Interfacing ESRI GIS to SAP™ R/3®

An ESRI White Paper • Summer 1999

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J-8215

Interfacing ESRI GIS

to SAP R/3

An ESRI White Paper

Contents Page

Overview.................................................................................................1

SAP R/3 and ESRI GIS ...........................................................................2

ESRI GIS Solutions.................................................................................2

Interfacing ESRI GIS with SAP R/3 ........................................................3

ESRI GIS Software with SAP Interfaces..................................................4

ArcView GIS.....................................................................................4
MapObjects .......................................................................................4
ArcLogistics Route ............................................................................4
ArcView Business Analyst ................................................................4

ESRI GIS–SAP Interfaces .......................................................................4

ArcView Connect SAP Certified Interface .........................................4
ArcView Connect Sample Extension .................................................5
ArcView R/3 Interface.......................................................................6
MapObjects R/3 Interface ..................................................................7
ESRI Data Query for R/3...................................................................7

GIS Components in the SAP GUI............................................................8

ESRI White Paper

J-8215

Interfacing ESRI GIS to SAP R/3

Overview Whether you are an SAP user trying to find out where your customers are
in relation to your stores, an SAP developer trying to optimize the routing
of delivery vehicles, or a geographic information system (GIS) consultant
deploying a mapping system that requires access to enterprise SAP R/3
data, you need to be able to work with your R/3 data in a spatially enabled
environment. By adding GIS solutions from ESRI to your toolbox, you
can leverage the value of your SAP R/3 data with the power of map
displays and spatial analysis.

For example

You can color code customer locations and revenues and display them on a map
along with your regional office locations. You can then see patterns in the
geographic distribution of your revenues that will help you maximize your operating
efficiency.
You can visually display the location and status of trouble calls for your facilities
network. Dispatchers can then quickly and accurately verify the location of the
needed inventory items and determine the history and status of planned repairs
visually through the GIS with drill-down capability into R/3.

This is made possible by using the spatial components of the R/3 data you already have,
such as customer and facility addresses, and displaying and analyzing them using ESRI®
solutions linked to R/3.

This white paper provides a summary of the various solutions that are available for
interfacing ESRI GIS applications with SAP R/3. Which one you make use of will
depend on a number of factors including

Which ESRI software is best suited to your requirements

Which SAP R/3 modules you need to interface
How much customization you require
Whether you want to access SAP R/3 data from within the ESRI architecture (GIS-
centric) or take advantage of GIS map displays from within R/3 (R/3-centric)

If you are new to GIS, you can obtain further information on the full range of ESRI
solutions at the ESRI Web site, www.esri.com. You can search the ESRI Web site using
the keyword "SAP" to get a list of all the SAP-related documents available, or visit
www.esri.com/sap for the latest news and information regarding ESRI and SAP. You
can also obtain further specific information about SAP by sending an E-mail to
sapinquiries@esri.com.

ESRI White Paper

Interfacing ESRI GIS to SAP R/3
J-8215

SAP R/3 and SAP R/3 provides a leading client/server business solution suite for managing business
ESRI GIS processes in such industries as retail, utilities, telecommunications, petroleum, and
transportation. Mapping tools, such as an intuitive map interface, can access and
leverage the wealth of corporate data contained within the SAP R/3 environment.
Mapping applications increase the value of the R/3 corporate information assets because
they serve as intuitive front ends to the database and bring the power of spatial analysis to
the R/3 database.

ESRI is the world leader in GIS solutions. ESRI has been a very successful SAP
enterprise installation for more than three years and has committed a significant
investment in its R/3 system. ESRI is an SAP Developer Partner as well as an SAP
Complementary Software Provider (CSP). ESRI's ArcView® Connect for R/3 is an SAP
Certified Interface for ArcView GIS software. As a CSP, ESRI offers technical expertise
with an in-house SAP implementation team and supports SAP-related activities with
marketing and technical staff. The ESRI SAP implementation team can address specific
industry needs with vertical marketing and professional services know-how.

