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Modify Data Structures and Fields

Requires Customer/Partner License
Modify data structures and data fields to customize the error handling in the message monitor of SAP Application Interface Framework.
You will learn
  • How to define changeable fields
  • How to hide structures and fields
  • How to rename structure and field labels
peasantsbootAlexander BundschuhFebruary 1, 2023
Created by
peasantsboot
February 1, 2023
Contributors
peasantsboot

Prerequisites

In this tutorial, you will learn how to customize the data structure view and the data content view to simplify the error resolution of an interface in SAP Application Interface Framework as follows:

  • You can define a field in your structure as being editable to be able to edit the content of an erroneous message.

  • You can hide a field to avoid that its data is displayed in the message monitor. This may apply for fields that contain sensitive data for instance.

  • You can hide a complete structure. This may apply for empty structures for instance.

  • You can rename structure and field labels.

This tutorial focuses on customizing an IDoc interface. All the settings are also supported for any other technology that SAP Application Interface Framework supports, such as Proxies or Web Services.

  • Step 1

    Let’s first create a sample message to showcase the customizing changes.

    1. Open the Test Tool for IDoc Processing (transaction code WE19).

    2. Send in a new test message with an empty customer name and a wrong customer type (for example, change CUSTTYPE to Q) to force an error.

      Sample Data
    3. In SAP GUI, check the results of your test in the Interface Monitor (transaction code /n/AIF/IFMON).

      When you select the summary line for your interface, you’re forwarded to Monitoring and Error Handling, where you can see your selected test message. Choose the Error icon to display the respective message. The message should be in status Error with the message texts Customer type can be only B or P and No customer name specified.

      The fields and structures that are highlighted in the following screenshot will be impacted by the customizing changes carried out in this tutorial.

      Monitoring and Error Handling
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  • Step 2

    Since you want to edit fields that contain wrong or even no data to be able to fix the errors caused by the wrong data, you need to define changeable fields.

    1. Go to Customizing for SAP Application Interface Framework (transaction code /n/AIF/CUST) and navigate to Error Handling > Define Interface-Specific Features.

    2. In the upcoming dialog, enter namespace DEMO_1, interface FCUSTOMER, and version 1, then press Enter.

    3. Double-click Define Changeable Fields in the menu on the left. Add a new entry with Index number 10 and Field Path E1SCU_CRE-E1BPSCUNEW-CUSTTYPE.

    4. Add a new entry with Index number 20 and Field Path E1SCU_CRE-E1BPSCUNEW-CUSTNAME.

      Define Changeable Fields
    5. Save your changes.

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  • Step 3

    As a next step, you want to hide a structure that is empty anyway.

    1. Stay in the Define Interface-Specific Features customizing activity and double-click Hide Structures in the menu on the left.

    2. Add a new entry with Field Path E1SCU_CRE-E1BPPAREX.

      Hide Structures
    3. Save your changes.

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  • Step 4

    Now, you also want to hide a field that contains sensitive data.

    1. Stay in the Define Interface-Specific Features customizing activity and double-click Hide Fields of Structure in the menu on the left.

    2. Add a new entry with Index number 10 and Field Path E1SCU_CRE-E1BPSCUNEW-EMAIL.

      Hide Fields of Structure
    3. Save your changes.

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  • Step 5

    You want to rename the labels of the data structures and fields.

    1. Stay in the Define Interface-Specific Features customizing activity and double-click Define Structure Labels in the menu on the left.

    2. First, let’s rename the structure label.
      Add a new entry. For the Component Name, select the Field Path E1SCU_CRE-E1BPSCUNEW. The Component Name is now ZDEMO_1_00000021. Enter Customer Data as Description, Medium Text, and Long Text, and Data as Short Text.

      Structure Label
    3. Next, let’s rename the label of the customer name.
      Add a new entry. Select the same Component Name ZDEMO_1_00000021 as before and the Component Field CUSTNAME. Enter Customer Name as Description, Medium Text, and Long Text, and Customer as Short Text.

      Field Label
    4. Finally, let’s rename the label of the form of address.
      Add a new entry. Select the same Component Name ZDEMO_1_00000021 as before and the Component Field FORM. Enter Form of Address as Description, Medium Text, and Long Text, and Form as Short Text.

      Field Label
    5. Save your changes.

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  • Step 6

    Now, let’s test that the customizing we configured works as planned.

    1. Reopen the Monitoring and Error Handling. You should still see the message in status Error.

      If you opened Customizing in a new screen, you might have to restart Monitoring and Error Handling for the changes to be visible.

      You’ll notice that the structure E1BPPAREX is not displayed and that the structure and field labels have been changed accordingly. If you scroll to the right, you’ll notice that the field containing the email address is not displayed either.

      Monitoring and Error Handling
    2. Double-click the Customer Name field, and maintain any customer name, then choose Confirm.

      Edit customer name
    3. Maintain a valid value for the field CUSTTYPE (either B or P), then choose Confirm.

      Edit customer type
    4. Save the changes and Restart the data message. It should now process without errors.

    Congratulations! You’ve successfully customized the data structures and data fields.

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  • Step 7

    How can you ensure that sensitive data is not displayed in the message monitor?

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