RFC, Service Registry, SOAP

Expose RFC as Web Service in SAP PI/PO – SOAP to RFC Synchronous Interface

Posted on by Isuru Fernando

In this article we will look at how to expose a RFC as a Web service in SAP PI/PO. Using SOAP to RFC synchronous interface we would be exposed a RFC as a web service.

Most commonly researched topics under third-party system integration with SAP is how to use RFCs and web services to expose SAP APIs. There are lot of confusion under exposing web services due to different third-party platforms, authentication, connection issues and different PI versions etc.

There are several ways third party applications you can access RFCs.

  • Directly access RFC using SAP credentials.

I have previously written a article on how to access a RFC using .NET front-end.

  • Exposing RFC as a web service using transaction SE37.

This can be done using SE37>Utilities>Create web service option.

  • Exposing RFC as a web-service using SAP Process Integration (PI/PO).

 

In this article I will provide detail on how to expose a RFC as a web service using SAP PI/PO environment. This would be a SOAP to RFC synchronous interface.

 

One advantage of using SAP PI in this purpose is you would have comprehensive monitoring capabilities than other two methods. SAP PI has provided detail message monitoring, message logging and error handling capabilities which can be leveraged for any scenario. if you you use other methods such as directly exposing a RFC you will have to write your own message monitoring, alert and logging.

 

One disadvantage I see in using SAP PI is there would be more development effort due to PI development.

 

This example is a SOAP to RFC synchronous scenario. Third party send the SOAP call can PI converts the input and call the RFC then the RFC return data would be converted and send synchronously to third party using SOAP protocol.

 

Configuration Steps How to Expose RFC as a Web Service using PI/PO.

 

1. Make sure your function module or the API is “Remote enabled”. – SE37

remote-enable-function-module-se37-web-service-abap-pi-po
Remote Enable Function Module in SE37

 

2. Import RFC to SAP PI.

Right click on RFC under imported objects under software component and provide application server/system number/user credential. Then find the RFC from the list.

import-roc-esr-web-service-pi-po
Import RFC in ESR

 

3. Create input, output data types and message types which correspond to SOAP input and output data formats.

SOAP request data/message type.
SOAP response data/message type.

 

4. Create message mapping for SOAP request to RFC input.

soap-to-rfc-request-mapping-web-service-pi-po
Message Mapping for SOAP Request to RFC

 

5. Create message mapping for RFC output to SOAP response.

soap-to-rfc-response-mapping-web-service-pi-po
Message Mapping for RFC Response to SOAP

 

6. Create outbound service interface.

This should be a outbound synchronous interface with SOAP request and response message types.
outbound-soap-interface-web-service-pi-po
Build Outbound Synchronous Interface

 

7. Create operation mapping.

Configure Operation Mapping for request and response.

Operational-Mapping
Build Operational Mapping

 

operation-mapping-soap-rfc-webservice-pi-po
response mapping

 

8. Create sender SOAP communication channel.

soap-sender-communication-channel-configuration-web-service-pi-po
SOAP Sender Communication Channel Configuration

 

9. Create RFC receiver communication channel.

receiver-rfc-communication-channel-configuration-web-service-expose-pi-po
Receiver RFC Communication Channel Configuration

 

10. Create integration scenario.

 

11. Publish the interface under service registry.

if you have any questions on any of the steps discussed how to expose a RFC as a web service, please leave a comment.

Isuru Fernando

Hi, I am Isuru Fernando, Senior SAP Integration Consultant with 10 years of SAP full-cycle implementation and support project experience. From the early days, I had a passion for coding, software development, and everything tech-related. I started my carrier as an ABAP developer and soon found my love for system integration when I learned SAP XI 3.0 in 2008. Playing a variety of roles from an offshore technical consultant (ABAP, PI/PO, BW, BOBJ) at the beginning of my career to a technical lead managing a team of consultants in different countries, I have gained immense experience in SAP project implementation life cycle. Having the opportunity to work on SAP implementation projects in USA, EU, and Asia, I learned valuable ins and outs of global business processors in Sales and Distribution (SD), Material Management, Retail, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Finance and Controlling (FICO). Through this blog, I want to share my expertise in SAP technical areas such as SAP ABAP, PI/PO, AIF, and Basis. I also want to provide a platform for others with similar ambitions who would like to share their SAP technical expertise with the world!

