ERP SAP ABAP

2006-07-09T03:12:00.000-07:00

Supply Chain Management

A supply chain is a network of facilities and distribution options that performs the functions of procurement of materials, transformation of these materials into intermediate and finished products, and the distribution of these finished products to customers. Supply chains exist in both service and manufacturing organizations, although the complexity of the chain may vary greatly from industry to industry and firm to firm.

Supply Chain Decisions
We classify the decisions for supply chain management into two broad categories -- strategic and operational. As the term implies, strategic decisions are made typically over a longer time horizon. These are closely linked to the corporate strategy (they sometimes {\it are} the corporate strategy), and guide supply chain policies from a design perspective. On the other hand, operational decisions are short term, and focus on activities over a day-to-day basis. The effort in these type of decisions is to effectively and efficiently manage the product flow in the "strategically" planned supply chain.
There are four major decision areas in supply chain management: 1) location, 2) production, 3) inventory, and 4) transportation (distribution), and there are both strategic
and operational elements in each of these decision areas.

2006-06-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

Plant Maintenance (PM)

IW31 Create Plant Maintenance Order

IW32 Change Plant Maintenance Order

IW33 Display Plant Maintenance Order

IW34 Create Notification Order

IW51 Create Service Notification

IW52 Change Service Notification

IW53 Display Service Notification

IW54 Create Service Notification :Problem notification

IW55 Create Service Notification :Activity Request

IW56 Create Service Notification :Service Request

IW57 Assign deletion Flag to Completed Service Notifications

IW58 Change Service Notifications: Selection of Notification

IW59 Display Service Notifications: Selection of Notification

Production Planning

C001 Create Production Order

C005N Collective Release

C011N Time Ticket

C012 Confirmation - Collective

C013 Confirmation - Cancel

C00IS Production order information system

C0GI Reprocess Goods Movements

C223 Maintain production version

General Notes

You can execute the following commands in the transaction code (tcode) field with Enter. You will find some useful transaction codes below to work in tandem with the following commands:
To call a transaction - In the same session (window) Enter: /nxxxx (xxxx = transaction code). - In an additional session, Enter: /oxxxx (xxxx = transaction code).
If you enter this function before any of the tcodes below, you are able to break out of your current screen/business and begin a completely new session. Otherwise, the current business process has to be terminated, and return to the initial user screen (the main menu) has to be initiated before entering tcode spro). /o tcode saves you the effort of having to do this.
To end the current transaction Enter: /n. Caution: Unsaved changes are lost without warning
To delete the current session. Enter: /i.
To generate a session list Enter: /o.
To log off from the system Enter: /nend.
From John O'Meara
OSS Note 0026171 has additional information on OKCodes in SAP, and is a very useful read

BASIS/ABAP

USMM Pressing F8 will display all hotpacks applied.

SEARCH_SAP_MENU Show the menu path to use to execute a given tcode. You can search by transaction code or menu text.

DI02 ABAP/4 Repository Information System: Tables.

LSMW Legacy System Migration Workbench. An addon available from SAP that can make data converstion a lot easier. Thanks to Serge Desland for this one.

OSS1 SAP Online Service System

OY19 Compare Tables

SM13 Update monitor. Will show update tasks status. Very useful to determine why an update failed.

S001 ABAP Development Workbench

S001 ABAP/4 Development Weorkbench. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

S002 System Administration. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SA38 Execute a program. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SCAT Computer Aided Test Tool

SCU0 Compare Tables

SE01 Old Transport & Corrections screen

SE03 Groups together most of the tools that you need for doing transports. In total, more than 20 tools can be reached from this one transaction.

SE09 Workbench Organizer

SE10 New Transport & Correction screen

SE11 ABAP/4 Dictionary Maintenance SE12 ABAP/4 Dictionary Display SE13 Maintain Technical Settings (Tables)

SE12 Dictionary: Initial Screen - enter object name. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SE13 Access tables in ABAP/4 Dictionary. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SE14 Utilities for Dictionary Tables

SE15 ABAP/4 Repository Information System

SE16 Data Browser: Initial Screen. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SE16N Table Browser (the N stands for New, it replaces SE16). Provided by Smijo Mathew.

SE17 General Table Display

SE24 Class Builder

SE30 ABAP/4 Runtime Analysis

SE32 ABAP/4 Text Element Maintenance

SE35 ABAP/4 Dialog Modules

SE36 ABAP/4: Logical Databases

SE37 ABAP/4 Function Modules

SE38 ABAP Editor

SE39 Splitscreen Editor: Program Compare

SE41 Menu Painter

SE43 Maintain Area Menu

SE48 Show program call hierarchy. Very useful to see the overall structure of a program. Thanks to Isabelle Arickx for this tcode.

SE49 Table manipulation. Show what tables are behind a transaction code. Thanks to Isabelle Arickx for this tcode.

SE51 Screen Painter: Initial Screen. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SE54 Generate View Maintenance Module

SE61 R/3 Documentation

SE62 Industry utilities

SE63 Translation

SE64 Terminology

SE65 R/3 document. short text statistics SE66 R/3 Documentation Statistics (Test!)

