DATA DICTIONARY

SAP Data Dictionary is a central repository for the development of Objects, SAP Data
Dictionary is used to create and maintain meta data ( data defnitions ) . !"ode for Data
Dictionary is SE11.
S#$ "an be divided into t%o parts
D&$ !! Data &anipulation $an'ua'e
DD$ !! Data Defnition $an'ua'e
(here D&$ consists of S)$)", *+S),, -PDA), &OD*./, D)$)) etc, this %ill be
handled by A0AP Pro'rams and DD$ consists of commands li1e ",)A) A0$), D,OP
A0$), A$), A0$), ",)A) *+D)2 etc, this %ill be handled by Data Dictionary, hence
Data Dictionary is the central repository for the development of objects .
The Main Functions of Data Dictionary are :
Data 0ase ables
3ie%s
Data )lements
Domains
Structures
Search 4elps
$oc1 Objects
An A0AP "onsultant may need to %or1 on belo% areas of data dictionary 5
"reatin' ables
"reatin' Data elements and Domains
"reatin' structures and able types
"reatin' search helps
"reatin' $oc1 objects
"reatin' data base vie%s
6 !
A0AP uses di7erent types of Data ypes for Objects, basically there are three types of
data types )lementary Data types, "omple8 ypes, ,eference ypes .
*n )lementary types there are a'ain t%o types of data types( "ate'ories ) .i8ed $en'th
and 3ariable $en'th .
Fixed en!th5
" e8t .ield
+ +umeric
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :
D Date
ime
4 4e8adecimal
P Par1ed +umber
* *nte'er
. .loat
"aria#$e en!th
S,*+; "haracter Se<uence
2S,*+; 0yte Se<uence
Co%&$ex Ty&es includes Structure ypes and able ypes.
Reference Ty&es includes Data ,eferences and Object ,eferences
'hat is a Date E$e%ent in SA( A)A( *
Data element is an object %hich specifed semantic information of a feld, e85 feld
label , headin'.(
(e all 1no% that table is a collection of felds, e85 S-D)+ is a table %ith felds
S-D)+=*D, S-D)+=+A&) e8t, data element specifes the feld labels and headin's
for these felds )
'hat is a Do%ain in SA( A)A( *
Domain is an object %hich specifed technical information of a feld in a table e85 Data
type, len'th, value ran'e etc
'hy +e use Data e$e%ents and Do%ains in SA( *
(hen ever %e are creatin' a ne% table or addin' a feld to e8istin' table, %e need to
specify feld labels and data types for the feld, in SAP %e maintain these values in the
form of Data elements and Domains.
"reatin' a Domain in SAP
;o to S):: !code, select domain radio button, provide a name (>SAP+=DO&A*+) and
create.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ?
Provide short description, no of characters and save ("trl S ).
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e @
Select local object ( non transportable object ).
Activate.
Domain is created.
"reatin' data element in SAP
;o to S)::, select data type radio button, provide a name (>SAP+=DAA)$)&)+) and
create.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e A
A popup %ill open, select data element radio button
)nter short description and domain name (>SAP+=DO&A*+) and select feld label tab.
Select feld label tab and maintain feld labels.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e B
Save and Activate, Data element is created.
0efore creatin' a table %e must 1no% components of able.
(hat is a 1ey feld C
A feld %hich dosenDt accept duplicate data is called as 1ey feld.
(hat is a delivery class C
*t specifes the type of data stored in a data base table e85 master data, ransaction
data, system data etc
Options available under delivery class 5
A! Application able (&aster and ransaction data ).
"!"ustomiEin' table, maintenance only by customer not SAP.
$!able for storin' temporary data.
;, ), S, ( ! hese are used to store system data (0asis data ).
Display and &aintenance
*t specifes %hether the user can display the data and maintain the data , the follo%in'
options are available under display and maintenance.
:. DisplayF&aintenance Allo%ed.! -ser can display and maintain data.
?. DisplayF&aintenance allo%ed %ith restrictions ! Some users can display and
maintain data.
@. DisplayF&aintenance not allo%ed ! +o user can display data.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e G
(hat is data class C
*t specifes the physical area of a table in the database, the follo%in' options are
available under data class.
APP$H ! &aster data
APPl: ! ransaction data
APP$? ! Or'aniEation and "ustomiEin'
DD*&, D.A", DODS etc are used by 0* and 0(.
