Application Interface Framework – A functional consultant’s Guide

Application Interface Framework – A functional consultant’s Guide

Remember those days when as functional consultants or business users we used to depend upon techies/IT for
resolving our Interface related monitoring or error handling. SAP AIF (Application Interface Framework) is the
answer for the same. We used to have custom program for easy search of Idocs(copy of WE02) based our service
order or sale order or delivery etc and also to find out the corresponding xml messages based on time stamp in
SXI_MONITOR transaction.

It’s no more monitoring and error handling as separate activities, we can do proactive monitoring and error handling
that to by business user/super users even by system itself (available in AIF 3.0) in a single transaction. While I come
across this new framework of SAP, I explored few wikis and thought of sharing my experience with AIF.

Few Thumb rules:

1. This is not a replacement of PI/PO. It’s an add-on in addition to PI/PO.

2. It can also integrate with any other Middle ware.

Its Architecture simplified.

Check your AIF Version

Below document is related to AIF 2.0

Activities divided
Activities By Tcode

Customizing/Interface build IT/Technical Consultant /AIF/CUST

–          Building checks SE37

 –          Creating value mapping table

–          Creating actions

–          Building BAPI

wrapper/Function modules

Monitoring & Error handling Business Super User /AIF/ERR

Monitoring & Error handling IT/ Technical Consultant /AIF/ERR

–          Creating Hint and SOPs to SE37

resolve error

–          Building custom function to

reprocess

Alert Business user By Email

It’s Hierarchy

Transaction: /AIF/CUST
Most of the above customizing is done to make the framework more reusable. E.g if we have built a check or action,
this can be reused across interfaces.

Interface specific Features in Error handling

In this activity, we can create interface specific key fields based on which we search the xml message, IDOC. We
also can define which all fields can be changeable. Hence the changing value is controlled through creating custom
authorization object.

Value mapping – /AIF/VMAP

With this transaction, we can maintain all our value mapping between NON SAP system to SAP system. Please
note that this is executed at AIF within SAP, hence the vales are passed from Non SAP to PI till AIF without any
transformation. This typically eliminates the creation of custom tables(cross reference tables) at SAP for
transformation.

Below screenshots shows a typical value mapping table with values where task list group is determined based Post
code and ext. value(this is what has come from Non SAP system). This key fields determine the ext values comes
from non-SAP system. Wild card entries are also taken care here. Sending system is nothing but an inbound
interface. The same can be a receiving system for an out bound interface.
Monitoring and Error handling – /AIF/ERR
Let me point out the functionalities around the error handling transaction.
Note: Index is connector between view 1 and view 3. The same also is the common at view 5.

Various buttons on Data Message view 1 :

a) “Restart”: We can re-process the failed messages or queues. We can do the same by selecting either one or
more messages in View no 1. This is not available in SMQ2 or SMQ1.

b) “Cancel”: We can delete the failed messages or queues. We can do the same by selecting either one or more
messages in View no 1. This is not available in SMQ2 or SMQ1.

c) “Integration Engine: Monitor”: It directly calls SXI_MONITOR with XML message ID.

d) “QRFC Monitor”: It directly calls SMQ2 for inbound queue processing or monitoring or SMQ1 for outbound queue
processing or monitoring.

Various buttons on Log Message view 3 :

A. Customize: Custom Hints: This is used form making Standard operation procedure(SOP) for the error handler
based on the message class and message number. i.e if this error is encountered, then documented steps as
shown in the table below should be executed.

This can be further automated through “Custom Function” by creating a custom function. This can be a transaction
code or report which can be executed. One example is show as below.
B. “Value Mapping”: Only relevant for error related to value mapping. Its relevance can be found out by clicking on
the Technical Mode. It directly calls /AIF/VMAP for user to check the missing value and add value if required. As an
example, please have a look on the screenshot below.

We can check the missing value and we can click on “Insert values” to insert the missing one and the corresponding
intvalue.

C. “Show Customer XML”: By clicking on this for an inbound message, System will display the xml message
whatever has been sent by the Non-SAP system.

D. “Show Proxy Message”: By clicking on this for an inbound message, System will display the xml message
whatever is received at SAP level.

Various buttons on Structure Content view 5:

1. Click on the message with error. If it is related to data error which needs to be corrected, then the corresponding field in
the structure will be selected. Double click on the content of the structure content view. Enter the new value, then apply
the change. After doing so, we can re-process the message. If the error continues, then we repeat the process.
2. Difference between Apply and Save, if the data is applied, it is saved for this session, if it is saved, then it is saved for
ever till it is further changed.

The changes can be tracked with /N/AIF/EDCHANGES with old value and new value.
Enhancement Available for this Framework
Good number of BADis are available to enhance in terms of all views with additional button, Error handling, Custom
functions etc . Have a look on /AIF* in SE18.

Few Pain points as a User:

There is no search button in View 1

There is no way if we double click on one message in view 3 to get the corresponding line item in view 1 but other
way round is true.

There is no way we can find out how much time system took to process a message in /AIF/ERR which is available in
SXI_MONITOR. This is highly useful during performance monitoring.

No way to download the xml message IDs into MS excel from View 1.

