SAP RFC Function Module

Introduction

The certified RFC function module /DABEXP/RFC_SAPCONNECTOR is required to connect a SAP system to the dab SAP-Extraction Solutions. The dab SAP-Extraction Solution Add-On is then installed in the SAP system.

An SAP user account is also required, to which a corresponding authorization profile is assigned. The following chapters describe the installation of the function module and the structure of the required authorization profile.

Requirements

Supported Solutions

The dab SAP-Extraction Solution can be used with the following SAP-Solutions:

• SAP NetWeaver - 7.40 (SAP_BASIS 740) or higher
  • SAP ERP - 6.0 (ECC 6.0)
  • SAP CRM - 7.0
  • SAP SRM - 7.0
  • SAP SCM - 7.0
  • SAP EWM - 7.0
  • This list is not exclusive, other solutions based on SAP NetWeaver with ABAP-Stack and RFC connectivity are also compatible
• SAP S/4HANA - 1610 or higher
• SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Extended Edition - all Versions
• SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Private Edition - all Versions

Necessary Transactions

To install the Add-On, you or your SAP Basis should have access to the following transactions (version 0053 or higher):

• SAINT - SAP Add-On Installation Tool
• SPAM - Support Package Manager

Installation & Update

Installation

Special authorizations are necessary for this. To setup the Add-On the transaction SAINT is used.

After calling up transaction SAINT, you can install the SAR-File of the Installation Package (AOI) via the menu.

Click in the menu bar on Installation Package > Load Packages > From Frontend and select the SAR-File.

If the DABEXP Package is not displayed, you have to deactivate the filters:

Update

If the Add-On is already installed in your SAP system, you can update the Add-On to a new version using the Upgrade Package (AOU). The update procedure is the same as for the installation.

Authorizations

The dab SAP-Extraction Solutions are based on the security mechanisms and the authorization concept of the SAP system. Additionally, access to the tables is always read-only. To connect the dab SAP-Extraction Solution to the SAP system, a user is required who has been assigned an authorization role with the following authorization objects.

The SAP-user you need for the connection can be of one of the following types:

• Dialog
• System
• Communication
• Service

To create or change a corresponding user, you need authorizations for the following transactions:

• PFCG: maintain or create authorization role
• SU01: maintain or create users

Authorizations to run the RFC module

You can choose between two options here: Authorisation at Function Group level or at Function Module level.

The authorisation object S_RFC is used for authorisation: You can find it under the authorisation class AAAB - Cross-application authorisation objects > Authorisation object S_RFC - Authorisation check for RFC access.

Authorization at Function Group level

The first option is to authorize the corresponding function groups via the RFC_TYPE on FUGR (Function Group).

See the following table for the corresponding fields and values for the authorization object S_RFC.

Authorization at Function Module level

As an alternative, from SAP NW 7.0 EHP 2 (SAP_BASIS 702) the RFC_TYPE can be set to FUNC (Function Module).

See the following table for the corresponding fields and values for the authorization object S_RFC.

Other required Function Modules

In addition to the Function Module /DABEXP/RFC_SAPCONNECTOR, other modules are required for smooth operation.

The following table lists the Function Group, the respective modules and their intended use:

Authorizations at table level

You can use these authorisation objects to grant access authorisations to the content of the tables to be exported. The check is carried out using the Function Module VIEW_AUTHORITY_CHECK.

There are two different ways to authorize the tables accordingly - either via the Authorization Group or the Table Name.

Authorization via Table Authorization Groups

Authorization class BC_A Basis - Administration→ Authorization Object S_TABU_DIS

This is used to define at Table Authorization Group level which table may be accessed and how. The authorization groups are entered in the DICBERCLS parameter and the type of access is defined via ACTVT. The assignment of a table to an authorization group or vice versa can be found in the TDDAT table.

Authorization via Table Names

Authorization Class BC_A Basis - Administration > Authorization Object S_TABU_NAM

This is used to specify at Table Name level which table may be accessed and how. The tables are entered in the TABLE parameter and the type of access is defined via ACTVT.

Testing

Test the Function Module

After the Function Module has been installed as described above, an initial function test can be carried out with transaction SE37 of the Function Module using the Test/Execute button or the F8 key.

