Imagine seamlessly transforming raw business data into insightful analytics that drive strategic decisions. When it comes to EPR reporting for packaging, mastering data replication to SAP Responsible Design and Production can elevate your impact, ensuring precision and efficiency in reporting across diverse regions and requirements.
Replicating Data to SAP Responsible Design and Production
Objective
After completing this lesson, you will be able to manage the source system in SAP Responsible Design and Production.
Introduction
Data Replication Overview
SAP Responsible Design and Production uses business data to create reports and provide analytical views. For a performance view and report generation, the data is replicated from the source system (SAP S/4HANA or SAP ECC) to SAP Responsible Design and Production. With the introduction of new report categories for new countries/regions, the replication must be adapted also.
Data Replication
The data required to generate reports is replicated to SAP Responsible Design and Production. To keep the footprint low on the source system, only the required data is replicated.
Due to the changing requirements of various reports, the data and its attributes is subject to change and might be adapted.
The following business objects are currently replicated:
- Organization and Configuration Data: such as company codes, sales organizations, countries/regions, and units of measure
- Deliveries and Material Documents: along with their related suppliers and customers
- Packaging Data: such as packaging elements and packaging compositions
- Products: either as a finished good or as a packaging material, along with their related batches and inventory
Overview of Replicated and Connected Data
Data Replication Using the Integration Accelerator
How to Create RFC Connections and Settings for the SAP Responsible Design and Production API
- Establish RFC connections to SAP Responsible Design and Production
- Manage the configuration settings for services
- Add the Source ID
- Create and activate Change Pointers
Choose Watch Demo to start the simulation.
Data Replication Sequence and Architecture
Data must be replicated regularly from a source system, such as SAP S/4HANA or SAP ECC, to SAP Responsible Design and Production.
The following object types must be replicated:
- Configuration Data
- Organizational Data
- Customers
- Products
- Deliveries
- Packaging Elements
- Packaging Compositions
- Material Documents
- Suppliers
- Batches
- Inventory
Note
Configuration and organizational data must be replicated before any other data.
In general, there is a certain sequence for data replication or data import that needs to be considered.
Replication Types
The figure, Architecture Overview, shows the available integration scenarios and replication types from the source systems to SAP Responsible Design and Production.
The following replication types are supported:
Push Replication
Push replication means that data is sent from an SAP system or a third-party system to SAP Responsible Design and Production. The time, the object types, and the recurrence are determined on the side of the source system. Source systems and object types must be configured in the Configuration Cockpit application.
Data Import via File Upload
You can import data in the Data Import application. Predefined templates are provided for this purpose.
Note
You'll learn more about data import in the next lesson.
Push Replication
SAP Responsible Design and Production provides an open REST API for all business objects that need to be replicated.
These interfaces can be used by SAP S/4HANA, SAP ECC, and also by third-party software to replicate data.
Data can be pushed from an external system to SAP Responsible Design and Production by calling the APIs. Although it’s up to the client of the communication to define how it's collecting and sending data, the assumption is that the data will be sent in packages per request. The default would be 2,000 objects per request. After an initial replication run, the changed data should be replicated on a regular basis.
All public interfaces can be found on the SAP API Business Hub for SAP Responsible Design and Production, here: SAP API Hub Responsible Design and Production
The following steps provide a quick overview of how to set up data replication from a source system to SAP Responsible Design and Production:
- Set up the replication services in the SAP BTP Cloud Cockpit.
- Obtain the relevant credentials from SAP Responsible Design and Production.
- Set up a HTTPS connection from the source system to SAP Responsible Design and Production.
- Extract data from the source system:
- Extract transactional and master data
- Extract packaging data
- Configure the replication in SAP Responsible Design and Production.
- Start the replication (and run it periodically).
For data replication documentation, refer to the following SAP Help pages:
The following steps provide a detailed overview of how to set up data replication from a source system to SAP Responsible Design and Production:
Step 1: Set Up the Technical Connection
To set up the replication services in SAP BTP Cloud Cockpit, see the following steps: REST API Replication from SAP S/4HANA.
Step 2: Obtain Credentials from SAP Responsible Design and Production
To establish the connection, enter the following credentials received from the cloud service on the sender side:
- clientId
- clientSecret
Step 3: Set Up a HTTPS Connection from the Source System to SAP Responsible Design and Production
To set up replication services in SAP S/4HANA, use the following steps to set up replication destinations: Configuring Authentication and RFC Destination.
To establish the connection, enter the previously retrieved credentials:
- clientId
- clientSecret
Step 4: Extract Data from the Source System
To replicate data via the Push interfaces, data has to be extracted and sent to SAP Responsible Design and Production via REST.
For initial replication, we suggest extracting data in the order outlined in the figure, Extracting Data.
Note
Documentation for the REST interfaces can be found here: SAP API Hub Responsible Design and Production
4.1: Extracting Data
Extracting Data from the Source System:
To replicate data via the Push interfaces, data has to be extracted and sent to SAP Responsible Design and Production through REST.