(hat is siEe cate'ory C
*t specifes the number of records that can be stored in a database table, options
available under siEe cate'ory are belo%.
Si,e Cate!ory No of ex&ected records
H H ! I,:HH
: I,:HH ! ?J,HHH
? ?J,HHH ! :,:H,HHH
The a#o-e nu%#ers %ay -ary fro% co%&any to co%&any .
Si,e cate!ory +i$$ #e incre%ented dyna%ica$$y #ased on increase in records.
0u7er
*t is a temporary memory for storin' the data .
*t is same as cache memory.
he functionality of bu7er is defned belo%.
here are three types of tables available in SAP, e8plained belo%
ransparent table
here is a physical table on the database for each transparent table. he names of the
physical tables and the lo'ical table defnition in the A0APFA Dictionary correspond.
All business data and application data are stored in transparent tables.
Pooled table
Pooled tables can be used to store control data (e.'. screen se<uences, pro'ram
parameters or temporary data). Several pooled tables can be combined to form a table
pool. he table pool corresponds to a physical table on the database in %hich all the
records of the allocated pooled tables are stored.
"luster table
"luster tables contain continuous te8t, for e8ample, documentation. Several cluster
tables can be combined to form a table cluster. Several lo'ical lines of di7erent tables
are combined to form a physical record in this table type. his permits object!by!object
stora'e or object!by!object access. *n order to combine tables in clusters, at least parts
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e I
of the 1eys must a'ree. Several cluster tables are stored in one correspondin' table on
the database.
A table can be created in t%o %ays one is top to bottom approach and another one is
bottom to top approach.
:.op to 0ottom 5 *n this approach, frst table felds are defned and later domain and
data element are defned.
?.0ottom to op 5 *n this approach, frst domain and data element are defned and later
table %ill be created .
*n this e8ample %e are 'oin' to learn creatin' a SAP transparent table usin' top to
bottom approach ( * su''est simplest %ay ).
;o to S):: !code, provide table name to be created >S-D)+=A0$) and create.
Provide short description, delivery class (A), Display &aintenance Allo%ed and select
felds tab.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e J
Select .ields tab, add a feld S-D)+=+O, data element as >S-D)+=+O and chec1
9ey and *nitial 3alue chec1 bo8es.
A ta#$e %ust contain at $east one /ey 0e$d1 +ithout a /ey 0e$d +e can not
create a ta#$e.
Double clic1 on data element >S-D)+=+O (+ot yet created), a pop up %ill open clic1
yes and one more information messa'e %ill come press enter.
+o% a pop up %ill come as1in' to create date element, clic1 yes.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e K
Provide short description, domain and label
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :H
Save, double clic1 on domain name >S-D)+=+O, clic1 on yes.
Provide short description, data type, no. characters, save and activate.
Similarly create remainin' felds %ith data elements and domains as belo%
Once all felds are created clic1 on technical settin's button.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ::
Provide data class and siEe cate'ory, save and activate.
/ou %ill 'et a %arnin' messa'e just clic1 on +o, table is created.
+o% add entries to table.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :?
Structure
Structure is list of felds defned under a name, %hich is used to process data at run!
time in SAP A0AP applications.
Structures are t%o types one is 'lobal structure and another one is local structure. $ocal
structure can be created in A0AP pro'rams and 'lobal structure can be created in data
dictionary and can be reusable in di7erent objects.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :@
*n this lesson %e %ill be learnin' creatin' a structure in data dictionary.
;o to S)::, select Data ype radio button and clic1 on create.
A pop up %ill open, select structure radio button and continue.
Provide short description, add some felds, save and activate.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :A
he structure is created, no% %e can use this structure in our A0AP pro'rams.
6 !
able and structure have lot of di7erences in the sense of behaviour and properties, the
belo% are the main di7erences bet%een table and structure in data dictionary.
able and Structure Di7erence
Ta#$e Structure
able can store data physically and permanently.
Structure can not store data
physically, it can hold data at run
time only.
able have primary 1ey.
Structure dosent have any primary
1ey.
able have technical settin's (data class, siEe
cate'ory etc), maintanance attributes ( Display
maintanance restrictions ).
Structure dosenDt have any
technical attributes and
maintatance attributes.
able have primary and secondary inde8es.
