(a) Introduction

SAP Multi Bank connectivity is a cloud-based solution which helps to connect multiple banks. The MBC solution has embedded SWIFT connectivity. Organization needs to interact with banks on daily basis. Customers need to send and receive multiple files from bank. Several measures of Security have been provided by MBC to enable secure communication with banks.

Communication with bank was happening even without SAP MBC being in place. However, with introduction of SAP MBC, communication with bank has become very convenient and cost effective.

(b) Key Benefits of MBC

• No host to host connection is required.
• Real time responses and data updates since MBC is closely integrated with BCM.
• No more difficult to change business to another bank once a host to host connection is established.
• Decrease in operational cost to maintain connections with multiple banks.

(c) Files supported by MBC (Inbound & Outbound)

SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity supports both inbound & outbound files.

1. Outbound Messages from SAP System to Bank

Below are the available module through which message can be send from SAP to Bank:-

• Payment Program (Tcode:- F111 & F110)
• FI-CA
• Employee Central Payroll
• Advanced Payment Management

2. Inbound Messages from Bank to SAP Customer

Below are the available scenario through which message can be receive from Bank to SAP:-

1. Payments

Payment Acknowledgement

Intraday Statements

End of day Statement

Lockbox

2. Confirmations

MT300/MT320

3. Bank fee reports

Bank Service billing- To import bank fee file

(d) Implementation

1. Prerequisites for Implementation

The following prerequisites need to be met for the installation of SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity:

• Connector for SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity Installation:

The connector for SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity add-on installation is a prerequisite for SAP ECC releases and SAP S/4HANA systems up to release 1809. See How to install BSNAGT 200. It is highly recommended to install the most recent support package available.

In SAP S/4HANA releases from version 1909, the connector is part of the S4CORE component and can be upgraded together with SAP S/4HANA support packages.

• Review the SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity Bank Preboarding Guide for relevant information required by the corporate’s financial institutions.
• Request the SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity tenant URLs and certificate packs from your SAP Onboarding team representative.

2. MBC Connectivity Channels

There are two connectivity channels that can be used to connect your ERP system to SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity:

1. HTTP connectivity (recommended by SAP)-

Synchronous message communication channel between the customer ERP and the corporate SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity tenant.

2. XI engine

XI protocol used to exchange messages between the customer ERP and the corporate SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity tenant.

Below settings/configurations have been done based on HTTP connectivity channel.

3. Settings need to be performed by Technical team to enable MBC Connectivity

(a) Sending SSL Client Public Certificate to SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity Team

To exchange messages with SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity, during onboarding, each organization must provide a certificate that is signed by an SAP trusted certificate authority (CA) to the SAP Onboarding team.

The SAP team installs the certificate on your SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity tenant to allow for authorization of the connection. You need to:

• Export certificates (TCODE- STRUST)
• E-mail the certificates to the SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity Onboarding team

(b) Set up RFC Destinations (Tcode-SM59)

To establish the connectivity to SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity via HTTP, you need to set up the below RFC destinations for both incoming & outgoing communication.

Note:- Provided SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity tenant URLs need to updated in below RFC’s

4. Preparing Outbound Payment

This section details the configuration of outbound payments using Payment Medium Workbench (PMW) as the default payment engine.

The File Pick-up Report in the connector for SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity facilitates the automated and regular transmission of data to SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity that has not been generated from PMW.

1. Payment Medium Workbench (PMW)/ DMEE: An SAP ERP tool that provides transformation and enrichment.

Assign payment medium type SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity Connector to the relevant payment medium format.

Tcode:- OBPM1

2. Files: SAP ERP Financials provides built in programs to produce and read files.

The File Pick-up Report in the connector for SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity facilitates the automated and regular transmission of data to SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity that has not been generated from PMW.

The File Pick-Up Report allows the connector for SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity to retrieve or pick up files from a predefined folder on the application server or network share, in the event that the customer wishes to transmit files to SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity that have not been generated in Payment Medium Workbench (PMW), for example, files routinely generated by an external system such as external payroll.

Connector for SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity provides a file interface that relies on logical file path configurations. The Pick-up Files report integrates the connector with other processes and third-party applications running on your SAP application server, that is, business processes other than an SAP ERP payment run. The Pick-up Files report reads files from a defined directory on the application server, and uses them to create messages in the appropriate format for SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity.

5. Configuration

Below are the configurations steps for Multi bank connectivity.