ESRI is working in close cooperation with SAP to enable the integration of spatial data
and analysis capabilities into R/3 application program interfaces (APIs). With ESRI's
help, SAP is enhancing R/3 to provide open GIS capabilities. ESRI is a Demonstration
Site/Competency Center for GIS–R/3 interface development by ESRI partners.

ESRI GIS Solutions ESRI is the leading developer of GIS software, with more than 220,000 end users
worldwide. ESRI also provides consulting, implementation, and technical support
services. In addition to its headquarters in California, ESRI has regional offices
throughout the United States, seventy-five international distributors, and more than 800
resellers and developers. ESRI's users include many of the Fortune 500 including
telecommunications, utilities, agriculture, defense, oil, health care, transportation, and
environmental management.

ESRI provides a complete range of GIS solutions including

ArcInfo™ software, the de facto professional GIS for industry, government, and
academia
ArcView GIS, the world's most popular desktop mapping and GIS software
ArcView Internet Map Server for serving interactive spatial content in an Intranet or
Internet environment
Spatial Database Engine™ (SDE™) software, a high-performance universal spatial
server
MapObjects® software, a developer toolkit for building high-performance GIS
applications using any standard Windows development environment such as Visual
Basic, Visual C++, Delphi, PowerBuilder, and Access
ArcLogistics™ Route, a shrink-wrapped solution for complex vehicle routing
problems
ArcView Business Analyst, a desktop tool with bundled data for making business
decisions based on analyzing geographic information

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Interfacing ESRI A number of ESRI GIS software programs are shipped with an SAP R/3 interface in the
GIS with SAP R/3 box. These software programs and their interfaces are summarized in Table 1 below.
You can use the provided interface or, in many cases, substitute a different interface from
Table 2.

Table 2 summarizes the main interfaces that are available. Each interface is then
described in more detail in the pages that follow. Please note that ESRI continues to add
to and improve its SAP interface technology. Be sure to check the ESRI Web site at
www.esri.com/sap for changes and additions.

Table 1
ESRI GIS Software and Their SAP R/3 Interfaces

Software Description SAP Interface

ArcView GIS 3.1 General-purpose desktop GIS Ships with ArcView Connect sample
extension
ArcLogistics Route Routing optimization package Downloads route stop data from SAP
R/3
ArcView Business Analyst Business analysis package on top Uses ArcView Connect sample
of ArcView GIS extension

Table 2
ESRI SAP R/3 Interfaces

Interface Description Notes

ArcView Connect SAP Extension for ArcView GIS; Older version, updated by ArcView R/3
Certified Interface interfaces with MM and PM interface
only
ArcView Connect Sample Extension for ArcView GIS 3.1; Now updated by both Data Query and
Extension ships in the box ArcView R/3 Interface
ArcView R/3 Interface Can interface to any remotely Updates the certified interface
enabled function module;
contains customizable specific
code for transactions with MM
and PM
MapObjects R/3 Interface Can interface to any remotely Visual Basic Version for MapObjects
enabled function module;
contains customizable specific
code for transactions with MM
and PM
ESRI Data Query for R/3 Query interface into SAP R/3; SQL queries on R/3 tables and views
can be called from ArcView
GIS; can be used with any ESRI
software program

ESRI White Paper 3

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ESRI GIS Software

with SAP Interfaces

ArcView GIS ArcView GIS is the leading desktop GIS and mapping package. It ships with a large set
of tools for spatial data display and analysis and is fully customizable using the Avenue™
language. In addition, various extensions are available for ArcView GIS, providing
additional capabilities such as network analysis, three-dimensional analysis, and
integrated raster/vector processing. ArcView GIS ships with the ArcView Connect
Sample Extension described below. You can also request the ArcView Connect SAP
Certified Interface from ESRI or the new ArcView R/3 Interface and ESRI Data Query
for R/3, both of which can be easily integrated into ArcView GIS.

