TMP - The TM Podcast

This episode is more on the techi side, so fun ahead! We talk about how to develop in the TM (= BOPF ) context and how not to develop in the same.

The new features coming with TM 9.1 are presented her, this time in video format.

The question "Where can I get TM information and documentation?" is something we hear a lot and we try to answer this in this episode.

We try to be complete on the different types of documentation, who is the target audience, how can they be found, what are the available languages etc.

TM-Podcast episode 17 gives an overview of the Transportation Management trainings that are currently offered. We talk about the individual content of each training and the prerequisites that are required to successfully take part in this courses. Besides that we shortly talk about certification and the dependencies between the courses.

This first episode after our summer break talks about the TM optimizer, it´s concepts, techniques, options and everything else what came into our minds.

The Business Partner determination in TM.

In this talk we cover how TM is technically integrated with other systems such as SAP ERP or SAP GTS (A2A integration), resp. with business partners such as carriers (B2B integration) to exchange transactional data such as a transportation requirement or a transportation order.

Both, mediated integration via SAP PI as well as point-to-point integration using WSRM is discussed w.r.t. technical and application specific configuration of the messaging runtime, pros and cons, principal requirements.

For PI based integration, the PI architecture, PI pipeline steps, relevant PI configuration objects, and the role of SLD (system landscape directory) are explained. In addition, we discuss how shipped configuration templates, so called process integration scenarios, can be used to configure the PI runtime fot the TM specific A2A integration scenarios by using a wizard.

For P2P based integration, the recommended central configuration is explained and prerequisites such as service groups are described.

As round-up some basic trouble shooting check points are shortly summarized, and the necessary steps to enhance a standard interface by customer fields are listed.

List of some important transactions:

PI local integration engine configuration: SXMB_ADMIN -> Integration Engine Configuration

SLD Check: SLDCHECK

Integration Builder (Web UI for PI Tools Enterprise Services Repository, Integration Directory, SLD, Central Monitoring): SXMB_IFR

- Design Time (e.g. needed for Interface Enhancments): SXMB_IFR -> Enterprise Services Builder

- Configuration of PI runtime: SXMB_IFR -> Integration Builder

WSRM configuration: SOAMANAGER

Message monitoring:

- SXMB_MONI

- as of NW 7.31, separate transaction for WSRM based integration: SRT_MONI

Forward Error Handling: ECH_MONI

Geography and the transportation network is a very important aspect in transportation and hence also for SAP TM.

In this episode we talk about all the relevant objects in the transportation network like locations, zones, lanes, hub hierarchies etc.

We also touch points like GIS systems and ERP integration, but the focus is on rules on how to define the TM transportation network efficiently.

Automated Testing helps you keeping a TM stable and reliable without too much manual testing effort.

In this episode we try to cover some aspects of it, specially we focus on using eCATT in the TM context and we also visit newer tools like Selenium.

This episode features our TM mobile applications and the technology behind it. After talking about mobile app technology in general, we give an overview of the available apps and the offered functionality. We have a closer look at the involved layers, which are necessary to

connect the mobile app to your TM backend system. In the end we also talk about possible extensions.