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Data integration for better decisions

The benefit of a software solution within the company processes is largely dependent on how well the data flow is organized. Especially a high automation of the data flow brings speed and cost reduction. As a software company, we therefore offer multiple ways to integrate and extract data and information in our software CoPlanner. The ways differ, essentially in their effort of setup and the degree of automation. Mostly there is not only one way of implementation, but the combination of the possibilities brings the advantage. Which way is the most efficient, we decide with each customer individually according to economic and strategic aspects.

However, across all variants we ensure that data processing is always carried out in compliance with certain maxims. Regardless of whether data is entered manually or loaded via an interface, it is possible to aggregate, validate and normalise (structure alignment).

Whichever way you choose, CoPlanner offers a very cost-efficient data integration.

For our Customers who use SAP: The Theobald SAP Connector

Data flow / infrastructure

The data export SAP is done by means of the standard software "Theobald-Connector". The installation files can be downloaded from the website theobald-software.com. The target of the data transport is a MSSQL database on which the CoPlanner system is based and which processes the data. The figure below shows the planned data flow and the infrastructure of the servers. In the following, the individual positions/items from the illustration are explained.

 

Network settings

To enable communication between the servers, ports must be opened between the application server (where the connector is installed) and the SAP server. These ports are:

  • 32nn
  • 33nn
  • 34nn
  • 35nn
  • 36nn (for SAP Messager Server) and
  • 48nn (for SAP secure Gateway) ,

where nn = the system number of the SAP system.

SAP-side user rights

To establish a connection to the SAP system and to extract data, an SAP user (system or dialog user) is required, which must have certain access rights. Usually, an SAP system user (also called technical user) is used. The rights that the SAP user must have depend on the component that is used for data extraction. The following page lists the access rights: kb.theobald-software.com/sap/authority-objects-sap-user-rights The General Authority Objects section documents the access rights for setting up the SAP connection. The page is divided into sections that document the access rights required for each component. Please make sure that SAP Basis has created the SAP user with these authorizations.

Caution: An SAP system user cannot be used for SAP access via the SAP GUI, an SAP dialog user is required for this. Therefore, it is recommended to provide an SAP dialog user with more extensive admin rights (SE37, SE16, RSA3, ...), so that the respective consultant has the chance to look for data directly in the SAP system via the SAP GUI, if required.

Installation and customizing in the SAP system

Whether an installation of function modules or Customizing is necessary in the SAP system depends on the extraction types used. To install the Z function modules for extracting tables or reports manually, follow the instructions on the Web pages of the connector provider.

Alternatively, you can install the function modules using the transport request provided, which you can find as a ZIP file in the ABAP subfolder of the installation folder.

The transport request is imported with the ZIP files from the folder C:\Program Files\XtractIS\ABAP. If ABAP reports are required, thtrans.zip must also be imported. Otherwise, depending on the SAP version, Z_THEO_READ_TABLE.zip or Z_THEO_READ_TABLE-before_ 740SP05.zip is sufficient.