data structure defined in Customizing for

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SAP Application Interface Framework. Afterwards the interface is determined and processing in the SAP
Application Interface Framework is triggered.

In this scenario, you have to create an action to call the standard process function. To facilitate this, the/AIF/
IDOC_ACTION_FUNCTION function module is delivered. You can call the function module in your action
function. Pass the name of the standard process function you want to call and the parameter DATA of the
action function module to /AIF/IDOC_ACTION_FUNCTION.

If data is to be displayed in the Data Content view, the IDoc data has to be transformed into the raw data
structure.

Features

In this scenario, the following are possible in the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Using the Interface Monitor

● Creating checks, value mappings, and field mappings
● Selecting data from index tables
● Defining key fields
● Defining an interface-specific selection screen, which can be used to facilitate a selection of messages if
customized
● E-mail notification

Activities

Engines

You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● Application engine for IDocs

● Persistence engine for IDocs
● Selection engine for index tables
● Logging engine for application log

Preprocessing

The SAP Application Interface Framework can use preprocessing to execute some logic on top of IDoc raw
message data with limited maintenance effort. If you want to activate preprocessing, select the Preprocessing
checkbox in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Define
Interfaces (see Preprocessing [page 175]).

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6.8.3.1.3 Process IDoc Using AIF, Call BAPI in Action

Use

In this scenario, IDocs are processed using the SAP Application Interface Framework and a BAPI is called in an
action.

Integration

You need to create an SAP Application Interface Framework interface and you have to maintain a raw and an
SAP data structure.

Use the Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition report (transaction code /AIF/IDOC_GEN) to create
the raw data structure based on the IDoc basic type (see IDoc Structure Generation and Interface Definition
[page 83]).

You have to create the SAP data structure manually and this structure depends on the action's functions. Since
the raw and SAP data structure differs in most cases for this scenario, you have to create a structure mapping
including, for example, field mappings and value mappings.

Figure 12: Process IDoc Using the SAP Application Interface Framework and Calling BAPI in Action

In the scenario for processing IDocs shown in the graphic above, the IDoc from the legacy system is processed
by the SAP Application Interface Framework, where functionality such as index tables, checks, and mapping
can be used.

In order to process the IDoc with the SAP Application Interface Framework, a generic process function is
provided. A new process code is required. The generic process function transforms the IDoc data to the raw
structure of the interface. Afterwards, the SAP Application Interface Framework is called to process the data.

In this scenario, you have to create an action to process the data. Within the action function, the BAPI is called
to process the data.

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Features

In this scenario, the following are possible in the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Displaying messages in Monitoring and Error Handling

● Supporting the field link from the Log Messages view to the Data Content view, if an error occurred while
processing the IDoc
● Maintaining index tables
● Creating checks, value mappings, and field mappings
● Grouping messages by key fields in the Data Messages view
● Creating an interface-specific selection screen
If an interface-specific sub selection screen was customized, this screen can be used to facilitate a
selection of messages.

Activities

You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● Application engine for IDocs

● Persistence engine for IDocs
● Selection engine for index tables
● Logging engine for application log

6.8.3.1.4 Process IDoc Using ALE, Write Index Tables with

AIF Enabler

Use

In this scenario, IDocs are processed using ALE runtime and index tables are written by the SAP Application
Interface Framework enabler for IDocs. This scenario is applicable for inbound and outbound IDocs.

Integration

You need to create an SAP Application Interface Framework interface and you have to maintain a raw and an
SAP data structure. The raw and SAP data structure are the same.

Some settings in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework, for example, for structure mappings or
actions, are not relevant since the IDoc is not processed with the SAP Application Interface Framework
runtime.

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 Figure 13: IDoc Processing Using ALE Runtime and Calling AIF Enabler

In the scenario for processing IDocs shown in the graphic above, the IDoc from the legacy system is processed
by standard IDoc processing.

The SAP Application Interface Framework enabler for IDocs is called implicitly during ALE runtime when the
status of the IDoc changes to write SAP Application Interface Framework-specific table entries. The SAP
Application Interface Framework enabler for IDocs is responsible for writing index tables and message
statistics and for creating alerts.

It is also possible to write an SAP Application Interface Framework-specific application log. If a message is
selected and an AIF application log is written, this application log is loaded into the application log view. If no
AIF application log is written, the status records and application log the process function has written are loaded
into the application log view in Monitoring and Error Handling. Whether an application log is written or the
status records are used depends on the logging engine maintained in Customizing for SAP Application
Interface Framework under Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface
Engines .

Note
For performance reasons, writing an SAP Application Interface Framework-specific application log is
optional and the SAP Application Interface Framework enabler for IDocs avoids transforming the complete
IDoc data into the SAP structure.

Since the IDoc was not processed with the SAP Application Interface Framework runtime, there is no data link
between the Log Messages view and the Data Content view.

Prerequisites

If you want to use the SAP Application Interface Framework as the monitor of your IDoc runtime, implement
the ALE: Integration of SAP Application Interface Framework note (the 1844763 note number).

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Features

In this scenario, the following are possible in the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Defining recipients for alert management

● Grouping messages by key fields in Data Messages view
● Maintaining interface-specific selection index tables
● Defining an interface-specific selection screen, which can be used to facilitate a selection of messages if
customized

Activities

You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● Application engine for IDocs

● Persistence engine for IDocs
● Selection engine for index tables
● Logging engine for IDoc status records

6.8.3.1.5 Process Outbound IDocs Using AIF

Use

In this scenario, outbound IDocs are processed using the SAP Application Interface Framework.

Integration

For this scenario, the following are required:

● 2 SAP Application Interface Framework interfaces

● A port function
To trigger the processing in the SAP Application Interface Framework
● An action
To send the final IDoc to the receiver

To create the required structure and interfaces, use the Generate IDoc Structure and Interface Definition report
(transaction code /AIF/IDOC_GEN, see IDoc Structure Generation and Interface Definition [page 83]). The
raw and SAP data structure are identical for both interfaces.

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 Figure 14: Process Outbound IDoc Using the SAP Application Interface Framework

In the scenario for processing IDocs shown in the graphic above, the first IDoc is send to the AIF port function
and is processed via the SAP Application Interface Framework. All mappings, checks, fix values, and value
mappings have to be done in the first interface, which is used for the processing of the first IDoc. To finally send
the IDoc to the receiver, an action is required to trigger the sending of the IDoc.

Sending the IDoc to the receiver leads to a second IDoc. This second IDoc is monitored in the second AIF
interface. This interface is a pure monitoring interface that displays the data as it is sent to the final receiver.

The SAP Application Interface Framework delivers the /AIF/SINGLE_IDOC_PORT_FUNCTION function

module. In Ports in IDoc processing (transaction code WE21), you need to maintain the port function in an
ABAP-PI port. You have to assign this port in the partner profile. You can reuse the port function for different
basic types. If the port function does not meet all of your requirements, you can create and use your own port
function.

The Customizing for the first interface contains the processing logic of the IDoc. You must maintain some
mapping for the first interface. In order to be able to send the second IDoc to the correct receiver, you need to
adjust the sender/receiver data of the EDIDC structure (Control Record) to the values of the final sender/
receiver of the IDoc.

Caution
If you do not do this, the IDoc ends in a loop of creating one copy after another without sending the IDoc to
the final receiver.

To finally send the IDoc, you need an action. As the action function module for you to use to send the IDoc, the
SAP Application Interface Framework provides the /AIF/CALL_MASTER_IDOC_DIST function module.

For the second interface, a pure monitoring scenario is sufficient. The interface is used to monitor the IDocs
that are sent to the final receiver.

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 Note
As both interfaces have the same message type/basic type combination, you need an entry in the interface
determination. You do this in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under System
Configuration Interface Determination Define Interface Determination for IDoc Interfaces .

Features

In this scenario, the following are possible in the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Using the Interface Monitor

● Creating checks, value mappings, and field mappings
● Selecting data from index tables
● Defining key fields
● Defining an interface-specific selection screen, which can be used to facilitate a selection of messages if
customized
● E-mail notification

Activities

Engines

You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● Application engine for IDocs

● Persistence engine for IDocs
● Selection engine for index tables
● Logging engine for application log
Or IDoc status records for the second IDoc

Assign the engines to both interfaces.