SE68 Translation Administration

SE71 SAPscript layout set

SE71 SAPScript Layouts Create/Change

SE72 SAPscript styles

SE73 SAPscript font maintenance (revised)

SE74 SAPscript format conversion

SE75 SAPscript Settings

SE76 SAPscript Translation Layout Sets

SE77 SAPscript Translation Styles

SE80 ABAP/4 Development Workbench

SE81 SAP Application Hierarchy

SE82 Customer Application Hierarchy

SE83 Reuse Library. Provided by Smiho Mathew.

SE84 ABAP/4 Repository Information System

SE85 ABAP/4 Dictionary Information System

SE86 ABAP/4 Repository Information System

SE87 Data Modeler Information System

SE88 Development Coordination Info System

SE91 Maintain Messages

SE92 Maintain system log messages

SE93 Maintain Transaction. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SEARCH_SAP_MENU From the SAP Easy Access screen, type it in the command field and you will be able to search the standard SAP menu for transaction codes / keywords. It will return the nodes to follow for you.

SEU Object Browser

SHD0 Transaction variant maintenance

SM04 Overview of Users (cancel/delete sessions)

SM12 Lock table entries (unlock locked tables)

SM21 View the system log, very useful when you get a short dump. Provides much more info than short dump

SM30 Maintain Table Views. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SM31 Table Maintenance

SM32 Table maintenance

SM35 View Batch Input Sessions

SM37 View background jobs

SM50 Process Overview. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SM51 Delete jobs from system (BDC)

SM62 Display/Maintain events in SAP, also use function BP_EVENT_RAISE

SMEN Display the menu path to get to a transaction

SMOD/CMOD Transactions for processing/editing/activating new customer enhancements.

SNRO Object browser for number range maintenance. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SPRO Start SAP IMG (Implementation Guide). (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

SQ00 ABAP/4 Query: Start Queries

SQ01 ABAP/4 Query: Maintain Queries

SQ02 ABAP/4 Query: Maintain Funct. Areas

SQ03 ABAP/4 Query: Maintain User Groups

SQ07 ABAP/4 Query: Language Comparison

ST05 Trace SQL Database Requests. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

ST22 ABAP Dump analysis

SU53 Display Authorization Values for User. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

WEDI EDI Menu. IDOC and EDI base.

WE02 Display an IDOC

WE07 IDOC Statistics

Human Resources

PA03 Change Payroll control record

PA20 Display PA Infotypes

PA30 Create/Change PA Infotypes

PP02 Quick Entry for PD object creation

PU00 Delete PA infotypes for an employee. Will not be able to delete an infotype if there is cluster data assigned to the employee.

Sales and Distribution (SD)

OLSD Config for SD. Use Tools-Data Transfer-Conditions to setup SAP supplied BDC to load pricing data

VA01 Create Sales/Returns Order:Initial Screen

VB21 Transaction for Volume Lease Purchases (done as a sales deal)

VK15 Transaction used to enter multiple sales conditions (most will be entered here)

SAP Office

SO00 send a note through SAP, can be sent to internet, X400, etc

FI Financial Management

FGRP Report Writer screen

FM12 View blocked documents by user

FST2 Insert language specific name for G/L account. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

FST3 Display G/L account name. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

KEA0 Maintain operating concern. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

KEKE Activate CO-PA. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

KEKK Assign operating concern. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

KL04 Delete activity type. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

KS04 Delete a cost centre. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

KSH2 Change cost centre group - delete. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

OBR2 Deletion program for customers, vendors, G/L accounts. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

OKC5 Cost element/cost element group deletion. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

OKE1 Delete transaction data. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

OKE2 Delete a profit centre. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

OKI1 Determine Activity Number: Activity Types (Assignment of material number/service to activity type) (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

OMZ1 Definition of partner roles. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

OMZ2 Language dependent key reassignment for partner roles. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

Material Management (MM)

MM06 Flag material for deletion. (from john.omeara@syskoplan.ie)

OLMS- materials management configuration menu, most of the stuff under this menu is not under the implementation guide

MM configuration transactions

OLMB- Inventory management/Physical Inventory

OLMD- MM Consumption-Based Planning

OLME- MM Purchasing

OLML- Warehouse Management

OLMR- Invoice Verification

OLMS Material Master data

OLMW- MM Valuation/Account Assignment

Config Related

OLE OLE demo transaction

OLI0 C Plant Maintenance Master Data

OLI1 Set Up INVCO for Material Movements

OLI8 Set Up SIS for Deliveries

OLIA C Maintenance Processing

OLIP C Plant Maintenance Planning

OLIQ New set-up of QM info system

OLIX Set Up Copying/Deleting of Versions

OLIY Set Up Deletion of SIS/Inter.Storage

OLIZ Stat Set Up INVCO: Invoice Verif

OLM2 Customizing: Volume-Based Rebates

OLMB C RM-MAT Inventory Management Menu

OLMD C RM-MAT MRP Menu

OLME C MM Menu: Purchasing

OLML C MM Menu for Warehouse Management

OLMR C RM-MAT Menu: Invoice Verification

OLMS C RM-MAT Master Data Menu

OLMW C RM-MAT Valuation/Acct. Assgt. Menu

OLPA SOP Configuration

OLPE Sales order value

OLPK Customizing for capacity planning

OLPR Project System Options

OLPS Customizing Basic Data

OLPV Customizing: Std. Value Calculation

OLQB C QM QM in Procurement

OLQI Analysis

OLQM Customizing QM Quality Notifications

OLQS C QM Menu Basic Data

OLQW C QM Inspection Management

OLQZ Quality Certificates

OLS1 Customizing for Rebates

OLSD Customizing: SD

OLVA C SD Sales Menu

OLVD C SD Shipping Menu

OLVF C SD Billing Menu

OLVS C SD Menu for Master Data

SPRO Start SAP IMG (Implementation Guide).

