Tarento's Seamless B2B/EDI Integration for Plasman: Illuminating the path to seamless collaboration and innovation

About the Customer

Plasman is a full-service partner for automotive thermoplastics, offering injection molding, painting, assembly, and logistics. With four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Europe, Plasman delivers cost-effective, advanced plastic solutions from design to finish.

Overview

In response to the evolving landscape of integration technologies, our client, previously reliant on the legacy SAP Business Connector (BC) as a middleware solution for linking SAP systems to non-SAP partner systems, recognized the imperative to modernize their integration infrastructure.

The utilization of SAP Business Connector posed challenges attributed to its low standardization and limited market penetration, resulting in a scarcity of available add-ons and content. Acknowledging the inherent limitations and outdated architecture of SAP Business Connector, the client sought to transition to a more contemporary and scalable solution.

Opting for the SAP Integration Suite, a cloud-based platform, our client aims to leverage advanced integration capabilities, enhanced standardization, and improved adaptability. This migration signifies a strategic move towards aligning their integration framework with current industry standards and ensuring a seamless, future-ready integration landscape.

Tarento as the partner of choice

Tarento's selection as the preferred integration partner was driven by our exemplary technical proficiency, particularly in the realm of integration solutions, with a specialized focus on SAP Business Connector (BC) and SAP Integration Suite (IS) platforms. Our team possesses extensive expertise and a proven track record in navigating the complexities of these systems, showcasing a depth of knowledge that aligns seamlessly with the intricate requirements of the client. Recognizing the critical role that integration plays in contemporary business ecosystems, Tarento demonstrated unparalleled competency in orchestrating seamless transitions and ensuring optimal functionality within SAP environments.

Challenges

The integration initiative posed distinct challenges, primarily arising from the proprietary storage format of system connections and mappings in SAP Business Connector (SBC). The absence of an automated migration path to SAP Cloud Integration Suite necessitated a detailed analysis of mapping conversions, including those in SAP BC, third-party solutions, and configured additional adapters. The absence of comprehensive documentation added complexity, requiring a meticulous exploration of existing mapping structures.

A critical aspect of the project involved decoding Java code within SAP BC and transforming it into Groovy scripts compatible with SAP Cloud Integration. This process demanded a nuanced understanding of the existing codebase, coupled with strategic planning to ensure a seamless transition of functionality to the new platform. Our team's adept handling of these challenges underscored our technical proficiency and ensured a successful integration migration that aligned with the client's objectives.

Solution

Tarento addressed the integration challenges by re-architecting the landscape from SAP Business Connector (SAP BC) to SAP Cloud Platform Integration (CPI), providing the client with a robust and modernized solution. The key solutions implemented include:

1. EDI Interface Implementation: Leveraging the B2B Add-on for SAP CPI, Tarento successfully implemented Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) interfaces, ensuring secure and standardized communication protocols for efficient data exchange.

2. Integration Content Advisor Deployment: Tarento streamlined the B2B integration process by strategically deploying the Integration Content Advisor, enhancing operational efficiency, and simplifying the management of integration content.

3. Multi-Production Instance for High Availability: Recognizing the need for continuous availability, Tarento established a Multi-Production Instance of SAP CPI in both the US and EU regions. This configuration ensures 24*7 availability and serves as a proactive measure against potential SAP Data Center outages.

4. Adherence to Industry Standards: The solutions implemented by Tarento adhere to industry standards, including EDIFACT, ODETTE, and VDA. This commitment to standards ensures compatibility and interoperability with prevailing business norms and practices.

Through these strategic initiatives, Tarento not only resolved the client's integration challenges but also positioned them for future scalability and resilience in their data exchange processes.

Outcomes and Impact

The implementation of EDI interfaces using the B2B Add-on for SAP CPI has resulted in significant positive impacts on our client's integration landscape:

Enhanced B2B Integration Efficiency: Tarento's deployment of EDI interfaces, facilitated by the B2B Add-on for SAP CPI, has streamlined and simplified the B2B integration process.

This enhancement has enabled our client to achieve seamless integration with their business partners, fostering smoother and more efficient collaboration.

Accelerated Deployment of New Scenarios: The solutions led to a notable reduction in deployment time for new integration scenarios. This increased agility allows our client to respond swiftly to evolving business requirements, ensuring quicker adaptation to changing market dynamics.

These impactful outcomes underscore Tarento's commitment to delivering solutions that not only address immediate challenges but also contribute to the long-term efficiency, adaptability, and success of our client's integration initiatives.