Integrate

Configure a BDC Script

>Review the steps in the process.

This topic contains the following sections:

NOTE: The ability to record a BDC script has been removed from the Stewardship Tier 7.3 and later. The tasks in this section can be performed on BDC scripts that have been created using the SHDB transaction in SAP and imported, on BDC scripts that have been copied, and on templates created with BDC recordings created in previous versions.

Configure a Conditional for a BDC Screen

This optional step allows a user to add conditionals at the BDC screen level. A conditional is a data condition that, if true, will result in the inclusion of the data from the process template field mappings associated with the screen in the resulting posting script.  If the data condition is false, the screen will be left out of the posting script. 

Each conditional is data record specific.  For example, if 10 records are posted, Integrate evaluates the conditional for each data record and applies it to the data in that record only. 

If there is no conditional applied to a screen, then the screen will be included in the posting script.

Only one conditional can be configured per BDC screen.

NOTE: Conditionals cannot be modified if the template is active.

NOTE: Conditionals can be applied to custom fields. Refer to Add Custom Fields to a BDC Script Template for more information.

NOTE: When defining a conditional for a field with a BIT Data Type, Integrate will recognize the possible values, which will be either 0 or 1 on the tx*Int view, as ‘False’ and ‘True’ respectively, instead of the stored values of 0 and 1.

To configure a conditional for a BDC screen on the BDC Screen page:

  1. Select Categories from Navigation pane.
  2. Click Template.
  3. Locate the Template with a Type of BDC Script.
  4. Click Vertical View.
  5. Click Configuration tab.
  6. Click BDC Screen button.
  7. Click Vertical View for a screen.
  8. Click Conditionals button.

    View the field descriptions for the BDC Screen Conditionals page

  9. Select a field from CONDITIONAL FIELD NAME list box.
  10. Select a conditional from CONDITIONAL TYPE list box.
  11. Enter a value in CONDITIONAL VALUE.
  12. Click Save.

After this template is added to a process, the data set that will be posted will meet the conditions configured. 

Modify BDC Script

>Review the steps in the process.

This optional step allows for BDC scripts to be manually modified to remove or edit screens as well as remove or edit fields on screens.

BDC screen fields are individual fields that capture data during the SHDB transaction. If redundant steps were created during the transaction or if a step was left out, the screens can be manually added, deleted or edited without having to run the transaction again.

Fields can be edited or removed from each screen on the BDC Screen Fields page.

NOTE: Screens and fields cannot be updated if the template is active.

NOTE: If a user makes changes to screens or fields then imports the BDC script again for the template, Integrate overwrites these changes.

To manage BDC screen fields:

  1. Select Categories from Navigation pane.
  2. Click the Templates icon for a category.
  3. Locate the template with a type of BDC Script.
  4. Click Vertical View.
  5. Click Configuration tab.
  6. Click BDC Screen button.
  7. Click Edit; Vertical View displays.

    View the field descriptions for the BDC Screen page’s Vertical View.

  8. Enter a sort order value in Priority.
  9. Enter an SAP screen number name in Screen Number.
  10. Enter an SAP program name in Program.
  11. Click Save.
  12. Click the Fields icon for a screen.

    NOTE The number displays the number of screen fields (those records that have the Is Field check box enabled). If Is Field is checked, the record represents a field in SAP and can be mapped to data in a process.

  13. Click Edit.

    View the field descriptions for the BDC Screen Fields page.

  14. Enter a sort order value in PRIORITY.
  15. Enter an SAP field name in FIELD NAME.
  16. Enter an SAP field value in FIELD VALUE.
  17. Click Save.
  18. Locate a field.
  19. Click Vertical View.
  20. Click Advanced tab to view additional screen field properties pulled from SAP.

NOTE: The field metadata is extracted from SAP for manually added fields when the template is activated.

Add Custom Fields to a BDC Script Template

>Review the steps in the process.

Use custom fields when conditional screen execution is required and the data for existing template fields is not adequate. For example, the COMPANY_CODE field is a template field that is going to be uploaded when the record posts to SAP. If a BDC screen only displays when COMPANY_CODE = 0001, a user can set a condition on the COMPANY_CODE field to only execute when the data mapped to COMPANY_CODE = 0001. However, if the COMPANY_CODE field was not captured in the BDC script, but the condition was still true (i.e., the BDC screen only displays when COMPANY_CODE = 0001), a user can create a custom field called "COMPANY_CODE" and set the condition on this field even though the field will not be uploaded into SAP.

Custom fields can be added to a BDC Script template after the script has been imported.

NOTE: If a new SHDB recording is imported again, custom fields are not retained.

NOTE: If a BDC Script template with custom fields is copied, the custom fields are not copied to the new template.

Custom fields can be added to a template that uses loops. Loops must have been created before adding custom fields. The loop that contains the custom field is identified when adding the field. Refer to BDC Script Template with Looping Enabled for more information.

NOTE: Custom fields cannot be added to active templates.

Once a field has been added, a conditional can be applied to the field. Refer to Configure a Conditional for a BDC Screen for more information.

To add a custom field:

  1. Click Categories in the Navigation pane.
  2. Click Templates for a category.
  3. Click Vertical View for a template with a TYPE of BDC Script.
  4. Click Configuration tab.
  5. Click Custom Fields.
  6. If no custom fields have been added for the template, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    NOTE: Custom fields cannot be added to an active template.

