LSMW Material master by BAPI method –

Part 1
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I would like to show how BAPI method is used to create and change material master.

As an example I use a real business case:

existing material masters need to be updated with new material descriptions and sales text

not all materials have a sales text view

Text needs to be maintained in German and English language, English text is identical to German text

Text is provided in a Excel spreadsheet

Annotation: Our material numbers are set as Lexicographical, no leading zeros

We have to use a certain path to store the .read and .conv files

The homepage of LSMW can be found here in SCN at http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-26158

In that document you can find the links to the general documentation in help.sap.com too:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/4d/455035082e2271e10000009b38f889/frames
et.htm

LSMW is a workbench which makes use of several tools (Batch/Direct Input, BAPI, IDOC and batch
input recorder) which existed long before LSMW was created and that still exist and can be used
independently of LSMW, LSMW is basically a tool to map legacy data with SAP structures, exchange
field values and to generate a program that supplies those import tools with the data.

Prepare your LSMW

Define your project, sub-project and object

Project, sub-project and object is a free definable hierarchy

The project is usually self-explaining, it is the name of your project. Keep in mind that all mapping
rules are shared among all subprojects and objects within a project. This is a big advantage, however,
if many persons work in the same LSMW project you can as well face some disadvantages. E.g. if
somebody is in development and has a syntax error, then others in the same project are affected by
this error too.

The subproject is a lower part of your project. It could be for example represent a module or sub-
divide the project by responsibles.

The object is the lowermost part where you actually define the migration for a certain business
object or a part of it.

My area is global master data, so I usually chose Master data as subproject and Material, vendor or
customer as object.
In this example I am going to use SCN as project, material as subproject and texts as object.

SAP uses project, subproject and object name to build the file names for read and conv files.. Each
field is 15 character long, the maximum length of the conversion file name is 45 characters. If you
have to work with a certain path, then this path will occupy a part of the conv file name. Because of
that, I recommend to make the names for project, subproject and object shorter than the maximum of
15 characters.

If you start with a new project, then you have to click the new document icon, you get a pop-up to
enter project name and description.

You will have to do the same for Subproject and Object.

Next you get to the overview of all steps in LSMW. At this moment SAP will show more steps than
you finally have to go through. What steps you have to perform depends on the import method you
chose in step 1 Maintain object attributes. I highlighted the steps which are variable on the import
method
Above the step overview you can see various buttons.

The button “Double click = ” can be used to set your preferred way to work, I prefer double click to
go into change mode

With “numbering on ” you get those numbers in front of the steps. This can make communication
easier, but only if both are working with the same settings, because the numbers are not fix to the
text next to it, they are just number to the positions in the overview

The button “User menu” allows you to add hidden steps to the LSMW steps (and causes renumbering
to the shown entries)
As you can see in the pop-up there are some interesting options like “Display Read Program” and
“Display Conversion Program” which can be enabled if you need to debug in case the programs do
not work like you expect.

The steps “Generate Read Program” and “Generate Conversion Program” are not really needed,
because this step is automatically carried out with the next visible step below them.

Often neglected is the option to check the converted data against customizing, which means you
could find errors (e.g. missing customizing transports, wrong mapping rules) without the need to
post your data.

Prepare your Field mapping and conversion rules

After executing step 5 Field mapping and conversion rules you will see the mapping based on the SAP
given settings. I rarely saw that professionals can work with the presetting given by SAP.

You can change this setting from menu Extras > Layout. You get then a pop-up to define the layout

I prefer and recommend to set each field in the layout active

Here are some examples how the layout looks like depending on the settings made.

with technical fields active:

same section technical fields inactive:

With initial fields (fields that do not have a mapping)

And the same section without initial fields:

With this setting you will not even know that there are more fields in the import structure.

The next screen shot shows the same section code inactive (compare it with the screen shot above)
You do not see what values the constants have and you can’t see the ABAP coding for the Move-
statement.

The next screenshot shows the appearance with inactive processing time (BEGIN_OF_RECORD;
END_OF_RECORD; compare with screenshot above)

the following screen shot is made with “Global Data Definitions” set to inactive (please compare with
screenshot “technical fields active” further above:

the very first entry __GLOBAL_DATA___ is gone now.

Prepare for IDOC Import method

if you use IDOC and BAPI import method then you need to define Ports and partner profiles like you
have to do it when you get IDOCs from an external system.

In the initial screen of LSMW, where you entered the project name chose from menu Settings > IDOC
Inbound processing
in the next screen you have to enter the File port name, the partner type US (user) and the partner
number and then you click Activate Inbound processing.

This has to be done in any system where you use this LSMW project.

File port and partner number are free definable names, and in many companies set up by the Basis
team. So you would only need to enter those names and Activate IDoc Inbound processing,

However, if you have to do it yourself, then you need to make use of the buttons next to those fields.