Preprocessing

The SAP Application Interface Framework can use preprocessing to execute some logic on top of IDoc raw
message data with limited maintenance effort. If you want to activate preprocessing, when you are defining the
first interface, select the Preprocessing checkbox in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework
under Interface Development Define Interfaces (see Preprocessing [page 175]).

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6.8.3.1.6 Combine Outbound IDoc to XML Message Using
AIF

Use

In this scenario, different outbound IDocs can be combined in one XML message.

Integration

For this scenario, an SAP Application Interface Framework XML interface and a port function are required.

The required interface can be created in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface
Development -> Define Interfaces. If required, select the Move Corresponding or the Preprocessing checkbox.
For the raw and SAP data structure, use the /AIF/MERGE_IDOCS_TO_AIF_MSG structure. If you require
further logic, for example, checks and value mappings, you can define these in Customizing for SAP Application
Interface Framework under Interface Development -> Define Structure Mappings.

Figure 15: Combine Outbound IDoc to XML Message Using the SAP Application Interface Framework

In the scenario for processing IDocs shown in the graphic above, the port function combines the collected
IDocs in one XML message and hands it over to the SAP Application Interface Framework for further
processing. Follow up processing is triggered via an action in the interface.

To set up this scenario, you require a port function. The SAP Application Interface Framework delivers
the /AIF/MERGE_IDOCS_TO_AUIF_MSG function module for you to use as function module for the port
function. Besides creating the port function, you need to adjust the partner profile of the IDoc that is to be sent.
You also need to maintain the new port function in the receiver port. You can reuse the port function for
different basic types. If the port function does not meet all of your requirements, you can create and use your
own port function.

You need to maintain all required mappings and add an action to trigger the follow up processing.

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 Note
You may require an interface determination. You do this in Customizing for SAP Application Interface
Framework under System Configuration Interface Determination Define Interface Determination for
XML Interfaces .

Features

In this scenario, the following are possible in the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Using the Interface Monitor

● Creating checks, value mappings, and field mappings
● Selecting data from index tables
● Defining key fields
● Defining an interface-specific selection screen, which can be used to facilitate a selection of messages if
customized
● E-mail notification

Activities

Engines

You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● Application engine for XML

● Persistence engine for XML
● Selection engine for index tables
● Logging engine for application log

Preprocessing

The SAP Application Interface Framework can use preprocessing to execute some logic on top of IDoc raw
message data with limited maintenance effort. If you want to activate preprocessing, when you are defining the
first interface, select the Preprocessing checkbox in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework
under Interface Development Define Interfaces (see Preprocessing [page 175]).

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6.8.4 Error and Conflict Handler Integration

Use

SAP Application Interface Framework provides you with monitoring and error handling functionality. The Error
and Conflict Handler (ECH) is a forward error handling mechanism provided by SAP NetWeaver. The SAP
Application Interface Framework supports ECH as an optional and alternative error handing functionality.

Integration

ECH messages can be monitored in the SAP Application Interface Framework and error messages generated
by the SAP Application Interface Framework can be sent to ECH for processing.

You can define an interface assigned to an ECH component and business process in Customizing for the SAP
Application Interface Framework (transaction code /AIF/CUST) under Interface Development Additional
Interface Properties Assign ECH Component .

Prerequisites

To use the ECH integration, you must have SAP NetWeaver 7.31 and you must have installed the component
AIFX.

Features

ECH supports forward resolution of asynchronous messages. It is integrated by default into standard
Enterprise Services and enables clients to register errors and creates post processing orders accordingly via
the post processing office (PPO).

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, interface developers can use the SIW configuration and template
delivered with the SAP Application Interface Framework to create an interface supporting ECH (see SIW
Integration [page 81]).

SAP Application Interface Framework Monitoring and Error Handling supports ECH

If the SAP NetWeaver PI message is processed by ECH, SAP Application Interface Framework's Monitoring and
Error Handling can monitor and handle (for example, edit, save, restart, and cancel) PPO persistence in
addition to the standard ECH monitoring transaction. The locking, version handing, and status controlling
reuse ECH standard functions, so that they are consistent and synchronized between Monitoring and Error
Handling in the SAP Application Interface Framework and ECH monitoring. This integration scenario is
independent of the SAP Application Interface Framework runtime as Monitoring and Error Handling works on
the PPO persistence layer utilized by ECH.

The interface determination function of the SAP Application Interface Framework is used (see Interface
Determination [page 97]).

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An ECH-specific engine supports SAP Application Interface Framework Monitoring and Error Handling
functions, for example, the following:

● You can select a PPO in Monitoring and Error Handling and easily navigate to the ECH monitoring tool
● You can navigate between the application log and data content (dual directions)
● You can mass edit and save
● You can mass restart and cancel

In order to be able to handle ECH messages in Monitoring and Error Handling, you have to maintain the
following engines in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Additional Interface
Properties Specify Interface Engines :

● Application engine: ECH

Handles asynchronous data messages received via a proxy from SAP NetWeaver PI but processed by the
Error and Conflict Handler application. Each message has a corresponding post-processing order.
● Persistence engine: ECH
Handles the data content of messages processed by the Error and Conflict Handler application. Includes
load data and save data as new version.
● Selection engine: ECH
Handles message processed by the Error and Conflict Handler application instead of the SAP Application
Interface Framework. Data is selected from post-processing order related tables.
● Logging engine: ECH
Handles messages for a post-processing order raised during Error and Conflict Handler application
processing.

Note
Not all the functions, for example, data transformation and statistics, are supported.

ECH Supports the SAP Application Interface Framework

A proxy developer can choose to use the ECH monitoring tool to monitor messages and handle errors and can
choose to use the SAP Application Interface Framework to process the message as follows:

● ECH collects errors generated by the SAP Application Interface Framework in runtime
● ECH restarts or cancels any messages processed by the SAP Application Interface Framework runtime
● SAP Application Interface Framework Monitoring and Error Handling can load an original SAP NetWeaver PI
message and the relevant application logs

An SAP Application Interface Framework-specific ECH action class is delivered to enable ECH runs with the
SAP Application Interface Framework runtime. A proxy developer can use the SIW to switch on ECH support
and can generate a proxy class implementation that calls the SAP Application Interface Framework-specific
action class. This action class provides the following functions:

● Message processing is delegated to the SAP Application Interface Framework

● Restart/Retry is delegated to the SAP Application Interface Framework
● Cancel is handled by the SAP Application Interface Framework action class

In this integration scenario, SAP Application Interface Framework Monitoring and Error Handling works on top
of SAP NetWeaver PI message persistence. However, the SAP NetWeaver PI message is processed by ECH and
the status recorded in the SAP NetWeaver PI message persistence no longer allows you to change the SAP
NetWeaver PI message data. You cannot handle (for example, edit, save, restart, and cancel) errors in
Monitoring and Error Handling and you have to use the ECH monitoring tool (transaction code ECH_MONI_SEL).

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In order to monitor such an SAP Application Interface Framework interface, in Customizing for the SAP
Application Interface Framework under Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines , select
the following engines:

● Application Engine: Proxy

● Persistence Engine: Proxy
● Selection Engine: AIF Index Tables
● Logging Engine: AIF Application Log

More Information

For more information about ECH, see SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com SAP Business Suite SAP
ERP Central Component Error and Conflict Handler (CA-FS-ECH) .

6.8.5 Persistence Layer and Runtime

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the following are available to provide you with fast and parallel
message processing:

● Persistence layer
The persistence enables the storage of interface messages. The SAP Application Interface Framework
persistence layer comes in the following flavours:
○ An XML persistence that stores messages as a string representing an XML structure.
○ A structured persistence that stores messages in database tables representing the structure.

Note
The structured persistence is optimized for the SAP HANA database. This persistence profits from
the compression and search capabilities on SAP HANA and eases the handling of key fields. For new
interfaces, we recommend using the structured persistence instead of the XML persistence.

● Runtime environment
Supports synchronous or asynchronous message processing. Its configuration is done using runtime
configuration groups.

Integration

SAP Application Interface Framework supports a number of other persistence layers and runtimes that are part
of SAP NetWeaver:

● PI services

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 ● Web services (web service reliable messaging)
● ALE/IDOC

In addition, the SAP Application Interface Framework has its own runtime that uses the standard job
scheduling mechanisms to process data in background jobs. To monitor background jobs, use the standard
transaction code SM37.

