Integration with SAP
Automatically Printing with SAP’s Auto-ID Infrastructure (AII), IDocs, and SAPscript
Print using BarTender, SAPscript, or NiceLabel
When selecting a method of integrating a 3rd party labeling software printing function, like BarTender or NiceLabel with SAP, the primary consideration is whether you want to have the print job output by BarTender, SAPscript, or NiceLabel.
NOTE: When printing from BarTender, you can still have SAP trigger and control the print job. In fact, your users don’t even have to see BarTender or know that it’s running.
Printing using SAPscript
If you choose to print using SAPscript, this does not allow you to take advantage of the rich, print-time functionality that BarTender provides, such as logging, reprinting, and object sizing. It also results in a system that is harder to maintain, as design changes and printer configuration changes do not take place immediately; they must be updated in the SAP system. SAPscript printing is covered in the chapter, SAPscript.
Printing using BarTender
When using BarTender as your print engine, you have several options for implementing the integration. The benefits of one option vs. another will depend on the skill set of the person doing the integration. All options require at least the Automation edition of BarTender. The option “AII” requires the Enterprise Automation edition of BarTender.
AII (Auto ID Infrastructure)
AII sends XML data packets that contain the data to print, the name of the format to print, and the name of the requested printer over a TCP/IP socket. Commander receives this data and uses it to instruct BarTender to print. AII is particularly well suited for RFID applications. See the AII (Auto-ID Infrastructure) section below for details.
IDoc Files
Within the ALE component of the SAP system, the user can choose an existing IDoc or create a new IDoc that contains the data to appear on the printed item. The ALE component also defines the transaction(s) that affect the generation of the IDoc and the destination directory for the IDoc file. See the IDoc (Intermediate Documents) chapter for details.
BAPI-Generated Flat Text Files
Within SAP, a BAPI can be written using ABAP to export a flat text file.
Integration with SAP 3
SAPscript-Generated Flat, Fixed-Width Text File A SAPscript report can be designed to generate a flat, fixed-width text file that contains the data to be printed. (SAP can be configured to run this report any time you want to print.) Commander can then be configured to detect these files and initiate BarTender print jobs.
Custom BarTender Integrations
The SAP system can be configured to make ActiveX calls or execute command lines whenever you want to print. This can be used to control BarTender, and specify the BarTender document, printer, and data to be printed.
When integrating with NiceLabel, all of your printing occurs within the software. As a cloud-based solution, your work can be shared across groups no matter where they are and standardization and compliance are not compromised.
NiceLabel is another labeling software solution that integrates well with SAP. NiceLabel provides you fast and efficient labeling in SAP without sacrificing accuracy and compliance.
