User exits

What are user exits?

What is involved in writing them? What precautions are needed?
User defined functionality included to predefined SAP standards. Point in an SAP program where a customer's own program can be called. In contrast to customer exits, user exits allow developers to access and modify program components and data objects in the standard system.

On upgrade, each user exit must be checked to ensure that it conforms to the standard system.
There are two types of user exit:
User exits that use INCLUDEs.
These are customer enhancements that are called directly in the program.
User exits that use tables.
These are used and managed using Customizing.
Should find the customer enhancements belonging to particular development class.


What are the different ways in which you can make changes to SAP standard software ?

Customizing
Enhancements to the SAP Standard
Modifications to the SAP Standard
Customer Development

What is customizing?

Customizing is the setting of system parameters via SAP's own interface.

Why do you need enhancements?

The standard applications do not offer some of the functionality you need. The R/3 enhancement concept allows you to add your own functionality to SAP's standard business applications.

What are the different types of enhancements ?

Enhancements using customer exits
Customers' potential requirements which are not included in the standard software are incorporated in the standard as empty modification 'shells'. Customers can then fill these with their own coding. Enhancements can relate to programs, menus and screens. Upward compatibility is assured.

In other words, SAP guarantees that the jump from the standard software to the exit and the interface which call the exit will remain valid in future releases.

Enhancements to ABAP/4 Dictionary elements
These are ABAP/4 Dictionary enhancements (creation of table appends), text enhancements (customer-specific key words and documentation for data elements) and field exits (creation of additional coding for data elements).

What is customer development ?
Creating customer-specific objects within the customer name range.

What is SSCR ?
SSCR (SAP Software Change Registration) is a procedure, for registering all manual changes to SAP source coding and SAP Dictionary objects.

What is the difference between modifications and enhancements ?
Modifications mean making changes to the SAP standard functionality.
Enhancements mean adding some functionality to SAP standard functionality.

What are the disadvantages of modification ?
Modifying standard code can lead to errors
Modifications mean more work during software upgrades

What are the advantages of enhancements ?
Do not affect standard SAP source code
Do not affect software upgrades

when do you opt for modification ?
Customer exits are not available for all programs and screens within the R/3 standard applications. You can only use exits if they already exist within the SAP R/3 System . Otherwise you have to opt for modifications .

What are the various types of customer exits ?
Menu exits
Screen exits
Function module exits
Keyword exits

What is a menu exit ?
Adding items to the pulldown menus in standard R/3 applications .

13.What is a screen exit ?
Adding fields to the screens within R/3 applications. SAP creates screen exits by placing special subscreen areas within a standard R/3 screen and calling a customer subscreen from within the standard dynpro's flow logic.

What is a function module exit ?
Adding functionality to R/3 applications. Function module exits play a role in both menu and screen exits.

What is a keyword exit ?
Add documentation to the data elements of key words defined in the ABAP/4 Dictionary. The system displays this documentation whenever a user presses F1 to get online help for a screen field.

How do SAP organizes its exits ?
SAP organizes its exits in packages that are called SAP enhancements. Each SAP enhancement can contain many individual exits.

What is an add-on project ?
To take advantage of the exits available within standard R/3 applications, you need to create an add-on project. This project lets you organize the enhancement packages and exits you want to use. The add-on project also allows you to hang add-on functionality onto the exit hooks contained with SAP enhancements.

Internal Table type...

What Are Different Types Of Internal Tables and Their Usage

Standard Internal Tables

Standard tables have a linear index. You can access them using either the index or the key. If you use the key, the response time is in linear relationship to the number of table entries. The key of a standard table is always non-unique, and you may not include any specification for the uniqueness in the table definition.