Features

Using the AIF runtime environment, you can transfer messages directly from customer-specific reports. This
works for both of AIF's own persistence flavours. The customer-specifc coding has to call the
TRANSFER_TO_AIF static method (for single messages) or TRANSFER_TO_AIF_MULT (for multiple messages)
of the /AIF/ CL_ENABLER_XML class.

Both methods have optional parameters to indicate which runtime configuration group to be used. According
to settings in the runtime configuration group, the message is stored in a message queue to await synchronous
or asynchronous processing. A runtime configuration group can be created and maintained in
transaction /AIF/PERS_CGR.

Figure 16: AIF Runtime

The graphic above shows message processing within the SAP Application Interface Framework runtime
environment. Messages are stored in the message queue to be processed. The runtime environment creates
persistence runs to manage message processing synchronously or asynchronously using background jobs. A
run is created automatically for a specific interface, that is, for a certain combination of interface namespace,
interface name, and interface version.

The messages are processed by run packets, which are also created automatically from the runs. The
processing by the runs and run packets can be configured using the runtime configuration group, which you
maintain with the /AIF/PERS_CGR transaction. In this transaction, you can define several runtime
configuration groups with meaningful descriptions per namespace. To balance the load on your system over
time, you can decide to schedule a run in dedicated background job and even to schedule the individual
packets in dedicated background jobs.

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The processing status of a message in the AIF runtime is stored in the /AIF/PERS_QMSG application table. The
runtime processing status can be one of the following values:

● N: New
● A: Assigned
● S: Started
● F: Finished
● R: Reprocess

When a message is passed to the runtime, the processing status is set to New. A namespace and a name for a
runtime configuration group is provided to manage message processing according to a certain configuration.
The runtime environment sets the status according to the processing.

Activities

Transferring Messages to the AIF Persistence Layer

To store messages in the persistence layer of SAP Application Interface Framework, call the enabler for AIF, for
example, in a report or function module. The enabler for AIF provides 2 static methods both of which save the
messages in the persistence of the SAP Application Interface Framework (structured or XML) and schedule the
messages’ processing.

Which of the following 2 methods you should call depends on whether you want to process a single message or
multiple messages:

● /AIF/CL_ENABLER_XML=>TRANSFER_TO_AIF
Call this method if you want to process a single message in the SAP Application Interface Framework’s
runtime. In the following table, the method’s most important input parameters are described:

Table 40:

Parameter Name Description

IS_ANY_STRUCTURE You can pass a single message to this importing parame­

ter for processing. The single message should be the type
of your raw data structure.

IV_QUEUE_NS (Optional) Namespace of a runtime configuration group

IV_QUEUE_TYPE (Optional) Runtime configuration group

● /AIF/CL_ENABLER_XML=>TRANSFER_TO_AIF_MULT

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 Call this method if you want to process multiple messages. In the following table, the method’s most
important input parameters are described:

Table 41:

Parameter Name Description

IT_ANY_STRUCTURE You can pass a table that contains multiple messages to

this parameter. The type of the table should be a table
type of your raw data structure.

IV_QUEUE_NS (Optional) Namespace of a runtime configuration group

IV_QUEUE_TYPE (Optional) Runtime configuration group

Note
You can create a runtime configuration group in the /AIF/PERS_CGR transaction. If you do not specify a
configuration group, the default runtime configuration group is used.

Creating Interfaces Utilizing AIF Persistence and Runtime

You need to create an interface in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface
Development Define Interface . The raw data structure that you maintain should be the same as the one you
used when calling the enabler for AIF. If you used the TRANSFER_TO_AIF_MULT method, the raw data structure
and the line type of your table type have to be the same.

For the structured persistence, you need to generate the database tables from the RAW structure using the
Table Generator for Structured Persistence (transaction /AIF/PERS_TBL_GEN). You select the interface, a
package and transport request, and define a prefix for the DDIC objects to be created. The program provides
you with a preview of which RAW structure components map to which database tables and fields or columns.
After execution, you get a log listing all objects that have been created.

Note
If you are using the structured persistence and you are defining key fields on the RAW structure, you can use
the corresponding persistence table created by the Table Generator for Structured Persistence directly as
multi index table. In this way, you do not need to create a separate index table holding redundant data and
you can subsequently define key fields that also enable the selection on past messages. If you are using a
non-SAP HANA database, you might consider adding an index on these columns of the used persistence
tables, which are used in key fields.

You define multi index tables in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Error
Handling Define Interface-Specific Features Define Key Fields for Multi.Search .

In order to enable storing messages in one of AIF's own persistence flovours, in Customizing for the SAP
Application Interface Framework, you have to define the following engines for an SAP Application Interface
Framework interface under Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface
Engines :

● Structured persistence

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 ○ Application Engine: Structured Persistence
○ Persistence Engine: Structured Persistence
○ Selection Engine: Structured Persistence
○ Logging Engine: AIF Application Log
● XML persistence
○ Application Engine: XML
○ Persistence Engine: XML
○ Selection Engine: AIF Index Tables
○ Logging Engine: AIF Application Log

If you created several interfaces for one raw data structure, you have to maintain an interface determination in
Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Interface
Determination Interface Determination for XML Interfaces .

Creating a Runtime Configuration Group

You can create your own runtime configuration group. You can access the Runtime Configuration Group
overview from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application Components SAP Application
Interface Framework Administration Customizing Runtime Configuration Group (transaction
code /AIF/PERS_CGR). For a selected namespace, you can maintain the following:

● Runtime Configuration
A three character identifier for a runtime configuration group
● Runtime Configuration Group Active
If you do not select the check box, messages are saved to the persistence of the SAP Application Interface
Framework but they are not scheduled or processed.

Note
You can add new messages to the run of an inactive configuration group. Once the number defined in
Messages Per Run is reached, the status of the run switches to Ready and the system creates a new run
for further messages. To manually trigger the runs in status Ready, use the report /AIF/
PERS_RUN_EXECUTE. You can also schedule this report as a background job.

● Run Scheduled
If you select the checkbox, the runs are executed asynchronously in a job. Otherwise, the run is executed
synchronously.
● Schedule Packages
If you select the checkbox, the packages are processed asynchronously, each one in its own job. Otherwise,
the packages are processed synchronously, which means in the same job as the run, if the run is
scheduled.

Furthermore, you can specify the user under whom the job is to be processed (you can be this user if you have
the correct authorization) and the user that released the scheduled batch job. You can specify the number of
messages per package and the number of messages per run.

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, if you do not define a runtime configuration group, the runtime
processes messages based on the following defaults:

● Background job planning user is SY-UNAME (the user who passes the message to the AIF runtime)
● Background job execution user is SY-UNAME (the user who passes the message to the AIF runtime)
● 20 messages are processed per message packet

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 ● 100 messages are managed per run

Restarting Messages

Using the transaction /AIF/XML_RESTART, you can restart messages from the structured persistence or the
XML persistence, that you cannot restart using the Error Handling and Monitoring of SAP Application Interface
Framework.

If, for some reason, the enabler for AIF gets terminated during the inbound processing of a package of
messages the job executing the enabler is cancelled. In the Error Handling and Monitoring, you see messages
in status New, Started, or In Process which you cannot restart from there. You need to use the
program /AIF/XML_RESTART to restart the stuck messages.

Deleting Messages

You can delete messages from the persistence layer of SAP Application Interface Framework (XML and
structured persistence) using AIF Persistence Messages Deletion (transaction /AIF/PERS_DEL).

Caution
The messages deletion is irreversible. You cannot restore messages deleted using AIF Persistence Messages
Deletion.

This program is to be used in exceptional cases only, for example, if you need to clean up a test system. You
usually do not delete but archive finalized messages from time to time. For more information, see Data
Archiving [page 121].

For executing this program, there is a two-person authorization concept in place. An administration user can
authorize another user (but not himself) to execute the report for a specific interface at a specific date. The
administrator needs to have the authorization object /AIF/PERSD assigned. He can authorize the other user
using transaction /AIF/PERS_DEL_AUTH. In the log table /AIF/PERS_D_AUTH, you can see all authorizations,
the users who created the authorizations, and when they created them.

6.8.6 File Adapter

Use

The file adapter supports the upload of files to the SAP Application Interface Framework, where they are
processed and can be monitored by business users. You can read a file or files from different locations and map
their content into raw structures of an interface.