2006-06-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

IDOC type and IDOC. An Intermediate Document (IDOC) type represents the structure of the data associated with a message type (DEBMAS02 for message type DEBMAS — Customer Master, and WMMBID02 for message type WMMBXY— Goods Movements), while an IDOC is an object containing the data of a particular message type. IDOCs are data containers with intelligence built in. Each IDOC contains one and only one business object. For example, an IDOC of type SHPMNT01, message type SHPMNT, will contain data only of one Shipment Document. Generally, the architecture of an IDOC is independent of the message type by virtue of ALE’s ability to redefine it for any message type.

An IDOC consists of three record types: the control record, the data record, and the status record (see Figure 1).

• The control record, or EDI_DC, is a control structure that contains several fields with information about the IDOC, such as what IDOC type it is, the message type, sender and receiver information, and direction (1 for outbound, 2 for inbound). This information provides control data on the outbound, and processing options on an inbound IDOC. It also has as its key the Client (MANDT) and the IDOC number (DOCNUM). The EDI_DC record of an IDOC is stored in table EDIDC. Every IDOC has one control record.

• The data record, which conforms to the structure EDI_DD, contains the application data. Every EDI_DD record has a key portion that is 55 bytes in length (or 63, depending on the SAP release), which consists of several fields describing the content of the record. The key of 55/63 bytes is followed by a field SDATA, which is 1000 bytes in length and of data type Long Character. The SDATA field holds the application data, and its structure is determined by the key field SEGNAM (Segment Name). An IDOC consists of one or more data records, and its sequence and structure are dictated by the sequence and structure of segments in a given IDOC type. The SDATA portion of the data record is redefined for every occurrence based on the structure of the segment, with the first 55/63 bytes of the data record identifying the segment name, sequence, and hierarchy. In an outbound interface, ALE/EDI function modules populate these segments with application data. In an inbound interface, the application modules process the data contained in the segments. Data records are stored on table EDID2 that belongs to the cluster EDI30C.

In SAP, from a Data Dictionary perspective, IDOC segments adhere to a naming convention. Each segment has three components, each marked by a different prefix —E1 for segment type, E2 for segment definition, and E3 for segment documentation. For example, the first segment of IDOC type DEBMAS02 is E1KNA1M. Its definition is contained in structure E2KNA1M, and its documentation is in E3KNA1M. When the IDOC is externalized, we see the segment name addressed by its E2 prefix. For all practical purposes, we will use only the E2 prefix when referring to IDOC segments. Also, most segment names represent Data Dictionary tables.

• The status record conforms to the dictionary structure EDI_DS. It contains information on the state of the IDOC as it passes through the various stages of processing. The STATUS field has a length of two bytes (data type CHAR), with a range of values: 01–41 for outbound and 50–73 for inbound IDOCs. The status record also includes date and timestamps for when that particular state was reached. The status records maintain a history of the IDOC states. An IDOC may have one or more status records, which are stored in table EDIDS (see Figure 2, page 82). These records can be accessed or created only by SAP function modules (APIs), and are not externalized.

IDOC objects consist of a Basic IDOC type, an Extension type, and an IDOC type.

In an R/3 system, IDOCs are identified by a unique IDOC number (field DOCNUM), and all three record types are tied together with this number. The IDOC number is internally assigned by SAP. It is possible to maintain the number range of IDOCs.

You can display information about IDOC record types by executing transaction WE61 or using the following menu path from the main R/3 menu: Tools -> Administration -> Administration -> Process Technology -> IDOC -> IDOC Basis (*) -> Documentation -> IDOC Record Types. You can reach IDOC Basis (*) by executing transaction WEDI, which is frequently used in ALE and EDI. You can display information about IDOC types, such as DEBMAS02 and INVOIC01 by executing transaction WE60 or using the following menu path from WEDI: Documentation -> IDOC types.

2006-06-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

1. What is CRM?

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. It is a process or methodology used to learn more about customers' needs and behaviors in order to develop stronger relationships with them. There are many technological components to CRM, but thinking about CRM in primarily technological terms is a mistake. The more useful way to think about CRM is as a process that will help bring together lots of pieces of information about customers, sales, marketing effectiveness, responsiveness and market trends.

CRM helps businesses use technology and human resources to gain insight into the behavior of customers and the value of those customers.

