This manual provides a complete overview of the procedures involved in configuring hardware and communication connections with the STEP 7 software. It is designed to support you when depicting the hardware configuration in the form of a STEP 7 project and describes how to establish data exchange between automation systems. The manual is intended for people who are involved in carrying out control tasks using STEP 7 and SIMATIC S7 automation systems. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the examples in the manual "Working with STEP 7 , Getting Started." These examples provide an easy introduction to the topic.