This table type is particularly appropriate if you want to address individual table entries using the index. This is the quickest way to access table entries. To fill a standard table, append lines using the (APPEND) statement. You should read, modify and delete lines by referring to the index (INDEX option with the relevant ABAP command). The response time for accessing a standard table is in linear relation to the number of table entries. If you need to use key access, standard tables are appropriate if you can fill and process the table in separate steps. For example, you can fill a standard table by appending records and then sort it. If you then use key access with the binary search option (BINARY), the response time is in logarithmic relation to
the number of table entries.

Sorted Internal Tables

Sorted tables are always saved correctly sorted by key. They also have a linear key, and, like standard tables, you can access them using either the table index or the key. When you use the key, the response time is in logarithmic relationship to the number of table entries, since the system uses a binary search. The key of a sorted table can be either unique, or non-unique, and you must specify either UNIQUE or NON-UNIQUE in the table definition. Standard tables and sorted tables both belong to the generic group index tables.

This table type is particularly suitable if you want the table to be sorted while you are still adding entries to it. You fill the table using the (INSERT) statement, according to the sort sequence defined in the table key. Table entries that do not fit are recognised before they are inserted. The response time for access using the key is in logarithmic relation to the number of
table entries, since the system automatically uses a binary search. Sorted tables are appropriate for partially sequential processing in a LOOP, as long as the WHERE condition contains the beginning of the table key.

Hashed Internal Tables

Hashes tables have no internal linear index. You can only access hashed tables by specifying the key. The response time is constant, regardless of the number of table entries, since the search uses a hash algorithm. The key of a hashed table must be unique, and you must specify UNIQUE in the table definition.

This table type is particularly suitable if you want mainly to use key access for table entries. You cannot access hashed tables using the index. When you use key access, the response time remains constant, regardless of the number of table entries. As with database tables, the key of a hashed table is always unique. Hashed tables are therefore a useful way of constructing and
using internal tables that are similar to database tables.

Index Tables

Index table is only used to specify the type of generic parameters in a FORM or FUNCTION. That means that you can't create a table of type INDEX.

Internal tables are not DB tables. Standard and Sorted tables in combined are basically called as Index tables and there nothing else. Here is the hierarchy

ANY TABLE
|
------------------------------------
| |
Index Tables Hashed Table
|
------------------------------------
| |
Standard Table Sorted Table

Work process...

FACTS ON INCLUDE & APPEND Structures

Includes

With tables and structures it is possible to include the fields of another structure as well as to list the individual fields. Individual fields and includes can be combined as required.

If an include is changed, all the tables and structures that contain this include are automatically adjusted.

Example: Structure X is included in tables A and B. If another field is inserted into structure X, this field is also inserted in tables A and B.

Includes can also be nested, i.e. structure A includes structure B, which in turn includes another structure C etc. The maximum nesting depth is limited to nine. A path of nested includes in a table or structure therefore can have at most length nine (excluding the table/structure itself).

Only flat structures can be included. In a flat structure, each field either refers to a data element or is directly assigned a data type and length by direct type entry.

Only structures can be included in a table. Both tables and structures can be included in a structure, but only one table may lie on a path of nested includes.

Example: Table TAB1 includes structure STRUKT1, which in turn includes structure STRUKT2. Only table TAB1 lies on the path of nested includes. It is also possible to include TAB1 in a further structure STRUKT0, but no other table may be included in TAB1 because in this case two tables (TAB1 and TAB2) would lie on a path of nested includes.

Append Structures

Append structures are used for enhancements which are not provided for in the standard (special developments, country versions and adding customer fields to SAP standard tables).

An append structure is assigned to exactly one table. There can however be several append structures to one table. If an append structure is created or changed, the table assigned to it (appending object) is also activated again at activation and the changes also take effect there.

An append structure permits the following enhancements to a table or structure:

• Add new fields

• Add foreign keys to fields of the appending object

• Add search help attachments to fields of the appending object

Appending an append structure or inserting fields in an existing append structure does not lead to the conversion of the table. The fields of the append structure are appended to the database table.

