Event linkages in SAP are connections between a business event, such as a document being created, changed, or deleted, and a receiver action like starting a workflow, running a function module, calling a method, or sending data to another system.
Event linkages are part of SAP Business Workflow and Event Management. They can be used both for internal process automation and for integration with external systems such as SAP Ariba through the Managed Gateway for Spend&Network.
When any business event occurs, such as a purchase order being approved, an invoice being posted, or a sales order being created, the linked receiver is triggered. The event linkage activates a predefined receiver, whether it's a workflow, a report, or an integration logic. The action is performed automatically, and follow-up tasks happen without manual intervention.
Event linkages are commonly used to trigger workflows when a new document is created in the SAP system, send data to an external application in real time, notify specific teams when a service entry sheet is approved, or initiate follow-up processes like goods shipment after sales order creation.
General Benefits of Event Linkages:
- Real-Time Process Automation: Event linkages trigger processes immediately when a business event occurs, eliminating delays caused by manual actions or scheduled jobs.
- Reduced Manual Intervention: Event linkages remove the need for users to run separate programs or transactions after a business event.
- Improved Data Consistency: Because processing happens at the moment of the event, data is less likely to become outdated or mismatched between systems.
- Better Monitoring and Tracking: Events and their linkages can be monitored in transaction SWEL/SWELS, helping administrators trace processing steps and troubleshoot issues faster.
- Upgrade-Safe Customization: Event linkage allows you to add custom triggers without modifying SAP standard programs, preserving system stability during upgrades.
- Enhanced User Experience: Automating follow-up actions reduces repetitive tasks for end-users, letting them focus on value-added work.
In the Managed Gateway-AddOn, you need to establish the necessary event type linkage and activate it to receive attachments and comments in invoices. Maintaining event linkage for invoices in the Managed Gateway-AddOn ensures that specific SAP events related to invoices automatically trigger the corresponding inbound processing logic. The standard SAP IDoc doesn’t support attachments and comments, so this event linkage must be activated to manage them.
Follow these steps to maintain Event Linkage for enabling attachments and comments for invoices:
- Using the transaction code SPRO, navigate to Integration with Other SAP Components>Managed Gateway for Spend&Network for Buyer>SAP Business Network Integration>Application Specific Settings>Invoice.
- Expand the Invoice section and select IMG-Activity for Maintain Event Type Linkages for Invoices.
- On the Change View "Event Type Linkages": Overview screen, select New Entries.
- On the New Entries: Details of Added Entries screen, maintain the following values:
- Object Category: BOR Object
- ObjectType: IDOCINVOIC
- Event:INPUTSUCCESS
- Receiver Type: ARBCIG_INVOIC
- Receiver Call: Method
- Class Name: CL_ARBCIG_INB_IDOC_SUCS_EVENT
- Interface Name: BI_EVENT_HANDLER_STATIC
- Method Name: ON_EVENT
- Event delivery: Using tRFC (Default)
- Linkage Activated: Check the box
- Behavior Upon Error Feedback: 0 System defaults
- Receiver Status: 0 No errors
- Choose Save.
Note
- When you enter Class Name, CL_ARBCIG_INB_IDOC_SUCS_EVENT, the values for the Interface Name and Method Name fields will auto-populate.
- If you don’t check the Linkage Activated box, the event will not get triggered.
- The SAP ERP system users can also use alternate values in these fields:
- Object Type: IDPKINVOIC
- Event: MASSINPUTFINISHED
- Receiver Type: ARBCIG_INVOIC
- Receiver Call: Function Module
- Receiver Function Module: ARBCIG_INB_IDOC_SUCCESS_EVENT