2. CRM Software
Sales Force Automation
o Contact management
Contact management software stores, tracks and manages contacts, leads of an enterprise.
o Lead management
Enterprise Lead management software enables an organization to manage, track and forecast sales leads. Also helps understand and improve conversion rates.
eCRM or Web based CRM
o Self Service CRM
Self service CRM (eCRM) software Enables web based customer interaction, automation of email, call logs, web site analytics, campaign management.
o Survey Management Software
Survey Software automates an enterprise's Electronic Surveys, Polls, Questionnaires and enables understand customer preferences.
Customer Service
o Call Center Software
o Help Desk Software
Partner Relationship Management
o Contract Management Software
Contract Management Software enables an enterprise to create, track and manage partnerships, contracts, agreements.
Example: Upside Software, Accruent Software, diCarta, I-Many.
o Distribution management Software

3. Advantages of CRM
Using CRM, a business can:
o Provide better customer service
o Increase customer revenues
o Discover new customers
o Cross sell/Up Sell products more effectively
o Help sales staff close deals faster
o Make call centers more efficient
o Simplify marketing and sales processes
The types of data CRM projects collect
o Responses to campaigns
o Shipping and fulfillment dates
o Sales and purchase data
o Account information
o Web registration data
o Service and support records
o Demographic data
o Web sales data

1. What is Business Process Management - BPM?

Business Process Management or BPM, is the practice of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of any organization by automating the organization's business processes. BPM used to be also know as Business Process Reengineering (BPR).
Many companies have business processes that are unique to its business model. Since these processes tend to evolve over time as the business reacts to market conditions, the BPM solution you choose must be easily adaptable to the new conditions and requirements and continue to be a perfect fit for the company.
In order to use BPM effectively, organizations must stop focusing exclusively on data and data management, and adopt a process-oriented approach that makes no distinction between work done by a human and a computer.
o The idea of BPM is to bring processes, people and information together.
o Dynamic infrastructure requires separation of flows, business rules and services.
o Identifying the business processes is relatively easy. Breaking down the barriers between business areas, and finding owners for the processes is difficult.
o BPM not only involves managing business processes within the enterprise but also involves real-time integration of the processes of a company with those of its suppliers, business partners, and customers.
o BPM involves looking at automation horizontally instead of vertically.
o Business Activity Monitoring (BAM) is essential for measurement of BPM impact.
Examples of BPM tasks that your organization performs that should be automated include:
o Expense Reports Travel Requests
o Purchase Orders Human Resource Management
o New Accounts and Credit Authorizations Sales Orders
o Project Management Software Change Management
The following example illustrates the power of BPM:
When a B2B partner needs some inventory, he can log into the web site and order required inventory. An email will be generated and sent to the supervisor responsible for the partner's inventory. The supervisor can click on the link in the email, login to the site and approve the inventory. The partner will be notified of the allocation and the inventory will be shipped.

2. BPM Components

A Business Process Management (BPM) Solution has Six Components:
BPM IDE. Business Process Management (BPM) IDE is an integrated design environment used to design processes, rules, events and exceptions. Creating a structured definition of each process is very important to any business and the IDE enables a business user to design all processes with no help from IT.
Process Engine. The process engine of a Business Process Management solution keeps track of the states and variables for all of the active processes. Within a complex system, there could be thousands of processes with interlocking records and data.
User Directory. Administrators define people in the system by name, department, role and even potential authority level. This directory will enable tasks to be sent automatically to the defined resources.
Workflow. This is the communication infrastructure that forwards tasks to the appropriate individual.
Reporting/Process monitoring. Enables users to track the performance of their current processes and the performance of personnel who are executing these processes.
Integration. Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) and/or Web services is critical to BPM as business processes will require data from disparate systems throughout the organization.

3. What is Business Activity Monitoring or BAM?
Business Activity Monitoring or BAM, is the the automated monitoring of business process activity affecting an enterprise. BAM is generally implemented as a module of ERP, BI, EAI or BPM products. BAM requires a business to identify its Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and create a system that allows monitoring and responding to changes, preferably real time.
Virtually for everyone in a organization can benefit from BAM. Business Activity Monitoring enables a company to respond faster to new opportunities and threats. BAM is not just about technology, but about recognizing a business' KPIs and implementing the right technology in place to monitor them.
BAM provides Real-Time, Graphical Key Performance Indicators & Analysis
BAM enables control and manage ongoing business operations using closed-loop visibility.
BAM will enable you to respond quickly to change based on business events as they occur.
BAM enables zoom in on cross-process metrics with real-time analysis to determine which processes are creating bottlenecks or which customer is most profitable.
The Right Metrics
Creating an effective BAM environment is not only about having the right technology and processes. Enterprises should define the right set of metrics, which will prevent information overload and overreaction to business exception reports.