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16 thoughts on “Expose RFC as Web Service in SAP PI/PO – SOAP to RFC Synchronous Interface”

  4. Johny Jackson says:

    Aw, this was a really good post. Taking the time and actual effort to create a
    really good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a whole lot and don’t seem
    to get nearly anything done.

    Reply
  6. Bhargav says:

    Hi Isuru Fernando,
    Can multiple systems call this Web service to use the result?!.
    I have a scenario where i need to send some data from SAP ECC to E-comm sites(multiple) via Web service. All the sites will call the same Web service to get the data. Can we use this approach for that case?.
    In the above steps i can see there is a Receiver communication channel, but in my scenario i have multiple receivers who are gonna use the same web service. Thanks in advance for your suggestion.

    Reply
    • Isuru Fernando says:

      Hi Bhargav,

      Of cause there are several ways you can handle this in SAP PI/PO. Either create separate ICOs for each consumer or use a common business component for all receivers. Make sure locking of data when multiple consumers access the same data is handled in ECC side.

      Cheers!
      Isuru

      Reply
  7. Priyanka says:

    Hi ,
    I have a requirement where When a PO is created , I need to send PO data to SAP PO.For this I have created a RFC Function module in ECC. Besides the steps you have mentioned ( which have to be done in SAP PO side ) , what other steps I need to do in ECC and how can I call the web service/ proxy from my code in ECC to send data to SAP PO , when the Purchase order is created.
    Kindly provide some help .

    Reply
  8. Vinay Kumar says:

    Hi Isuru Fernando,

    I’m new to SAP PI so I’m facing while performing IDOC to FIle scenario.I got struck when configuring
    logical name setting using BD54 tcode.Can you help me out to defining logical name .

    Reply
  9. Vaishali Rani says:

    Hi Isuru,

    I have synchronous scenario SOAP-RFC.
    This is part of PI7.3 to PI 7. 5upgrade. Its working fine in 7.but ng in 7.5.
    MP: exception caught with cause com.sap.engine.interfaces.messaging.api.exception.MessagingException: com.sap.aii.adapter.rfc.afcommunication.RfcAFWException: error while processing message to remote system:com.sap.aii.adapter.rfc.core.client.RfcClientException: could not get a client from JCO.Pool: com.sap.mw.jco.JCO$Exception: (101) RFC_ERROR_PROGRAM: Parameter message server host (jco.client.mshost) is missing.

    Any help would be really appreciated.
    Thanks,
    Vaishali

    Reply
  10. Vaishali says:

    Hi Isuru,
    I have a synchronous scenario, SOAP-RFC. It is part of PI 7.3 to PO 7.5 upgrade. This scenario is working fine in PI but failing in PO. Error: MP: exception caught with cause com.sap.engine.interfaces.messaging.api.exception.MessagingException: com.sap.aii.adapter.rfc.afcommunication.RfcAFWException: error while processing message to remote system:com.sap.aii.adapter.rfc.core.client.RfcClientException: could not get a client from JCO.Pool: com.sap.mw.jco.JCO$Exception: (101) RFC_ERROR_PROGRAM: Parameter message server host (jco.client.mshost) is missing.

    Could you please help me in solving the same.

    Regards,
    Vaishali

    Reply
  12. bhakti says:

    Hi Isuru, how to get data back from RFC? i am able to call the RFC via PI webservice as mentioned in your blog. I call it using SOAP UI. but i am not getting the response . I have done the response mapping as shown in the OM. thanks

    Reply

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