Prerequisites

You have created interfaces in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface
Development Define Interfaces .

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Features

Customizing

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure File
Adapter , you determine how the file data is mapped into raw structures.

To read a file from the file system, the minimum you need to specify is the following:

● File Type
Specify one of the following:
○ Text file
○ Binary file (for example, Microsoft Excel)
● File Content
Specify one of the following:
○ Flat structure
○ Complex structure
The file content can be mapped into a complex structure, which may contain header, substructures,
and sub tables.
○ XML
Mapping is done via XSLT or ST (Simple Transformation). The transformation name must be stored in
the Transformation field.
○ User defined
Customer-specific mapping can be done via a customer-specific function module, the name of which
has to be stored in the Mapping Function field. The /AIF/LFA_MAP_USER_SPEC_TEMPL function
module template is delivered.
○ Excel (.xlsx)
You can define mapping and conversions in the file adapter Customizing. The mapping can be done
automatically or using a detailed mapping table.

Depending on the file content, you need to make several mandatory settings as follows:

Table 42:

File Content Text Type Length of Type Deter­ Transformation Mapping Function
mination Value

Complex Structure You must select a text You must enter a value
type

Flat You must select a text You must enter a value

type

XML You must enter a

transformation name

User defined You must enter a cus­

tomer-specific func­
tion module

Excel (.xlsx)

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For mapping, you need to specify at least a raw structure that describes the resulting data type (for example, a
BAPI structure).

Upload Files to the SAP Application Interface Framework

Use the Uploading Files to AIF report (transaction /AIF/LFA_UPLOAD_FILE ) to transfer individual files and to
map them to a raw structure. You can access the report from the SAP Easy Access menu under SAP
Application Interface Framework File Upload .

The report provides the following features:

● Access files from a client PC or from the application server.

● Specify the file location either directly or using logical files (for more information, see transaction FILE).
● Split large data files into smaller blocks.
● Specify the use of the queues of the persistency runtime configuration.
● Have the file and the result structure displayed after upload.

Read Files from a Folder and Send to the SAP Application Interface Framework

Use the Reading Files from a Folder and Sending Them to AIF report (transaction /AIF/LFA_CHECK_SEND) to
transfer and map multiple files into the SAP Application Interface Framework. You can access the report from
the SAP Easy Access menu under SAP Application Interface Framework Administration Tools Mass File
Upload from Server .

The report provides the following special features:

● Access files from the application server only.

● After a successfully transfer, automatically move the files to another folder to avoid multiple selections and
transfers of the same files.

Download Excel Files from the SAP Application Interface Framework

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can use the file adapter to upload Excel files, to merge data
into Excel files you have uploaded, and to download these enhanced Excel files.

Note
The file adapter only supports the *.xlsx Excel format.

This function has the following features:

● Use the file adapter reports to upload existing Excel spreadsheets

● An SAP Application Interface Framework interface processes the data from an uploaded Excel file
● An action is called at the end of processing and triggers the download of the data via a second interface
and the XML enabler
● In the second interface, an action is called at the end of processing that generates the output Excel file. To
generate the Excel file, you can use the /AIF/LFA_EXCEL_DOWN_MERGE function module as an action
function.

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure File
Adapter , you specify the raw data structure that contains the output settings for downloading files.

Monitoring

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Use the Log of File Adapter report (transaction /AIF/SHOW_BLOCK) to monitor the progress and success of file
uploads done by the SAP Application Interface file adapter.

The report provides the following features:

● Select files by ID, standard interface file name, user, date, or configuration namespace and ID.
● Display logs and performance details on file and block level.

6.8.7 tRFC and qRFC

Use

The SAP Application Interface Framework supports role-based monitoring of tRFC and qRFC interfaces. In
Monitoring and Error Handling, business users can monitor messages and handle errors related to tRFC and
qRFC interfaces.

Integration

The SAP Application Interface Framework enables you to monitor tRFCs and qRFC transactions that have a
“pending” (in error) status. It works on top of standard t/qRFC monitoring, functionalities, and persistence.
Existing t/qRFC interfaces and function modules are not modified for monitoring in the SAP Application
Interface Framework.

In order to monitor tRFC and qRFC interfaces with the SAP Application Interface Framework, you have to define
SAP Application Interface Framework interfaces. For each t/qRFC function module, you have to create an SAP
Application Interface Framework interface with the corresponding SAP structure to display all the required
parameter values.

For both tRFC and qRFC, central monitoring (for example, in SAP ECC) and also local monitoring (for example,
in SAP APO) are supported. You can configure from which system(s) the data is read and in which system the
monitoring is done.

Prerequisites

Before you can make t/qRFC integration settings, you have used the SM59 transaction code to define RFC
destinations that link the external systems with the SAP Application Interface Framework.

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Features

The following are the major components of the tRFC/qRFC integration into the SAP Application Interface
Framework and each component is described in detail in the following sections or linked topics:

● A Function Module Generator report (transaction code /AIF/RFC_FUNC_GEN for single generation and
transaction code /AIF/RFC_MASS_GEN for mass generation)
Fore more information, see tRFC and qRFC Function Module Generator [page 88].
● A read function
● A Data Transfer report
● Customizing
● Engines
See tRFC [page 160] and qRFC [page 163] for lists of the appropriate engines.

Read Function

The read function reads the following data that is required in the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Logical units of work (LUW)

● Parameters of the called function modules
● Additional application logs written by the functions

As the read function gets the list of the already known LUWs (the transaction IDs with timestamp), it
determines which LUWs are new, changed, or deleted; the parameters and additional data is only read for new
or changed data.

The read function writes the values of the parameters into the specific SAP structures that are generated by
the Function Module Generator (see tRFC and qRFC Function Module Generation [page 88]).

Data Transfer

The read function is called by the Data Transfer report, which saves the data in the persistency of the SAP
Application Interface Framework and converts it into the required data format for Monitoring and Error
Handling.

The Data Transfer report is used to support several technologies including tRFC, qRFC, CIF post-processing,
and batch input (see Data Transfer [page 176]).

Customizing

● In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure
Data Transfer , you make settings to enable the Data Transfer report to transfer t/qRFC data into the
persistence of the SAP Application Interface Framework.
● You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines .
● Use Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework to make detailed settings for the generated
interface.

Engines

See tRFC [page 160] and qRFC [page 163] for the appropriate engine settings.

The required functions for the application engine for the t/qRFC integration are:

● Restart

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● Cancel
● Debug
The Debug pushbutton works dynamically as follows:
○ tRFC
Only outbound queues are supported
○ qRFC
Both inbound and outbound queues are supported

More Information

For more information about transferring t/qRFC related data to the persistence of the SAP Application
Interface Framework, see Data Transfer [page 176].

6.8.7.1 tRFC

Use

The SAP Application Interface Framework supports monitoring of tRFC interfaces with the following two
scenarios:

● Monitor tRFCs with SAP Application Interface Framework index table and statistics table
All the SAP Application Interface Framework standard functionalities, for example, defining key fields-
based authorizations and roles and delegating monitoring to the corresponding responsible person, are
fully supported.
● Monitor tRFCs using ARFCSSTATE standard table
Business users can monitor tRFC data in Monitoring and Error Handling without complex Customizing.

Integration

The solutions consist of the following parts:

● Monitor tRFCs by index table and statistics table

○ tRFC engine (for restart/cancel/debug functions)
○ Function Module Generator report, which generates the following:
○ Playback function modules for reading tRFC data
○ SAP structures for the supported tRFC function modules
○ Corresponding SAP Application Interface Framework interface
○ A read function that can be executed remotely on every system
○ A Data Transfer report that can be scheduled

● Monitor tRFCs by standard table ARFCSSTATE

○ tRFC engine (for restart/cancel/debug functions)

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 ○ Function Module Generator report (transaction code /AIF/RFC_FUN_GEN), which generates the
following:
○ Playback function modules for reading tRFC data
○ SAP structures for the supported tRFC function modules
○ Corresponding SAP Application Interface Framework interface

Example

Figure 17: tRFC Integration with Monitoring by Index Table and Statistics Table

The graphic shows an example of transferring tRFC data to the SAP Application Interface Framework for
monitoring tRFCs by index table and statistics table.

