SAP ABAP IMG Activity OLQU-ALE (Distribute ALE Master Data)
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IMG Activity
ID OLQU-ALE Distribute ALE Master Data  
Transaction Code S_ALR_87099611   (empty) 
Created on 19990316    
Customizing Attributes OLQU-ALE   Distribute ALE Master Data 
Customizing Activity OLQU-ALE   Distribute ALE Master Data 
Document
Document Class SIMG   Hypertext: Object Class - Class to which a document belongs.
Document Name OLQU-ALE    

In this step, you define the controls for the ALE distribution of QM master data.

Here, a distinction is made between the initial distribution and a change distribution.

Example

An ALE distribution is possible for the following master data in the QM component:

  • Inspection setup for the material
  • Inspection method
  • Inspection characteristic
  • Catalog/code group

Requirements

The systems involved are already prepared for the ALE. The logical systems involved must be defined.

Standard settings

The standard system is also already prepared for the distribution of QM master data, as far as possible.

Recommendation

The technical ALE settings are normally made for several application components in the SAP system and not just for the QM application component. Therefore, for details on ALE distribution, see the general documentation for ALE, in particular the ALE Implementation Guide.

Have an expert, who has experience of ALE in the SAP system make the required settings.

Activities

General settings

  1. Check whether the general settings for the distribution of QM master data exist. These settings are required for the initial distribution and the change distribution. For general information, see the ALE Implemetation Guide, sections "Distribution Model" and "Configuring Systems in a Network".
    Note: Data is distributed in Quality Management using BAPIs (special function modules). Since a different technology is used than with the distribution of material master data, you must maintain your own model view in the distribution model.
    The distribution model must be maintained. This involves at least one model view for the BAPI "SaveReplica" for the affected objects. You specify the source and target system in the model view. The following objects are involved:

Object    Usage

MatInspectionControl    Inspection setup for material

InspectionMethod    Inspection method

MasterInspectionChar    Inspection characteristic

CodeGroup    Catalog/code group

  1. If required, you must also maintain a dependency between the "SaveReplica" method and a message type (for example, MATMAS)(transaction BD48). Such dependencies are not normally required.
    This dependency affects receiver determination for the BAPI. The receiver determination only finds receivers that are allowed or planned for the BAPI or the assigned message type. For example, if a BAPI is assigned to the message type MATMAS, it is no longer possible in the distribution model for this BAPI to enter a filter for the material as an object value.
  2. You must also generate a partner profile for the model view, if this has not already been done by other applications that use ALE. You create this profile in the distribution model as described above in a).
  3. You must also define the target systems for RFC calls , if this has not already been done by other applications that use ALE.
  4. You must maintain a process code in the inbox, if this has not already been done by other applications that use ALE (transaction WE42). The standard value for the distribution with the BAPI is the process code BAPI. A function module is assigned to this process code (in the standard, BAPI_IDOC_INPUT1). The system uses the following message types to find and call a suitable function module in table TBDME:

Message type    Usage

MATQM    Inspection setup for material

QSMT    Inspection method

QPMK    Inspection characteristic

QPGR    Catalog/code group

  1. You must maintain an inbound and outbound parameter for the message types, if this has not already been done by other applications that use ALE (transaction WE20).
    For the relevant logical systems (sending and receiving systems), you must also maintain the corresponding message type with its basic type and receiver port (-> partner profile) in the inbound and outbound parameters. You must enter the process code. The default value is BAPI.

Settings for the distribution of changes

The procedure is dependent on whether change documents can be written automatically for objects that should be distributed using ALE.

  1. Changing the inspection setup for the material
    Change documents are written for the the inspection setup of the material. Check whether the settings for the change distribution have been defined and if the QM component has been taken into account in these settings. Perform the following steps:
    1. The writing of change pointers/indicators (or change documents) must be active in the general system settings.
    2. Activate the change pointers for each individual inspection setup of a material.
      For this, all fields from the "inspection setup" table (QMAT) must be entered in the distribution table "DQMAT" for the message type MATQM.
    3. Activate the writing of change pointers for the corresponding message type.
    4. Maintain the additional data for the message type. Select the relevant message type in this table and process the related data. Enter the function module, (here: MASTERIDOC_CREATE_SMD_MATQM), which prepares both the change pointers and the data to be sent using IDOCs.
  2. No change documents are written for master inspection characteristics, inspection methods, and code groups. The changes are distributed in the following way:
    1. In the default settings at client level, you set the indicator Distribute master inspection characteristic, Distribute inspection method, or Distribute code groups.

Further notes

Data is distributed using ALE because of the following problems:

  • If you send data from the source system to the target systems, data in the target system with the same key may be overwritten. The system does not take into consideration, whether the data in the target system is:
    • Already in use
    • More up-to-date than in the source system
  • The system also sends data that has not been released from the source system to the target systems. This means, that the status is also not taken into consideration.

Take measures to prevent any unwelcome effects from these factors.

  • Create strict master-slave relationship for responsibilites in the source system and target systems using organizational tasks. Make a clear distinction between responsibilities by marking the authorizations accordingly. You can find details in the steps, user authorizations and authorization groups.
  • Avoid changing data records in the source system. Instead, create new data records or new versions of data records.

Business Attributes
ASAP Roadmap ID 255   Create Interfaces 
Mandatory / Optional 3   Nonrequired activity 
Critical / Non-Critical 2   Non-critical 
Country-Dependency A   Valid for all countries 
Assigned Application Components
Documentation Object Class Documentation Object Name Current line number Application Component Application Component Name
SIMG OLQU-ALE 0 HLA0009540 Quality Management 
Maintenance Objects
Maintenance object type C   Customizing Object 
Assigned objects
Customizing Object Object Type Transaction Code Sub-object Do not Summarize Skip Subset Dialog Box Description for multiple selections
BD64 T - Individual transaction object BD64 Set Up Model View in Distribution Model 
BD82 T - Individual transaction object BD82 Generate Partner Profiles 
IMGDUMMY D - Dummy object WE20 Maintain Partner Profile 
BD61 T - Individual transaction object BD61 Object with Change Document: Activate Change Indicators (Generally) 
V_TBD62 V - View SM30 Object with Change Document: Set Up Change Indicators for Table Fields 
V_TBDA2 V - View SM30 Object with Change Document: Activate Change Indicators for Message Type 
V_TBDME V - View SM30 Object with Change Document: Maintain Additional Data for Message Type 
History
Last changed by/on SAP  19991129 
SAP Release Created in