SAP Tables and the data dictionary

SAP tables are created, displayed and maintained via the SAP data dictionary using transactions such as SE11 and SE80 and are the building blocks of the SAP environment. It is where all the data within your SAP system is stored ready to be processed or accessed via your ABAP code. But it's not just business data like tables such as MARA and MARC that store material details or EKKO and EKPO that store purchasing details but also the core info that essentially makes up the system.

For example when you create an ABAP report/program this code is then stored within a database table. Also the metadata of tables is also stored in database tables. For example DD02L stores the global settings and attributes for each table, DD03L stores the list of fields that make up the table. The details about each of these fields are also stored in a variety of tables depending how the field is made up.

Give it a try, via transaction SE11 (or SE80) create a new Z table and see if it appears in table DD02L and if the fields appear in DD03L.

So as you can see there is a lot of complicated interlinked information stored in hundreds of thousands of tables! But how do you know what is stored in what? Well the simple answer is experience plays a big part and is also why you get a lot of specialisation in SAP. Because along with all these tables there are many transactions that allow a user to add, maintain and process the data.

But this is also where SE80.co.uk can help, providing information of all these database tables (also includes Structures and Views). This allows you to be able to perform a simple keyword search (i.e. table name/title) and view the details of each table on one page including details such as:

• Table name
• Title
• Delivery class
• Text table if appropriate
• Field list
• Key field indicator
• Data element
• Data type
• Length
• Check table
• Field description
• Includes
• Link to full details about each field/data element/domain


Add data to SAP tables
Also on a slightly related topic there are two basic ways you can add data to a database table within your SAP system. The first method is manually via transactions such as SM30, SE16, SE80 etc. and the second method is via ABAP code inserted into a program or report.
• Add data manually via SAP tcode
• Create ABAP code to add data


SAP Tables by Module area
Purchase Order Tables
Project Systems Tables
SAP MM Tables - Material Management
SAP BC Tables - Basis Components


Popular SAP tables
A000
Condition Table for Pricing

PA0000
HR Master record tables(info types for PNP ldb)

COVP
CO Object: Line Items (See FM HRGPBS_DRILL_READ_COVP)

EKKO
SAP ALV test reports

DD02V
Data dictionary tables

TRDIR
Table of SAP programs

USR02
Logon data