In order to use the SAP Application Interface Framework as a central tRFC monitoring platform, the data of
the sent messages (LUWs, status / error message, function module payload) in the tRFC monitored system
has to be transferred into the central monitoring system. The Data Transfer report needs to be triggered to
get the current tRFC status. The report passes data and the log messages to the SAP Application Interface
Framework enabler (AIF enabler). For every LUW, the AIF enabler creates a message consisting of an entry in
the AIF persistency or the AIF RFC local persistency, some table entries in the corresponding index tables,
and an application log. When the LUW is deleted, these entries are also deleted.

Note
If monitoring tRFCs by status table, the SAP Application Interface Framework messages come from the
standard ARFCSSTATE table and the index table and statistics table are not used. In this case, the tRFC
persistency calls the playback function module directly to get the data of the SAP structure or raw structure.

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Features

Monitoring tRFCs by index table and statistics table supports the following requirements:

● Interface Monitor
○ Role-based overview
○ Mass restart/cancel in Message Summary
● Monitoring and Error Handling
○ Select by key fields
○ Display data content
○ Display error log
○ Key field-based authorization check
○ Restart/Cancel by LUW
○ Debug possibility

Monitoring tRFCs by standard ARFCSSTATE table supports the following requirements in Monitoring and Error
Handling:

● Display data content

● Display error log
● Restart/Cancel by LUW
● Debug possibility

Activities

To generate objects and create related Customizing for monitoring tRFCs, in the Function Module Generator
report, select tRFC (AIF Index Table) or tRFC (tRFC Status Table) depending on the monitoring scenario you
want to use.

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure Data
Transfer , you can make settings to enable the Data Transfer report to transfer tRFC data into the persistence
of the SAP Application Interface Framework and thus support the integration with tRFC. When you run the Data
Transfer report with a specific selection set you have defined in this activity, only the logical systems assigned
to the selection set are reached and only the tRFC function modules defined in the specific selection set are
transferred.

Engines

You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● tRFC with index table and statistic table

○ Application Engine: tRFC
○ Persistence Engine: qRFC/tRFC
○ Selection Engine: AIF Index Table
○ Logging Engine: AIF Application Log
● tRFC with status table

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 ○ Application Engine: tRFC Status Table
○ Persistence Engine: tRFC Status Table
○ Selection Engine: tRFC Status Table
○ Logging Engine: tRFC Status Table

More Information

For more information about transferring tRFC data to SAP Application Interface Framework persistence, see
Data Transfer [page 176].

For more information about the Function Module Generator report, see, tRFC and qRFC Function Module
Generation [page 88].

6.8.7.2 qRFC

Use

The SAP Application Interface Framework supports role-based monitoring of qRFC interfaces.

Integration

The solution consists of the following parts:

● qRFC engine (for restart/cancel/debug functions)

● Function Module Generator report (transaction code /AIF/RFC_FUNC_GEN), which generates the
following:
○ Playback function modules for reading qRFC data
○ SAP structures for the supported qRFC function modules
○ Corresponding AIF interface
For more information, see tRFC and qRFC Function Module Generation [page 88].
● Customizing
○ To configure qRFC integration in the SAP Application Interface Framework
○ To specify the qRFC engines
● A read function that can be executed remotely on every system
For more information, see the “Read Function” section in tRFC and qRFC [page 158].
● A Data Transfer report that can be scheduled

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 Example

Figure 18: System Architecture for a qRFC Call from SAP ERP to SAP APO

The graphic shows the overall system architecture using, as an example, a qRFC call from SAP ERP to SAP
APO with monitoring in SAP ERP, which is defined in this case as a central qRFC monitoring system.

In order to use the SAP Application Interface Framework as a central qRFC monitoring platform, data about
the sent messages available in the qRFC monitors (LUWs, status/error message, parameters) has to be
transferred to SAP ERP where the SAP Application Interface Framework is located.

When the Data Transfer report is triggered, the read function is executed and selects the queues in the
connected SAP APO system. For every logical unit of work (LUW), the Data Transfer report uses the AIF
enabler to create an SAP Application Interface Framework message consisting of an entry in the XML
persistency or local AIF RFC persistency, some table entries in the corresponding index tables, and an
application log.

Features

The SAP Application Interface Framework supports the following for qRFC integration:

● The display of a role-based overview in the Interface Monitor

● The selection by key fields in Monitoring and Error Handling
● The definition of authorizations by special key fields

Activities

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure Data
Transfer , you can make settings to enable the Data Transfer report to transfer qRFC data into the persistence

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of the SAP Application Interface Framework and thus support the integration with qRFC. When you run the
Data Transfer report with a specific selection set you have defined in this activity, only the logical systems
assigned to the selection set are reached and only the qRFC queues defined in the specific selection set are
transferred.

Engines

You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● Application Engine: qRFC

● Persistence Engine: qRFC/tRFC
● Selection Engine: AIF Index Table
● Logging Engine: AIF Application Log

More Information

For more information about transferring qRFC data into SAP Application Interface Framework persistence, see
Data Transfer [page 176].

6.8.8 OData Support

Use

SAP Application Interface Framework supports the monitoring of error messages for OData services. For
erroneous data messages, you can display the error messages and the content of the data message in the
source format. Correcting the contents of the data messages, restarting, or cancelling data messages of the
OData service using the SAP Application Interface Framework is not supported.

Note
SAP Gateway provides a pure error log, that contains no warnings or success messages.

The visibility of the error messages and of data message contents depends on the global settings of the SAP
Gateway error log in transaction /IWFND/ERROR_LOG. If, for example, the error log level is set to Secure
(default), all business-relevant data are filtered out and only technical errors are available.

Activities

1. To receive up-to-date error logs of OData services in SAP Application Interface Framework, select the
services in the program /AIF/ODATA_TRANSFER_JOB and schedule the program to run periodically.
You can look up the available oData services in transaction /IWFND/MAINT_SERVICE.

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2. Create an interface with a raw structure containing at least a component of type /AIF/
ODATA_STD_RAW_FLDS_S. This component contains the standard fields of the OData error log, for
example, the service name, the user, and a timestamp. A mapping is not required for an OData interface.
You define the interface in Customizing of SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface
Development Define Interfaces .
3. For the OData interface, specify the following interface engines:
○ Application Engine: OData application engine
○ Persistence Engine: OData persistence engine
○ Selection Engine: AIF Index tables
○ Logging Engine: OData logging engine
You specify the engines in Customizing of SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface
Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines .
4. Specify the OData services and elements, for example entity sets, whose error logs you want to monitor
using this interface.

Note
Entering an element is optional and has no effect, if the error log level is set to Secure in SAP Gateway.

You specify the services in Customizing of SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface
Development Additional Interface Properties Define OData Services .
5. Define a message index table that at least includes the structure /AIF/ODATA_STD_IDX_FLDS_S. For an
example of such an index table, see the template table /AIF/T_ODATA_IDX.
Add your index table to the OData interface in Customizing of SAP Application Interface Framework, under
Error Handling Define Namespace-specific Features Define Interface-specific Features Message Idx
Table .
6. Optionally, you can decide to enable the business users to display the source contents of the OData data
message, that is, the response and the request. If enabled, there is the Display Contents in Source Format
button available in the Data Messages view of the Monitoring and Error Handling.

Caution
There is always the complete data of the message displayed in the source XML format. You cannot hide
parts of request or response to protect, for example, personal data. If you need to protect certain data,
do not enable this function.

To enable the Display Contents in Source Format button, in Customizing of SAP Application Interface
Framework, select Error Handling Define Namespace-specific Features Define Interface-specific
Features Displ source button .

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6.8.9 Core Interface Post-Processing

Use

The SAP Application Interface Framework supports role-based monitoring of Core Interface (CIF) post-
processing records with the following two scenarios:

● An SAP Advanced Planning and Optimization (SAP APO)-centric scenario

You can monitor multiple SAP ERP systems connected to an SAP APO system in a single SAP Application
Interface Framework instance in the SAP APO system.
● An SAP ERP-centric scenario
You can monitor multiple SAP APO systems connected to an SAP ERP system in a single SAP Application
Interface Framework instance in the SAP ERP system.

In Monitoring and Error Handling of the SAP Application Interface Framework, business users can monitor
messages and handle errors related to post-processing CIF.

