What are the basic components of SAP R/3 Business Framework ?

 Business Components
SAP Business Components provide autonomous business functions
and consist of business objects. For example, the business objects Employee and Applicant are assigned to
the Business Component Human Resources. Business processes are either implemented within a Business
Component or across several Components (distributed business processes).
 Business Objects
The object-oriented structure of the R/3 System is based on Business Objects. They encapsulate business
data and functionality and define the functional scope and boundaries of a Business Component.
 Business Application Programming Interfaces (BAPI)
BAPIs are interfaces for Business Objects. Together with the Business Objects, BAPIs define and document
the interface standard at the business level.
 Integration Service, Application Link Enabling (ALE)
The ALE Integration Service enables the integration of business processes that are carried out in different
R/3 and non-SAP systems. This service is based on the system-wide distribution of Business Objects using
the ALE distribution model.
 Communication Services
These are the communication technologies, for example, Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM)
and Remote Function Call (RFC) that use the Business Framework to access BAPIs.
2. What is SAP Business Objects ?

 A business object type, which represents of a business entity in the SAP R/3 System, encompasses both the
functionality (in the form of methods) and the data (in the form of attributes) of this entity. The
implementation details of the business object type are hidden from the user. The business object type is
accessed through defined functions (methods). This is referred to as encapsulation.
 Business object types form the point of entry to the data and the functionality of the SAP R/3 System. At the
business object type level, both non-SAP systems and the various SAP business components can
communicate with each other.
 The business object type Sales Order represents a customer’s request to the company to supply a particular
quantity of material at a certain point in time or to perform services at a certain point in time. A specific sales
order is identified by a sales document number. The business object type contains all the necessary information
for a sales order: sold-to party, sales organization, document date, net value of the order, and currency of the
sales and distribution document.

3. What is BAPI ?
BAPIs are defined as API methods of SAP Business Object Types. These object types are used within the
Business Framework to enable object-based communication between components. Business objects and their
BAPIs enable object orientation to be used in central information processing in companies.

4. What need to be taken care while handling database transaction in BAPI ?

 A transaction is completed either using a COMMIT WORK command or a ROLLBACK command.
A BAPI transaction must be ended by calling the BAPIs BapiService.TransactionCommit() or
BapiService.TransactionRollback().
 The call of a BAPI must not trigger further LUWs that are independent of the BAPI. For this reason
BAPIs must not contain the following commands:
CALL TRANSACTION
SUBMIT REPORT
SUBMIT REPORT AND RETURN
5. What is BOR (Business Object Repository) ?
 The Business Object Repository (BOR) is the central access point for the SAP business object
types and their BAPIs. The BOR contains all the relevant information on the SAP business object
types, their key fields, and their BAPI methods that are needed to integrate the correct object type
definitions and BAPI calls in an application program. This makes the integration of middleware
(such as the DCOM Connector, ActiveX Controls, CORBA Gateway, and so on) possible.
 Creates instances of SAP business objects. The runtime environment of the BOR receives
requests to create runtime objects from client applications and creates the appropriate object
instances.
6. What is the difference between RFC and BAPI?
 BAPI :
 BAPI is a library of function modules released by SAP to the public so that they can interface with SAP.
 There is a Business Object Associated with a BAPI. So a BAPI has an Interface, Key Field, Attributes, Methods,
and Events.
 Outside world (JAVA, VB, .Net or any Non SAP system) can connect to SAP using a BAPI.
 Error or Success messages are returned in a RETURN table.
 RFC
 RFC is nothing but a remote enabled function module. So if there is a Function Module in SAP system 1 on
server X , it can be called from a SAP system 2 residing on server Y.
 No Business Object is associated with a RFC.
 Non–SAP world cannot connect to SAP using RFC.
 RFC does not have a return table.
7. What is the difference between BDC and BAPI?
 BAPI
 BAPI is faster than BDC.
 BAPI directly updates database.
 BAPI would generally used for small data uploads.
 For processing errors, the Return Parameters for BAPI should be used.This parameter returns exception
messages or success messages to the calling program.
 BDC
 BDC goes through all the screens as a normal user would do and hence it is slower.
 Background and Foreground processing options are available for BDC.
 BDCs would be preferred for large volumes of data upload since background processing option is available.
 Errors can be processed in SM35 for session method and in the batch input program for Call Transaction
method.
8. What are the steps for creating a BAPI ?
 Stage1: Creating a structure in SE11
 Stage2: Creating the function module in SE37
 Stage 3: Creating the business object in SWO1
 Stage 4: Viewing the created BAPI in BAPI Explorer