Add Flexibility to Report Writer and Report Painter Tables

5/20/2018 Add Flexibility to Report Writer and Report Painter Tables

Add Flexibility to Report

Writer and Report Painter

Tables for Your Crit ical

Business Reports

by Soorian Ethirajulu, Global

Business Systems Analyst

April 12, 2012

SAPexperts/IT

Report Painter and Report Writer are

two comprehensive reporting tools

provided by SAP. You can use onlyreporting tables that are defined in

the system in these tools to create

reports. Learn how to enhance the

functionality to use multiple tables to

increase their capabili ties.

Key Concept

Report Writer and Report Painter are

SAP reporting tools with which you

can define reports using standard

reporting objects such as libraries,

standard layouts, and row and

column models. Standard reports

delivered by SAP can meet most of

the reporting requirements.

However, if your reporting

requirements are not fulfilled by

SAPs standard reports, you can

also define complex reports using

these tools.


flexible reporting tools available in the


SAP system for developing reports

for all kinds of evaluation without

ABAP development. In finance, many

standard reports developed with


available in managerial accounting(CO) and the Special Purpose Ledger.

With SAP ERP Central Component

(SAP ECC), Report Painter and Report

Writer became available in SAP

General Ledger (the new general

ledger).

The limitation is that not all database

tables can be used to develop these

reports only those tables

configured as reporting tables. Most

of them are preconfigured and

delivered by SAP or configured in

applications such as the Special

Purpose Ledger. Most of these tables

are single tables with transaction

data. You can develop these reports

using the Report Writer and Report

Painter only with those

characteristics that exist in the

respective table.

Ill discuss how to combine more than

one table that can be configured as

the reporting table and then create

reports using characteristics from

multiple tables. In th is example, Im

using the SAP General Ledger total

reporting table FAGLFLEXT with thegeneral ledger master data table

SKA1. Reports created from this view


can use the group account from the

master data table instead of the

general ledger account from the

standard reporting table. The article is

appropriate for business super users

who can create ad hoc reports,analysts who design the reports, and

technical staff who support the

enhancement.

You need to follow a six-step

process:

Step 1. Create a database viewStep 2. Include the view in data

declaration

Step 3. Perform the technical setup of

the Report Writer table

Step 4. Maintain the table directory

Step 5. Maintain the integrated master

dataStep 6. Generate the FI programs

using report RGZZGLUX

Step 1. Create a Database View

An ABAP developer needs to create a database view by

oining tables FAGLFLEXT and SKA1. Use transaction SE11

and select the View radio button (Figure 1). Enter a name for

the database view that joins the tables FAGLFLEXT andSKA1. In this example, Im using ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1. Click the

Create button.


Figure 1

Create a database view

Figure 2

Define join conditions that the view uses

In the following pop-up screen, select the Database view radio

button and click the Copy button. In the screen in Figure 2,

enter a short description. You see the tables that the view

uses in the left side of the screen. You need to define the join

conditions that the view will use in the right side. The

selection of suitable join conditions is important; if they arent

suitable, you may have reporting inconsistency and

performance issues in the future.

Select all the fields that will be used from the view for future

reporting as shown in Figures 3through 6. Avoid selecting

the fields that will never be used in the report. In the View

Flds tab, enter the view fields, table (FAGLFLEXT or SKA1),

and corresponding field name. The remaining data (e.g., data

element, short description) is populated automatically in the

view. Since the objective is to use the group account number

in the reporting, make sure that the Group Account Number

view field is selected in the list of view fields (Figure 4). In the

screen in Figure 5, all the fields required for reporting are

selected. There are more than 60 fields, including transaction


Figure 3

Selection of fields for reporting

Figure 4


currency fields, selected. In the screen in Figure 6, you can

see local and group currency fields selected.


Figure 5


Figure 6


Figure 7

In the screen in Figure 7, use a suitable selection condition to

restrict the data required for reporting. The standard tablesFAGLFLEXT and SKA1 contain data other than what is

required for your reporting. Therefore, use a condition to filter

the required data. In this example, filter the data with the

controlling area and chart of accounts.


Selection filter

Figure 8

Maintenance s tatus

Figure 9

Enter the Program name

In the Maint.Status tab, select the read only radio button under

Access (Figure 8). Then activate the view by pressing Ctrl-F3

or following View > Activate.

Step 2. Include the View in the

Data Declaration

The view that is created is not a reporting table that the

reporting tool can use. You cannot create a library or create

reports in the tool with this new reporting structure. You have

to perform a few additional steps to make it a reporting table.

