Exploring the Different Types of Communication between SAP and Mulesoft
Introduction : Understanding the Need for Integration between Mulesoft and SAP.
In today’s fast-paced business environment, seamless integration between different systems is crucial for organizations to stay competitive. One such integration that holds immense value is between Mulesoft and SAP.
Mulesoft integration with SAP enables business to streamline their operations and achieve a higher level of efficiency. By connecting these two powerful platforms, organizations can seamlessly exchange data and information, ensuring smooth collaboration across various departments and processes.
Types of communication with SAP :
IDOC : An IDOC (Intermediate document) is a standard data structure in SAP applications to transfer data to and from SAP system applications and external systems.
Sample IDOC : DOCNUM -> Idoc number is unique for each IDOC.
Most commonly used connectors to communicate via IDOC in Mulesoft are as follows :
- Document Listener : This source listens for incoming IDocs from SAP and process the IDOCs based on the business requirements. Mostly these are asynchronous communication, SAP sends an IDOC to Mulesoft but don’t wait for the response back.
Note : Using a single Document Listener and a Dynamic Flow based on the IDocName, MessageType and other unique combinations multiple interfaces can be designed and developed .
2. Retrieve IDOC : An IDOC can be retrieved based on its key by using this operation of Retrieve IDOC
3. Send IDOC : Sends an IDOC to SAP
Note : sendIDocFlow in the above screenshot can be used as a proxy to send multiple IDOCs to SAP based on the IDOC Names.
RFC : RFCs are remote enabled function modules for communication between SAP systems and also to external systems. BAPIs(Business Application Program Interface) are implemented as RFC enabled function modules . BAPIs usually contain the logic for some business function something like “Create purchase Orders” , “Get Customer Data” etc..
The remote invocation capability offered by Mulesoft using RFC connectors allows developers to seamlessly invoke SAP function modules from their applications or platforms.
Sample RFC looks like :
Most commonly used connectors for the communication via RFC are as follows (From latest version 5.8.x) :
- Synchronous Remote Function call: Executes a BAPI Function over a Synchronous Remote Function Call (sRFC). A synchronous RFC requires both the systems client and server to be available at the time of communication or data transfer.
An RFC request is sent to SAP as an XML format and immediately response is received from SAP as an XML using this connector.
Note : sRFCFlow in the above screenshot can be used as a proxy to send multiple RFC requests to SAP based on the BAPI Names. Here the BAPI is ORDER_HISTORY_RFC.
2. Aysnchronous Remote Function call : Executes a BAPI function over qRFC(queues Remote Function call) which is an asynchronous communication method and remote system need not be available at the time when the RFC client program is executing a qRFC.
Asynchronous calls do not expect a response and require a different way of managing the transaction. Use TID (transaction Ids ) to manage asynchronous calls
3. Function Listener : This source listens to the incoming BAPI functions. This can be both synchronous and asynchronous which can be differentiated with the programId. For an synchronous Listener SAP waits for the response to be sent back.
Note: Using the Dynamic flow reference constructor, one listener can be used to listen multiple RFC’s and can be designed to process each RFC as a different flow.
4. Get Function : This operation retrieves a BAPI function based on its name.
Conclusion : In conclusion, choosing the right communication method is crucial for achieving seamless integration between SAP and Mulesoft. By following best practices and considering specific requirements, organizations can ensure efficient data exchange and collaboration between these two powerful platforms.
Additionally, considering the factors like data volume, frequency of updates, real-time requirements, and system complexity will help determine which communication method will deliver optimal results.
