Meaning of RICEFW

Most of the functional consultants during their SAP projects execution, work
on RICEFW’s. This document explains what are RICEFW’s in SAP projects
and the role of Functional Consultants in executing them with some real
time examples.
What are RICEFW’s :
RICEFW means Reports (R), Interface (I), Conversion (C), Enhancements
(E), Forms (F) and Workflow (W).
we will see what are they and what role Functional Consultants perform in
them with real time examples…
Reports: A SAP report is an executable program that reads data from the
database and generates output based on the filter criteria selected by the
end user. It is like display of data based on some selection. Execution of a
SAP report almost never leads to an update of the database.
The various categories of reports are —

1. Standard SAP reports — ex. COOIS,MD04 etc.

2. Custom reports – developed by your organization
3. Ad hoc queries

When the standard SAP reports does not meet the client or business
requirement we have to develop custom reports with the help of ABAP
team. For this we need to understand what is the selection screen, what
output they want like what data they want to display on the screen once the
report is executed…
Selection screen: It is the provision to enter the selection criteria.. here is
the selection screen for a report for MRP results validation to check
whether sufficient procurement elements generated or not after the MRP
run to meet the current requirements.
Once after the report is executed output will be like below…

For this we need to give the functional specification to the ABAP team with
the details like what is the selection screen, what is the output format and
what are the tables and fields from which data needs to fetched..based on
this they develop the custom report…
Some times we can generate own reports with out taking the help of ABAP
by generating the queries by combining various tables and generating
reports…
Interfaces : In some organizations some of the business processes like
Planning , Quality Management functions are executed or maintained in
external systems (Non SAP systems). For example for Planning they use
third party systems like M2, ADS and for Quality they use LIMS..We need
to send the data from SAP to those Non SAP systems and receive the data
from them back to SAP system..normally IDocs are used for this data
transfers..

Ex: In the planning function entire planning is done in non SAP systems like
M2 or ADS then the planning results are transferred to SAP R/3 system in
the form of Planned Independent requirements (PIR’s) through IDocs. In
the Quality functions Inspection lot details from R/3 are transferred to LIMS
where user enters the results now these results come and updated in SAP
R/3 system in results recording for the corresponding inspection lot…

Functional consultant need to give the details what data needs to be

transferred or what data to be received, what are fields etc to the ABAP
team…

Conversion: A Conversion means data that is converted from one format

to another format and from one system to another.
So when you first implement SAP, you are actually replacing some of your
legacy systems, but you are not completely trashing the data. You still need
some of that data from the systems that are being replaced. So you pull the
data out of your legacy systems and put them on some files. You then want
to load that data into your new SAP system.That is when you write some
programs which will read that data and load it into SAP.
So during go live, you want to transfer the Production orders from from your
legacy system to SAP. Now a Production order in your legacy system may
not have the same fields as a Production Order in SAP. So you convert the
data.
Ex: BDC, LSMW

Functional consultant needs to co-ordinate between business team and

ABAP team for this..he has to prepare upload file format for this, based on
the tool or program developed by the ABAP team then they have to collect
the data from business team which is filled in to the files then later on
upload the data in to SAP system…a typical BOM upload files looks as
below….

a typical master recipe upload file looks as below.

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Enhancements: Enhancements are the means by which we add our own/
modify existing functionality to SAP’s standard business applications. Some
requirements from the client cannot be met with Standard SAP. That time
we need to go for enhancements. Normally enhancements are done
through user exits, customer exits, BADI’s and enhancement
frameworks….

one example we can take here is during production order execution if do

not complete goods issue for a production order still system allow to do
goods receipt for that particular production order..now business asks to
restrict this or they want control for this. Now we need to give the logic to
the ABAP team to put control for this so that goods receipt of the order is
only allowed after the completion of goods issue of that production
order..ABAP team finally implement these enhancements based on the
logic provided by the functional consultant…

