BDC Step-by-Step

BDC Step-by-Step

Applies to:
SAP ABAP

Summary
This article demonstrates in a step-by-step process to write Backup Domain Controller (BDC) reports to do
data transfer from legacy system, which is important work during SAP implementation projects.

Author(s): Renjith Kumar. P

Company: PRICOL Technologies
Created on: 21 January 2007

Author Bio
P. Renjith Kumar is SAP BI Consultant with PRICOL Technologies. He has extensive cross-functional
experience and has been with end-to-end SAP implementations as ABAP Consultant.

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 1
 BDC Step-by-Step

Table of Contents
Overview: How It Works .................................................................................................................. 2
Steps in data transfer....................................................................................................................... 2
Data Transfer Methods .................................................................................................................... 3
Step-by-Step Process...................................................................................................................... 3
Task 1: Recording............................................................................................................................ 3
Task 2: Creating ABAP Report based on recording done............................................................... 6
Task 3: Writing ABAP report to do data transfer ........................................................................... 10
Testing ........................................................................................................................................... 19
Disclaimer and Liability Notice....................................................................................................... 20

Overview: How It Works

BDC Reports are used to transfer data from legacy system into SAP system during SAP
Implementation. Based on the functional requirements you have to now write a BDC report to
upload the legacy data into SAP system.

To Perform Data transfer, we will perform 3 tasks:

Task 1: Do a recording for the transaction by supplying sample data.

Task 2: Create an ABAP report based on the recording done.

Task 3: Now write ABAP code to fetch data from legacy system and store into SAP
System.

Steps in data transfer

1. Analysis and cleanup of data in the non-SAP system

2. Extraction of data from the non-SAP system

3. Mapping the data in SAP format

4. Transferring the data to the SAP System

5. Checking the data

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 2
 BDC Step-by-Step

Data Transfer Methods

Call transaction
Asynchronous processing takes place and the transaction is called every time.

Session method
Synchronous processing takes place and a session is prepared, which is to be handled through SM35.
Moreover, in Batch Input processing system log is maintained for every transaction. In Call transaction
method messages have to be captured at runtime.

Direct input
This is an SAP supplied conversion program that allows very fast loading of certain objects. The
disadvantage is that it is not customizable.

Step-by-Step Process

Task 1: Recording
1. Give transaction SHDB ( Transaction Recorder ), this is used to record our transaction

Press New Recording, Give Recording name, Give Transaction, And Press Start Recording.

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 3
 BDC Step-by-Step

2. You will get the following screen, Give the selection screen inputs as below, finally
Save.

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 4
 BDC Step-by-Step

3. The following screen comes when you save, this shows table name and filed name
Which stores the data given in respected selection screen of transaction. Next Press
F3 to come back.

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 5
 BDC Step-by-Step

Task 2: Creating ABAP Report based on recording done

Now select your Recording and press Create program icon.

You will be asked to fill the following selection screens

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 6
 BDC Step-by-Step

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 7
 BDC Step-by-Step

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 8
 BDC Step-by-Step

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 9
 BDC Step-by-Step

Î Using SE11 get the Length of the fields. It must be supplied in MS-Excel

Now we are going to Upload the following fields in

First Screen

Vendor No, Company Code, Account Group

Second Screen

Name, Search Parameter, Street, House No, City, Country Code, Region, PO Box
Language, Telephone

Final Screen

Recon Account, Cash Mgmt Group

Task 3: Writing ABAP report to do data transfer

Now Four Steps in ABAP Editor:

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 10
 BDC Step-by-Step

1. Create an internal table for above fields in the report after Include bdcrecx1.

2. Next call upload function after start-of-selection

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 11
 BDC Step-by-Step

3. Put Loop after perform open group

Close loop using Endloop.

4. Now replace the constants in perform statement within loop by internal table name

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 12
 BDC Step-by-Step

With field name. Make the values used in recording in “. Then Save, Activate

This is your data in MS-Excel. This order must be in the Internal table of ABAP report.

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 13
 BDC Step-by-Step

Unformatted Excel

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 14
 BDC Step-by-Step

Select ‘ Text ‘

Now Give respected Length for each fields. By placing Cursor in each column, Right Click, Select Column
Width.

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 15
 BDC Step-by-Step

Since LIFNR are 16 give that width.

After that save the excel file. And save a copy as Formatted text space delimited

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 16
 BDC Step-by-Step

Give OK, Yes, Then Close Excel by giving No.

Now come to ABAP editor and run the report, you will get the screen.

Select Call transaction Radio Button, and run in a mode. Press F8

Now in next screen Give the .prn file you saved previously. ( .prn must be selected )
Then press Transfer.

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 17
 BDC Step-by-Step

You will get following screen, Just Check for correct order of data, if yes, Press Enter

Next Screen comes, Press Enter.

The vendor created. And system shows log. If small errors you can select that from F4 help and run the
report.

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 18
 BDC Step-by-Step

Testing

FK03 -> Give Vendor no, Comp code. Enter. Select desired radio button and enter

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 19
 BDC Step-by-Step

Disclaimer and Liability Notice

This document may discuss sample coding or other information that does not include SAP official interfaces
and therefore is not supported by SAP. Changes made based on this information are not supported and can
be overwritten during an upgrade.
SAP will not be held liable for any damages caused by using or misusing the information, code or methods
suggested in this document, and anyone using these methods does so at his/her own risk.
SAP offers no guarantees and assumes no responsibility or liability of any type with respect to the content of
this technical article or code sample, including any liability resulting from incompatibility between the content
within this document and the materials and services offered by SAP. You agree that you will not hold, or
seek to hold, SAP responsible or liable with respect to the content of this document.

SAP DEVELOPER NETWORK | sdn.sap.com BUSINESS PROCESS EXPERT COMMUNITY | bpx.sap.com

© 2007 SAP AG 20