Does anyone have experience integrating an SAP ECC environment with SAP TM or EWM using webMethods? I’ve been told by the SAP consultants that one MUST use SAP PI to accomplish this but when asked how PI would facilitate this I was told iDocs, BAPIs, etc.

We are running wM 8.2, DB2, AIX.

Thanks,
ID

Can you please elaborate on the abbreviations?

SAP TM == Transportation Management??

SAP EWM == Enterprise Warehouse Management??

But if they say PI uses via IDOC’s and BAPI/RFC then you can use the SAP Adapter functionality to communicate SAP via listeners/RFC via webMethods isn’t?

And I think PI/Netweaver component has direct integrated techniques for SAP Logistics module and which is why they might be referring to that solution.

HTH,
RMG

Correct on the abbreviations.

We had an online course a few weeks back on data mapping in PI. After the class ended one day I asked the instructor on a sidebar how one would use PI in integrate TM with ECC from a technical perspective. His response was that it was done via iDoc, BAPI, RFC, etc. We are doing all of that type stuff right now with EDI and legacy systems, etc so I’m confident that it CAN be done.

That said, I’d still like to talk to someone who has actually done it in the real world before I go make an argument that we don’t need to stand up PI.

If you ask SAP people, they will always tell you to use PI.
I think WM SAP adapter is designed to connect to SAP ECC/R3 directly.
you can make BAPI, RFC calls.
If you are more comfortable creating the solution based on WM, check out the SAP adapter documentation first.

I agree with Tong Wang and you can always do a POC testing.

SAP Adapter does communicate most of the SAP modules (via ALE IDOC,RFC calls,BAPIs etc…) methods.

That is part of what I’m facing. SAP and consultants have put forth to management the idea that PI MUST be used. The opposition that I have is that I will have to ramp up my team on PI and then support it going forward when we already have the wM infrastructure in place.

So the challenge that I have is to make a case that will debunk the idea that PI is a requirement for TM and EWM without getting too technical with management. The best way to do that, in my mind, is to have a real world example to point to.

What real world example are you looking for like a white paper or customer reference?..May be you talk to your region SAG sales rep and discuss on this see if he can help on gathering that info.

I did reach out to our regional Rep. He was going to try and find someone (SAG customer) who has implemented such a solution. I have not heard back from him, hence my posting on this forum.

OK I will also check from my end.

RMG, were you ever able to find an SAG customer who has done this? Or a white paper/POC?

ID