1. Number Range
   Customizing Path – SPRO -> SAP Reference IMG -> Multi-Bank Connectivity Connector -> Maintain Number Range for Message ID

2. SSF Application Parameters

Customizing Path – SPRO -> SAP Reference IMG -> Multi-Bank Connectivity Connector -> Maintain SSF Application Parameters

3. Maintain Secure Store & Forward (SSF) Profile Data

Customizing Path – SPRO -> SAP Reference IMG -> Multi-Bank Connectivity Connector -> Maintain Secure Store & Forward (SSF) Profile Data

4. Maintain Selection Variants for Bank Account

Customizing Path – SPRO -> SAP Reference IMG -> Multi-Bank Connectivity Connector -> Maintain Selection Variants for Bank Account

You need to set up the bank statement variant created for a given message type. You maintain the variant for a Sender ID/ Receiver ID and Message Type. The system processes incoming messages according to the message type specified in the web service interface.

For MT940 (bank statement), MX camt.053 and MT942 (account report), or MX camt.052, the report RFEBKA00 (transaction FF.5) is executed with the relevant variant, as configured in this customizing activity.

5. Maintain Sender/Receiver ID Mappings (Optional)

Customizing Path – SPRO -> SAP Reference IMG -> Multi-Bank Connectivity Connector -> Maintain Selection Variants for Bank Account

You can define a custom Sender ID for a Message Type and/or Receiver ID. For example, you can define different Sender IDs for communicating with different banks.

These custom Sender IDs are used by the connector for SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity when a message is created. For payment messages created using Payment Medium Workbench, the system uses the Customer Number maintained at house bank level as the Sender ID. Corresponding Custom Sender ID entries are ignored.

However, the system uses the Custom Sender ID you maintain in this customizing step as a fallback. It is used if the Customer Number has not been maintained at house bank level.

6. Maintain Inbound Processing Steps

Customizing Path – SPRO -> SAP Reference IMG -> Multi-Bank Connectivity Connector -> Maintain Inbound Processing Steps

Customers can select the option to download the file and customers can manually update bank statement. In such a case, the MBC connector downloads the file in application server.

7. Maintain Routing Settings (If Connected via HTTP)

Customizing Path – SPRO -> SAP Reference IMG -> Multi-Bank Connectivity Connector -> Maintain Routing Settings

To send messages via HTTP API, you need to configure routing settings accordingly

8. Maintain Pull Types (If Connected via HTTP)

Customizing Path – SPRO -> SAP Reference IMG -> Multi-Bank Connectivity Connector -> Maintain Pull Types

To pull from SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity via HTTP API, you need to set up a default Pull Type that uses the Pull Category HTTP API.

6. Key points to remember

1. SAP MBC have two tenant-one for Production & one for Test.
2. SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity tenant URLs need to be updated in below:-  (a) Configuration (Section 5.3- Maintain Secure Store & Forward (SSF) Profile Data) (b) Certification (Tcode STRUST)
3. Make sure SAP Certificate validity have not been expired.
4. SAP MBC need to be connected via one connectivity channel only (XI Engine or HTTP)
5. SAP Connector monitor (Tcode /BSNAGT/MONITOR is used to monitor your incoming as well as outgoing files send or received via MBC.
6. Pull job (Tcode- /BSNAGT/MSG_PULL) need to be scheduled for pulling all incoming files from MBC into SAP.
7. RFC connection test need to be performed in each client and make sure to have HTTP 500 response.
8. Variant need to be defined in FF_5 for incoming Bank Statements.

7. FAQ/ Issues faced in MBC connectivity.

1. File have been received however facing decryption data error.

The necessary SSFA settings have not been entered correctly.

See Maintaining Secure Store and Forward (SSF) Profile Data, and ensure you have accurately copied from STRUST and pasted the subject of the SAP MLS Certificate into the Signatory / Recipient Name field, and that all the boxes are selected for the MLS activities in the SSFA configuration screen (Sign / Encrypt / Decrypt / Verify). Ask your bank to resend the data.

2. Unable to send Outgoing files to MBC itself.

Make sure to do the necessary set up for MBC connectivity channel (need to set up only one)

If its HTTP connectivity channel is used, ensure to do set up for Maintain Pull Type, Maintain Routing settings and relevant RFC connections.

3. Result of RFC destination is not HTTP 500 in Tcode SM59

As part of the configuration, run a connectivity test on each destination. If the result of the connectivity test is not an HTTP:500 response, see the following:

HTTP: 401 Response – This indicates that the client certificate of the ERP system is not authorized on SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity. Ensure that the RFC destination references the SSL Client Standard/ DFAULT key store.

After verifying, and if the issue persists, contact your appointed SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity Onboarding team member to validate that the ERP system SSL certificates are maintained correctly in SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity.

HTTP: 403 / 404 Response – This indicates that the endpoint provided by SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity has been incorrectly configured in the system. Ensure that you have correctly entered the URL received from SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity.

Happy Learning 🙂