Example
You use CIF interfaces to exchange master data and transaction data between your central SAP ERP system,
where the SAP Application Interface Framework is located, and several SAP APO systems that are used for
production planning. You authorize business users to monitor errors related to CIF post processing in the
SAP Application Interface Framework according to the individual plants for whose production planning they
are responsible.

Integration

The SAP Application Interface Framework enables you to monitor CIF post-processing records that have one of
the following processing statuses:

● Still for Processing

● Processed
● Obsolete (Set Manually)
● Obsolete (Set Automatically by System)
● Retransfer Not Allowed

Note
Each of these processing statuses is mapped to a message status in the SAP Application Interface
Framework, for example, Still for Processing is mapped to Application Errors and Processed is mapped to
Processed Successfully.

Standard CIF post-processing functionality is integrated into monitoring in the SAP Application Interface
Framework.

Existing CIF interfaces and function modules are not modified. To monitor CIF interfaces with the SAP
Application Interface Framework, you have to define SAP Application Interface Framework interfaces. A fixed

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raw data structure, based on the structure of the CIF post- processing error log, is used for any number of SAP
Application Interface Framework interfaces for CIF post-processing.

The solution consists of the following major parts:

● A standard single index table for CIF post-processing

● A raw data structure for CIF post-processing
● A transfer engine for CIF post-processing
● A read function for reading local and remote CIF post-processing records and application logs
● A Data Transfer report (see Data Transfer [page 176])
● An enabler for CIF post-processing
● Application and persistence engines for CIF post-processing

Example

Figure 19: SAP ERP-Centric Scenario

The graphic shows an example of transferring CIF post-processing records from SAP APO to SAP ERP for
Monitoring and Error Handling in the SAP Application Interface Framework.

The SAP Application Interface Framework enables Monitoring and Error Handling by filtering on key
attributes (for example, source system and R/3 object type) from the error log of the CIF post-processing
records. It is dependent on the settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Error Handling Define Interface-Specific Features Define Key Fields for Multi. Search .

CIF post-processing records and the corresponding application logs are remotely selected from the
connected SAP APO system.

This data is passed back to the Data Transfer report, which triggered the transfer. An SAP Application
Interface Framework enabler is then used to update and store the CIF post-processing data, for example, in
the index table, for Monitoring and Error Handling.

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Features

The SAP Application Interface Framework supports the following:

● Interface Monitor
○ The display of a role-based overview
○ Mass restart/cancel in Message Summary
● Monitoring and Error Handling
○ Selection by key fields
○ Error log display in Data Content View
○ Application log display
○ Definition of authorizations by special key fields (for example, plant)
○ Restart/Cancel

Note
Independent of the monitoring system (SAP ERP or SAP APO), you can restart the message. Depending
on the error location, the action that is executed is either Send to APO or Send to R/3.

Activities

Integration Configuration

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure Data
Transfer , you can make configuration settings for data transfer. These configuration settings define a set of
parameters to be used by the Data Transfer report when transferring CIF post-processing records to the SAP
Application Interface Framework.

Example
You make configuration settings so that the Data Transfer report only transfers CIF post-processing records
that are located on the SAP ERP system (Read ERP checkbox selected) and that only relate to production
orders (R/3 Object Type).

For more information about this activity, read the relevant Customizing documentation.

Define Interfaces

When creating your interface, you have set structure /AIF/S_CIFPP_RAW as the raw and SAP structure.
Furthermore, it is important that you assign the CIF post-processing-specific single index (/AIF/
T_CIFPP_IDX) table to your interface. You do this in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework
under Error Handling Interface Specific Features .

Engines

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You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● Application Engine: CIF Post-Processing

● Persistence Engine: CIF Post-Processing
● Selection Engine: AIF Index Table
● Logging Engine: AIF Application Log

More Information

For more information about transferring CIF post-processing records to the persistence of the SAP Application
Interface Framework, see Data Transfer [page 176].

For more information about SAP APO and CIF, see SAP Library on SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com
under SAP Business Suite SAP Customer Relationship Management SAP APO .

6.8.10 Batch Input

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, you can monitor and process batch input sessions, which contain
all the information and data necessary for data transfer using batch input.

Note
Batch input is also known as batch data communication (BDC).

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, there are the following 2 scenarios in which you can monitor and
process batch input sessions:

● Batch input session scenario 1: See Monitor Existing Batch Input Sessions in Monitoring and Error
Handling [page 171]
● Batch input session scenario 2: See Process BI Data with Data Transfer; Write AIF Tables with Enable [page
173]

Note
In the SAP Application Interface Framework, batch input sessions are only visible in Monitoring and Error
Handling when they are in an error state. Once they are processed successfully, they are deleted and are not
visible there. If the Keep Session checkbox is selected, the session is visible after it has been processed
successfully.

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Integration

In order to display batch input sessions in Monitoring and Error Handling, some Customizing settings are
required, an interface needs to be created in the SAP Application Interface Framework, and a raw and a SAP
structure have to be maintained.

Customizing

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development Additional
Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines , you need to make settings for the engines for each of the
scenarios where batch input technology is supported by the SAP Application Interface Framework.

See the individual scenarios for lists of the appropriate engines and for more information about other
Customizing settings.

More Information

For more information about the Batch Input Structure Generation and Interface Definition report, see Batch
Input Structure Generation and Interface Definition [page 86].

For more information about transferring batch input related data to the persistence of the SAP Application
Interface Framework, see Data Transfer [page 176].

6.8.10.1 Monitor Existing Batch Input Sessions in Monitoring

and Error Handling

Use

In this scenario, the SAP Application Interface Framework is not involved in processing batch input data in
batch input sessions.

Integration

In order to display batch input sessions in Monitoring and Error Handling, you have to create a raw and an SAP
data structure and you need to define an SAP Application Interface Framework interface.

The raw and SAP data structures are the same for a batch input recording. In order to create the structure and
create an SAP Application Interface Framework interface, an AIF Batch Input Structure Generator report
(transaction code /AIF/BDC_GEN) is provided (see Batch Input Structure Generation and Interface Definition)
[page 86].

In order to display the batch input session data belonging to the corresponding SAP Application Interface
Framework interface, make settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under

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 System Configuration Interface Determination Assign Batch Input Session and Creator . The batch input
session belonging to one SAP Application Interface Framework interface is determined by the batch input
session name and creator.

Figure 20: Monitoring of Batch Input Sessions in Monitoring and Error Handling

In the scenario for processing batch input data shown in the graphic above, the SAP Application Interface
Framework is not involved in processing the batch input data from the legacy system.

With the batch input method, an ABAP program reads the legacy system data that is to be entered in the SAP
system and stores the data in a batch input session (transaction code SM35).

You can process batch input sessions in the background processing system. During processing, the batch input
data is written into the standard batch input tables (for example, the APQI and APQD tables). Since no entries
are written to the SAP Application Interface Framework tables in this scenario, the batch input data is selected
from the batch input tables in order to display the batch input sessions in Monitor and Error Handling.

Batch input sessions are maintained by the system in the batch input queue. The queue information needs to
be selected from the APQI table. The batch input data is selected from the BDC_OBJECT_READ function
module. It is necessary to transform the data from the APQI table and the queue data into the structure
defined as the raw structure in the SAP Application Interface Framework. In Monitoring and Error Handling, this
structure is displayed in the Data Structure view. The data for the Log Message view is selected from the
BDC_OBJECT_READ function module.

Features

In this scenario, the following are not possible in the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Displaying messages in the Interface Monitor

There are no entries in the AIF index and statistic tables as batch input data is not processed by the SAP
Application Interface Framework.
● Creating alerts using and sending E-mail notifications

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 ● Defining an interface-specific selection screen
● Using a key fields based search in Monitoring and Error Handling
There are no index table entries.

Activities

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Interface
Determination Assign Batch Input Session and Creator , assign the batch input session and creator for
batch input interfaces for which you want to use this monitoring scenario.

In order to display batch input sessions in Monitoring and Error Handling, you have to assign engines to
interfaces in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface Development
Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● BDC application engine

● BDC persistency engine
● Logging engine for BDC message header
● Selection engine for BDC error segments

6.8.10.2 Process BI Data with Data Transfer; Write AIF Tables

with Enabler for BI

Use

In this scenario, batch input sessions are processed by standard processing. The SAP Application Interface
Framework is not involved in processing batch input sessions

The data of existing batch input sessions can be passed to the SAP Application Interface Framework via the
Data Transfer report. The report calls the enabler for batch input to write SAP Application Interface Framework-
specific table entries.