Append structures are created by customers in the customer name range and are thus protected against overwriting in upgrades or release upgrades. After a release upgrade, the new versions of the standard tables are imported and fields contained in append structures are appended to the new standard tables.

Note: Append structures can only be created for transparent tables and structures. It is not possible to add fields with an append structure for transparent tables containing a long field. Furthermore, append structures may not be created for tables and structures of the central Basis of the R/3 System.

SAP Interview Questions- Basics

1. What is ERP? - ERP is a package with the techniques and concepts for the integrated management of business as a whole, for effective use of management resources, to improve the efficiency of an enterprise. Initially, ERP was targeted for manufacturing industry mainly for planning and managing core business like production and financial market. As the growth and merits of ERP package ERP software is designed for basic process of a company from manufacturing to small shops with a target of integrating information across the company.
2. Different types of ERP? - SAP, BAAN, JD Edwards, Oracle Financials, Siebel, PeopleSoft. Among all the ERP’s most of the companies implemented or trying to implement SAP because of number of advantages aver other ERP packages.
3. What is SAP? - SAP is the name of the company founded in 1972 under the German name (Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing) is the leading ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software package.
4. Explain the concept of “Business Content” in SAP Business Information Warehouse? - Business Content is a pre-configured set of role and task-relevant information models based on consistent Metadata in the SAP Business Information Warehouse. Business Content provides selected roles within a company with the information they need to carry out their tasks. These information models essentially contain roles, workbooks, queries, InfoSources, InfoCubes, key figures, characteristics, update rules and extractors for SAP R/3, mySAP.com Business Applications and other selected applications.
5. Why do you usually choose to implement SAP? - There are number of technical reasons numbers of companies are planning to implement SAP. It’s highly configurable, highly secure data handling, min data redundancy, max data consistency, you can capitalize on economics of sales like purchasing, tight integration-cross function.
6. Can BW run without a SAP R/3 implementation? - Certainly. You can run BW without R/3 implementation. You can use pre-defined business content in BW using your non-SAP data. Here you simply need to map the transfer structures associated with BW data sources (InfoCubes, ODS tables) to the inbound data files or use 3rd part tool to connect your flat files and other data sources and load data in BW. Several third party ETL products such as Acta, Infomatica, DataStage and others will have been certified to load data in BW.
7. What is IDES? - International Demonstration and Education System. A sample application provided for faster learning and implementation.
8. What is WF and its importance? - Business Work Flow: Tool for automatic control and execution of cross-application processes. This involves coordinating the persons involved, the work steps required, the data, which needs to be processed (business objects). The main advantage is reduction in throughput times and the costs involved in managing business processes. Transparency and quality are enhanced by its use.
9. What is SAP R/3? - A third generation set of highly integrated software modules that performs common business function based on multinational leading practice. Takes care of any enterprise however diverse in operation, spread over the world. In R/3 system all the three servers like presentation, application server and database server are located at different system.
10. What are presentation, application and database servers in SAP R/3? - The application layer of an R/3 System is made up of the application servers and the message server. Application programs in an R/3 System are run on application servers. The application servers communicate with the presentation components, the database, and also with each other, using the message server. All the data are stored in a centralized server. This server is called database server.
11. What should be the approach for writing a BDC program? - Convert the legacy system data to a flat file and convert flat file into internal table. Transfer the flat file into sap system called “sap data transfer”. Call transaction(Write the program explicitly) or create sessions (sessions are created and processed ,if success data will transfer).
12. Explain open SQL vs native SQL? - ABAP Native SQL allows you to include database-specific SQL statements in an ABAP program. Most ABAP programs containing database-specific SQL statements do not run with different databases. If different databases are involved, use Open SQL. To execute ABAP Native SQL in an ABAP program, use the statement EXEC. Open SQL (Subset of standard SQL statements), allows you to access all database tables available in the R/3 System, regardless of the manufacturer. To avoid conflicts between database tables and to keep ABAP programs independent from the database system used, SAP has generated its own set of SQL statements known as Open SQL.