4. Business Process Management (BPM) Advantages
BPM makes it easy for companies to program their current processes, automate their execution, monitor their current performance and make on-the-fly changes to improve the current processes. The process managed enterprise is the company of the future.
A BPM software enables you to automate those tasks that are currently being performed manually. Many of these tasks require some type of application process, approval or rejection process, notifications and status reports. A BPM solution can make these processes automatic.
Handling exceptions is an area where BPM really shines. Organizations have few problems when its process run smoothly ninety nine percent of the time. However, it's the one percent that are exceptions that dominate the majority of the company's time and resources.
BPM is excellent for processes that extend beyond the boundaries of an enterprise and communicate with processes of the partners, customers, suppliers and vendors.
BPM Gives businesses the agility to stay competitive
BPM reduces the time elapsed in a business process
BPM Increases the productivity per person
Business process consists of many steps. A typical BPM initiative reduces the number of steps by 50%.
A Business Process needs many people and resources. A good BPM should reduce the number of resources needed for the same process.
BPM helps improve coordination across departments and geographic locations of a company

5. What is Workflow?
Workflow is an essential element of business process management (BPM).
Workflow is a term used to describe how work is defined and how work is allocated and scheduled.
Workflow defines the sequence and conditions based upon which work flows.
Workflow handles the routing of work between resources. The resources can be people, systems or machines.
Workflow manages the order in which these steps are handled.
Workflow enables employees to monitor and, reconfigure the flow of a business process as needed.
The following example illustrates a BPM workflow
In a content management business process, an editor edits the content and the manager approves the content. If you define editing of the content as a unit of work and approving the job as another unit of work, then the editing job needs to happen first for the approval job to start. Further, if the editing job fails, the approval job can't start

2006-06-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

4.6 C IDES installation procedure.

On Drive C:
1. Install Win2k server on
2. Install all drivers
3. Install IE6 SP1
4. Install Win2k SP4
5. Restart Computer

1. Modify network settings to use IP addr 192.168.1.27, add IPX, add NetBIOS
2. Increase Virtual Memory
3. Optimize file cashed for network apps
4. Add 192.168.1.27 srv1 SAPTRANSHOST
5. Create User - C11adm; Assign administrator privileges
6. Restart
7. Update DLL's from Kernal CD
8. Login as c11adm and continue installation

On Drive C:

1. Install oracle server+when listener config window pops up choose "typical config"
2. Stop all oracle services
3. Install oracle 8.1.7.1 hot fix for server – Manually copy folders see readme.txt after extracting sap81701srv.exe
4. Give all users access to ora_dba
5. Restart, login as c11adm and continue installation.

1. Install R3SETUP tool
2. Click R3SETUP.BAT on kernel CD (CD Drive:NTCommonR3setup.bat)
3. Install everything on drive E
4. logoff as per R3SETUP
5. logon as c11adm

1. Install Central Instance
2. Start>Programs>SAP system setup – install central instance
3. System name: C11
4. Instance: 00
5. domain:
6. transport host: SAPTRANSHOST
7. DB sys name: C11
8. DB inst host: srv1
9. Dir for SAP system: E:
10. Defaults for remaining entries
11. Location of kernel D:
12. Password 2X
13. Password 2X
14. SAP System Management Console will show up on desktop
15. Restart computer; login as c11adm.

1. Insert IDES CD1, copy D:IDESNTORADB_IDES.R3S to E:Usersc11admInstall.
2. Start>Programs>SAP System>Command file editor
3. Load DB_IDES.R3S, click install.
4. At 89% they will request a password for 'sapr3' pass word is 'sap'
5. At 94% you may need to start SAP in you SAPMMC then start the install up again
6. Import DOKCLUTX.EXT into database per IDES installation manual.

1. Once installation is complete upload SAP service packs
2. configure transports transaction ostms
3. Apply the latest SPAM/SAINT update
4. Apply service packs using transaction SPAM

Configure Transport Management System

Login as User DDIC
Password 19920706
/ostms
click on button transport routes (shift + F7)

Under Configuration status
Click on C11 (it is yellow)
Click on green check to activate it.

2006-06-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

What is the difference between internal tables and extract datasets?

The lines of an internal table always have the same structure. By using extract datasets, you can handle groups of data with different structure and get statistical figures from the grouped data.
You have to define the structure of the internal table at the begining. You need not define the structure of the extract dataset.
In contrast to internal tables, the system partly compresses extract datasets when storing them. This reduces the storage space required.
Internal tables require special work area for interface whereas extract datasets do not need a special work area for interface.

LOGICAL DATABASE.

What are logical databases? What are the advantages/disadvantages of logical databases?
Ans :- A Logical Database is a hierarchical structure of tables. Use the GET statement to process Logical Databases.
LDB consists of logically related tables grouped together – used for reading and processing data.
Advantages = 1. No need of programming for retrieval , meaning for data selection
2. Easy to use standard user interface, have check completeness of user input.

Disadvantages = 1. Fast in case of lesser no. of tables But if the table is in the lowest level of hierarchy, all upper level tables should be read so performance is slower.

Preparation of the data records by the L.D.B and reading of the data records in the actual report are accomplished with the command pair.
- Put and Get.

The three main elements of LDB are
- Structure, Selections, Database Program.

What sort of tables one can use in designing the hierarchy of a LDB ?
- Tables which are having Foreign key relations.

The structure of Logical Databases relfects the ________________ dependencies of hierarchical tables in the SAP System.
- Foreign key
If you want to improve the response time ( time to access data ) Logical DataBases permits you to achieve this using ______________
- VIEWS.
What are the advantages of Logical DataBases ?
- It offers an easy-to-use selection screen. You can modify the pre-generated selection screen to your needs. It offers check functions to check whether user input is complete, correct, and plausible. It offers reasonable data selections. It contains central authorization checks for database accesses. Enhancements such as improved performance immediately apply to all report programs that use the logical database.

