What is System integration

System integration involves connecting two systems or software applications to work together smoothly. The primary aim is to boost functionality, streamline operations, and simplify system data access and management.

What is SAP integration?

The process of integrating one SAP system with another SAP system or third-party application components is essential for facilitating data access and ensuring seamless data transfer. This integration allows for the efficient execution of programs and functions across different systems, enhancing overall operational effectiveness.

Many third-party applications can be integrated with SAP

CRM systems, HR Solutions, e-commerce platforms, supply chain management tools, and many more. below are some examples

below are some examples

1. Microsoft 365
2. Workday
3. ADP
4. Sales Force
5. Tableau
6. Power BI
7. Oracle ERP
8. ASRS (Automated Storage and retrieval)
9. IOT's
10. 3PL warehouses

Various integration tools and technologies

Integrating SAP systems with non-SAP applications often involves various tools and technologies to ensure seamless communication and data exchange.

1. APIs (Application Programming Interfaces):

SAP OData Services: A standard protocol for building and consuming RESTful APIs. SAP OData allows for CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on SAP data.

Use Cases: Fetching data from SAP systems and updating back-end records.

2. Web Services: SAP supports

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)

Supports complex transactions via XML messaging. Used in scenarios requiring strict standards and security.

Use Cases: Financial transactions, detailed data exchanges, and other critical operations.

REST (Representational State Transfer) web services

Offers flexible integration options using HTTP methods. Supports JSON and XML for data exchange.

Use Cases: Integration with web and mobile applications, cloud services, etc.

3. Middleware:

a. SAP Process Integration (PI),

b. SAP Cloud Platform Integration (CPI), and

c. Third-party solutions like MuleSoft or Dell Boomi

Dell Boomi now only Boomi as an independent company is a leading integration platform as a service (iPaaS) that enables organizations to connect various applications, data sources, and business processes.

RFC: (Remote Function Call) A powerful communication protocol to call functions in a remote system or within SAP systems.

Synchronous RFC (sRFC): Synchronous is a method to call a function module and get an immediate response from the remote (receiver) system back to the sender. The sender waits for remote function execution and returns the result. The functions are executed sequentially which ensures the current operation is completed before calling next operation.

Asynchronous RFC (aRFC): Asynchronous is a method to call the remote function without waiting for a response. The sender does NOT wait for remote function execution and returns the result. The functions are executed parallelly which ensures the multiple functions are called at a time for efficient processing and resource utilization.

Transactional RFC (tRFC): is an asynchronous protocol used in the SAP system and the sender system does not wait for a response from the receiver system. It maintains the data integrity ensuring the transaction is fully executed or not executed at all meaning if an error occurs then the transaction can be rolled back or maintain the data integrity.

Queued RFC (qRFC): is a synchronous remote function call used in the SAP system to ensure the function calls are executed in a specific order using the queue. The system saves the data in the intermediate storage area (queue) before sending it to the connected system/application. If a function call fails, qRFC stops sending subsequent calls in the queue until the error is resolved.

RFC Destinations: is the predefined configuration in the SAP system that stores the details required to connect to the target system.

And many more...

Integration Between SAP S/4 HANA and SAP EWM

The integration between SAP S/4HANA and SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) provides businesses with a streamlined and unified approach to managing supply chain and warehouse operations. By combining SAP S/4HANA's robust enterprise resource planning (ERP) capabilities with SAP EWM’s advanced warehouse functionalities, organizations can achieve real-time data synchronization, improved inventory accuracy, and enhanced operational efficiency. This integration allows companies to automate core processes such as inventory management, order fulfillment, and resource optimization, while offering better visibility and control over warehouse operations. With the flexibility to support decentralized or embedded EWM configurations, this solution is adaptable to various business needs and scales effortlessly as operations grow. Reduced operational costs, stronger decision-making through data insights, and a smoother end-to-end supply chain experience.

Integration between SAP ERP and SAP EWM is divided into 3 levels

Integration between SAP ERP and SAP EWM is divided into three levels, ensuring seamless data exchange and efficient process execution.

1. System Landscape

2. Organization Structure

3. Business Processes