13. What are datasets? - The sequential files (processed on application server) are called datasets. They are used for file handling in SAP.
14. What are internal tables check table, value table, and transparent table? - Internal table: It is a standard data type object, which exists only during the runtime of the program. Check table: Check table will be at field level checking. Value table: Value table will be at domain level checking ex: scarr table is check table for carrid. Transparent table: - Exists with the same structure both in dictionary as well as in database exactly with the same data and fields.
15. What are the major benefits of reporting with BW over R/3? Would it be sufficient just to Web-enable R/3 Reports? - Performance — Heavy reporting along with regular OLTP transactions can produce a lot of load both on the R/3 and the database (cpu, memory, disks, etc). Just take a look at the load put on your system during a month end, quarter end, or year-end — now imagine that occurring even more frequently. Data analysis — BW uses a Data Warehouse and OLAP concepts for storing and analyzing data, where R/3 was designed for transaction processing. With a lot of work you can get the same analysis out of R/3 but most likely would be easier from a BW.
16. How can an ERP such as SAP help a business owner learn more about how business operates? - In order to use an ERP system, a
    business person must understand the business processes and how they work together from one functional area to the other. This knowledge gives the student a much deeper understanding of how a business operates. Using SAP as a tool to learn about ERP systems will require that the
    people understand the business processes and how they integrate.
17. What is the difference between OLAP and Data Mining? - OLAP - On line Analytical processing is a reporting tool configured to understand your database schema ,composition facts and dimensions . By simple point-n-clicking, a user can run any number of canned or user-designed reports without having to know anything of SQL or the schema. Because of that prior configuration, the OLAP engine “builds” and executes the appropriate SQL. Mining is to build the application to specifically look at detailed analyses, often algorithmic; even more often misappropriate called “reporting.
18. What is “Extended Star Schema” and how did it emerge? - The Star Schema consists of the Dimension Tables and the Fact Table. The Master Data related tables are kept in separate tables, which has reference to the characteristics in the dimension table(s). These separate tables for master data is termed as the Extended Star Schema.
19. Define Meta data, Master data and Transaction data - Meta Data: Data that describes the structure of data or MetaObjects is called Metadata. In other words data about data is known as Meta Data. Master Data: Master data is data that remains unchanged over a long period of time. It contains information that is always needed in the same way. Characteristics can bear master data in BW. With master data you are dealing with attributes, texts or hierarchies. Transaction data: Data relating to the day-to-day transactions is the Transaction data.
20. Name some drawbacks of SAP - Interfaces are huge problem, Determine where master data resides, Expensive, very complex, demands highly trained staff, lengthy implementation time.
21. What is Bex? - Bex stands for Business Explorer. Bex enables end user to locate reports, view reports, analyze information and can execute queries. The queries in workbook can be saved to there respective roles in the Bex browser. Bex has the following components: Bex Browser, Bex analyzer, Bex Map, Bex Web.
22. What are variables? - Variables are parameters of a query that are set in the parameter query definition and are not filled with values until the queries are inserted into workbooks. There are different types of variables which are used in different application: Characteristics variables, Hierarchies and hierarchy node, Texts, Formulas, Processing types, User entry/Default type, Replacment Path.
23. What is AWB?. What is its purpose? - AWB stands for Administrator WorkBench. AWB is a tool for controlling, monitoring and maintaining all the processes connected with data staging and processing in the business information whearhousing.
24. What is the significance of ODS in BIW? - An ODS Object serves to store consolidated and debugged transaction data on a document level (atomic level). It describes a consolidated dataset from one or more InfoSources. This dataset can be analyzed with a BEx Query or InfoSet Query. The data of an ODS Object can be updated with a delta update into InfoCubes and/or other ODS Objects in the same system or across systems. In contrast to multi-dimensional data storage with InfoCubes, the data in ODS Objects is stored in transparent, flat database tables.
25. What are the different types of source system? - SAP R/3 Source Systems, SAP BW, Flat Files and External Systems.
26. What is Extractor? - Extractors is a data retrieval mechanisms in the SAP source system. Which can fill the extract structure of a data source with the data from the SAP source system datasets. The extractor may be able to supply data to more fields than exist in the extract structure.