The import parameters can be entered in the first dialog. In our example, we use the table for company codes T001 in the QUERY_TABLE field. Any table to which the currently logged on user has access rights can be used. No further entries are necessary for the first test. To start the test, click on the Execute button or press the F8 key.

If the Function Module has been executed without errors, you will receive Result Tables. You can view the result by clicking on the Detailed view icon next to the number of entries for TABL_FIELDS or DATA.

TABL_FIELDS contains the structure of the fields in the queried table:

DATA contains the data records of the queried table:

Testing the RFC Connection

You can use the dab FunctionModuleTester to check whether the connection can be successfully established via RFC. Further instructions can be found here.

Uninstall

• open the transaction SAINT
• click on the tab Uninstallable components, choose the component DABEXT and click on Start
• after confirming the deinstallation, the component is removed from the SAP system

SAP Certifications

The Add-On has certifications for the following versions - the current certifications can also be viewed at any time in the SAP Certified Solutions Directory.

Release Notes

Version 1.71

• Adjustments for SAP Clean Core Level B, meaning that only APIs approved by SAP are used
• Adjustments to import conditions: the Add-On can be installed on SAP ECC, SAP S4/HANA and SAP BW/4HANA
• Extensions for extracting views with non-unique primary keys (e.g. FAGLFLEXT): an additional application update is required for this feature

Version 1.61

• when uninstalling the Add-On, not all objects could be removed due to incorrect object information. This caused the uninstallation to be aborted.

Version 1.60

• in addition to the fix from Version 110, the resolution of nested .INCLUDES with suffixes is now also supported. Specifically, there were problems in the ACDOCA table where the .INCLU-_PA include contains a suffix and is also extended with .APPEND. With this fix, the suffix is now also applied to the fields in the .APPEND.

Version 1.50

• the function module has been prepared to support export of long texts from the CLUSTD column in the STXL table

Version 1.40

• last SAP Add-On version compatible with SAP Basis 731 and lower
• fulfillment of required security levels for S/4 Cloud EX

Version 1.30

• the reading of the DDIC information provides wrong OUTPUTLEN for the data type RAW for the GUID in the tables CGPL_TASK or DPR_TASK. As a result, the affected GUIDs are exported in a shortened form. For fields of data type RAW and INTLEN 16 and an OUTPUTLEN smaller than 32 the OUTPUTLEN is now fixed to 32.

Version 1.20

• when building the field list for the SQL-query, <table>~<fieldname> was truncated after 30 characters when composing it, which caused errors in the SQL-query.

Version 1.10

• errors occurred in S4/HANA-systems with certain tables (BKPF, BSEG, MATDOC, ACDOCA, MHNK). The resolution of INCLUDE structures within these tables with the names
  • .INCLU-_PN
  • .INCLU-_A1
  • .INCLU-LO
  has been adjusted.

Structure of field list for SQL-query has been changed from field name only to <table>~<fieldname> to avoid exceptions with certain field names using protected SQL-names. (e.g. Table TOAM - Field Connection).

Version 1.00

• initial release of the new function module /DABEXP/RFC_SAPCONNECTOR
• the authorization object S_DEVELOP is no longer necessary, since the reading of the SAP table structure has been integrated into our function module and is no longer done via the function module RPY_TABLE_READ
• preparation for special SAP data types SSTRING, LRAW and RAWSTRING and the reading of long texts

SAP Legacy RFC Function Modules

In addition to /DABEXP/RFC_SAPCONNECTOR, other modules in the Z namespace that originated from old dab:Exporter installations or individual customer customisations were also supported in the past.

The following table compares the functional scope of the respective modules:

• Max. characters per data record: defines the maximum number of characters that can be extracted per data record (particularly relevant for tables with many columns)
• S_DEVELOP required: Z-Modules require the authorisation object S_DEVELOP in order to be executed
• Long texts: long texts are stored in the tables STXH and STXL - newer versins of the module can decode and extract the contents of these tables
• FLT & RAW Data types: Supprt of extraction on columns with the data types FLT and RAW
• Update via SAINT: Z-Modules must be maintained using transactions SE37 and SE80 (the certified module must be installed and updated using transaction SAINT)