2006-06-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

MODULARIZATION

What is Modularization and its benefits?
If the program contains the same or similar blocks of statements or it is required to process the same function several times, we can avoid redundancy by using modularization techniques. By modularizing the ABAP/4 programs we make them easy to read and improve their structure. Modularized programs are also easier to maintain and to update.

How can we create callable modules of program code within one ABAP/4 Program?
A. By defining macros.
By creating include programs in the library.

What are subroutines?
Subroutines are program modules which can be called from other ABAP/4 programs or within the same program.

What are the types of Subroutines?

Internal Subroutines: The source code of the internal subroutines will be in the same ABAP/4 program as the calling procedure (internal call).
External Subroutines: The source code of the external subroutines will be in an ABAP/4 program other than the calling procedure.

What are the different types of parameters?

Formal parameters: Parameters which are defined during the definition of subroutine with the FORM statement.

Actual parameters: Parameters which are specified during the call of a subroutine with the PERFORM statement.

How can one distinguish between different kinds of parameters?
A. Input parameters are used to pass data to subroutines.
Output parameters are used to pass data from subroutines.

What are the different methods of passing data?

Calling by reference: During a subroutine call, only the address of the actual parameter is transferred to the formal parameters. The formal parameter has no memory of its own, and we work with the field of the calling program within the subroutine. If we change the formal parameter, the field contents in the calling program also change.
Calling by value: During a subroutine call, the formal parameters are created as copies of the actual parameters. The formal parameters have memory of their own. Changes to the formal parameters have no effect on the actual parameters.
Calling by value and result: During a subroutine call, the formal parameters are created as copies of the actual parameters. The formal parameters have their own memory space. Changes to the formal parameters are copied to the actual parameters at the end of the subroutine.
The method by which internal tables are passed is By Reference.

What is the difference between the function module and a normal ABAP/4 subroutine?
In contrast to normal subroutines function modules have uniquely defined interface.
Sub routines do not return values.
Sub routines do not return exceptions.
Sub routines cannot be tested independently.
Declaring data as common parts is not possible for function modules. Function modules are stored in a central library.

What is a function group?
A function group is a collection of logically related modules that share global data with each other. All the modules in the group are included in the same main program. When an ABAP/4 program contains a CALL FUNCTION statement, the system loads the entire function group in with the program code at runtime. Every function module belongs to a function group.

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What is Locking ?
When two users simultaneously attempt to access the same data record, this is synchronised by a lock mechanism.

When dialog transactions are programmed, locks are set and released by calling certain function modules. These function modules are generated automatically from the definition of so-called lock objects in the ABAP/4 Dictionary.
To synchronize the access to a table by setting and removing locks, a Lock object has to be defined in the ABAP/4 Dictionary. Activating the lock object automatically creates function modules for setting and removing locks. These function modules must be included when programming interactive transactions.

Lock Mechanism :

To set locks, a lock object must be defined in the ABAP/4 Dictionary. In this lock object, those tables in which data records are to be locked by calling a lock are determined. All tables included in a lock object must be connected to each other via foreign keys. The key fields of the tables in a lock object form the Lock arguments for the tables. The lock arguments are the basis for formulating the logical condition for identifying the records to be locked.

When activating this lock object, two function modulesB with the names ENQUEUE_ and DEQUEUE_ are generated.

Example :

Problem :

You wish to prevent a user from being able to change the name of a course or the name of the professor with responsibility for the course at a time when another user is editing the course description (which contains this information).

Solution :

The problem described above can be solved by defining a lock object E_UKURS. This is done by defining primary and secondary tables in the lock object. Table UKURS is check table of table UKRSB, so UKURS should be selected as primary table and UKRSB as secondary table of the lock object.
The Lock argument in this case is the field combination FABNR, KRSNR, and SPRAS (i.e Primary Key Combination).
The Lock mode Shared is to be selected here. This allows several users to access the data simultaneously in display mode.
The lock mode in the generated function modules for setting (ENQUEUE_E_UKURS) and releasing (DEQUEUE_E_UKURS) locks is therefore set to shared as default, but can be overridden by calling the function modules.

If the function module ENQUEUE_E_UKURS is called with FABNR = '1' and KRSNR = '3', the record for course 3 in faculty 1 is locked in table UKURS. Furthermore, all the course descriptions for this course are locked in table UKRSB since field SPRAS was not specified when the function module was called. In such cases, the lock is made generically for a field which is not defined.
If the function module DEQUEUE_E_UKURS is now called with FABNR = '1', KRSNR = '3' and SPRAS = 'D', the German course description is unlocked. All other course descriptions remain locked.

What is database utility ?
Database utility is the interface between the ABAP/4 Dictionary and the underlying the SAP system.

The database utility is the interface between the ABAP/4 Dictionary and the relational database underlying the SAP system. You can call the database utility from the initial screen of the ABAP/4 Dictionary with Utilities ® Database utility.
The database utility allows you to create, delete and convert objects from the ABAP/4 Dictionary in the database.