SAP ABAP interview questions

1. What is an ABAP data dictionary?- ABAP 4 data dictionary describes the logical structures of the objects used in application development and shows how they are mapped to the underlying relational database in tables/views.
2. What are domains and data element?- Domains:Domain is the central object for describing the technical characteristics of an attribute of an business objects. It describes the value range of the field. Data Element: It is used to describe the semantic definition of the table fields like description the field. Data element describes how a field can be displayed to end-user.
3. What is foreign key relationship?- A relationship which can be defined between tables and must be explicitly defined at field level. Foreign keys are used to ensure the consistency of data. Data entered should be checked against existing data to ensure that there are now contradiction. While defining foreign key relationship cardinality has to be specified. Cardinality mentions how many dependent records or how referenced records are possible.
4. Describe data classes.- Master data: It is the data which is seldomly changed. Transaction data: It is the data which is often changed. Organization data: It is a customizing data which is entered in the system when the system is configured and is then rarely changed. System data:It is the data which R/3 system needs for itself.
5. What are indexes?- Indexes are described as a copy of a database table reduced to specific fields. This data exists in sorted form. This sorting form ease fast access to the field of the tables. In order that other fields are also read, a pointer to the associated record of the actual table are included in the index. Yhe indexes are activated along with the table and are created automatically with it in the database.
6. Difference between transparent tables and pooled tables.- Transparent tables: Transparent tables in the dictionary has a one-to-one relation with the table in database. Its structure corresponds to single database field. Table in the database has the same name as in the dictionary. Transparent table holds application data. Pooled tables. Pooled tables in the dictionary has a many-to-one relation with the table in database. Table in the database has the different name as in the dictionary. Pooled table are stored in table pool at the database level.
7. What is an ABAP/4 Query?- ABAP/4 Query is a powerful tool to generate simple reports without any coding. ABAP/4 Query can generate the following 3 simple reports: Basic List: It is the simple reports. Statistics: Reports with statistical functions like Average, Percentages. Ranked Lists: For analytical reports. - For creating a ABAP/4 Query, programmer has to create user group and a functional group. Functional group can be created using with or without logical database table. Finally, assign user group to functional group. Finally, create a query on the functional group generated.
8. What is BDC programming?- Transferring of large/external/legacy data into SAP system using Batch Input programming. Batch input is a automatic procedure referred to as BDC(Batch Data Communications).The central component of the transfer is a queue file which receives the data vie a batch input programs and groups associated data into “sessions”.
9. What are the functional modules used in sequence in BDC?- These are the 3 functional modules which are used in a sequence to perform a data transfer successfully using BDC programming: BDC_OPEN_GROUP - Parameters like Name of the client, sessions and user name are specified in this functional modules. BDC_INSERT - It is used to insert the data for one transaction into a session. BDC_CLOSE_GROUP - This is used to close the batch input session.
10. What are internal tables?- Internal tables are a standard data type object which exists only during the runtime of the program. They are used to perform table calculations on subsets of database tables and for re-organising the contents of database tables according to users need.
11. What is ITS? What are the merits of ITS?- ITS is a Internet Transaction Server. ITS forms an interface between HTTP server and R/3 system, which converts screen provided data by the R/3 system into HTML documents and vice-versa. Merits of ITS: A complete web transaction can be developed and tested in R/3 system. All transaction components, including those used by the ITS outside the R/3 system at runtime, can be stored in the R/3 system. The advantage of automatic language processing in the R/3 system can be utilized to language-dependent HTML documents at runtime.
12. What is DynPro?- DynPro is a Dynamic Programming which is a combination of screen and the associated flow logic Screen is also called as DynPro.
13. What are screen painter and menu painter?- Screen painter: Screen painter is a tool to design and maintain screen and its elements. It allows user to create GUI screens for the transactions. Attributes, layout, filed attributes and flow logic are the elements of Screen painter. Menu painter: Menu painter is a tool to design the interface components. Status, menu bars, menu lists, F-key settings, functions and titles are the components of Menu painters. Screen painter and menu painter both are the graphical interface of an ABAP/4 applications.
