IDoc Types and Segment Definitions |
Since an IDoc is a message, both the sending and receiving programs must conform to a common convention about where, in a given IDoc, each piece of data will be found. To this end, SAP AG has defined several hundred IDoc types and a large number of segment types.
A sending program must construct an IDoc of a given type in accordance with these definitions and a receiving program, like this one, must conform to the definitions when parsing the IDoc. This means that identifying a parser file is one step in setting up
IDoc types have names of six letters and two numerals. SHPMNT01 is an IDoc that embodies a message about shipments. SAP revises the definitions of IDocs from time-to-time, and the two numerals at the end of the name identify the revision.
Segment names may end in three digit version numbers. For example, E2KNA1M001 is a segment for the DEBMAS02 (customer masters) IDoc type.
SAP owners can create their own custom IDoc types and segment types.
Names of segments defined by SAP AG always begin with "E", while custom designed segment names always begin with "Z".