References:
Please also check the transaction /N/AIF/ to get the entire menu of AIF or follow SAP Menu>Cross-Application
Components>SAP Application Interface Framework

New functionalities are added in AIF 3.0.  Please follow below link.

https://help.sap.com/viewer/1cefaed5b7a3471cb08564e54d5ba866/3.0/en-US/
87f8af54be932b66e10000000a423f68.html
https://blogs.sap.com/2014/07/22/comparison-on-application-interface-framework-aif-and-process-orchestration-po/

Comparison on Application Interface Framework (AIF) and Process

Orchestration (PO)
    SAP Application Interface Framework ( AIF )

 A powerful framework for interface implementation, monitoring  and error handling

 A proven solution with more than six years of development and customer history
 A cross-industry solution with customers from 22 industries

      Interface Implementation (Design Time)

 Interface implementation mainly through Customizing menus

 Easy access to relevant data or functions of underlying SAP application
 Re-use of interface components (e.g. checks, mappings, actions)
 Supports variants of interfaces (exceptions or additional steps)
 Independent implementation and testing of interface components and interface variants

      Monitoring and Error-Handling (Runtime & Operations)

 Business user monitoring (power user)

 Customizable authorizations for interface access
 Overview of interface status
                  
      Application Interface Framework Benefits :

 Fast implementation of Interfaces

 Enforcement of implementation guidelines
 Re-use of components in multiple interfaces
 Allows versioning of interfaces
 Unification of required skills
 Test tool for automated testing
 Tool-supported documentation of interfaces
 Transparency of interfaces within area of responsibility
 User-friendly Interface Information
 Ability to correct errors within their system on User Friendly Screens
 Capabilities for mass error handling
 Highlighted Errors in Interface Documents which offer forward navigation to issue
 User Alerts in case of Errors
 Interfaces with significantly reduced implementation costs
 Efficient Interface Monitoring leads to reduced monitoring costs
 Secure compliance by providing a multi-layer authorization concept
 Restrict changes of interface data down to field level
 Central compliance report to track changes
 Transparency and governance throughout complete interface development life cycle

SAP Process Integration / Process Orchestration

SAP Process Integration/  Process Orchestration provides an easy and flexible middleware platform to design, model,
implement,execute and monitor business processes by ensuring seamless connectivity to multiple different business/ technical systems
and applications (SAP and non-SAP).
  

     

 Centralized governance, maintenance,mapping, routing and monitoring

 De-coupled runtimes and distributed load
  Separating pure messaging from process orchestration
 Localization: Reduced message travel time and reduced network load in global networks
 Localization: Local AAEs serve local business needs
 Business continuity: Minimize planned downtime via switch over
 Security: Secure deployment of AAE instances in DMZ enforcing network isolation for B2B scenarios
 Standard based interoperability with SAP and Non-SAP apps – on premises and in the Cloud

************************************************************************************************************************************
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          “I already have PI, does it still make sense for me to use AIF?” – Yes
          “I want AIF, does it still make sense for me to use PI?” – Yes
************************************************************************************************************************************
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Joint usage of PI and AIF :  PI / PO is an integration platform,  AIF is an integration add-on for your business
applications

         
As general recommendation IT landscape with both business applications and integration platforms/middlewares

 No business logic into the integration platform!

 No integration logic into the business applications!
 Business logic into AIF, not PI ( Typical business logic patterns,Calculations,Validations,Checks )     

 Integration logic into PI, not AIF ( Integration Logic – Typical patterns,Mapping of data structures
from different sender formats to AIF
format,Routing of messages,Connectivity to various protocols (FTP, RFC, ….)

As general recommendation IT landscape with both business applications and integration platforms/middleware,The
typical AIF user is a business user and a functional user where as PO / PI user is a Technical User
Combined,PO / PI and AIF with both tools in one landscape, you can have two (field/structure) mappings in one
integration scenario

      
Which Tool for which mapping
SAP PI / PO – (Structure) Mapping

a. Technical Mapping
b. Rather format conversions (Example: file structure to Web Service)
c. No business logic in mapping
 d. Error Handling for Mapping Errors by Technical User

SAP AIF – Field Mapping

a. Business Level Mapping

b. Contains Business logic
 Checks (Example: „is company code valid?“)
 Validations and Derivations (Example: derive account number from document data)
c. No technical format conversions
d. Error Handling for Mapping Errors by Business User

I have PO / PI and AIF: where should I perform mappings?

The answer: typically in both ( Reason: aclean, future-proof integration architecture )
The data structures are the decision-making factor for whether to go for PO / PI or AIF. the questions like..
In which data structure does the data arrive in PI?  (All format conversions are typically performed in PI)
In which data structure is the data submitted into the backend system? ( All business logic, validations as well as the final
handover into BAPIs etc is done in AIF)
I have many old legacy applications. Can I connect them directly to AIF? NO, connectivity to different protocols
(files, JMS, …) is a typical task of PO / PI
SAP PI – Value  Mapping  (If you want a landscape-wide value mapping mechanism: use PI)

 Technical Level value Mapping

 Focused on the complete landscape that is brokered by PI
 Data Maintenance either directly in PI or via Consulting Solution “Value Mapping Tool”
 Error Handling for Mapping Errors by Technical User (if Value Mapping Tool use: Business User)

  

SAP AIF – Value Mapping (If you want a business application-centric value mapping mechanism in one or more specific business
application(s), use AIF )

 Business Level Value Mapping

 Focused on the business application it is deployed in
 Data Maintenance performed by business user
 Error Handling (missing values, …) by Business User

My sincere thanks to Markus Gille for sharing his knowledge for the above blog. For AIF product relate clarification
reach Markus Gille