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Interview Question – Difference Between Master data and

Customizing data in SAP
Since I have started this blog with articles on data-dictionary I want to dig deeper into
some fundamental concepts about SAP data. In SAP, data can be classified into master
data and transaction data. However beyond that, the way this data is stored in the
underlying database has a lot to do with how the table was initially designed in the data-
dictionary.

A lot of times freshers can explain definitions of terms like application table and
customizing table, but struggle to explain this concept with concrete examples.

To confirm my findings I decided to put this question to a bunch of random people by

showing them some data and asking them to identify whether it was master data or
transaction data.

Following are their thoughts.

With so many doubts in their minds.. how will these guys ever clear any SAP interviews,
how will they be able to develop better performing SAP programs.

To help them and for all other folks who are not sure of these concepts I will walk you
through these ideas briefly in this blog.

Data Classification:

The data stored in SAP can be classified broadly into two types.

1. SAP-System relevant data

2. SAP-Application relevant data.

System relevant data is data that is only maintained by SAP. Any changes to data in
such a table constitute a modification, because the overall system behaviour is
controlled by entries in these table.

Application relevant data however, is data that is specific to a particular customer

installation/implementation. Such kind of data can be further broken down into –
Application data and Customizing data.
Customizing data is data that defines the behavior of your SAP environment for
individual modules.

Based on the particular module, specific entries are maintained in these tables. These
tables usually start with the letter ‘T’

Example of Customizing data:

1. In HCM Module, Lets say a company has only hourly paid and salary paid
employees. Then this classification of employees will be maintained in one of the
standard customizing tables provided by SAP. Once maintained, the data in such
tables rarely change.
2. In Travel Module, Lets say a company will reimburse only some types of travel
expenses like Air-fare, Train-fare and Car-rentals. These expense type
classifications is data but these permitted expense types will not change quite
often unless there is a major travel policy change in the company. Such data is
classified as customizing data.

Application data on the other hand is data which is created during the normal course
of business. This data is created because of the transactions that happen on a daily
basis. Such data can be further classified into Master data and Transaction data.
Master data : is data which defines the attributes of various entities of the business
system. Entities are participants in the particular business.

Examples of Master data:

1. Every company has employees. In the HCM module each employee would be an
entity of the business system and attributes of each employee, like their name,
address, bank account number etc would be considered as Master data –
specifically HR Master.
2. Every company needs to buy raw-material and office-supplies like printers,
stationary etc. For this they would have a list of Vendors. These vendors would
be entities in the MM/SD module and attributes of each of these vendors, like
their name, address, contract agreement terms etc would be considered master
data – specifically Vendor Master.
3. Such data as you may have guessed will change, but once in a while, not quite
often. For example when an employee changes his or her home address or bank
account number, or a Vendor changes their pricing policy etc.

Transaction data: is data which is created in large numbers almost on a daily basis
during a normal business operation.

Examples of Transaction data:

1. Every employee in the organization needs to be paid, Right!! Their payroll data
generated every month when they get paid is transaction data. – HCM Module
2. An employee going on an official travel to a seminar or business meeting will
submit a travel request. This data is transaction data – Travel Module
3. A purchase order, sales order, invoice etc are all examples of transaction data.

Hope I have explained the classifications of data in SAP.

Now its your turn. Can you dig into your SAP system and give me an example of each
of the following:

1. Master data.
2. Transaction data.
3. Customizing data.
4. System data.

First specify the table name, then tell me what type of data it is and your
explanation of what module or scenario in SAP it will satisfy.
 Please type your answer in the comments section. You may be right or wrong, thats
fine. We will all learn from your answers so lets participate.

20 Comments

1. Ved Prakash
February 17, 2015 at 6:34 pm
Nice Blog Linkin.your blog was awesome it defines a lot with brief and elaborated examples with some
funny diagram helps a lot for the new learner or so called beginner in SAP.
I would like to answer few answers :-
1. Master Data :- Vendors/Customer Data(rarely changes quite often)
2. Transaction Data :- Update during transaction any Z table also be transaction data(Day to day
updation and modifications possible)
3. Customization Data :- Maintained entries in ‘T’ Table based on modules like T001(Company related
information).
4. System Data :- Data which can automatically being stored once software package installed into the
system, but it also can be changes but only when patch/enhancement can be done, then system data
automatically being modified.

Hoping my answers are correct

Please rectify or suggest some more answers for the same.!!

