Day 2

Data Dictionary

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

Data Dictionary Objects

SE16

Data Element Domain Tables Structures Views

Elementary Data Types

Type Explanation

C
N D T

Text (Character)
Numeric text Date (DDMMYYYY) Time (HHMMSS)

X
I P F

Hexadecimal
Integer Packed Number 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
Table MARA
CLNT MATNR

Data Element
Domain

Creating a Domain

Enter a description (short text) Enter data type and length

Creating a domain (contd.)

Enter fixed value and description.

Value table may be entered

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

Creating a Data Element

Enter a description (short text)

Enter domain name

Creating a Data Element

Maintain field labels and column headers.

Difference between Domain & Data Element

Domain
Defines Technical Attributes such as data type, length, allowed values, etc. A domain can be part of several data elements

Data Element
Defines semantic attributes such as display length, short text, long text, etc A Data Element can point to only one domain

Used to define data elements, restrict Used to define fields of tables and values (using value range, value table, screens etc)

A Holistic view

Table A

Table B

Table C

Data element

Data element

Domain

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.

Tables Contd
Types of Tables
Transparent ABAP Dictionary

Cluster
Pool

ABAP Program

Internal

Tables Contd

Creating a Transparent Table Step 1 of 6

Enter the Name of the table (should begin with Z or Y)

Press the Create Button

Creating a Transparent Table Step 2 of 6

Enter a description (short text) After making all entries, Press the Fields Tab

Maintain delivery class

Table maintenance attribute

Creating a Transparent Table Step 3 of 6

After making all entries, Press the Technical Settings Button

Maintain field attributes

Maintain data elements

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)

Creating a Transparent Table Step 5 of 6

Save, Check and Activate the Table. After that Press the Indexes Button on the Application Toolbar

Creating a Transparent Table Step 6 of 6

Steps to create an index

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

Cardinality Types 1:1 1:C 1:N 1 : CN

indicates how many dependent

records a record in a check table may have

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

Master Data

G/L Accounts Vendors Materials Stock Locations

System Data Transaction Data

Sales Orders Purchase Orders Journal Entries Goods Receipts

Metadata Programs Documentation System Settings

Configuration Data

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

Views
A view combines the data distributed in several tables

Views allow to gather information from fields of different tables and present it to the users in form they require when working in the R/3 system