Overview of the Interface (BAPI)

SAP Business Objects reside in the Business Framework and provide the interoperability of software components. Collectively, Business Objects are contained within the Business Object Repository (BOR). They cover a wide range of SAP R/3 business data and processes. BAPIs allow external non-SAP R/3 systems, such as products in the Pack for SAP Applications, to access the methods on a SAP Business Object. SAP Business Objects and their BAPIs provide an object-oriented view of SAP R/3 functionality.

BAPIs are used in mapping rules. They are typically used within other interface methods, which need access to the information provided by the Business Object. A developer can call a synchronous BAPI in the mapping rule of an output card as provided by the R/3 BAPI adapter support for BAPIs. The data returned from the BAPI can be mapped to other output data objects or it can be used for conditional logic. The R/3 adapter has the functionality to call a BAPI on an R/3 system. The R/3 adapter supports BAPI as well as any remote enabled function module (RFC).

BAPIs are accessed in SAP R/3 using the transaction code BAPI.

Vendor is a Business Object in the Financial Accounting area of Business Framework. Expanding the Vendor Business Object exposes the available methods.

ChangePassword is a method (BAPI) on the Vendor Business Object. This method provides the capability to change a vendor's password, which is selected by the key field VendorNo. The BAPI name of this method is found by clicking the Detail tab. The BAPI name is BAPI_VENDOR_CHANGE_PASSWORD, the name you specify in the Importer Wizard.

The dialog box also provides documentation on the parameters and attributes of the BAPI. All BAPIs are composed of a combination of Importing, Exporting, and/or Table parameters. Importing parameters are input, Exporting are output, and Tables are in/out. A BAPI may have any combination of these parameter types. Documentation for the parameters, structures, and scalars of a BAPI can be found in the BAPI Browser, the SAP Assistant, and the Function Module.