14. What are the components of SAP scripts?- SAP scripts is a word processing tool of SAP which has the following components: Standard text. It is like a standard normal documents. Layout sets. - Layout set consists of the following components: Windows and pages, Paragraph formats, Character formats. Creating forms in the R/3 system. Every layout set consists of Header, paragraph, and character string. ABAP/4 program.
15. What is ALV programming in ABAP? When is this grid used in ABAP?- ALV is Application List viewer. Sap provides a set of ALV (ABAP LIST VIEWER) function modules which can be put into use to embellish the output of a report. This set of ALV functions is used to enhance the readability and functionality of any report output. Cases arise in sap when the output of a report contains columns extending more than 255 characters in length. In such cases, this set of ALV functions can help choose selected columns and arrange the different columns from a report output and also save different variants for report display. This is a very efficient tool for dynamically sorting and arranging the columns from a report output. The report output can contain up to 90 columns in the display with the wide array of display options.
16. What are the events in ABAP/4 language?- Initialization, At selection-screen, Start-of-selection, end-of-selection, top-of-page, end-of-page, At line-selection, At user-command, At PF, Get, At New, At LAST, AT END, AT FIRST.
17. What is CTS and what do you know about it?- The Change and Transport System (CTS) is a tool that helps you to organize development projects in the ABAP Workbench and in Customizing, and then transport the changes between the SAP Systems and clients in your system landscape. This documentation provides you with an overview of how to manage changes with the CTS and essential information on setting up your system and client landscape and deciding on a transport strategy. Read and follow this documentation when planning your development project.
18. What are logical databases? What are the advantages/ dis-advantages of logical databases?- To read data from a database tables we use logical database. A logical database provides read-only access to a group of related tables to an ABAP/4 program. Advantages: i)check functions which check that user input is complete, correct,and plausible. ii)Meaningful data selection. iii)central authorization checks for database accesses. iv)good read access performance while retaining the hierarchical data view determined by the application logic. dis advantages: i)If you donot specify a logical database in the program attributes,the GET events never occur. ii)There is no ENDGET command,so the code block associated with an event ends with the next event statement (such as another GET or an END-OF-SELECTION).
19. What is a batch input session?- BATCH INPUT SESSION is an intermediate step between internal table and database table. Data along with the action is stored in session ie data for screen fields, to which screen it is passed, program name behind it, and how next screen is processed.
20. How to upload data using CATT ?- These are the steps to be followed to Upload data through CATT: Creation of the CATT test case & recording the sample data input. Download of the source file template. Modification of the source file. Upload of the data from the source file.
21. What is Smart Forms?- Smart Forms allows you to create forms using a graphical design tool with robust functionality, color, and more. Additionally, all new forms developed at SAP will be created with the new Smart Form solution.
22. How can I make a differentiation between dependent and independent data?- Client dependent or independent transfer requirements include client specific or cross client objects in the change requests. Workbench objects like SAPscripts are client specific, some entries in customizing are client independent. If you display the object list for one change request, and then for each object the object attributes, you will find the flag client specific. If one object in the task list has this flag on, then that transport will be client dependent.
23. What is the difference between macro and subroutine?- Macros can only be used in the program the are defined in and only after the definition are expanded at compilation / generation. Subroutines (FORM) can be called from both the program the are defined in and other programs . A MACRO is more or less an abbreviation for some lines of code that are used more than once or twice. A FORM is a local subroutine (which can be called external). A FUNCTION is (more or less) a subroutine that is called external. Since debugging a MACRO is not really possible, prevent the use of them (I’ve never used them, but seen them in action). If the subroutine is used only local (called internal) use a FORM. If the subroutine is called external (used by more than one program) use a FUNCTION.

