ABAP/4 - Advanced Business Application Programming (4th Generation Lang.)
ABAP is the development tool in SAP. All SAP Transactions and Reports are developed in ABAP/4. ABAP/4 aids in the development of new reports, batch conversion programs and data entry screens (module pool programs) and interfaces with third party standard software.
SAP software is totally transaction based. All the menu paths in SAP point to a particular transaction. A transaction is a four-letter alphanumeric code, which executes a program in SAP. Everything in SAP is a transaction. For e.g.- Creating a Purchase Order is a transaction, Changing the Purchase Order details is another transaction. Transactions are also used to run various reports. Each report has a unique transaction code. Each transaction code is unique in the SAP system.
There are following types of ABAP/4 reports that can be developed.
Simple Lists:
ABAP/4 can be used to generate simple lists as well as interactive reports.
Interactive reports
Event Driven Reports
These reports are generated on click of a button.
Drill Down Reports
Reports are initially shown as simple upper level lists. If the user is interested in getting further details, then he can drill down on a particular item like material code or project number and get further details. Thus many levels can be incorporated into the report based on the user requirements.
Graphic Reports
Reports can be developed to provide a graphical representation of the data.
Layout Sets
ABAP also facilitates developing of various documents sent to external parties like customers and vendors. These documents require special formatting and printing of company logos. This can be done through ABAP Layout sets tool, which enables the programmer to specify various fonts, set the logo in the format and perform special formatting in the document.
ABAP/4 Batch Data Conversion
Batch Data Conversion programs are developed to import the data from legacy systems into SAP. Batch programs are written specifically for the particular transaction. For example, to upload all the purchase order data from the legacy system, a BDC for the purchase order transaction is developed.
Online or Scheduled
BDCs could be online or they could be scheduled to run at a particular time / date or after a particular other BDC has run.
ABAP/4 Job Scheduling
The user can schedule the running of reports / BDCs on a periodic basis (monthly / weekly).
ABAP Module Pool Programs
These are new data entry screens that can be developed in ABAP based on the user requirements.
ABAP Queries
ABAP Query is a quick and effective tool, which is used to create queries and generate simple lists.
ABAP Module Pool Programs
To build interactive data entry screens, Module Pool programs are developed in ABAP/4.
Reports are initially shown as simple upper level lists. If the user is interested in getting further details, then he can drill down on a particular item like material code or project number and get further details. Thus many levels can be incorporated into the report based on the user requirements.
Graphic Reports
Reports can be developed to provide a graphical representation of the data.
Layout Sets
ABAP also facilitates developing of various documents sent to external parties like customers and vendors. These documents require special formatting and printing of company logos. This can be done through ABAP Layout sets tool, which enables the programmer to specify various fonts, set the logo in the format and perform special formatting in the document.
ABAP/4 Batch Data Conversion
Batch Data Conversion programs are developed to import the data from legacy systems into SAP. Batch programs are written specifically for the particular transaction. For example, to upload all the purchase order data from the legacy system, a BDC for the purchase order transaction is developed.
Online or Scheduled
BDCs could be online or they could be scheduled to run at a particular time / date or after a particular other BDC has run.
ABAP/4 Job Scheduling
The user can schedule the running of reports / BDCs on a periodic basis (monthly / weekly).
ABAP Module Pool Programs
These are new data entry screens that can be developed in ABAP based on the user requirements.
ABAP Queries
ABAP Query is a quick and effective tool, which is used to create queries and generate simple lists.
ABAP Module Pool Programs
To build interactive data entry screens, Module Pool programs are developed in ABAP/4.