Integration

Use the AIF Batch Input Structure Generator report (transaction code /AIF/BDC_GEN) to create a raw and an
SAP data structure and to define an SAP Application Interface Framework interface (see Batch Input Structure
Generation and Interface Definition [page 86]).

The raw and SAP data structures are the same and are created for a batch input recording.

Some settings in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework, for example, for structure
mappings or actions, are not relevant since the batch input session is not processed with the SAP Application
Interface Framework runtime.

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 Figure 21: Process Batch Input Sessions with Data Transfer, Write AIF Tables with Enabler

In the scenario for processing batch input data shown in the graphic above, the batch input sessions are
processed as normal.

To get the batch input data into the SAP Application Interface Framework, the Data Transfer report can be
configured to read the data from the batch input persistence to update the SAP Application Interface
Framework index and statistic tables and to create alerts. This is done by the AIF enabler for batch input that is
called by the Data Transfer report.

Interface determination for batch input sessions is performed for a combination of the batch input session
name and the name of the creator of the batch input session. The raw structure is determined based on the
combination of the batch input session and creator. With the help of the selected raw structure, interface
determination is executed (see Interface Determination [page 97]).

If an interface-specific selection screen was defined in Customizing, in Monitoring and Error Handling, the user
can select messages. The messages can be grouped by key fields in the Data Messages view (see Data
Messages View [page 42]). If a message is selected and an AIF application log is written, this application log is
loaded into the Log Messages view (see Log Messages View [page 45]). Since the batch input session was not
processed with the AIF runtime, the data link between the Log Messages view and the Data Content view does
not work.

Features

In this scenario, the following are possible in the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Displaying messages in the Interface Monitor

● Creating alerts using and sending e-mail notifications
Recipients can be defined for alert management
● Defining an interface-specific selection screen
● Defining interface-specific index tables

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Activities

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Interface
Determination Define Pre-Interface Determination for Batch Input , you can define an SAP data structure to
be used for a specific batch input session name and creator combination for interface determination.

You have to assign engines to interfaces in Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under
Interface Development Additional Interface Properties Specify Interface Engines as follows:

● BDC application engine

● BDC persistency engine
● Logging engine for application logs
● Selection engine for AIF index tables

6.8.11 Cross Technology

There are the following cross technology features in the area of technology support:

● Preprocessing [page 175]

This applies to the support of the following technologies:
○ ABAP Proxies [page 133]
○ IDoc Support [page 134]
● The Data Transfer [page 176] report
This applies to the support of the following technologies:
○ tRFC and qRFC [page 158]
○ Core Interface Post-Processing [page 167]

6.8.11.1 Preprocessing

Use

In scenarios where the SAP Application Interface Framework supports IDoc and Proxy technology,
preprocessing can be required, for example, in the following cases:

● You have a standard inbound proxy or existing custom inbound proxy where you want to be able to use the
mapping functionalities of the SAP Application Interface Framework but you do not want to change the
existing proxy class implementation.
● You have a standard or existing custom-specific IDoc where you want to use some mapping functionalities
of the SAP Application Interface Framework.
Additionally, you only want to modify or check some data before the existing function is executed.

In the preprocessing mode, the SAP Application Interface Framework executes the mapping logic on top of
IDoc or Proxy raw message data. Therefore, there is limited maintenance effort in Customizing.

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Prerequisites

You have defined interfaces in Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework under Interface
Development Define Interfaces .

In order to be able to use preprocessing for proxy interfaces, you have to implement note 1828776.

Features

If you have an existing interface (IDoc or proxy), you often only have some fields that you want to modify or
check in the SAP Application Interface Framework before the standard logic is called. The mappings and
checks defined in the SAP Application Interface Framework are executed on top of the raw structure.
Therefore, you only need to define, for example, value mappings, checks, conditions, and fix values for those
fields that you want to change. Simple 1 to 1 field mappings, for example, are not needed.

Note
If you have nested tables, you still have to create indirect mappings.

Proxies

The SAP Application Interface Framework is called implicitly before the proxy method is called. The only thing
that is needed here is an AIF interface and the required mappings and checks. Once the mapping in the SAP
Application Interface Framework is successful, the proxy method is automatically called.

IDocs

You have to configure the ALE runtime to call the generic inbound process function of the SAP Application
Interface Framework. You need to create the mappings and checks you want to perform. You also need an
action that calls the standard IDoc process function.

Activities

To activate preprocessing, select the Preprocessing checkbox in Customizing for SAP Application Interface
Framework under Interface Development Define Interfaces .

6.8.11.2 Data Transfer

Use

The Data Transfer report reads data in the persistence of a supported technology, locally or remotely, and saves
the data to the persistence of the SAP Application Interface Framework. It then uses an enabler in the SAP
Application Interface Framework to create entries in index tables and statistics tables and to create alerts.

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You can use the Data Transfer report to support integration with the following technologies:

● tRFC
● qRFC
● CIF Post Processing
● Batch Input

Integration

Customizing

In Customizing for the SAP Application Interface Framework under System Configuration Configure Data
Transfer , you make the following settings to enable the Data Transfer report to transfer data from supported
technologies to the persistence of the SAP Application Interface Framework:

● Define logical systems that point to external/internal local systems that do the monitoring by using the
monitoring functions of the SAP Application Interface Framework
● Define a name for the selection set, which is composed of a set of external or local systems, to be used by
the transfer report.
For each selection set, you define a set of selection options per selected logical system. When the Data
Transfer report runs using a specific selection set, only the logical systems assigned to the selection set is
reached.
You can specify how a job is activated (for example, Asynchronous - Batch Job) and the name of the user
who released a scheduled batch job.
You can also specify how much time should elapse before the Data Transfer report can be run again for a
specific selection set.
● Assign an interface to a selection set
You can only assign one interface to one selection set but you can assign a selection set to several
interfaces.
● Settings specific to the supported technologies:
○ Settings specific to tRFC, qRFC, and CIF post-processing
○ Specify maximum number of transactions to be transferred
○ Specify the persistence type you want to use for storing transaction data (not available for CIF
post-processing)
○ Assign a logical system
○ tRFC-specific setting
○ Specify a function module to define the tRFC transactions to be transferred
○ qRFC-specific settings
○ Define the queues to be transferred
○ Select to have data from the inbound queue, the outbound queue, or both transferred
○ CIF post-processing-specific settings
○ Read SAP APO and/or SAP ERP
Specify that error logs from SAP APO and/or SAP ERP are transferred
○ R/3 Object Type
Specify the object types for which error logs are transferred, for example, sales order or
production order

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 ○ Processing Status
Specify that only postprocessing records with a certain processing status are transferred, for
example, Still for Processing status
○ Settings specific to batch input
○ Specify a batch input session
○ Assign a user name

Features

The Data Transfer report can be scheduled regularly in the central system.

The report is also executed if an interface, which is assigned to a selection set, is selected in either Monitoring
and Error Handling or the Interface Monitor. Depending on the interfaces, the report is triggered with the
corresponding selection set.

The report uses a read function to read which systems should be checked for data from a configuration table,
where the logical systems and RFC destinations of the connected systems are maintained.

The existing transactions of each logical system are passed to the read function, which determines if
transactions are new, restarted, or deleted since the last update.

The report takes the transactions data and uses the enabler to update the data in the persistence of the SAP
Application Interface Framework. Also, the enabler can update index tables, which are the basis for e-mail
notification, authorizations and role-based display in the Interface Monitor.

An interface is created (with corresponding data structures) in the SAP Application Interface Framework, so
that users can display data and the logs in the central monitoring system.

For batch input, the Data Transfer report only considers batch input sessions that are on the local system.
Therefore, the data is not persisted again in the AIF persistence. The enabler only updates the index tables and
statistics tables and create alerts. The data is retrieved directly from the batch input storage in Monitoring and
Error Handling.

Activities

You can use the following transaction codes to access this report:

● /AIF/TRANSFER and start it manually

● SM36 to schedule it as a batch job (it can be run periodically)
● /AIF/IFMON (for the Interface Monitor) and /AIF/ERR (for Error Handling)
If you use one of these transactions, the report is started automatically, if at least 1 interface has been
selected that is assigned to a selection set.