Forms: Forms are nothing but printouts taken from SAP. like Process order
print, Inspection lot Certificate of analysis (COA). Standard SAP comes
with pre configured layout and design of the forms. but these standard
forms will not meet customer requirements. during this time we need to
develop custom forms in coordination with ABAP team…
Typical custom form of process order is like below…
One more form of material issue slip printed during goods issue
For this we need to give the functional specification to the ABAP team with
the details like what is the form layout, what data needs to be printed, from
which tables and fields data needs to be fetched for printing the
data…based on this ABAP team develop the custom forms…

Workflow: Workflow, as the name suggests, means of flow of work, may

be from one person to another person..It is in fact a sequence of connected
activities resulting in exchange of information…
examples like when the production order is released mail to be triggered to
production manager or when UD is reject for particular inspection lot then
mail has to be triggered to quality manager….For this functional consultant
coordinate with ABAP team and will provide the details like what data has
to be sent, under which condition this workflow to be triggered….

What is ALE ?
ALE supports the distribution of the business functions and process across
loosely coupled SAP R/3 systems (different versions of SAP R/3).
Connections from R/2 and non SAP systems is also supported.
ALE supports-

 Distribution of applications between different releases of R/3 Systems

 Continued data exchange after a release upgrade without requiring
special maintenance
 Customer-specific extensions.
 Communication interfaces that allow connections to non-SAP
systems.
 Coupling of R/3 and R/2 Systems.

Intermediate Document: (IDOC)

 Whenever a Purchase Order (PO) is created we want to send the

IDOC to a vendor.
 The PO is sent in the form of an IDOC to the vendor (partner). That

partner has to be EDI enabled in that system. SAP should realize that
it could send doc to this vendor electronically.
 The PO sent as an outbound idoc by the customer will be inbound

idoc for the vendor. The SAP system on the vendors side can process
this to create an application document (a sales order) on their system.
 Quotation, RFQ, PO, SO, Invoice, delivery note etc are some of the

commonly exchanged documents through IDOC

The process of data transfer out of your SAP system is called
the Outbound process , while that of data moving into you SAP system
is called Inbound process. As a developer or a consultant who will be
involved in setting up theses process for your organization. Here are the
steps how to set them up-

The Outbound Process

Steps Involved -
1. Create segments(WE31)
2. Create an idoc type(WE30)
3. Create a message type (WE81)
4. Associate a message type to idoc type(WE82)
5. Create a port(WE21)
6. If you are going to use the message control method to trigger idocs
then create the function module for creating the idoc and associate the
function module to an outbound process code
7. Otherwise create the function module or stand alone program which
will create the idoc
8. Create a partner profile(WE20) with the necessary information in the
outbound parameters for the partner you want to exchange the idoc
with.Trigger the idoc.

The Inbound Process

Steps Involved-

1. Creation of basic Idoc type (Transaction WE30)

2. Creating message type (Transaction WE81)
3. Associating the Message type to basic Idoc type (Transaction WE82)
4. Create the function module for processing the idoc
5. Define the function module characteristics (BD51)
6. Allocate the inbound function module to the message type(WE57)
7. Defining process code (Transaction WE42)
8. Creation of partner profile (Transaction WE20)
What is an IDOC?
IDOC is simply a data container used to exchange information
between any two processes that can understand the syntax and semantics
of the data.

In other words, an IDOC is like a data file with a specified format which
is exchanged between 2 systems which know how to interpret that data.

In the SAP System, IDOCs are stored in database.Every IDOC has

an unique number (within a client).

Key Features

 IDOCs are independent of the sending and receiving

systems.(SAP-to-SAP as well as Non-SAP)
 IDOCs are based on EDI standards, ANSI ASC X12 and EDIFACT.
In case of any conflict in data size, it adopts one with greater length.
 IDOCs are independent of the direction of data exchange e.g.
ORDERS01 : Purchasing module : Inbound and Outbound
 IDOCs can be viewed in a text editor. Data is stored in character
format instead of binary format.


