Using Detailed Reports

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to use the list viewer

SAP List Viewer

The image displays two tables side by side labeled Displayed Fields and Supply of Fields. The left table shows columns for content items, their assigned numbers, and a sum column. The right table has columns for content and length, with rows for Costs and Costing version. An arrow points from the Costing version row in the left table to the corresponding row in the right table.

There is a large amount of information available for detailed reports that you can analyze in reports or in SAP List Viewer as individual layouts. In particular, the following information is provided: planned costs, actual costs, and results from results analysis Work in Process (WIP), provisions for unrealized costs, provisions for imminent loss, and funds commitment, not only for the sales order but also for funds assigned to the sales order.

SAP List Viewer (ALV)

The features of SAP List Viewer are as follows:

  • Presentation tool for lists with generic functionality

  • Dynamic creation of display variants

  • Predefined standard variants

  • Presentation only – removed from selection

  • Combination of characteristics and key figures possible

  • View changeable in the report without a new selection

SAP List Viewer standardizes and simplifies the use of lists in the SAP system. Each list has a standardized interface and a standardized list format available. SAP List Viewer contains features for a dynamic creation of display variants.

In the standard, many Report Writer reports have already been substituted by ALV reports.

SAP List Viewer is used in Product Cost Controlling (CO-PC) for the following reports:

  • Sales order selection

  • List of existing product cost estimates

  • Line items in cost estimate for product

  • Analysis of costing run

  • Line item reports

  • Order selection

You can use display variants to change the format of your list in the following ways:

  • Choosing fields that are displayed

  • Changing the sequence of fields

  • Modifying the column widths to suit your needs

There are two types of display variants, which are as follows:

  • Customer-specific display variants, which are accessible to all users.

  • User-specific display variants, which are accessible to those users who created the display variant.

Extracts

The image depicts a process flow diagram showing the first step of selecting data from a database using header data like Sold-to party and Sales document. The selected data can be saved as an extract into an Extract Database. A speech bubble recommends using background processing.

To reduce runtimes, you can generate extracts when accessing reports. An extract is a saved file that contains the report data selected at the time the extract was generated.

You can generate an extract when you execute a report with reference to the report selection parameters. It is possible to generate multiple extracts, if you execute the report with different selection criteria.

When you display the report data in the extract, you have the same navigation and formatting features as the online execution of the report.

If you make changes in the data structure in Customizing for the information system (especially the field selection for order selection, or for the selection of classification characteristics), inconsistencies may arise between the current data structure and the structure in the extract. The data of the extract can no longer be displayed.

Note that an extract is normally only valid for the duration of one release. This means that after a release upgrade, you usually cannot access extracts generated in a previous release. Therefore, after a release upgrade, you should generate new extracts with the desired selection criteria.

You can generate extracts in the order selection, the sales order selection, and analyze costing run report.

Note

The usage of EXTRACTS is available in the following:

  • Object List

  • Object Comparisons

  • Sales Order Selection

Using Extracts (2)

The image depicts a two-step data extraction process. Step 1 shows selection criteria like sold-to party and sales document to create an extract file. Step 2 presents the extracted data in a table format with sales order numbers, revenue, and cost figures.

When you run reports, the system reads the extract database to pull the data and presents the report as per the selection criteria entered.

Summary

  • SAP List Viewer is a presentation tool for lists with generic functionality.
  • It allows dynamic creation of display variants and predefined standard variants.
  • SAP List Viewer standardizes and simplifies list usage in the SAP system.
  • Extracts reduce runtime by saving report data selected at generation time.