SAP R/3 INTERVIEW ARCHITECTURE QUESTIONS

1. What guarantees the integration of all application modules?

The R/3 basis system guarantees the integration of all application modules. The R/3 basis s/w provides the run time environment for the R/3 applications ensures optimal integration, defines a stable architectural frame for system enhancements, and contains the administration tools for the entire system.One of the main tasks of the basis system is to guarantee the portability of the complete system.

2. What are the central interfaces of the R/3 system?

Presentation Interface.

Database Interface.

Operating system Interface.

3. Which interface controls what is shown on the p.c.?

Presentation Interface.

4. Which interface converts SQL requirements in the SAP development system to those of the database?

Database Interface.

5. What is SAP dispatcher?

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

6. 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 activities.

7. 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.

8. Name various work processes of R/3 system?

Dialog or Online (processes only one request at a time).

Background (Started at a specific time)

Update (primary or secondary)

Enque (Lock mechanism).

Spool (generated online or during back ground processing for printing).

9. Explain about the two services that are used to deal with communication.

Message Service: Used by the application servers to exchange short internal messages, all system communications.

Gateway Service: Enables communication between R/3 and external applications using CPI-C protocol.

10. Which work process triggers database changes?

Update work process.

11. Define service (within R/3)?

A service is a process or group of processes that perform a specific system function and often provide an application-programming interface for other processes to call.

12. 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 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 characterize the user.

13. What are the different layers in R/3 system?

Presentation Layer.

Application Layer.

Database Layer.

14. What are the phases of background processing?

Job Scheduling.

Job Processing.

Job Overview.

15. What components of the R/e system initiate the start of background jobs at the specified time?

The batch scheduler initiates the start of background job. The dispatcher then sends this request to an available background work process for processing.

16. Define Instance.

An instance is an administrative unit in which components of an R/3 systems providing one or more services are grouped together. The services offered by an instance are started and stopped at random. All components are parameterized using a joint instance profile. A central R/3 system consists of a single instance in which all-necessary SAP services are offered. Each instance uses separate buffer areas.

17. From hardware perspective, every information system can be divided into three task areas Presentation, Application Logic and Data Storage.

The R/3 Basis software is highly suitable for use in multi-level client/server architectures.

18. What are R/3 Basis configurations?

A central system with centrally installed presentation software.

Two-level client/server system with rolled out presentation software.

Two-level client/server system. Presentation and Application run on the same computer.

Three-level client/server system. Presentation, Application and database each run on separate computers.

19. What is a Service in SAP terminology?

A service refers to something offered by a s/w component.

20. What is Server in SAP terminology?

A component can consist of one process or a group and is then called the server for the respective service.

21. What is a client in SAP terminology?

A S/W component that uses the service (offered by a s/w component) is called a Client. At the same time these clients may also be servers for other services.

22.What is a SAP system?

The union of all s/w components that are assigned to the same databases is called as a SAP system.

23. What is the means of communications between R/3 and external applications?

The means of communication between R/2,R/3 and external applications is via the CPI-C handler or SAP Gateway, using the CPI-C Protocol.

24. What is the protocol used by SAP Gateway process?

The SAP Gateway process communicates with the clients based on the TCP/IP Protocol.

25. Expand CPI-C.

Common Program Interface Communication.

26. 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 places in the Tem Se (Temporary Sequential objects).

27. What are different types of Log records?

V1 and V2. V1 must be processed before V2. But, we can have more than one V2 logs.

28. 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 is less critical are placed in V2 components. If a V1 update fails, V2 components will not be processed.

29. Dialog work processes perform only one dialog step and then available for the next request.

30. Explain what is a transaction in SAP terminology.

In SAP terminology, a transaction is series of logically connected dialog steps.