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What is the maximum number of match code Id's that can be defined for one Match code object ?
- 36. A match code Id is a one character ID which can be a letter or a number.

Can we define our own Match Code ID's for SAP Matchcodes ?
Yes, the numbers 0 to 9 are reserved for us to create our own Match Code IDs for a SAP defined Matchcode object.

What is an Update type with reference to a Match code ID?
If the data in one of the base tables of a matchcode ID changes, the matchcode data has to be updated. The update type stipulates when the matchcode is to be updated and how it is to be done. The update type also specifies which method is to be used for Building matchcodes . You must specify the update type when you define a matchcode ID.

What are conversion routines ?
Non standard conversions from display format to sap internal format and vice-versa are implemented with so called conversion routines.

Aggregated Objects
Views, matchcodes, and lock objects are also called aggregate objects because they are formed from several related tables.

What is a View ?
- A view is a logical view on one or more tables. A view on one or more tables i.e, the data from a view is not actually physically stored instead being derived from one or more tables. A view can be used to summarize data which is distributed among several tables

How many types of Views are there ?

Database View (SE11)

Database views are implement an inner join, that is, only records of the primary table (selected via the join operation) for which the corresponding records of the secondary tables also exist are fetched. Inconsistencies between primary and secondary table could, therefore, lead to a reduced selection set.
In database views, the join conditions can be formulated using equality relationships between any base fields. In the other types of view, they must be taken from existing foreign keys. That is, tables can only be collected in a maintenance or help view if they are linked to one another via foreign keys.

Help View ( SE54)

Help views are used to output additional information when the online help system is called.
When the F4 button is pressed for a screen field, a check is first made on whether a matchcode is defined for this field. If this is not the case, the help view is displayed in which the check table of the field is the primary table. Thus, for each table no more than one help view can be created, that is, a table can only be primary table in at most one help view.

Projection View

Projection views are used to suppress or mask certain fields in a table (projection), thus minimizing the number of interfaces. This means that only the data that is actually required is exchanged when the database is accessed.
A projection view can draw upon only one table. Selection conditions cannot be specified for projection views.

Maintenance View ( SE54 )

Maintenance views enable a business-oriented approach to looking at data, while at
the same time, making it possible to maintain the data involved. Data from several
tables can be summarized in a maintenance view and maintained collectively via this
view. That is, the data is entered via the view and then distributed to the underlying
tables by the system.

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What is a data dictionary ?
Data dictionary is a central source of data in a data management system. Its main function is to support the .It has details about
- What data is contained ?
- What are the attributes of the data ?
- What is the relationship existing between the various data elements ?

What functions does a data dictionary perform ?
In a data management system, the principal functions performed by the data dictionary are
- Management of data definitions
- Provision of information for evaluation
- Support for software development
- Support form documentation
- Ensuring that the data definitions are flexible and up-to-date.

A field containing currency amounts (data type CURR) must be assigned to a reference table and a reference field. Explain.
As a reference table, a system table containing all the valid currencies is assigned or any other table which contains a field with the currency key format. This field is called as reference field.
The assignment of the field containing currency amounts to the reference field is made at runtime. The value in the reference field determines the currency of the amount.

What is the significance of Technical settings (specified while creating a table in the data dictionary) ?
By specifying technical settings we can control how database tables are created in the database.
The technical settings allows us to
- optimize storage space requiremnets
- table access behaviour
- buffering required
- changes to entries logged

What is the significance of Delivery Class ?
- The delivery class controls the degree to which the SAP or the customer is responsible for table maintenance
- whether SAP provides the table with or without contents.
- determines the table type.
- determines how the table behaves when it is first installed, at upgrade, when it is transported, and when a client copy is performed.

What is the maximum number of structures that can be included in a table or structure
- Nine.

What are the two methods of modifying Sap standard tables ?
- Append Structures and
- Customizing Includes.

What is the difference between a Substructure and an Append Structure ?
- In case of a substructure, the reference originates in the table itself, in the forma of a statement .include... .
In case of an append structure, the table itself remains unchanged and the refrence originates in the append structure.

What are the two ways for restricting the value range for a domain ?
- By specifying fixed values.
- By stipulating a value table.

What is a Match Code ?
Match Code is a tool to help us to search for data records in the system. Match codes are an efficient and user-friendly search aid where key of a record is unknown.

What are the two levels in defining a Match Code ?
- Match Code object
- Match Code Id.

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How Many types of size categories and data classes are there?
There are five size categories (0-4) and 11 data classes, only three of
which are appropriate for application tables:

- APPL0 - Master data (data frequently accessed but rarely updated)
- APPL1 - Transaction data (data that is changed frequnetly)
- APPL2 - Organisational data (customizing data that is entered when system is
configured and then rarely changed)

What are control tables?
The values specified for the size category and data class are mapped to
database-specific values via control tables.

What is the function of the transport system and workbench organiser?
The function of the transport system and the Workbench Organizer is to
manage any changes made to objects of the ABAP/4 Development Workbench
and to transport these changes between different SAP systems.