The Idoc structure consists of 3 parts -

1. The administration part(Control Record)- which has the type of

idoc,message type, the current status, the sender, receiver etc. This is
referred to as the Control record.
2. The application data (Data Record) - Which contains the data .
These are called the data records/segments.
3. The Status information (Status Record)- These give you information
about the various stages the idoc has passed through.
EDI is nothing but Electronic data interchange. SAP will support EDI through
Intermediate documents (IDOCS).

EDI (Electronic Document interchange) - EDI is the electronic exchange of business

documents between the computer systems of business partners, using a standard
format over a communication network.

EDI is also called paperless exchange.

Advantages:

Reduced Data entry errors

Reduced processing time
Availabilty of data in electonic form
Reduced paperwork
Reduced Cost
Reduced inventories and better planning
Standard means of communications
Better business process

EDI has two process

1. Outbound process
2. Inbound process

OP:

1. Application document is created.

2. IDOC is generated
3. IDoc is transferred from SAP to Operating system layer
4. Idoc is converted into EDI standards
5. EDI document is transmitted to the business partner
6. The Edi Subsystem report status to SAP

IP:
 1. EDI transmission received
2. EDI document is converted into an IDOC
3. IDOC is transferred to the SAP layer
4. The application document is created
5. The application document can be viewed.

IDOC:

IDOC is a container that can be used to exchange data between any two process.
Each iDoc is assigned a unique number for tracking and future reference.
iDoc Consist of several segments,and segments contain several fields.
iDoc contains the following three type of records...
1. One Control Record.
2. One or many Data Record
3. One or many Status record.

PORT:

Port is used in the outbound process to determine the name of the EDI subsystem
program,the directory path where the idoc file will be created at the operating system
level,the idoc file names and the rfc desinations.

RFC Destination:

Used to define the characteristics of communication links to a remote system on

which a functions needs to be executed.

Partner Profile:

Partner profile specified the various components used in an outbound process (

Partner number, IDoc type, message type, Port,Process code),the mode in which it
communicates with the subsystem(batch or immediate) and the person to be notified
in case of errors.

Message Control

Used in pricing,account determination,material determination,and output

determination.The message control component enables you to encapsulate business
rules with out having to write abap programs.
Process:

Setup RFC destinations SM59

Port Destinations WE21
Partner Profile WE20
Message control NACE
Purchase Order ME21
Check IDOCs WE02,WE05

Explain to me about Idoc?

IDoc (for intermediate document) is a standard data structure for electronic data
interchange (EDI) between application programs written for the popular SAP business
system or between an SAP application and an external program. IDocs serve as the
vehicle for data transfer in SAP's Application Link Enabling (ALE) system.

IDocs are used for asynchronous transactions: Each IDoc generated exists as a self-
contained text file that can then be transmitted to the requesting workstation without
connecting to the central database.

Another SAP mechanism, the Business Application Programming Interface (BAPI) is

used for synchronous transactions.
A large enterprise's networked computing environment is likely to connect many
geographically distributed computers to the main database. These computers are likely
to use different hardware and/or operating system platforms. An IDoc encapsulates
data so that it can be exchanged between different systems without conversion from
one format to another.

IDoc types define different categories of data, such as purchase orders or invoices,
which may then be broken down into more specific categories called message types.
Greater specificity means that an IDoc type is capable of storing only the data
required for a particular transaction, which increases efficiency and decreases
resource demands.

An IDoc can be generated at any point in a transaction process. For example, during a
shipping transaction process, an IDoc may be generated that includes the data fields
required to print a shipping manifest. After a user performs an SAP transaction, one or
more IDocs are generated in the sending database and passed to the ALE
communication layer. The communication layer performs a Remote Function Call
(RFC), using the port definition and RFC destination specified by the customer
model.