Structures dosenDt have primary
and secondary inde8es.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :B
he belo% are the major di7erences bet%een transparent, pooled and cluster tables in
SAP data dictionary .
Transa&arent Ta#$es (oo$ Ta#$es C$uster Ta#$es
"ontain a sin'le table. -sed
to store master data
hey are used to hold a
lar'e number of very small
tables(stores system data).
hey are used to hold data
from a fe% number of lar'e
tables.(stores system data).
*t has a one!to!one
relationship %ith a table in
the database.
*t has a many!to!one
relationship %ith a table in
the database.
*t has a many!to!one
relationship %ith table in the
database.
.or each transparent table
there is one associated table
in the database.
*t is stored %ith other pooled
tables in a sin'le table
called table pool in the
database.
&any cluster tables are
stored in a sin'le table in
the database called a table
cluster .
he database table has the
same name, same number of
felds and the felds have the
same names .
he database table has
di7erent name, di7erent
number of felds and felds
have di7erent names.
he database table has
di7erent name, di7erent
number of felds and felds
have di7erent names.
here is only a sin'le table .
able pools contain more
tables than table clusters .
"ontains less tables than
table pools .
Secondary inde8es can be
created .
Secondary inde8es cannot
be created .
Secondary inde8es cannot
be created .
(hat are table validations C
able validation is a concept throu'h %hich %e can restrict invalid entries in a table.
Possible methodsFconcepts for table validation
1. Fie$d e-e$ -a$idations: (e can validate entries at feld level %ith the help of chec1
table concept.
2. Do%ain $e-e$ -a$idations: (e can restrict entries at domain level %ith the help of
f8ed values of domain and value table of domain.
(hat is chec1 table C
*t is a table %hich contains all valid entries of a feld.
(hat is value table C
*t is a table %hich contains all valid entries of a domain, this domain can be reused in
multiple tables.
(hat are f8ed values for domain C
hese are allo%ed values for a domain e85 ;)+D), (domain).
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :G
Creatin! chec/ ta#$e for ta#$e -a$idations.
Ste&1: 3o to SE111 create a ta#$e 4ST5DENT6C7EC8 as #e$o+
;o to S)::, provide name as >S-D)+="4)"9 and clic1 on create.
Provide delivery class and display maintenance allo%ed.
;o to felds tab and add feld as belo%
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :I
"lic1 on technical settin's button and provide data class and siEe cate'ory.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :J
;o to utilities! table contents ! create entries add some entries to the table.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e :K
Similarly add some more entries.
Ste&2: Add 4ST5DENT6C7EC8 as chec/ ta#$e for 4ST5DENT6TA)E
;o to S)::, provide table name as >S-D)+=A0$)( %hich %e have created already in
our previous lessons, if not create a table )
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ?H
;o to tab )ntry helpFchec1, select city felds and clic1 on forei'n 1ey icon.
Provide short te8t, chec1 table name >S-D)+="4)"9 and clic1 on 'enerate proposal
and clic1 on copy.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ?:
A chec1 table %ill be added for "*/ feld
Save and activate the table(*f you 'et a %arnin' popup %hen activatin' just press no).
+o% 'o to utilities ! table entries !L create entries
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ??
Provide a city name %hich is not in >S-D)+="4)"9 table and try to save, it %ill
trou'h an error.
SAP able screen entries can be restricted usin' domain f8ed values, %e can maintain
domain f8ed values at domain level %hen creatin' a domain.
"reate domain %ith f8ed values
;o to S)::, select domain, provide name as >;)+D),, clic1 on create.
Provide short description, data type and len'th as belo% and clic1 on value ran'e tab.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ?@
Provide f8ed values.
Save and activate.
"reate data element %ith domain
;o to S)::, select data type, provide name as >;)+D),, clic1 on create .
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ?A
A popup %ill come, select data element and press enter.
Provide short description, domain and clic1 on feld label.
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ?B
Provide feld labels
Save and activate
Add a feld in table
;o to S)::, provide a table name >S-D)+=A0$)(%e have already created, if not
create table ) and clic1 on chan'e
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ?G
;o to felds tab and add a feld as belo%.
Save and activate
;o to table utilities! table entries ! create entries
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ?I
Provide values other than &, . and +, it %ill throu'h an error .
Prepared by -pendra 9umar Pa'e ?J