The ecosystem proposed by SAP is capable of addressing most of the major business needs, however, it is not uncommon to finalize digital transformation by requiring SAP management and integration with third-party systems. This can occur for a variety of reasons, from the presence of proprietary infrastructures to the need to initiate SAP adoption in one specific area while preserving existing implementations in others. This occurs when, for example, the company already has a CRM solution, but wants to equip itself with an ERP control room to control business processes in their entirety, from order to delivery. All these cases, and in general the need for integration with SAP, can be a challenging task, particularly when the scenario has elements of high complexity. Let’s look at the main challenges, opportunities, tools and technologies that constitute a good integration path.
The main challenges of integration with the SAP environment
Precisely because of its ability to respond to complex problems, SAP is an environment with an elaborate architecture, precise policies and a higher level of control than most software and infrastructure. The first point to consider, particularly when integrating a proprietary solution, is the latter’s ability to respond to the instances required by the various integration tools.
Another aspect to consider is the number and type Of the architectures involved. Indeed, in a typical scenario, integration is not of the type one by one, but many to one, where different systems will need to talk to SAP, using different technologies. In this case, a integration layer that allows the flow of data to and from the SAP interface to be normalized.
Another key aspect is the ability to design a flexible system. After the adoption of SAP, in fact, it is very likely that new needs and demands will arise for the use of data and control systems. In this, case third-party systems will need to be able to respond to the renewed needs, aligning with the new opportunities presented by the SAP system.
Finally, as we know, the software world is increasingly moving toward SaaS (Software as a Service) and cloud-based solutions. This can pose an additional technological challenge, especially if on-premises and cloud-based parts have to coexist and integrate in the ecosystem.
Tools and technologies for SAP integration
Before listing the tools SAP makes available to developers to enable integration of existing infrastructures, a premise is in order. Given the widespread use of SAP as an ERP, making it virtually a de facto standard, a great many third-party software and systems already offer an SAP module for integration. The first thing to do is to check through documentation or support service to see if there is already a solution available. This makes integration much easier, since it reduces the technology effort.
If implementation is necessary, the various technologies that SAP makes and available can be used. We recall the main ones:
SAP Cloud Platform Integration is the ideal solution for complex integrations. It is an integration layer designed to simplify and harmonize processes.
SAP Java Connector is a component that enables the development of SAP-compatible components and applications in Java. It is an indispensable element for integrated development between Java and SAP.
Business Application Programming Interface: APIs that provide interfaces between SAP and third-party applications. They are used particularly for creating one-to-one communications and provide access to data and processes. There are hundreds of them, for a wide variety of needs.
Intermediate Docs: IDocs is a standard data format developed by SAP that enables the exchange of information with third-party systems. It is typically used to transfer data to and from SAP.