MapObjects MapObjects is a collection of mapping and GIS components that software developers use
to create map-based applications. MapObjects contains more than thirty programmable
ActiveX automation objects that can be used in any standard Windows development
environment such as Visual Basic, Visual C++, Delphi, and PowerBuilder. MapObjects
developers should use the MapObjects R/3 Interface as the starting point for integrating
their applications with R/3. This interface consists of a Visual Basic project with source
code.

MapObjects can also be used to add GIS components to the SAP graphic user interface
(GUI) as discussed later in this white paper.

ArcLogistics Route ArcLogistics Route is a complete solution for complex vehicle routing and scheduling
problems. By importing route stop data from SAP, ArcLogistics Route finds stop
locations on a map, assigns them to vehicles, and determines optimal stop sequences that
minimize costs and honor time windows.

ArcView Business ArcView Business Analyst is a desktop tool for making business decisions based on
Analyst analyzing geographic information. Business Analyst ships with an extensive database of
street and demographic data. Because Business Analyst is built on top of ArcView GIS,
it shares the same R/3 interfaces as ArcView GIS.

ESRI GIS–SAP
Interfaces

ArcView Connect The ArcView Connect SAP Certified Interface is an ArcView GIS extension that
SAP Certified accesses the R/3 Materials Management (MM) and Plant Maintenance (PM) modules of
Interface R/3. SAP has certified the ArcView Connect for R/3 extension for PM and MM. It
consists of an ArcView GIS project file, an ArcView GIS extension file, various ESRI
and SAP Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs), and a set of sample ESRI shapefiles. Users
can create, change, and display material master and equipment master records from
within ArcView GIS and find objects from R/3 using equipment and material ID codes.
This interface is described in detail in the ESRI white paper "Integrating Enterprise GIS
with SAP R/3," available from the ESRI Web site at www.esri.com/libraries/whitepapers/
av_lit.html.

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Note that this interface is designed to access only the MM and PM modules, works only
with R/3 3.0D, and is not as easily customized as the interfaces described below. This
interface has been updated by the ArcView R/3 Interface.

Availability: Request from ESRI

Compatibility: R/3 3.0D
Uses: Various DLLs

ArcView Connect ESRI's ArcView GIS 3.1 software ships with an optional extension for connecting to
Sample Extension SAP R/3. The ArcView GIS R/3 sample extension allows you to initiate SAP R/3
function modules, download R/3 data into ArcView GIS for visualization and spatial
analysis, and interact with SAP R/3 on a transactional basis. The extension allows for the
use of R/3 standard functions and provides a tool for building custom applications that
require ArcView GIS and SAP R/3 connectivity. Instructions for using the extension are
provided in the ArcView GIS 3.1 online help.

The extension comes with one standard function, RFC_CUSTOMER_GET, which

downloads customer information, including customer number, customer name, and
customer address, into a local text file. You can then use this file within ArcView GIS.
For example, you can geocode the customer addresses and display their locations on a
map.

The Visual Basic source code for the extension is also provided so that you can integrate
any other remote-enabled function module present in your R/3 system (including custom
developed function modules). Although the sample extension can be modified, it has
been largely supplanted by the combination of the ESRI Data Query for R/3 and the
ArcView R/3 Interface. The ESRI Data Query allows you to issue SAP ABAP/4 SQL
queries against R/3 tables and views, and the ArcView R/3 Interface replicates the
functionality of the certified interface but is much easier to customize.

ESRI White Paper 5

Interfacing ESRI GIS to SAP R/3
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Availability: Ships with ArcView GIS 3.1

Compatibility: R/3 3.0B and 3.1
Uses: ESRI_R3.DLL

ArcView R/3 The ArcView R/3 Interface is functionally equivalent to the certified interface described
Interface earlier. Users can create, change, and display material master and equipment master
records from within ArcView GIS, and find objects from R/3 using equipment and
material ID codes. The major enhancement is that it uses a new DLL developed by ESRI
that allows you to call any remotely enabled function module or BAPI in R/3 without
recompiling the DLL.