What is a table pool?
A table pool (or pool) is used to combine several logical tables in the
ABAP/4 Dictionary. The definition of a pool consists of at least two key
fields and a long argument field (VARDATA).

What are pooled tables?
These are logical tables which must be assigned to a table pool when they
are defined. Pooled tables can be used to store control data (such as
screen sequences or program parameters).

What is a table cluster?
A table cluster combines several logical tables in the ABAP/4 Dictionary.
Several logical rows from different cluster tables are brought together
in a single physical record. The records from the cluster tables
assigned to a cluster are thus stored in a single common table in the
database.

Which objects are independent transport objects?
Domains, Data elements, Tables, Technical settings for tables,
Secondary indexes for transparent tables, Structures, Views,
Matchcode objects, Matchcode IDs, Lock objects.

What are the Data types of the external layer?
ACCP, CHAR, CLNT, CUKY,CURR, DATS, DEC, FLTP, INT1,INT2, INT4, LANG, LCHR,LRAW, NUMC, PREC, QUAN,RAW ,TIMS, UNIT, VARC.

What are the Data types of the ABAP/4 layer?
Possible ABAP/4 data types:
C: Character.
D: Date, format YYYYMMDD.
F: Floating-point number in DOUBLE PRECISION (8 bytes).
I: Integer.
N: Numerical character string of arbitrary length.
P: Amount or counter field (packed; implementation depends on hardware
platform).
S: Time stamp YYYYMMDDHHMMSS.
T: Time of day HHMMSS.
V: Character string of variable length, length is given in the first
two bytes.
X: Hexadecimal (binary) storage.

How can we set the tablespaces and extent sizes ?
You can specify the extent sizes and the tablespace (physical storage
area in the database) in which a transparent table is to be stored by
setting the size category and data class.

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What are the central interfaces of the R/3 system ?
Presentation interface
Database interface
Operating system interface

Which interface controls what is shown on the p.c. ?
Presentation interface
Which interface converts SQL requirements in the SAP development system to those of the database ?
Database interface

What is SAP dispatcher ?

SAP dispatcher is the control agent which manages the
resources for the R/3 applications.

What are the functions of dispatcher ?
Equal distribution of transaction load to the work processes
Management of buffer areas in main memory
Integration of the presentation levels
Organization of communication activies

What is a work process ?
A work process is where individual dialog steps are actually processed and the work is done. Each work process handles one type of request.

Name various work processes of R/3 system ?
1) Dialog or Online ( processes only one request at a time )
2) Background ( started at a specified time )
3) Update ( primary or secondary )
4) Enque( lock mechanism )
5) Spool ( generated online or during back ground processing For printing )

What are the types of Update requests ?
An update request can be divided into one primary (V1) and several Secondary update components (V2). Time-critical operations are placed in V1 component and those whose timing are less critical are placed in V2 components. If a V1 update fails, V2 components will not be processed.

What are the roll and page areas ?
Roll and page areas are SAP R/3 buffers used to store
user contexts ( process requests ) . The SAP dispatcher assigns
process requests to work processes as they are received. If
the work process is unavailable the process requests are queued in the roll and page areas.
Paging area holds data from the application programs.
Roll area holds data from previous dialog steps and data that characterizes user.

What is a Spool request ?
Spool requests are generated during dialog or background processing and placed in the spool database with information about the printer and print format. The actual data is placed in the Tem Se (Temporary Sequential objects).
What are the different database integrities ?
Semantic integrity
- Relational integrity
- Primary key integrity
- Value set integrity
- Foreign key integrity and
- Operational integrity.

DATA DICTIONARY .
Type of a table or structure
The table type determines how the logical table description defined in
the ABAP/4 Dictionary is reproduced on the database.
There are the following table types:
o transparent table
o structure
o append structure
For internal purposes, such as storing control data or update texts,
there are in addition the following table types:
o pooled table
o cluster table
o generated view structure
Transparent table
There is a physical table on the database for each transparent table. The
names of the physical tables and the logical table definition in the
ABAP/4 Dictionary correspond.
All business data and application data are stored in transparent tables.
Structure
No data records exist in the database for a structure. Structures are
used for the interface definition between programs or between screens and
programs.
Append structure
An append structure defines a set of fields which belong to another table
or structure but which are treated in the correction administration as
its own object.
Append structures are used to support modifications.
Pooled table
Pooled tables can be used to store control data (e.g. screen sequences,
program parameters or temporary data). Several pooled tables can be
combined to form a table pool. The table pool corresponds to a physical
table on the database in which all the records of the allocated pooled
tables are stored.
Cluster table
Cluster tables contain continuous text, for example, documentation.
Several cluster tables can be combined to form a table cluster. Several
logical lines of different tables are combined to form a physical record
in this table type. This permits object-by-object storage or
object-by-object access. In order to combine tables in clusters, at least
parts of the keys must agree. Several cluster tables are stored in one
corresponding table on the database.
Generated view structure
In activation a structure is generated for a view. This structure serves
as interface for the runtime environment. It does not generally appear in
the ABAP/4 Dictionary.
What is a Data Class?
The Data class determines in which tablespace the table is stored when it
is created in the database.
What is a Size Category?
The Size category describes the probable space requirement of the table
in the database.