IDOCs Information

IDOCs:
- IDOC is an Intermediate Document'. It is simply a data container used to exchange information between any two processes that can understand the syntax and semantics of the data.
An IDOC is created as a result of executing an Outbound ALE or EDI process.
In an inbound ALE or EDI process, an IDOC serves as input to create an application document.

-When an IDOC is created in the system , an unique number(16 Digits) is assigned to it. This number is unique with in the client.
- IDOCs are independent of the sending and receiving systems.
- IDOCs are independent of the direction of data exchange.
- In the IDOCs, data is stored in text format.

- IDOC will wait until the Remote System is Active.
*IDOC Definition Components
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- Basic Idoc Type: Basic Idoc type defines the structure and format of the business document that is to be exchanged between two systems. Basic Idoc type can refer to an SAP provided basic IDOC type or a customer developed basic IDOC type.

- A basic IDOC type has the following characteristics:
Name : A basic Idoc type can be assigned upto a thirty character name.
List of permitted segments: The segments make up the IDOC structure.
Hierarchy of segments : The hierarchy of segments specifies the physical sequence and any parent - child relationship in the segments.Mandatory Vs Optional Segments : When used in the IDOC type, each segment has an attribute that defines whether the segment is option or mandatory.Minimum/Maximum range for each segment: It defines the maximum and minimum number of timesa data record corresponding to a segment cn exist in an IDOC.
- Segments : A segment defines the format and structure of a data record.
Segments are reusable componets. A segment consists of various fields that represent data in data record.

* IDOC Run time components:
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- A unique IDOC number 16 digits is allocated.
- One control record is attached to the IDOC.
- Segments translate into data records.
- Status records are attached.
- Sytax rules are checked.

* IDOC Record Types:
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1. Control Record : The control record contains all of the control information about an IDOC,this information basically includes the IDOC number, sender and receiver information, and information such as the message type it represents and the IDOC type.
- there is only one control record per IDOC.
- The stucture of the control record is the same for all the IDOCs and is defined by SAP.
- The structure of the control record is defined by the data dictionary structure EDI_DC40.
- The control record is stored in the EDIDC table.
2. Data Record : Data records contain the application data. A data record has two sections
Administrative Section and a Data section.
- The Administrative section cotain the segment name, client, IDOC number, segment number,
hierarchy level information.
- The Data section of a data record is a stram of 1000 bytes where the actual data resides.
- The data record is defined by the data dictionary structure EDI_DD40.
- Data records for IDOCs stored in the EDID4 table.
3. Status Record : Status records are attaced to an IDOC throughout the process as
the IDOC achieves different milestones or encounters an error. At every milestone a statu code, date and time are assigned.
- Status codes 01 to 49 are reserved for OUtbound process, 50 and above are reserved for inbound processes.

* Message Type: Identifies what type of information transformed between logical systems or partners. Message type is not a local object type , it is transportable.
* Port : A Port defines the medium in which data is exchanged between the two systems in the ALE process, IDocs are transferred via memory.
1. TRFC ports are used for ALE communicaion.
2. File Ports used by EDI
3. CPI-C ports used to communicate with R/2 systems.
4. Internet ports used to connect with Internet Applications.
5. ABAP-PI ports used to process data via the ABAP programming interface.
6. XML ports used to process files in XML format.

* Partner Profiles:
A partner profile has three views, which maintain different parameters for the partner.
1. The General Parameters View : Values are stored in table EDPP1.
2. The Outbound Parameters view : Values are stored in table EDP13, except for the
Message control parameter , which are stored in table EDP12.
3. The Inbound Parameters View: Values are stored in table EDP21.


* Transaction Codes :
WE31- Segment Creation
WE30 - IDOC structure
WE81 - Message type creation
WE82 - Link between Message type and IDOC type.
WE21 - Creation of POrt
WE20 - Partner Profile creation
WE19 - Test tool for IDOC Processing.
SALE - ALE (Application Linking and Enabling) settings