Maintain ports is actually nothing else than transaction WE21

In my example I had used the name DATEI (which is nothing else than the German word for FILE)

After clicking Maintain ports you get the screen shown below. Put the cursor onto the file folder on
the left, then click the create icon
Enter a description, set the radio button for the IDOC record type (most probably the 4.x type
nowadays), make the setting if you use Unicode format. then set the radio button to physical
directory, enter a directory and a function module in tab Outbound file then do an Access test to
make sure you have access to this directory. These are the minimum settings needed for a Port used
in LSMW.

The button Maintain partner numbers is actually transaction WE20

In my example I named it LSMW

After clicking this button you are taken to the Partner profiles. Click create button. Enter the partner
number (here LSMW), partner type US, type US for user, Agent: you user-ID and your language.
Then define the Inbound parameters, Click the “insert line” icon below the table.
At this place you add the IDOC message type that will be used as your import method. LSMW can
create this entry itself if you have activated the IDOC inbound processing before you defined the first
step of your LSMW. But there is no harm if you add it manually, which usually has to be done in Test
and production systems as you do not carry out step 1 anymore.

For this example we use message type MATMAS_MASS_BAPI (which is basically the same BAPI that is
used in MM17 Material master mass maintenance)

Enter the process code with help of F4 (in this case it is BAPI, but it may vary by message type)

Activate “Cancel Processing after Syntax error” and set the radio button to Trigger by background
program, otherwise your IDOCs get posted immediately while creating.

This blog will continue in LSMW Material master by BAPI method – Part 2

I would like to show how BAPI method is used to create and change material master.

As an example I use a real business case:

existing material masters need to be updated with new material descriptions and sales text

not all materials have a sales text view

Text needs to be maintained in German and English language, English text is identical to German text

Text is provided in a Excel spreadsheet

Annotation: Our material numbers are set as Lexicographical, no leading zeros

We have to use a certain path to store the .read and .conv files
The homepage of LSMW can be found here in SCN at http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-26158
In that document you can find the links to the general documentation in help.sap.com too:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/4d/455035082e2271e10000009b38f889/frameset.htm

Step 1 – Maintain object attributes

Here you define if your LSMW object is for a one-time data transfer or if you want use it permanently as a
periodic transfer.

Migrations are usually one-time data transfers, even you do it many times until you are satisfied with the
result

The periodic transfer gives you an option to create a program ready to be used by end-users.
Please make use of F4 search help to get the parameters for the import objects.

in this example we are using standard material (industry) as BAPI import method: BUS1001006, method
SAVEREPLICA and Basic type MATMAS_MASS_BAPI03

Step 2 – Maintain source structure

I just have one Excel file with the source data and each line looks equal, so there is no hierarchy no
different structures per line

Hence the source structure to be defined is as well a simple flat structure.

Click the create icon enter a name for the source structure and a description.

Don’t create a too complex and long name, as you may need to type it in the mapping rules if you have to
add some ABAP coding in the Mapping rules later.

Step 3 – Maintain source fields

In this step you have to enter all the fields that are contained in your source file per structure. I
recommend to use the same sequence as it is in the source file.

There are various options to maintain the source fields as you can see in the pop-up after clicking the
“Copy-Button”

you can upload the fields from a text file, or copy it from another LSMW object, or you copy it from data
dictionary (I will explain this in more detail later in another blog), or you can copy it from the first line of
your data file (but as you do not have the field length in the first line you need to complete it anyway
manually).

For such small files like in this business case I usually do it manually. Move the cursor onto the structure
line, then click the table icon (right from the copy icon). This is more convenient than defining field by
field via the create button.
I usually use the field names, its type and length from data dictionary in SAP, but if you want identify the
values from your source based on field names (instead of position in field sequence), then you need to
make sure that the fields names are identical with your source file.

Step 4 – Maintain structure relations

In this step you can see that a BAPI or IDOC structure is much more complex than a structure that you get
from a recording.

But don’t panic, you do not need to care about any part, just about the parts that are needed for your
migration case.

You move the cursor onto the structure that you need and click the create relationship button. As your
source structure has just one structure it is assigned automatically. In case of a multi-structure source you
would need to select the source structure that need to be assigned to the corresponding target structure.

We have fields that are used in many target structures in just one source structure, so we assign this
source structure to all needed target structures.

In our example it is the header segment (it always needs to be assigned), the header segment with control
information, the material description and the long text.
Step 5 – Maintain field mapping and conversion rules

After you assigned your source structure to the target structure in step 4, in this step you assign your
source fields to the target fields, and you define how the values will be. Whether they are just moved
from source field to target field or if they need to be translated via rules, or fixed value assignment for
mandatory or just necessary fields that are not in your source file.

My first choice is Auto field mapping. You get it from menu Extras > Auto-field Mapping
you will then get a screen to define the rules for this auto field mapping:

Here you control whether you do this for all fields or just for empty fields

I usually choose the 100% match as there are too many fields with similar names that could get a wrong
assignment if you use a lower percentage.

If you have not yet define reusable rules then you can only apply the MOVE rule to the fields. You can
change it anyway later.

And as I want to see what SAP does I choose “with confirmation”, SAP will then show me each assignment
and I click only okay to continue.

