SAP Lotus Notes Integration
- Using LEI and Conclusion -

The integration of Notes and SAP R/3, using LEI utilizes Lotus Connectors that provide API programming support for DECS. These Connectors are more or less similar to the LSX, when compared on the basis of their complexity. During the integration process a single data connector is used for each data source to exchange the data between two heterogeneous systems. The two steps, which are involved in this integration, are forming a connection followed by creating an activity. In order to create a connection, the users are required to click on the "Create Connection" in the LEI Administrator and fill in the required fields (Table.1).

After creating a connection, the next step is to create an activity that uses SAP connector. For this, the users are required to create a direct transfer activity. This activity is used to transfer customer details from R/3 to Domino application. This is achieved by configuring an activity between Domino and R/3 using LEI Data Transfer Activity document and can be used by both notes and web based users.

Integration using SAP R/3 Workflow Domino Mail Template:

It is possible to send and receive mails both to and from SAP R/3 to Lotus by using Domino Mail Transfer Agent for R/3. However, by using MTA, it is not possible to forward messages with work item notifications from SAP, because of the fact that these messages are not e-mails and are simply pointers to SAP business workflow applications. R/3 Workflow-Domino Mail Template acts as a solution to getting these work item notifications. By using R/3 workflow domino mail template, work item notifications are made visible in the Domino user�s mail inbox and enable users to monitor the workflow from SAP R/3.

Using design elements that are added during installation to users mail databases attains this. Periodic Agent is the first design element that is used. It is used to access profiles, which contain SAP connection and account information. For this, the users are required to logon to SAP to obtain the work item notifications. These notifications are then turned into documents, which appear in the Domino inbox and can be seen by the Domino user as a new email - from a given SAP system. This mail opens up with a special SAP work item form, which displays information about the work item to be processed. Also, the form contains action buttons, such as Display and Execute. Clicking on Execute invokes a dialog instance of the SAPGUI, logs the user in, takes the user into the work item inbox and finally executes the work item. When the user is finished, they are dropped back into Notes. The default is to run the periodic agent every two hours. It can be that an SAP work item goes out to multiple users and the first one, who processes it, takes it away from the other users. At times, this could lead to a work item notification, which is no longer valid being found in a Domino inbox. The next periodic running of the agent would clean this up. The local profiles are created in a central administration database, which contains information about the SAP systems and then a mapping from Notes User names to SAP user names. These profiles are then mailed to the Notes user and via Lotus Script the periodic agent and the SAP work item form hidden versions in the Notes user�s Domino inbox for use.

Conclusion

There exists a variety of integration methords for integrating Lotus Notes and Domino to SAP R/3. However, before attempting any type of integration between Domino and R/3, it's important to ensure that you have a clear understanding of both the systems.It would be better to have clear goals and objectives in mind with a well planned integration effort. To make the best possible use of each enviroment, integration activities should always be planned carefully. Most people like to take benefit of Domino for its ability to provide an enhanced and customizable user interface for either Notes or Web clients, while integrating SAP R/3 with Lotus Notes and Domino.

R/3 developers also like Domino as it's the best tool for integrating rich text and unstructured multimedia data within a structured SAP R/3 system. Furthermore, many people require a methodology, whereby they can take SAP R/3 structured information into a mobile offline environment, a work that Lotus Notes lets them do easily.