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More Information

For more information about the supported technologies, see the following:

● tRFC and qRFC [page 158]

● Core Interface Post-Processing [page 167]
● Batch Input [page 170]

6.9 Interface Test Tool

Use

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the Interface Test Tool (from the SAP Fiori launchpad or
transaction code /AIF/IFTEST) can be used to define and store test data in a central repository.

Integration

In the Error Handling, technical mode, you can create test files from the content of single data messages for
usage in the Interface Test Tool.

The Interface Test Tool enables you to set up SAP Application Interface Framework test cases for integration
with eCATT.

In the Interface Test Tool, you can use the Analyzer to get an overview of the entire SAP Application Interface
Framework runtime process (see Analyzer [page 95]).

Activities

On the Select Test Files screen, you can select files and execute the selection to have a Test File Overview screen
displayed.

On the Test File Overview screen, you can create or select test files, and set up the integration with eCATT.
Choose Read Data to have the Process Test Files screen displayed.

You can maintain data in your selected file. Transform the data from the source to the destination structure to
see if your mapping works as expected.

In the tool bar of the Test File Overview screen, select Analyze to see the process steps that are executed in the
SAP Application Interface Framework for your interface.

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6.9.1 Test Automation with Extended CATT

Use

The extended Computer Aided Test Tool (eCATT) is used to create and execute functional tests for software.
The primary aim is the automatic testing of SAP business processes. Each test generates a detailed log that
documents the test process and results.

In the SAP Application Interface Framework, the Interface Test Tool is used to store predefined test data in a
central repository and perform manual tests. In addition, the Interface Test Tool provides functions to convert
the test data to an eCATT-friendly XML format and to transfer these data to eCATT. In eCATT, you can then run
SAP Application Interface Framework tests manually or can be scheduled them for regular execution.

Integration

To access eCATT, use transaction code SECATT.

You can access the Interface Test Tool from the SAP Easy Access menu by choosing Cross-Application
Components SAP Application Interface Framework Interface Development Interface Test Tool .

Prerequisites

The following are required to run tests for the SAP Application Interface Framework with eCATT:

● eCATT System: SAP_BASIS version 730 or more recent

● Target system: Web AS 4.6 or more recent
● CATT and eCATT need to be allowed in transaction SCC4
● RFC destinations need to be created in transaction SM59 for target systems
● Function modules: /AIF/ECATT_TESTS_PROCESS on the target system
● The /AIF/TEST_ECATT_SCRIPT_PROCESS test script for a description of the course of the test

Features

Extended CATT

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 Figure 22: Test Landscape with eCATT

The testing landscape is shown in the graphic above.

In eCATT, the Test Configuration combines the information from the test script, test data, and system data for a
test run and selects which test cases are used in the test run.

In Test Catalog Management, the Test Catalog is a collection of several Test Configurations that allows you to
bundle test cases with different target systems.

In Test Plan Management, a Test Plan consists of at least one Test Catalog and is a prerequisite for creating Test
Packages, which are in turn prerequisites for the creation of scheduled test runs. For the creation of automated,
scheduled test runs, a Test Plans and at least one Test Packages are necessary. If the runs are marked as
periodic, they are run periodically in the background.

Recommendation
Starting test runs via Test Configuration is sufficient for tests whose compilation changes often and that are
run occasionally. However, for tests that do not vary and are run regularly, for example, regression tests, we
recommend that you create Test Plans and Test Packages. This allows you to organize tests in separate
configurations, bundle them up, and run them automatically.

The Interface Test Tool

The following test tool tables are displayed on the Process Test Files screen:

● Source Data Structure

In the first table, the source data structure is displayed and you can fill the structure with data. Choose
Transform to trigger the mapping of the source to the destination structure in the SAP Application Interface
Framework.
● Destination Data Structure
This table is automatically filled after transformation. How the table is filled depends on the mapping you
define for the interface. If you double click on a field of the destination structure, the value of this field and
the structure path for this field is added into the Expected Values table.
● Display Logs

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 Displays the application log of the current Interface. If you select a message from the application log and
choose Add to exp. messages (Add to Expected Messages), the Expected Message table is filled.
● Expected Values table
The Expected Values table displays the path of the structure where the value is found in the source
structure, the expected value, and also a status icon. If the light is green in the Status field, the value in the
Expected Messages table is same as the value in the source structure; Otherwise the status light is red.
● Expected Messages table
The Expected Messages table displays the corresponding message type, message ID, message number,
message variables, and an Incl. Msg. Var. (Include Message Variable) checkbox. If you select the checkbox,
the corresponding values of message variables in the message are considered.

The following buttons on the Process Test Files screen enable you to transfer your test data to eCATT

● Parameter for eCATT

Along with information about the interface (namespace, interface name, interface version, and expected
status), the expected values and test data are shown as XML string. For a manual transfer, you can copy
and paste the data displayed in to the parameters of the eCATT test data container.
● Transfer to eCATT
This function triggers the creation of a variant for the eCATT configuration assigned to the test file and an
automatic transfer of the test data you see under Parameter for eCATT.

Activities

To create a test data container, copy the /AIF/TEST_ECATT_DATA_TMPL template and specify, for example,
the target system and its system data container.

For entering interface test data, use the SAP Application Interface Framework Interface Test Tool (transaction
code /AIF/IFTEST).

To create a new test configuration, copy the /AIF/TEST_ECATT_CONFIG_TMPL template and specify the
application component, system data container, test script, target system, and test data container.

To create a new test catalog, use transaction code STWB_1.

To create a new test plan, use transaction code STWB_2.

Extended CATT

To test the functionality of interfaces, the test script requires you to enter the test data parameters, shown in
the following table with both mandatory and optional entries described:

Table 43:

Input Parameter Description Mandatory or Optional

IV_NS Interface namespace Mandatory

IV_NAME Interface name Mandatory

IV_VERSION Interface version Mandatory

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 Input Parameter Description Mandatory or Optional

IV_XML_TEST_DATA XML input test data as string Mandatory

IV_XML_EXPECTED_VALUES XML input expected values Optional

IV_XML_EXPECTED_MESSAGES XML input MSG log as string Optional

IV_EXPECTED_STATUS Expected status Optional

IV_CHECK_FM Function module for custom checks Optional

To create a valid test case, you have provide the interface’s namespace, name, and version and also a raw data
structure that can be processed by the interface. You also need to provide a string containing XML data that
describes the structure.

You can provide a table converted to an XML string with expected values and the path where the fields are in
the source structure. You can also provide an Expected Message table with fields such as message ID, message
number, message type, and message variables if required.

Note
The following data can be transferred using Transfer to eCATT or copied using Parameter for eCATT in the
Interface Test Tool (transaction code /AIF/IFTEST):

● IV_XML_TEST_DATA
Can be copied from Test Data as XML String
● IV_XML_EXPECTED_VALUES
Can be copied from Expected Values as XML String
● IV_XML_EXPECTED_MESSAGES
Can be copied from Expected Messages as XML String
● IV_EXPECTED_STATUS
Can be copied from Expected Status

In addition, when you choose Transfer to eCATT, parameters IV_NS, IV_NAME, and IV_VERSION are
transferred to the variant. Which values are transferred depends on the interface for which you created the
test file. IV_CHECK_FM is transferred from the Check Funct. Module.

Additionally, you can enter the name of a custom function module that overwrites the implementation logic of
the standard AIF test script. To do this, it imports all of the test case’s parameters plus the destination
structure. The function module returns the status of the interface processing and the tables for the failed
expected messages and values.

Since the result of a test run often depends on the messages that are raised while the input data is being
processed, the test script allows you to check if a certain status has been set, a certain message has been
raised, or a certain field mapping has been done while processing the data. When a test run execution is
complete, the results are displayed in the eCATT log. Green lines signify a successful result. Red lines indicate
failure, which can mean that either an error message in the /AIF/ECATT_TESTS_PROCESS function module
was raised, the checks of expected values or messages have failed, or the expected status does not fit. The
failed checks are displayed in the eCATT log.

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More Information

For more information on eCATT, see SAP Library for eCATT: extended Computer Aided Test Tool (BC-TWB-
TST-ECA) on SAP Help Portal at http://help.sap.com .

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