Introduction to using the Domino Connector for SAP Solutions

The HCL Domino Connector for SAP Solutions is a premium Domino Connector designed to provides access to the SAP ERP system. The Connectors works in conjunction with the HCL Enterprise Integrator for Domino (HEI), Domino Enterprise Connection Services (DECS), and Connector LotusScript Extension classes (LC LSX). It can optionally be used with Domino Access to SAP Business Workflow adjunct products.

The Domino Connector for SAP Solutions is based on SAP’s Remote Function Calls (RFC) interface. The Connector controls authentication and data transfer to ECC application server data using SAP's Remote Function Calls Software Development Kit (RFCSDK). This technology ensures that data transfers and queries are processed via the ECC application layer, not by directly accessing external system database tables. This preserves the business logic and data validations contained in ECC Remote Function Calls, Business Object methods (BAPIs) and Transaction interfaces that compromise ECC Application Server processes. The Connector manages data authentication and translation between ECC server data and other external data systems or connection types.

The Connector supports access to RFC’s and BAPIs. All rules provided by RFCs, BAPIs, and ECC transactions are maintained. You can also create your own RFC/BAPI functions on a given ECC system to be called from Domino applications. You can optionally create your own RFC/BAPI function and executing it through the Domino Connector for SAP Solutions.

You can use the Domino Connector for SAP Solutions with the following Enterprise Integration products:
  • HEI -- HEI is a server-based data transfer product facilitating scheduled high volume transfer and synchronization of data across Connector sources. HEI includes data transfer template forms for sophisticated scheduled data transfer without programming, and support for LotusScript transfers. For information about HEI, see the HCL Enterprise Integrator for Domino (HEI) Activities and User Guide supplied with HEI and at HEI documentation.
  • LC LSX -- LC LSX enables programmatic access and manipulation of Connector source data, allowing full programmatic control over data transfer. All supported Connectors may utilize the same Connector API object model, exposed in LotusScript classes, to syntactically access a wide variety of enterprise data sources. For information about LC LSX see the Connector Lotus Script Extensions Guide supplied with Domino and at HEI documentation.
  • DECS-- A technology supplied with the Domino server that enhances Domino applications with real-time data access or update capabilities to external source systems, including enterprise resource planning systems such as ECC without programming. For information about DECS, see the Domino Enterprise Connection Services (DECS) Installation and User Guide supplied with Domino and at HEI documentation.

Connector architecture

The objective of the Connector is to allow the import parameters and tables of a given RFC or BAPI to be filled out. The values for these are supplied either in a Select Statement, as when LCXExecute will be used (Script, Direct Transfer Activities, One way Replication out of SAP), or in an LCFieldList, as when LCXCall, LCXInsert, LCXUpdate, and LCXDelete will be used (Scripted, One-way Archive to SAP, Direct Transfer -with SAP connection as Target). Batch input mode transactions are processed using the Stored Procedure functionality (namely the Stored Procedure options in the Direct Transfer, Virtual Fields, Virtual Documents or Virtual Agents activities) and are called from LCXCall. The Connector invokes the transaction using ABAP4_CALL_TRANSACTION. For details, see "Considerations for SAP transactions on the SAP ECC 6 server using LC LSX" in this guide.
Note: On older SAP versions such as SAP R/3 version 4.7, the Connector uses RFC_CALL_TRANSACTION.