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It is supplied with an ArcView GIS project file, the DLL developed by ESRI (esri_r3.dll),
a DLL from SAP (librfc32.dll), and a set of shapefiles and documentation. Developers
can create new Avenue scripts in ArcView GIS and new menus and dialogs to add
functionality in ArcView GIS.

Availability: Request from ESRI

Compatibility: R/3 3.x to 4.0B
Uses: ESRI_R3.DLL, LIBRFC32.DLL

MapObjects R/3 The MapObjects R/3 Interface is a Visual Basic version of the ArcView R/3 Interface. It
Interface implements the MM/PM interface functionality of the ArcView R/3 Interface, except for
Create Equipment and Create Material. This interface is a good example of how to
develop a custom GIS application that interfaces with R/3 using MapObjects.

The MapObjects R/3 Interface is supplied with a Visual Basic sample application along
with source code, the ESRI DLL (esri_r3.dll), a DLL from SAP (librfc32.dll), and a set of
shapefiles and documentation.

Availability: Request from ESRI

Compatibility: R/3 3.x to 4.0B
Uses: ESRI_R3.DLL, LIBRFC32.DLL

ESRI Data Query ESRI Data Query for R/3 is a Visual Basic application that behaves like ArcView GIS
for R/3 software's SQL Connect. It can be called from ArcView GIS and can be used with
MapObjects, ArcLogistics, ArcView Business Analyst, ArcInfo, and ArcFM™ software.

ESRI White Paper 7

Interfacing ESRI GIS to SAP R/3
J-8215

It connects to an R/3 server and lets you run SAP's ABAP/4 SQL queries on R/3 tables
and views. The returned data is stored in a .DBF file accessible from ArcView GIS,
where you can then geocode addresses and display customer locations, for example.

The ESRI Data Query gets its list of tables from a text file (tables.txt) rather than from a
list derived from the server. This is because R/3 has more than 8,000 tables and views,
and it is time-consuming to download this much information. In addition, usually only a
handful of tables and views have spatial data that is relevant for GIS. You can easily add
the tables and views of interest to the text file and thereby customize which tables appear
in the data query.

Availability: Request from ESRI

Compatibility: R/3 3.x to 4.0B
Uses: ESRI_R3.DLL, LIBRFC32.DLL

GIS Components in All of the interfaces described so far have a GIS-centric focus. In other words, the GIS
the SAP GUI application provides the user interface, and SAP R/3 data is brought into the GIS for
analysis and display. However, in some cases, you might prefer to work within the SAP
GUI and display map data in that environment.

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For example, you might have an SAP report showing customer sales grouped by state.
By registering and calling a MapObjects ActiveX server, you can spatially enable the
SAP GUI and display this data color coded on a map showing state boundaries.

The high-level steps to display simple report data with a geographic component on a map
are as follows:

Register the MapObjects ActiveX server using SOLE so that it can be accessed in an
ABAP application.
Modify the SAP GUI to add an option to save a report list to a local file in ESRI
shapefile format.
Modify the SAP GUI to select the fields to view in MapObjects.
Make calls to the MapObjects ActiveX server to build the shapefile from the
downloaded data and to create the thematic map from the file.
Make a call to the MapObjects ActiveX server to display the color-coded customer
sales data map.

You can develop more sophisticated ABAP applications as well. For example, you could
take customer addresses, geocode them to determine their locations, and display the
customer locations on a map that also shows warehouses and delivery routes.

Note that this type of development requires a good understanding of the ABAP
environment, as well as knowledge of the functionality contained in ESRI's MapObjects.

For information regarding any ESRI/SAP issue, please visit www.esri.com/sap or E-mail
sapinfo@esri.com.

ESRI White Paper 9

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