Include the view in the data declaration include program

LGUMDTABDEC. If you dont do this, the report RGUMD000

that generates LGUMDVALUETABDEC then generates a table

declaration twice and the SAPLGUMD program has syntax

errors. Using an enhancement implementation in the

enhancement object GUMD, you can include the new structure

ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 in the data declaration program. Use

transaction SE38, enter LGUMDTABDEC in the Program field,

select Source Code, and click the Display button (Figure 9).

In the screen that appears, click the spiral icon to go into

enhancement mode so you can implement explicit


Figure 10

Enhancement spot

Figure 11

The gray enhancement point at the end of

the code

Figure 12

enhancements (Figure 10).

The editor screen changes to edit mode (Figure 11). At the

end of the code, you see a gray enhancement point.

Right-click the enhancement point you plan to implement and

select Enhancement Implementation > Create. Then click the

create enhancement implementation icon to produce the pop-

up screen (Figure 12). Enter the name ZADD_TABLE and

some short text. Click the green check mark icon. Enter ZZFI

in the Pack column in the screen in Figure 13and save.


Enhancement implementation pop-up

window

Figure 13

Enter ZZFI in the Pack co lumn

Figure 14

Add a custom st ructure in the datadeclaration program

The subscreen shows the list of enhancement

implementations. Select your enhancement and press Enter.

You can then add your new reporting structure name in the

enhancement code between ENHANCEMENT and

ENDENHANCEMENT (Figure 14).

Now the custom view ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 is included in the

global declaration program for data generation with the


Figure 15

Add ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 in the Repor t Wri ter

control table

enhancement implementation in the enhancement object

GUMD.

Step 3. Perform the Technical

Setup of the Report Writer Table

The reporting table directory is automatically updated

whenever you install a table group in the Special PurposeLedger. The installed table automatically becomes a reporting

table in the Special Purpose Ledger, so you can create the

reports. Here you are not implementing the Special Purpose

Ledger, nor installing the table group. You have to maintain

these table entries manually for the enhanced table view

ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 if you do not have the Special Purpose

Ledger implemented.

The new table view ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 is still not eligible to be

used as a reporting table. You have to include it in the

reporting control table definitions using customization. Youneed to add the new custom table view to Report Writer

control tables T804*. You do this by copying with an existing

reference and changing the values based on the new table.

Enter table T804 in the View Cluster using transaction SM34,

or use transaction GRCT to manually maintain the values in

the control tables. Here you have to include the new view as

shown in Figure 15.

The new custom table view should be included in the tables

T804A, T804B, T804C, T804E, and so forth. This is a complex

table cluster containing the Report Writer Control tables as

shown in Figure 16.


Figure 16

Report Writer control tables

Figure 17

Use the copy as function to copy the new

structure

You can use the copy function in transaction GRCT and copy

the existing table (e.g., FAGLFLEXT) as a reference and

change the values. Note that there are many tables in T804*

in which the values are to be maintained for the new view,

ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1. In the screen in Figure 17, select the row

with table FAGLFLEXT and click the copy as icon in the

toolbar.

The screen in Figure 18appears with a reference table for

the copy function. Change the values to the new structure,

ZFI_FKEXT_SKA1. Specify the corresponding description and

press Enter.


Figure 18

Copy the tables

A pop-up screen appears with three buttons (Figure 19). Click

the copy all button.


Figure 19

Copy table entries

Figure 20

Copy of dependent entries

The screen in Figure 20pops up showing the number of

dependent entries copied. Press Enter.

Now you have your table view inserted into various Report

Writer control tables. However, the table is not yet ready to be

used for creating Report Writer or Report Painter reports


Figure 21

Change table entries with ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1in control table T804A

using the tool. The inserted records still contain data related to

the standard table FAGLFLEXT that you use as reference to

copy. Now you need to change those entries for your new

view, ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 (Figure 21).

Table T804A contains the details of text routine, authorization

exit, and other figures. The copied table records still contain

the values relevant for FAGLFLEXT. Change those values for

the new table view ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 that was created and

inserted in this table.

Refer to the following entries in the screen. Replace the table

structure to show ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 (Figure 22) wherever the

original table reference is used to copy. To do this, double-

click the row with ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 when the Report Writer

table folder is selected in the tree on the left. Change the

value in the Transfer structure field to ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 and

leave other entries as is. Fields such as Text routine, Pool for

forms (program containing ABAP routines), and Authorization

exit can have the existing values because the same validation

and authorization can work for the custom view as well.


