Using the Run standard workflow action from the SAP BAPI package,
build a bot that retrieves data from SAP systems.
Prerequisites
Download the SAP Java connector and DLL from the SAP
website.
Download the SAP Java connector and dynamic library
files (.dll file for Windows automation and
.dylib file for macOS automation) from the SAP
portal.
In this tutorial, you will build a bot that uses the Run standard
workflow action. The Run standard workflow action provides a user interface that enables
you to select BAPIs and configure the parameters for the selected BAPI.
By using this single SAP BAPI package action, you will perform the
following actions:
- Select a BAPI (BAPI_FLIGHT_CHECKAVAILABILITY) from a list of
function modules available in the connected SAP system.
- Set values for the import and export parameters of the selected BAPI.
- Assign retrieved structure or tables to dictionary or table variables.
When executed, the bot gets flight availability data based on the input
data, and writes it to a CSV file.
Procedure
-
Create a bot named
SAP-BAPI-CheckFlightAvailability.
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Log in to the Control Room.
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On the left pane, click Automation.
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Click the Create a bot icon.
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In the Name field, enter
SAP-BAPI-CheckFlightAvailability, and click
Create & Edit.
-
To connect the bot to your SAP system, from the
Actions panel, find action and add it to the Bot editor.
-
In JCo: SAP Java Connector package, specify the path
to the Java connector .jar file.
-
In JCo DLL
dependencyJCo DLL/DYLIB
dependency, specify the path to the dynamic library file.
.dll for Windows automation and
.dylib for macOS automation.
-
Choose Custom Application Server as
Connection Type.
-
In Application server host name, specify the host name
of the SAP application server.
Note: As a best practice, use the Credential Vault to specify sensitive information such as host
name, user name, and password.
-
In System number, enter the instance number.
-
In SAP instance system ID, enter the system ID.
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In Client number, enter the client number.
-
In Logon language code, enter
EN or the language specific to your system.
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In Router string, enter the SAP router string.
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In Username, enter your SAP username.
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In Password, enter your password.
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Run the bot to test the connection.
If you specify the correct connection properties, the bot executes
successfully.
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From the Actions panel, find action after the Connect action.
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Select a BAPI.
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Click the Select workflow option.
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In the Standard BAPI Selector window, from
Select Standard BAPI, expand SAP
Modules.
-
Find and expand Flight with connection data (SAP
training).
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In Flight with connection data (SAP training), expand , select BAPI_FLIGHT_CHECKAVAILABILITY,
and then click Select.
-
Specify values for the fields in the import parameter. Do the following in
Import to BAPI:
-
Click the vertical ellipsis option for the AIRLINEID
field, and select Edit.
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In Value, enter DL and click
Apply.
-
Click the vertical ellipsis option for the
CONNECTIONID field, and select
Edit.
-
In Value, enter 1699 and click
Apply.
-
Click the vertical ellipsis option for the FLIGHTDATE
field, and select Edit.
-
In Value, enter 20170418 and
click Apply.
The Java connector for SAP systems takes the date values in the yyyymmdd
format.
BAPI_FLIGHT_CHECKAVAILABILITY returns data in the
AVAILABILITY export parameter, which is of the type
structure.
-
In Export to BAPI, perform the following steps:
-
Click the ellipsis option for the AVAILABILITY
field.
-
On the Availability window, select the
Field name check box to select all fields within the
structure, and then click Apply.
-
Store the data that the BAPI exports to a variable.
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In Save exported structures and scalars, create a
variable by clicking (x) and name it
ReturnStructure.
-
In Save exported structures and scalars, create a variable
by clicking (x) and name it
ReturnStructure.
-
Save the Run standard workflow action.
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Convert the exported data to a table.
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From the Actions panel, find action, and add it after the Run standard
workflow action.
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Click inside Dictionary variable and select
ReturnStructure.
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In Key, enter
AVAILABILITY.
-
In Assign the output to variable, create a variable by
clicking (x) and name it
Availability.
-
To write the data from the retrieved table to a CSV file, add the action.
-
In Data table, select
Availability.
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In Enter file name, specify the path to the CSV file,
to which you want to write the data.
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Select Create folders/files if it doesn't exist.
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Click Overwrite existing file.
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Save and run the bot.