    View the field descriptions for the Custom Fields page.

  7. Enter the name of the custom field in the NAME field.
  8. Enter a description of the field in the DESCRIPTION field.
  9. Enter an example of the data that displays in the field in the SAMPLE VALUE field.

    NOTE: This data is for informational purposes only.

  10. Select the name of the loop in the template from the LOOP list box.

    NOTE: No options display in this list box if the template does not have loops.

  11. Click Save.

Use BDC Screens in Another BDC Script Template

>Review the steps in the process.

Once a BDC script has been imported into the BDC Script template, the BDC screens captured in the script can be copied to another BDC Script template or can be merged into another BDC Script template.

NOTE: To merge or copy a BDC screen to another BDC Script template, the destination template must be inactive.

The merge process copies all BDC screens captured in the script to another BDC Script template. The destination template can be associated with any category. When merging, the priority assigned to the original BDC screens is copied over to the new template.  For example, the original template has three screens with a priority of 10, 20, and 30. When merged with the destination template, the original screens retain the priority of 10, 20, and 30. The destination template’s first screen continues with an updated priority of 40, the second is 50, and so on.

The copy process copies a selected screen to another BDC Script template. The destination template can be associated with any category.

NOTE: When copying or merging BDC Screens, Integrate does not overwrite duplicate screens. If a copy or merge has already been performed from the original template to the destination template, another copy or merge will create duplicate screens in the destination template.

To merge all BDC screens with another BDC Script template:

  1. Select Categories on Navigation pane.
  2. Click the Templates icon for a category.
  3. Click Vertical View for the BDC Script template that should be merged.
  4. Click Copy tab.
  5. Click Merge BDC Screens.

    NOTE: The Copy Type displays Merge.

  6. Click Edit.

    View the field descriptions for the Copy page.

  7. Select a category name in the Copy to Category list box.

    NOTE: All categories added to Integrate display.

  8. Select a template in the Copy to Existing Template list box.

    NOTE: This must be a template based on a BDC Script.

  9. Click Save.
  10. Click Execute; a confirmation message displays.
  11. Click Ok.

The BDC screens from the original template are merged with the screens in the destination template.

To copy a BDC screen to another BDC Script template:

  1. Click the Templates icon for a category.
  2. Click Vertical View for the BDC Script template that should be copied.
  3. Click Configuration tab.
  4. Click BDC Screen.
  5. Click Vertical View for the screen to be copied.
  6. Click Copy tab.
  7. Click Copy BDC Screen.

    NOTE: The Copy Type displays BDCScreen.

  8. Click Edit.

    View the field descriptions for the Copy page.

  9. Select a category name in the Copy to Category list box.

    NOTE: All categories added to Integrate display.

    NOTE: This field is required to perform the copy.

  10. Select a template in the Copy to Existing Template list box.

    NOTE: This must be a template based on a BDC script.

    NOTE: This field is required to perform the copy.

  11. Click Save.

  12. Click Execute; a confirmation message displays

    NOTE: This button is disabled until required fields are completed.

  13. Click Ok.

The BDC screen from the original template is copied to the destination template.

Configure Template Loops

>Review the steps in the process.

Looping is a posting mechanism that processes multiple child keys for one parent key. It allows for multiple headers with infinite details to be posted. Looping can be enabled during template creation.

When a template that uses loops is added to a process, each loop in the template becomes a process template loop. Refer to Configure Process Template Loops for a BDC Script Template.

Looping is necessary when data in the same field at the detail level should be updated for multiple header records. For example, to enter data for the Export Legal Control for a Material, a template would need to generate one transaction with multiple screens to update the export control class for each country.

Looping is not necessary when a change in data is made at the header level as is the case when changing a Material Description.

NOTE: The template must be deactivated to configure looping.

To configure loops for a BDC script.

  1. Click the Enable Loop check box to enable it on the Configuration tab of the Template page’s Vertical View.
  2. Click BDC Screen.

    View the field descriptions for the BDC Screen page.

    NOTE: This page displays three loop-related columns when the Enable Loop check box is enabled: LOOP PLUS, LOOP MINUS, and LOOP NAME.

  3. Click the Loop Plus or Loop Minus buttons to control the loop levels.

    NOTE: The Loop Plus button does not display for the first row as the highest prioritized record does not have a loop.  The Loop Minus button is disabled until the user clicks the Loop Plus button for a record.

    NOTE: A loop is comprised of contiguous row selection. Integrate names the loop for the row or group of rows selected with the lowest priority Loop 1.1. Integrate creates a new loop, and names it Loop 1.2 when a noncontiguous row of higher priority has a loop added.

    NOTE: After clicking the Loop Plus button, the Loop Minus button is activated and the loop name, generated by Integrate, displays in the LOOP NAME column.

  4. Click Vertical View for a looped record to view information about the loop.

    NOTE: For looped records, the General tab displays a Loop Details section, including the fields Loop Name, Loop Description, and Loop Index.

  5. Navigate to the Template page’s Vertical View.
  6. Click Documentation tab.
  7. Click Report to view the modified script with loops.
  8. Navigate to the Template page’s Horizontal View. The L check box is enabled for the looped template.