Figure 22

Assign rout ines

Make sure that the other control tables, T804B, T804C, and

T804E, have values that correspond to your view by changing

the old value FAGLFLEXT to ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 as in Figures

23, 24, and 25. Select the row ZFI_FLEXT_SLA1 and click

the Special Characteristics folder in the tree structure in the

Dialog Structure window (Figure 23). The window on the right

shows multiple rows with the reference table, FAGLFLEXT.

Replace those values with the new structure,

ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1. Then perform the same process for the

Basic Key Figures (Figure 24) and Database Tables (Figure

25).


Figure 23

Replace FAGLFLEXT with new table

ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 in cont rol table T804C

Figure 24

Replace table FAGLFLEXT in Basic Key

Figures with new table ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 in

contro l table T804B

Figure 25

Replace with new table ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 in

the cont rol table T804E

Step 4. Maintain the Table

Directory

Use transaction GC13 or follow menu path IMG > Financial

Accounting (New) > Special Purpose Ledger > Basic Settings


Figure 26

Maintain the table directory

> Maintain Table Directory (Figure 26). You can call up a

directory of all the tables used in the special purpose ledger

and display or maintain these tables. Note that the entries in

this table are maintained automatically when a totals table is

installed in the Special Purpose Ledger. Here you are not

installing the table, but only maintaining the required entry,

Table Type.

Click the New Entries button to bring up the screen in Figure

27. You include the view ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 here. Note that

the changes to the table directory are only effective after thecode in FI-SL is regenerated.


Figure 27

Maintain the table directory

Figure 28

To enable the Table Type field available for

input

If the Table type field is grayed out, enter =MAST in the

transaction code window and press Enter to make the field

ready for input (Figure 28). Enter the table type VL for your

view ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 in the customizing transaction GCI3

(table T800A) (Figure 29) and save the record.


Figure 29

Enter the table type

Step 5. Maintain the Integrated

Master Data

Now you define how the validation is to be carried out for the

master data. Use transaction code GCS1 (table T800D) or

follow IMG menu path Financial Accounting (New) > Special

Purpose Ledger > Basic Settings > Tables > Maintain

Integrated Master Data. Enter the required fields for the view

ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 and their master data exits. This is required

to make sure the texts for the master data elements are

appearing correct in the report that are created from the

custom table view.

Use transaction GCS1, select the entries for table

FAGLFLEXR, and click the copy as button (Figure 30).


Figure 30

Copy entries from FAGLFLEXR

Figure 31

Specify target values by replacing the table value

FAGLFLEXR with the value ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 for each field

and save (Figure 31).


Replace FAGLFLEXR with ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1

as the target value to copy after clicking the

copy as icon for each field

Figure 32

Field master data check

Now you have to create a new entry for group account BILKT.

Use transaction GCS1 and click the New Entries button

(Figure 32).

In the next screen, enter ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 as the Totals

Table, BILKT as the Field Name, SKA1 as the Value Table,

SAKNR as the Field Name, SKAT as the Text Table, TXT20

as the Short tx fld n., and TXT50 as the Long tx fld n. ( Figure

33). Save your entries.


Figure 33

Maintain master data check fo r BILKT

The other fields are already maintained with the copy function

from existing table entries for table FAGLFLEXR. You can

also maintain these entries individually by referring to entriesin table T800D as in Figure 34for FAGLFLEXT and entered

one by one as described previously.


Figure 34

Table entries in T800D for table FAGLFLEXT

Figure 35

Integrated master data for new viewZFI_FLEXT_SKA1

After maintaining the integrated master data in the table

T800D the entries are as shown in Figure 35.

Step 6. Generate the FI Programs


Figure 36

Enter program RGZZGLUX

Using Report RGZZGLUX

The program RGZZGLUX generates FI programs and Special

Purpose Ledger programs and routines. Use transaction code

SE38 and enter the program name RGZZGLUX (Figure 36).

Execute the report by clicking the execute icon or pressing F8.

The output shows the details of the log with the generated

objects (Figure 37). Now the table view ZFI_FLEXT_SKA1 is

available as a reporting table. You can create libraries,

variables, rows, and column models required for your reportingusing this table view and then create required reports.


Figure 37

Generate FI programs

Documents

Add Flexibility to Report Writer and Report Painter Tables