We will learn about…
• What is Data Dictionary• Data Dictionary Objects• System Fields• Creating custom table• Internal Tables• Foreign Keys & Cardinality• Structures• Views
What is Data Dictionary
• is a system independent
interface to the database
• is a virtual database ( data
about data)
• provides data for data
manipulation and data
processing
• Also called as DDIC and ABAP
Dictionary
Elementary Data Types
Type Explanation
C Text (Character)
N Numeric text
D Date (DDMMYYYY)
T Time (HHMMSS)
X Hexadecimal
I Integer
P Packed Number
F Floating point number
Domain• A Domain describes the technical structure of a field that is its size and
its data types.
• Domains are attached to Data Elements
• Fields which refer to the same domain (with the assigned data elements), are also changed when the domain is changed. This ensures that the fields are consistent
• Defines a value range which describes the valid data values for all the fields which refer to this domain
Domain
MATNR
CLNT
Table MARA
Data Element
Data Element
• A data element gives the description of the field of the Table
• Examples of predefined data elements in SAP– LIFNR– KUNNR– MATNR– CLNT
Difference between Domain & Data Element
Domain Data Element
Defines Technical Attributes such as data type, length, allowed values, etc.
Defines semantic attributes such as display length, short text, long text, etc
A domain can be part of several data elements
A Data Element can point to only one domain
Used to define data elements, restrict values (using value range, value table, etc)
Used to define fields of tables and screens
Tables
• Tables are containers which stores data in the form of record
• They are a central component of the SAP R/3 Application• One or more fields form a data record (also known as tupel)
• A number of data records of the same type form a table• Examples of few SAP defined tables
– MARA : Material Master
Tables Contd…
The table definition contains the following components
Table fields: defines the field names and data types of
the fields contained in the table.
Foreign Keys: defines the relationships between the
table and other tables.
Technical Settings: control how the table should be
created on the database.
Indexes: speed up the selection of data from the table.
Creating a Transparent Table – Step 1 of 6
Enter the Name of the table (should begin with “Z” or “Y”)
Enter the Name of the table (should begin with “Z” or “Y”)
Press the Create ButtonPress the Create Button
Creating a Transparent Table – Step 2 of 6
Enter a description (short text)
Maintain delivery class
Table maintenance attribute
After making all entries, Press the “Fields” Tab
After making all entries, Press the “Fields” Tab
Creating a Transparent Table – Step 3 of 6
Maintain field attributes
Maintain data elements
After making all entries, Press the “Technical Settings” Button
After making all entries, Press the “Technical Settings” Button
Creating a Transparent Table – Step 4 of 6
After making all entries, Press the Save Button. Once Technical Settings are save, Press the “Back” Button (F3)
After making all entries, Press the Save Button. Once Technical Settings are save, Press the “Back” Button (F3)
Creating a Transparent Table – Step 5 of 6
Save, Check and Activate the Table. After that Press the “Indexes” Button on the Application Toolbar
Save, Check and Activate the Table. After that Press the “Indexes” Button on the Application Toolbar
Creating a Transparent Table – Step 6 of 6Steps to create an index
After entering the Index Fields and other parameters, save and activate the index, Z01
After entering the Index Fields and other parameters, save and activate the index, Z01
SAP Transparent Tables
• Example of few SAP Transparent Tables– MARA : General Material Data– VBAK : Sales Document: Header Data– KNA1 : General Data in Customer Master
• Example of SAP Cluster Table– BSEG : Accounting Document Segment
Tables Contd…
• Foreign Keys– Uses
• Maintain data integrity
• Provide help texts
• Create aggregate dictionary objects
– Prerequisites• The foreign key text field and primary key of the check table must
share the same domain
• A value table must exist for that domain
Tables Contd…
• Cardinality
– Cardinality defines the type of
relationship between two tables
– The cardinality of a foreign key
indicates how many dependent
records a record in a check
table may have
1 : 1
1 : C
1 : N
1 : CN
Cardinality Types
System fields
• SAP has a system table named syst. It stores all the system related data
• Examples of few fields in this table are– Sy-datum : System Date– Sy-langu : System Language– Sy-subrc : System check– Sy-uzeit : System time
SAP Data
ConfigurationData
MasterData
TransactionData
SystemData
• Sales Orders• Purchase Orders• Journal Entries• Goods Receipts
• G/L Accounts• Vendors• Materials• Stock Locations
• Metadata• Programs• Documentation• System Settings
• Currency Codes• Order Types• Payment Terms• Field Status Codes
Structures
• A structure is defined like a table in the ABAP Dictionary and can then be accessed from within ABAP programs
• Contain data temporarily during program runtime
• The same data elements and domains can be used in structures as in tables