How to handle SOAP Fault Messages in SAP CPI?

Understanding SOAP Fault Messages

The SOAP protocol is probably something you are familiar with if you work with SAP Cloud Platform Integration (CPI). In the area of web services, SOAP (Simple Object Access technology) is a commonly used communications technology. It is a reliable and adaptable protocol, but like any technology, it can have problems. Dealing with SOAP fault messages is one of the main problems that developers run across. This blog will examine SOAP fault messages and discuss how to successfully manage them in a SAP CPI context.

A standardised method of expressing mistakes or exceptions that happen when processing SOAP requests is through fault messages. These alerts provide insightful details about what went wrong, making it simpler to identify and fix problems.

Structure of SOAP Fault Message

A SOAP fault message typically consists of the following elements:

1. Fault Code: This indicates the type of error, such as "Client" for client-side errors or "Server" for server-side errors.
2. Fault String: A human-readable description of the error, providing insights into what caused the problem.
3. Fault Actor: This field specifies which part of the message processing caused the fault. In most cases, it's not used.
4. Detail: An optional element that provides additional information about the error. This can be particularly useful for debugging.

Handling SOAP Fault Message

Let us consider a integration flow in which we have called the SOAP webservice using SOAP adapter whose simple scenario you can see below. We have also used the exception subprocess to check the fault message. We have send the exception message using mail adapter.

In Mail adapter we have used the Mail adapter to send the exception message to the receiver, if there is any fault.. We used the ${exception.message}, to check the exception message.

After we saved and deployed the integration flow successfully, we encountered an exception that we can view in the Trace mode's payload.

However, this information isn't sufficient to understand the SOAP fault message. To get a better understanding, we looked at the Log Content of the failed SOAP step in the MMP (Monitor Message Processing) and found that the Error Detail contains the relevant information about the SOAP failure.

This information is helpful for checking the Error Fault at the receiver's end. Unfortunately, there isn't a pre-built function available to directly retrieve these details. In such cases, we need to rely on a manual "Groovy Script" for assistance.

Add the Groovy Script step in the integration flow.

Add the below mentioned Groovy Script whcih will help to fetch the Log Content, Error Details.

Once you successfully deploy the integration flow you will be see the Error Detail of the SOAP fault message, as the payload of the Mail adapter which a receiver will receive.

Conclusion

In conclusion, handling SOAP fault messages in SAP CPI is crucial for maintaining the reliability and performance of your integration processes. By understanding the causes of SOAP faults and implementing effective strategies like robust error handling, logging, automatic retry, alerting, and detailed error messages, you can streamline your integration workflows and minimize disruptions.

Remember, in the world of integration, errors are inevitable, but how you handle them defines your success. Embrace these strategies, and your SAP CPI integration will run smoothly, ensuring seamless communication and data exchange across your enterprise.

So, the next time a SOAP fault message appears on your radar, you'll be well-prepared to tackle it head-on, ensuring the continued success of your SAP CPI integration projects.