31. Explain how SAP GUI handles output screen for the user.

The SAP front-end s/w can either run on the same computer or on different computers provided for that purpose. User terminal input is accepted by the SAP terminal program SAP GUI, converted to SAP proprietary format and sent to the SAP dispatcher. The dispatcher coordinates the information exchange between the SAP GUIs and the work processes. The dispatcher first places the processing request in request queues, which it then processes. The dispatcher dispatches the requests one after another, to the available work process. The actual processing takes place in the work process. When processing is complete, the result of a work process is returned via the dispatcher to the SAP GUI. The SAP GUI interprets the received data and generates the output screen for the user.

SAP ABAP FAQ

1. Which client number you use for the current project?
   
2. You are running a report. It is taking long time for execution. What steps will you do to reduce the execution time.
   
3. After running a BDC program in background, next day morning when you see the results, few records are not updated(error records). What will you do then?
   
4. You are given functional specs for a BDC program and you need to decide whether to write a method call transaction or a session. How u will decide?
   
5. What is the difference between report and script?
   
6. what are the differences between scripts & smart forms?
   
7. what are enhancements?
   
8. what are user-exits?
   
9. what is badi?
   
10. what is the difference between user-exit & BADIs?
    
11. what is the difference between user-exit & customer-exit?
    
12. how do you get functional specs when you are assigned some object? (specs through email..??)
    
13. How do you write technical specs?
    
14. Howdo you write UTP?(unit test plan)

Differences between LSMW and BDC

Batch Data Communication (BDC) is the oldest batch interfacing technique that SAP provided since the early versions of R/3. BDC is not a
typical integration tool, in the sense that, it can be only be used for uploading data into R/3 and so it is not bi-directional.
BDC works on the principle of simulating user input for transactional screen, via an ABAP program. Typically the input comes in the form
of a flat file. The ABAP program reads this file and formats the input data screen by screen into an internal table (BDCDATA). The
transaction is then started using this internal table as the input and executed in the background.

In Call Transaction, the transactions are triggered at the time of processing itself and so the ABAP program must do the error handling.
It can also be used for real-time interfaces and custom error handling & logging features. Whereas in Batch Input Sessions, the ABAP
program creates a session with all the transactional data, and this session can be viewed, scheduled and processed (using
Transaction SM35) at a later time. The latter technique has a built-in error processing mechanism too.

Batch Input (BI) programs still use the classical BDC approach but doesnt require an ABAP program to be written to format the
BDCDATA. The user has to format the data using predefined structures and store it in a flat file. The BI program then reads this and
invokes the transaction mentioned in the header record of the file.

Direct Input (DI) programs work exactly similar to BI programs. But the only difference is, instead of processing screens they validate
fields and directly load the data into tables using standard function modules. For this reason, DI programs are much faster (RMDATIND - Material Master DI program works at least 5 times faster) than the BDC counterpart and so ideally suited for loading large volume data. DI programs are
not available for all application areas.


LSMW is an encapsulated data transfer tool. It can provide the same functionality as BDC infact much more but when coming to techinical perspective most the parameters are encapulated. To listout some of the differences :

• LSMW is basicaly designed for a fuctional consultant who do not do much coding but need to explore the fuctionality while BDC is designed for a technical consultant.
• LSMW offers different techinque for migrating data: Direct input ,BAPI,Idoc,Batch input recording. While bdc basically uses recording.
• LSMW mapping is done by SAP while in BDC we have to do it explicitly .
• LSMW is basically for standard SAP application while bdc basically for customized application.
• Coding can be done flexibly in BDC when compared to LSMW

Secondary Index

Creating a secondary index

There are two types of indexes: Primary index and secondary index. Primary index is automatically created using the primary keys defined.

Secondary index could be created as per the user requirement. This article discusses about creating a secondary index.

Go to transaction SE11.