Reply

 Linkin Pereira

February 18, 2015 at 1:38 pm

Hi Ved, Glad you liked this post. All your answers are correct.
Sometimes Functional consultants will ask you to update some tables in custom programs which need
not be done.
Once you have the data classification concept clear, you can advice them the right way.
This is what an actual Techno-Functional consultant should do.

Reply

2. kiran
February 22, 2015 at 11:17 am
 Can explain clearly.I don’t mean it was not clear but it would be better in simple words..
ThanQ.

Reply

 Linkin Pereira

February 23, 2015 at 8:00 am

Hello Kiran,
Thank you for commenting.
Let me know if you have any doubts and I will try to explain it further.

Reply

3. Archana
September 25, 2015 at 12:27 am
Hello Pereira,
Could you please explain how exactly we need to update the tables.
Thanks & Regards,
Archana

Reply

 Linkin Pereira

September 25, 2015 at 4:14 pm

Hello Archana,
Please follow my Free course Step-By-Step SAP ABAP.
From Step 4 onwards in the course we move into the assignment series in which many of the
assignments deal in this exact technique, how to update tables.
Course can be found at http://www.beginners-sap.com/step-by-step-sap-abap/
Sign up with your email where you want to receive the assignments.
—
Linkin

Reply
4. Sumit
July 8, 2016 at 9:12 am
Hello Pereira,
Could you explain which of these data are client-dependent and which of these are client-independent?
Thanks.

Reply

 Linkin Pereira

July 8, 2016 at 6:16 pm

Good Question !! I realized I hadn’t covered it in the blog.

Technically speaking a Table with the field MANDT in it is a client-dependent Table. This field is
usually the first field in the table.
There is no finite rule that all customizing tables are client-independent.. but as a thumb rule you could
say a table which affect the SAP Systems behaviour could be found to be client-dependent.
For example FILE structure data, RFC destination data etc — such data will be client-independent
because it would be same in all systems.
Hope this clears your doubt a bit.. Thanks for asking ..
—
Linkin

Reply

 Sumit

July 11, 2016 at 5:37 am

Yes, i have a clear understanding now. Thanks for your clarification on the subject.

Reply

 Michal

June 8, 2017 at 8:39 am

 I would like to put my corrective comment here:
The table is client-dependent whenever it contains the field of type CLNT at the very first position.
This field is called MANDT In most cases, but it can also be of another name. The data type is a key
player here, not the field name.
If such a field is contained in the table then it MUST be in the first position in the table. Then your
statement ‘This field is usually the first field in the table.’ is wrong as it seems like the other positions
are possible, too. Technically, yes, it’s possible to have a field called MANDT in some other position in
the table, too, but then it turns to be an ordinary field and does not have anything to do with client
dependency. So, to decide whether the table is client dependent or not, check the type of the first
field:
CLNT –> client dependent table
otherwise it’s client independent table
There is a lot of technical background behind this (SELECT statements detect client dependency
automatically, database interface works with that as well etc.), so it’s not just a trivial stuff.
Michal

Reply

 Linkin Pereira

June 8, 2017 at 12:54 pm

Hey Michal, — Nice catch!! Yes.. It should be a MUST instead of a USUALLY.

Happy to know people do read my stuff in detail.

Reply

5. sim
September 3, 2016 at 5:23 pm
Great Explanation Linkin , Thank you …

Reply

6. Shivani Sharma
October 20, 2016 at 9:48 am

Thank you so much! such a great explanation!!

And of course that pic!

Reply
7. santhosh
January 11, 2017 at 6:48 am
Great blog…!! keep doing we need this…!!
thank you..!!

Reply

8. cassper
June 24, 2017 at 11:02 am
good

Reply

9. cascsp
June 24, 2017 at 11:17 am
lol

Reply

10. Matej
September 25, 2017 at 8:40 pm
Hi, I am missing an example of system relevant data. Could you please provide some? Thanks a lot.

Reply

11. Mallikarjuna
November 24, 2017 at 2:59 pm
Nice sir good information given if I want any information in sap I can ask

Reply

12. Shiva
December 10, 2018 at 10:29 am
Hi Linkin, good job to clarify the topic on Data types in SAP. I hope there’s scope for more detailed one
for the ones who want it more

Reply

13. satya
January 1, 2019 at 4:04 pm
very good blog
Reply

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Hello, my name is Linkin Pereira. I am an SAP Consultant and like many of my

colleagues I am passionate about SAP. I share my passion for the technical and
functional aspects of SAP through this blog. Check out the Posts and leave your
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