Have you ever arrived at a project and been given the news that HCM will be implemented as a standalone

system? The FI team is long gone, the HCM team is there and the client wants to use their own IT team to perform Basis and ABAP work. This is not unusual nor is it a problem, until something needs to be done that did not happen when other SAP modules were implemented. One of those common instances is when FI/CO and HCM will not be in the same system. When the decision has been made to have your FI/CO and HCM components in separate systems you may not have instant access to an experienced IT member that knows how to help an inexperienced IT team make this work. These basic steps on how to set up an ALE connection between FI/CO and HCM modules will help you work with the IT team to accomplish your objective. Some common transfers of information examples from HCM to FI/CO are data for General Ledger Postings, Travel & Expense, and 3rd Party Remittance. Step 1: Create users for ALE transfer in both the receiving and sending client/systems. Create users giving them the same user name and authorizations. This will allow logon through the remote connection and perform the IDOC transfers.

Step 2: Create logical systems in both the receiving and sending systems. a. b. c. d. Log on to Sending client and go to transaction SALE Expand both the Sending and Receiving systems Expand logical systems and click on Define Logical System Click on New Entries and use a naming convention identified by your IT/Basis group. Example system name + CLNT + client number. Save and go back (sending = HCMCLNT105/ receiving = FICCLNT800) e. Save and go back. Now click on Assign client 105 to logical system HCMCLNT105 f. Now log onto receiving system and repeat a-c g. Save and go back. Now click on Assign client 800 to logical system FICCLNT800 Step 3: Create the RFCs a. In your sending client go to transaction code SM59 and expand the R/3 connections b. Enter RFC name as HCMCLNT105 (use the same name as the logical name created in step 1 so that the ports are automatically created) c. Enter Connection Type as 3 and Language as EN d. Give the logon details for client 800 (it is best to create a new user with proper authorizations for this ALE data transfer). e. Click on Remote long on button to test the RFC f. Now go to the receiving client and repeat a-e and give logon credentials to client 105 Step 4: Create customer distribution Model. This is usually created in the sending system and then is distributed to the other system. The actual creation of the model requests that you mention a technical name for the model (this needs to be a unique identifier in the systems landscape), a sender system, a receiver system, and message types to exchange between those systems.

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In the sending client go to transaction code BD64 and client on Change and Create model view button Enter the short text and technical name as ZHCM_FIC Select the model and click on Add Message Type button Give the sender as HCMCLNT105 and receiver as FICCLNT800 Give Message type as required. Example- HRMD_A for HR Module. This is usually the message types given by SAP are available for a particular module, see using transaction code WE81, if not create a message type first (See step 7). Select the above model view and click on Environment >Generate Partner Profiles Select Transfer IDOC Immediately and Trigger Immediately radio buttons Click on Execute. You should get a list in green which means it executed successfully. Now back on the main screen you should select the model view Click Edit> Model view> Distribute Click on Continue. You should get a list saying model view is distributed successfully.

Step 5: Checking the Port a. In the sending client go to transaction code WE21 b. Expand the transactional RFC c. Find the port from the list which is created using BD64 for FICCLNT800 (the receiving system) RFC destination Step 6: Checking the Partner Profiles a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. In the sending client go to transaction code WE20 Expand Partner Type LS Select the partner profile FICCLNT800 Double click on the Message Type. Example- In HR Module, HRMD_A in Outbound parameters Check Receiver Port is assigned correctly Check the Basic type as your Basic IDOC object. In the sending system, select the option to transfer IDOCs Immediately By default in the receiving system IDOCs are bunched together and received.

Step 7: Creating the message type a. b. c. d. e. f. Message type defines the meaning of data. It is just a logical entity that gets connected to the IDOC type, in transaction WE82, or gets connected to the distribution model, in transaction code BD64. If necessary create a new message type. In the sending client go to transaction code WE81 Click on Change > Continue Select the New Entries button Give message type in customer namespace Z and description Save and go back