Suppose you want to find the bapi for creating a sales order, you usually use transaction VA01 for this.
1. Find out the package of the transaction.
Start Va01 go to system --> status.
Double click on transaction
Package is VA
Open this package in SE80
Open "business engineering"-->"Business object types"
Find the BO which sounds the most appropriate
I would suggest BUS2032 Sales Order
Double click.
Open methods.
Find the released method with from data or something similar in the name
, Createfromdat2
Position the cursor in it and click the program button
Scroll down to find the bapi used in this method
With this way you can also find out programs and FM's
2. Start va01 go to system-->status
Double click transaction VA01
Double click on package
Read the application component. (this is SD-SLS Sales)
Then open the transaction BAPI
Sales and distribution-->Sales-->sales order
createfromdat2