SDN Contribution

© 2006 SAP AG 1

SAP QM-IDI Interface Applies to:

SAP QM Interfaces

Summary

A description of the steps needed to activate a communication between Quality management and an external system using the QM-IDI protocol.

This document contains only the mandatory actions and definition to have the system working. For complex problem this is only the start point.

The major effort should be spent on the external system creating the application program needed to interface the functionality of the external system (usually a LIMS system).

This document shows how to configure the QM-IDI interface in release 4.6C.

Author(s): Aveek Ghose

Company: IBM India

Created on: 23 May 2006

Author Bio

Aveek Ghose has 12 years of IT experience and has worked across the globe in SAP Implementations. Aveek has an MS in Information Systems from George Mason University in USA and a MS in Economics from Virginia Tech in USA and is currently working for IBM India.

Table of Contents

Define QM-IDI Subsystem............................................................................................................... 2

Define a Work Center ...................................................................................................................... 3

Create an Inspection Plan ............................................................................................................... 5

Create the Inspection Lot................................................................................................................. 8

Ready to transfer data? ................................................................................................................. 11

Sample Communication Program.................................................................................................. 14

Run the interface ........................................................................................................................... 19

Disclaimer and Liability Notice....................................................................................................... 20

Define QM-IDI Subsystem

In customizing of the SAP QM module the subsystem connection must be identified.

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Make the described choice

Select Define Subsystem Connection for QM-IDI Interface.

If this is the first subsystem in the environment, the following screen appear.

Fill in the required information.

And save your entry.

Define a Work Center

In SAP QM-IDI interface the communication is activated at work center level and it’s at this level that the QDR system is defined.

In the same inspection plan or routing it is possible to define more than a single subsystem.

In this way you can identify as many external systems as you need.

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In the following example a simple work center, without confirmation or cost accounting is defined. The only purpose is to identify the subsystem itself for the operation.

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The work center category has been defined in order to have a work center without additional data.

In the QDR system enter the subsystem ID previously defined.

Create an Inspection Plan

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In our example a simple Inspection plan is needed. Only an header, an operation and a characteristic are described in the example that follow

Press enter without entering any data.

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In the header enter the mandatory info: Inspection plan description, usage, status and Unit of Measure.

Add an Operation using the Work Center previously defined and QM01 control key.

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At Characteristic level (under the operation) a simple inspection characteristic is defined as follow:

Before leaving, a material has to be assigned to the inspection plan.

Create the Inspection Lot

The QM-IDI interface allows external system to write in SAP inspection results collected by the external system itself.

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The inspection results take place in the inspection lot.

For the material test roh the standard inspection type 01 is active so the Inspection lot with origin 01 can be

created.

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Complete the required information.

And check for the assignment of the Inspection plan.

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Ready to transfer data?

Now the environment should be ready to transfer data. In the first step data should be transferred from SAP to sub-system and than the relevant results should be transferred back.

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First it is possible to check if the inspection lot has been correctly created:

Enter the inspection lot number and press enter.

The inspection lot is ready to receive the result. The inspection lot has been correctly created.

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A second check should be carried out.

The QM-IDI interface use a log file to register the operation un uploading and downloading data between SAP and subsystems.

The name of the log-file is QIWL.

It’s possible to check this situation using SE16 transaction.

Press F8 (Execute) to see the entire content.

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The table contains the control record for the operation defined for the subsystem for the Inspection lot just

created.

Sample Communication Program

The QM-IDI protocol is a set of function modules that can be used by the subsystem to communicate with SAP.

The subsystem can use two types of function modules: a set for downloading data and a set for uploading data through RFC technique.

It’s possible to create a sample communication program using SAP utilities. The sample program is

downloaded from SAP in source format in C or VisualBasic language.

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For this reason a C or VisalBasic compiler is needed on the client system. The file needed to compile the sample program and the necessary Dynamic Link Library are in the SAPGUI CD-Rom and have to be installed on the subsystem running the sample program.

To create the sample source file proceed as follow:

Select the Function builder function.

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Choose a QM-IDI function module. These function modules can be easily identified because of the prefix

QIRF_.

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Display the function module and select UtilitiesÆ RFC Interface Æ Generate

Repeat this operation for all the function module you need in the sample source file.

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Select the language of the example source file you need. In the example below the ANSI C client version has been selected.

When you decide to download the source code the destination directory must be defined:

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The source and the include files are downloaded to the defined directories.

In the above example, the download source code.

Run the Interface

The program must be compiled with the relevant DLL files from the SDK section of the SAPGUI CD-ROM.

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If the PC is connected to a LAN and the SAP application server is available it is possible to start immediately the communication.

The user interface is of char type (line command) and run in a ‘DOS’ window. A valid logon is required to start the communication.

All the detail about the interface can be found in the documentation; both the on-line and the Print files.

All the function modules and the communication structures are described in detail.

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.

© 2006 SAP AG 20