How to use Interface Library

The Interface Library is one of several libraries that are introduced with SAP® Solution Manager 7.2.

Interface Library

The Interface Library is an inventory of interfaces that helps to facilitate the communication between partners. This structured collection of interfaces can be used and referenced directly at the process level. In SAP BPMN diagrams, interfaces can also be linked to intermediate events by adding an interface link. Because ARIS cannot save information about interfaces linked to intermediate events during diagram transmission, intermediate events are ignored.

In SAP Solution Manager, an interface is defined as a structural element that is saved in the Interface Library. An interface is identified by its name, its type (Interface or Composite interface), and additional parameters, such as Sending logical component group, Receiving logical component group, and Middleware logical component group. The Interface technology attribute is mandatory for interfaces of the Interface type.

In ARIS, the content of the Interface Library is mapped in the same way as all other SAP Solution Manager elements. The hierarchical structure of SAP® Solution Manager elements is structured in ARIS by means of the defined assignment structure. Structural elements are represented by SAP functions. The hierarchical structure is handled by functions with distinct SAP function type attributes, database subgroups, and models with related SAP model type attributes. Interfaces are represented as Class objects. Object definitions are created in the related Interface Library folder. Object occurrences are placed in the related function allocation diagrams (FAD).

In ARIS interfaces require these attributes:

The values in brackets are the related API names.

Name for ARIS Method items that are assigned to a specific type number. Type number and API name are unique identifiers for database items that are used to define types in ARIS Method.

Information about API names is available in ARIS (Application launcher Application launcher > Administration Administration > Configuration Configuration > Conventions > Method) and in ARIS Architect on the Administration tab below the Method folder structure. Specific information from the Method help is available when you select an item, for example, an object, a connection, or a model, and press Ctrl + F1 in ARIS Architect.

The Middleware component attribute is optional.

In contrast to SAP Solution Manager, in ARIS interfaces assigned to processes must not be modified. For one and the same interface, for example, you cannot use different descriptions or customer attributes because in ARIS, occurrence copies of the related object definitions are used. In ARIS, you can only modify the object definition stored in the related Interface Library folder. If you do so, the related Interface Library original in the SAP system will be modified too during data transfer to SAP Solution Manager. This is because interfaces are structural elements in SAP Solution Manager but they are mapped to assignments in ARIS. An interface is always related to the Interface Library even if the library is not included during data transfer. Note that attributes are always changed, even if you disable the Include Interface Library option in the Synchronization Wizard's Transfer structural elements dialog, but select the Transfer new interfaces option in the Transfer executables, documents, and interfaces dialog.

To add an interface to a process, place an object occurrence of the related Class object in the FAD of the process. An occurrence of an interface is identified by its external GUID.

If you create interfaces with assistance, you can select all mandatory attributes in the dialog. Interfaces created this way always match the consistency rules.