What is idoc in SAP?

Standard SAP IDoc interface uses ALE as the transfer mechanism and workflow functionality is used to route a failed IDOC to a specific individual or workgroup.

Business data is exchanged with an external system using the IDoc Interface. The IDoc Interface consists of the definition of a data structure and a processing logic for this. The data structure is the IDoc.

It is the exchange format that unites the communicating systems. Using IDocs you can define an exception handling within the SAP System using SAP Business Workflow, without the need for the data to already be an SAP application document.

There are basically two types of SAP IDOC

• Basic IDOCs
• Extended IDOCs
• Idoc Components

Basic Idoc
Basic IDOC type defines the structure and format of the business document that is to be exchanged between two systems.

Extension Idoc
Extending the functionality by adding more segments to existing Basic IDOCs.

Creation of IDoc
To Create Idoc we need to follow these steps:

Create Segment ( WE31)
Create Idoc Type ( WE30)
Create Message Type ( WE81)
Assign Idoc Type to Message Type ( WE82)

Creating a Segment
Go to transaction code WE31
Enter the name for your segment type and click on the Create icon
Type the short text
Enter the variable names and data elements
Save it and go back
Go to Edit -> Set Release
Follow steps to create more number of segments

Create IDOC Type
Go to transaction code WE30
Enter the Object Name, select Basic type and click Create icon
Select the create new option and enter a description for your basic IDOC type and press enter
Select the IDOC Name and click Create icon
The system prompts us to enter a segment type and its attributes
Choose the appropriate values and press Enter
The system transfers the name of the segment type to the IDOC editor.

Create IDOC Type
Follow these steps to add more number of segments to Parent or as Parent-child relation

Save it and go back

Go to Edit -> Set release

Create Message Type
Go to transaction code WE81
Change the details from Display mode to Change mode
After selection, the system will give this message “The table is cross-client (see Help for further info)”. Press Enter
Click New Entries to create new Message Type
Fill details
Save it and go back

Assign Message Type to IDoc Type
Go to transaction code WE82
Change the details from Display mode to Change mode
After selection, the system will give this message “The table is cross-client (see Help for further info)”. Press Enter.
Click New Entries to create new Message Type.
Fill details

Save it and go back

Also see: Step by Step Assest Accounting Configuration