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 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
Table MARA
CLNT
9
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

Defines Technical Attributes such as Defines semantic attributes such as

data type, length, allowed values, etc. display length, short text, long text, etc

A domain can be part of several data A Data Element can point to only one
elements 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 Internal
Program
Tables Contd
Creating a Transparent Table Step 1 of 6

Enter
Enterthe
theName
Nameof ofthe
the
table (should begin
table (should begin
with
withZ
Zor
orY)
Y)

Press
Pressthe
theCreate
CreateButton
Button
Creating a Transparent Table Step 2 of 6

Enter a description (short text)

After
Aftermaking
makingall
allentries,
entries,
Press
Press the FieldsTab
the Fields Tab

Maintain delivery class

Table maintenance attribute

Creating a Transparent Table Step 3 of 6

After
Aftermaking
makingall
allentries,
entries,
Press the Technical
Press the Technical
Settings
SettingsButton
Button

Maintain field attributes

Maintain data elements

Creating a Transparent Table Step 4 of 6

After
Aftermaking
makingall
allentries,
entries,
Press the Save Button.
Press the Save Button.
Once
OnceTechnical
TechnicalSettings
Settings
are save, Press the
are save, Press the
Back
BackButton
Button(F3)
(F3)
Creating a Transparent Table Step 5 of 6

Save,
Save,Check
Checkandand
Activate
Activate the Table.After
the Table. After
that Press the Indexes
that Press the Indexes
Button
Buttonononthe
the
Application
ApplicationToolbar
Toolbar
 Creating a Transparent Table Step 6 of 6
Steps to create an index

After
Afterentering
enteringthe
theIndex
Index
Fields and other
Fields and other
parameters,
parameters,save
saveand
and
activate
activate the index,Z01
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 Cardinality Types
relationship between two tables
The cardinality of a foreign key 1:1
indicates how many dependent
records a record in a check
1:C
table may have
1:N

1 : CN
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

G/L Accounts
Master Vendors
Materials
Data Stock Locations
Metadata
System Programs
Documentation
Data System Settings
Sales Orders
Transaction Purchase Orders
Journal Entries
Data Goods Receipts
Currency Codes
Configuration Order Types
Payment Terms
Data 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