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Celonis Product Documentation

Installing the RFC module

Celonis RFC module is responsible for extracting data from the SAP database based on information received from the SAP extraction client. The module gets the job metadata from the extractor client, i.e. which table, which columns, filters, etc, and then generates a background job in SAP. The job extracts the data and writes it in CSV files in a directory that is monitored by the Extractor.

Note

Installing the RFC module is a step in connecting your SAP instance with Celonis Platform

To install the RFC module, follow these steps:

0. System requirements for the RFC module

The minimum requirements for a successful installation of the extractor component in the SAP system are:

  • Minimum Version: SAP ECC 6 and Netweaver 7.0

    • For SAP ECC 4.6C and 5.0 we provide separate transports respectively

  • Development rights on the SAP system to install the modules (not required for the execution of an extraction)

  • 100 GB of free disk space on the SAP system server hard drive or a network drive at the location used for the temporary data folder for 3. Create directory for SAP data.

  • The system user running the SAP system needs to have access (reading and writing) rights to the temporary data folder

Note

The minimum required disk space is only used for the temporary storage of the data chunks which are removed after a successful transfer. The size of the compressed chunks varies from table to table, but their size is likely below 1 GB per chunk.

1. Download the RFC module

  1. In your Celonis Platform, go to Admin & Settings > Download Portal.

  2. Download the latest version of the RFC module that fits your system.

2. Import the transport

  1. In your SAP instance, check the folder where transports are placed with the transaction AL11 and look under DIR_TRANS.

  2. Unzip the ZIP file with the RFC module.

  3. From your unzipped package, copy the cofile (K...) into DIR_TRANS/cofiles and the data file (R...) into DIR_TRANS/data.

  4. In SAP, run the STMS transaction:

    1. Click on import overview (F5).

      SAP_import_overiew.png

    2. Double-click on the import queue of the target system

    3. Click Extras > Other Requests > Add.

    4. Enter the name of the transport which is AI1K... (where "..." should be replaced by the number that is contained in the file names of the two transport files).

      Figure 1. 
      SAP_import_transport.png

      Example: adding transport request to import queue.



    5. Click Import.

3. Create directory for SAP data

Note

If you're using the RFC module version 3.9 or later, you can skip this step. With newer versions of the RFC module, a staging table inside the SAP database is used for storing temporary files. Using a staging table for data extraction must be manually enabled in the advanced settings of your data connection. For details, Extracting data using staging .

  1. Create a dedicated directory on the file system of your SAP (preferably a network drive) and make sure that the user running the SAP system has read and write access to it.

    Warning

    In case you are using Logon Groups, or there are multiple application servers where the extraction jobs can run, make sure that the directory is on a network drive, and is accessible from all the servers.

  2. In your SAP system, run the FILE transaction.

  3. Find the Logical Path Z_CELONIS_TARGET in the list

  4. Edit the entry by clicking on the button to the left of the new entry and then double-click on the folder "assignment logical and physical paths"

  5. Set a path for UNIX and/or Windows. The path should be the directory on the system or a network drive that you created in Step 1.

    SAP_creating_dir.png

    Tip

    Make sure to include the placeholder <FILENAME> at the end of the directory.

You now have to configure user permissions for SAP connection. See Create users for SAP connection.

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