EDI Subsystems vs XI - functional differences

[Former Member]

I have seen from posts in this forum and other resources that it is possible to use XI as an EDI subsystem (please correct me if that is incorrect). However, what I would like to know is what functionality is missing if you do that.

Also, I thought that it was the responsibility of the EDI subsystem to update the status of the IDocs as appropriate. If true, does XI also do the same thing?

[former_member192798]

Hi Anthony,

EDI - it is a message standard in the form of EDI documents mainly UN/EDIFACT & ANSI ASC X12. So these standards are agreed upon by the interacting systems.

But XI acts as a EAI tool, so the main purpose prevails to communicate between diff. systems supporting diff. standars may it be X12, EDIFACT, Files, JDBC etc.

Some thoughts on EDI in an SAP XI Environment.

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/135b0b94-0701-0010-f6a9-86a...

Regards.

Praveen

[Former Member]

Hi Praveen,

OK thanks for that reference; definitely looks worth a deeper read.

What about the updating of the IDoc status by XI? Does it do that?

Regards,

Tony.

[former_member192798]

Hi Anthony,

IDOCs are basically structures. If you are sending a material IDOC, for example MATMAS then this IDOC will be posted to R/3 and you will have to create a PARTNER PROFILE and you mention the PROCESSCODE to be executed if this particular IDOC is recieved. The PROCESS CODE will internally run a function module to create a new material in R/3.

XI will populate the data in IDOC structure, and the IDOC will update/post the data into respective SAP tables.

You can use ALEAUD feature to know the IDOC status.

Regards.

Praveen

[Former Member]

Hi Praveen,

I have been working with IDocs for a few years now, and from what I understand, it is the responsibility of the EDI subsystem to update the status section of the IDoc (the EDIDS status record); you know, status such as

18 - Triggering EDI subsystem OK

22 - Dispatch OK acknowledgement still due.

So does XI actually update the IDocs with this status information?

The point is: if I use XI as an EDI subsystem, and it doesn't do that, I cannot tell what has happened to the IDoc when I use the R/3 reporting tools to check the status of all the IDocs.

I know that XI has its own message monitoring built in, but I still haven't had a clear answer regarding updating of IDoc status per se.

Kind Regards,

Tony.

[former_member192798]

Hi Anthony,

In the SXMB_MONI (XI's own Monitoring), select your message and there will be an acknowledgement below the main message tree.

To know more about IDOC Acknowledgements:-

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/903a0abc-e56e-2910-51a8-9dc616df...

I hope this helps.

Regards.

Praveen

[Former Member]

Hi Praveen,

That was a very good document, thanks!

Kind Regards,

Tony.