Extracting Configuration, Master, and Transactional Data:
There are no standard extractors provided by SAP Responsible Design and Production for objects that are required for calculations and analytics.
The SAP Value Prototyping team offers some extractors that can be transported into an SAP ECC or SAP S/4HANA system for releases prior to SAP S/4HANA 2021 FPS1. These extractors offer an easy way to send the data from an SAP system to SAP Responsible Design and Production.
If you do not want to use the provided extractors or you need to integrate a non-SAP system, SAP offers an API to implement your own extractors.
For further information on the API interfaces, see:Overview | SAP Responsible Design and Production | SAP Business Accelerator Hub
For further information on the mapping of SAP ECC or SAP S/4HANA data to SAP Responsible Design and Production properties, see: Data Structure | SAP Help Portal.
Note
This is a proposal for a default implementation.
There might be deviations in the customer system.
4.2: Extracting Master Data and Transactional Data
The provided acceleration package has extractors for all required business objects. The filters can be used to limit the amount of replicated data and to tailor the data to your needs.
Test run and delta replication are also part of the offered solution, as per the figure, Extracting Master Data and Transactional Data.
4.3: Structuring Packaging Data
Extractors are provided for packaging data that is stored in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and/or in Recipe Management (RM).
SAP has defined how packaging data should be structured as characteristics in PLM so that it can be easily consumed by extractors. Additionally, extractors are provided for uploading packaging compositions from the bill of material and uploading packaging elements from material classifications.
However, a standard entity for packaging elements and packaging compositions is missing, so the customer has to adapt the mapping of the SAP S/4HANA data to the API. A detailed description is provided with the BAdIs for each extractor.
Note
The default extractors for extracting packaging data were first shipped with SAP S/4HANA 2021 FPS1.
For customers that need extractors for earlier releases, the SAP Value Prototyping team provides extractors that can be transported into an SAP ECC or SAP S/4HANA system for releases prior to SAP S/4HANA 2021 FPS1. These extractors offer an easy way to send the data from an SAP system to SAP Responsible Design and Production. The current status of the extractors with SAP ECC version is subject to change.
4.4: Extracting Packaging Elements from PLM
To replicate data via the Push interfaces, data has to be extracted and sent to SAP Responsible Design and Production via REST.
For initial replication, we suggest extracting data in the order outlined in the figure, Extracting Data.
To maximize flexibility in adapting reports to your needs, fill out the BAdI to map the data to the attributes required by SAP Responsible Design and Production.
For more information, see: Uploading Packaging Elements from Product Lifecycle Management | SAP Help Portal.
Note
The documentation of the BAdI can be found as technical documentation within the SAP S/4HANA system.
4.5: Extracting Packaging Compositions from PLM/Specification Database
A example implementation can be found in the QM7/910 system.
For more information on the naming and structure of attributes, see: Extract Packaging Data from ECC System - Responsible Design & Production - Wiki@SAP.
4.6: Uploading Packaging Compositions from PLM/Specification Database
To maximize flexibility in adapting reports to your needs, fill out the BAdI to map the data to the attributes required by SAP Responsible Design and Production.
For more information, see: Uploading Packaging Compositions from Product Lifecycle Management.
Note
The documentation of the BAdI can be found as technical documentation within the SAP S/4HANA system.
4.7: Extracting Packaging Compositions from RM
A example implementation can be found in the QM7/910 system.
For more information on the naming and structure of attributes, see: Extract Packaging Data from ECC System - Responsible Design & Production - Wiki@SAP.
4.8: Uploading Packaging Compositions from RM
To maximize flexibility in adapting reports to your needs, fill out the BAdI to map the data to the attributes required by SAP Responsible Design and Production.
For more information, see: Uploading Packaging Compositions from Recipe Management.
Step 5: Configure the Replication in SAP Responsible Design and Production
Once the above steps have been completed, create a replication configuration for packaging elements and another for packaging compositions. Make sure to enter the system ID of the previously created system.
For more information, see: Setting up System and Replication.
Step 6: Run the Report
Finally, start replicating the data with the provided reports. You can use the test mode to see if the selection you made for the objects fits to your expectation.
In SAP Responsible Design and Production, you find the results of the replication on the corresponding detail page for every configured replication.
Note
For more information on viewing replication results, see:View Replication Results | SAP Help Portal.
Summary
Manage the Source System in SAP Responsible Design and Production:
Oversee data replication from SAP systems to SAP Responsible Design and Production.
Data Replication Process:
Replicate essential business data, such as configuration, organizational, and transactional data, to SAP Responsible Design and Production.
Replication Methods and Types:
Utilize push replication and data import through file upload for transferring data.
Setup and Configuration:
Establish connections, extract data, and configure replication services in the SAP BTP Cockpit.
Monitor and Manage Replication Outcomes:
Check replication results within SAP Responsible Design and Production to ensure successful data transfer and integrity.