The accelerator is not plug-and-play and works with pre-existing structures on both sides. It proposes a basis to accelerate the overall connectivity. SAP data filtering  is not included for instance. The mapping of source and target data structure is to be done on the customer side in the package (step 3), since each company has its own business constraints and logic. There are also search rules that need to be maintained by customers.The package is available in batch and in unitary mode. 

Additionally to the core package, an OPEN API generator package is also available so you can easily retrieve your PIM structure and ease the message mapping part.

iFlow Overview

Below is a high-level summary of the iFlows implemented for Material Master data synchronization. Each iFlow corresponds to a logical data area or process step.

Overall process

1. The entry point is the data collect iFlow “Import in Batch Data from SAP S4HANA to Akeneo PIM” where the integrator will adapt the IFlow to meet the customer logic intended and get the products master data to synchronize to Akeneo PIM.
2. Then, the data mapping and transformation need to be conducted. As the data mapping is very specific to each customer it is expected that customers do this configuration in the “Message mapping S/4Hana to Akeneo PIM”. 
3. Once data is collected and mapped, it needs to be communicated to the orchestration iFlow “Orchestrate Data in Batch”; here the iFlow manages the logic of Product(s) synchronization as a process. For example, the PIM’s token management part check if it is a creation or update and finally calls PIM’s API to push product master data. This iFlow call the Search and mapping steps.

1/ Security material and main configuration set up

To connect both systems, make sure to generate connection settings in the monitor folder of the Integration Suite. We recommend creating:

Once created, those security materials will need to be called in the package. To do so, change the SAP security materials in the iFlow_Step_DataCollect. Then change the PIM security materials calls in the configuration of the iFlow_Step_Orchestration of the package. 

Configure the Import in Batch Data from SAP S4HANA to Akeneo PIM iFlow

In receiver: 

iFlow visual helper

In this example, the security material was called “S4_BasicAuth”, S4_Address is the website of S/4Hana

 

 

Configure the “Orchestrate Data in Batch” iFlow.

In Sender tab: 

iFlow visual helper - retry

Example of configuration

 

 

In Receiver tab:

iFlow visual helper

Example of configuration

Fill in the PIM address - here a temporary PIM address was filled in for example

 

The PIM credentials listed as AKENEO_CLIENT_SECRET above should be stored in this field. Here, the cliend ID and secret were stored in the Integration Suite as AKN_OTTERS_OAUTH2, the url of the PIM was a temporary test PIM.

 

 

The retry retention and expiration can be changed

 

 

 

 

In More:

iFlow visual helper

Example of configuration

 

Filled in the PIM credential listed as AKENEO_BASIC_AUTH in the table above (User and password). In the example,the Integration Suite here was called AKN_OTTERS_BASIC.

 

 

 

 

2/ Pre-existing product configuration

Batch package

The package check if product are pre-existing automatically on the defined ID based on this endpoint https://api.akeneo.com/api-reference.html#patch_products. No configuration from the end user is needed/

3/ Mapping between  SAP ERP and Akeneo PIM structure

To conduct the mapping, the SAP S/4Hana structure and Akeneo PIM structure need to be present in the message mapping step of the iFlow IFlow Message mapping S4HANA to Akeneo PIM. To generate Akeneo PIM structure file, generate it by using the Akeneo OPEN API package and then download it in the message mapping of package.

Generate the structure OPEN API files

The  steps are

• Generate Akeneo Structure: In the Open API Generator package, configure the R_PIM HTTP receiver to use the appropriate PIM_HTTP_Query (e.g., family=t-shirts). Run the iFlow.
• Download and Save: The output will be a JSON or XML file representing your Akeneo structure. Download this file and save it locally.
• Load into Mapping iFlow: Go to the S4HANA_to_AkeneoPIM iFlow.
• Open Message Mapping: Click on the MM_SAPS/4_TO_AKENEOPIM block.
•  Import Target Structure: On the right-hand side, import the Akeneo structure file you just saved.

The integrator will also need to manually obtain or generate the SAP S/4HANA structure to use as the source file in the mapping step.

Visual helper for mapping update

 

 

 

Conduct the mapping

The flow is all set! You can manually do the mapping and transformation between the two systems.

Deploy the orchestration iFlow

Upon successful connectivity and mapping, the flow will create and update mapped attributes.

The package also exists in unitary mode and follows the same logic

Unitary package specificity on pre-existing

When pushing products, the accelerator needs to check if the product already exists in the PIM system or not. To do so, a common attribute needs to exist between both systems. By default, the accelerator checks SKU for pre-existing products. It is possible to modify the attribute according to your business needs.

1.  Go to the IFlow_Step_PIM_SearchProduct
2. Modify the message body

iFlow visual helper