Find where the data is stored in SAP

http://it.toolbox.com/wiki/index.php/Find_where_the_data_is_stored_in_SAP

 

Introduction

This HOWTO will give the steps you need to find where the data is stored in SAP when you want to create an ABAP query or ABAP report using fields that you can find on transaction screens.

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Steps

1. The first step is always to find out the table and field name of the screen field. With the cursor in the field you want, press F1 or click on the "?".
2. The initial help screen will give you descriptions and information about the field.
3. From there press F9 or click on [Technical info].
4. Here you can get names of the table, field and the data element.
5. If you are lucky the system gives you a transparent table name. If you're not lucky you'll get a structure name.
6. Doubleclick on the data element and search via the where used of the dictionary.
7. Failing above you can set up the TCODE or a portion of it just before screen where the field exists and then switch on SQL Trace, run the screen, turn off SQL trace and then list the Trace Log following which tables/views were hit. Obviously it is best to turn on and off the trace in the smallest time-window possible to lessen the number of Trace Log entries you have to look through.
8. Another thing to try is : run program RSSDOCTB. This gives you a list with info about the table such as fields, check tables ....
9. Or try Transaction SE84 (Repository Info System)- Select in the tree ABAP Dictionary -> Fields -> Table Fields - Insert in the Select-Option "Field name" the name of the files (E.g. CARRID and CONNID) and execute it - now you will get a list of all tables which have one or both of this fields - it's easy to identify the tables which contain both fields in the list.
10. Or start an sql trace and look at the tables that are read
11. Last resort, find the program name (click on the triangle icon at botton right to expand information and click on the icon right of client number) and look the ABAP code with TCODE SE38
12. Run SE30 against your transaction. When you've done what you needed to do and returned, Hit analyze. Click the hits list. You get all of the modules, tables, forms, FMs,... that were called. Look for interesting names. (EG. Read_structure_name [BEARBEITEN means "Work on", ERMITTELN means "determine", PRUEFEN means "examine or check", AUFBAUEN means "CONSTRUCT", LESEN means "Vintages" but (aren't we germans sneaky, just kidding) GELESEN means "read" so we'll use LESEN instead of GELESEN... and http://babelfish.altavista.com/ does a passable job of translating])

All of these solutions will fail you from time to time. At this point, keep on digging:

1. Look for other screens that contain the same data. If you change it in screen A and the change is duplicated in screen B then you have found another data location to apply the above steps in.
2. Look for the data point in canned reports and apply the above steps. Also note that it is much harder for the access mode to be hidden when you are doing reporting.