With my example the auto field mapping does not work as my source field names are different from the
BAPI field names.

This happens often with BAPIs, as they do not use the table field names. With IDOC import method this
auto field mapping is a big success if your source field names are defined like the SAP table fields.

In my example we need to do the field mapping manually.

You have to tell the BAPI what views you want maintain, this is done in the header structure, where you
find as well the material number.
move the cursor onto the material field, then click the create source field icon and select the material
number from your source field definition.

Keep in mind that my material number is lexicographic, means it does not have leading zeros. If your
material number is with leading zeros, then you either need those leading zeros in the source file too, or
you need coding to add those leading zeros, otherwise the BAPI is not able to find your material for
update.

For my example we need Basic data view for the material description and Sales view for the sales text.

As those fields are not among the fields in the source file we have to assign value as a constant.

Move the cursor onto the field, then click the constant button. You get a pop-up to enter the value, which
is just a X.

Use F4 to assign the value, this helps to avoid errors from typing. SAP behalves sometimes strange if the
characters expected as capital characters are entered as small characters.

The sales view is only needed if there is sales text in the source file. Hence we cannot assign a pure
constant, we need some coding.

Nevertheless, assign the constant first, so you need to code less yourself, then double click the coding to
get to the code editor.

Now you only need a small piece of ABAP coding to check if the sales organisation field in the source is
empty.
After this is done we move forward to the Segment E1BPE1MAKT for the material description.

Here you find as well the material number field, so you assign it to your source field.(think about leading
zeros!)

Language is not among the fields in the source file, so you assign the language as a constant. Remember
we need the text in German and English.

However, we can only assign one language here. So you could think about cerating a second LSMW object
to load with the other language, or you make it flexible with some coding. At this point we assign just the
first language. We do it for both language fields LANGU and LANGU_ISO.

LANGU is the 1 character long field, LANGU_ISO is the 2 character long field for language (see table T002
for reference).

Just assign the language via F4 and SAP will put the right code for you (even you enter e.g. EN in the pop-
up, SAP will only enter E in the LANGU field.

And the last field in this section is the Material description which need to be assigned to your source field.

Now we need to care about the second language, which is from the text identical to the first language as
our product names are equal in all languages.

We do this with a small coding in the section __END_OF_RECORD__

By default you see the code transfer_record. This code submits the entries made in this section.

We need a second record for material description in English.We can force this in the
__END_OF_RECORD__ processing time

Double click the coding line here to get to the code editor and enter the code behind the transfer_record
statement.

You only need to move the new value for the 2 language fields, all other field values are still in the
memory.

so you add: E1BPE1MAKT-LANGU = ‘E’.

and: E1BPE1MAKT-LANGU_ISO = ‘EN’.

followed by: transfer_record.

This way you transferred 2 records for MAKT table with a different language.

The same has to be done for the sales text now, but only if we have sales text, which means a few lines
more coding.

But let us start from the beginning in the sales text structure:

All long text is stored in table STXH and STXL. The key of this table is Text object (for material master sales
text: MVKE), the text ID (0001), the language, and a combination of material number, sales organisation
and distribution channel for the text name.

You can find this key if you maintain one material manually, then click the editor icon in the sales text
view. In the editor chose from menu GOTO > Header

and you will get all necessary information.

In this example you assign MVKE as a constant to the Object field, 0001 as a constant to the Text-ID field,
and again the language to the 2 language fields.

For the combination of the text name field we need to do it with coding.
Coding is: If MYSRCFILE-VKORG = ‘ ‘

SKIP_RECORD.

ELSE.

CONCATENATE E1BPE1MLTX-MATNR MYSRCFILE-VKORG MYSRCFILE-VTWEG

INTO E1BPE1MLTX–TEXT_NAME RESPECTING BLANKS.

Which means: if the sales organisation field is empty, then skip this this structure. If it is no empty, then
concatenate Material number (think about the leading zeros) with sales organisation and distribution
channel and bring this value into the target field .

Until here we only have the first of 2 lines sales text. So we need to take care about the second line and as
we need this sales text as well in the second language we solve this with coding in the
__END_OF_RECORD__ section, similar as we did for the material description.
the transfer_record statement in line 1 creates a record with the first Sales text line in the German
language .

in line 3 we check if there is a second line for sales text, and only if we have one then wie move the
content from the source field to the target field and transfer this record. The language and the object, text
id and text name is still in memory.

And then we repeat the same for the English language. We first move the English language to the 2
language fields, then we move the 1st line of sales text and transfer the record. And then we do it for the
second sales text line – if present.

Step 6 – Maintain fixed values, Translations , user defined routines

Not necessary for this business case

Step 7 – Specify files

In this step you have to define minimum 3 files, your source file, the read file and the conv file.

When SAP uploads and reads your source file, then it is writing the content into the READ file. The name
is automatically created by SAP using the project, subproject and object name.

When you run the conversion, then SAP reads this READ file and writes the converted data into CONV file.
This file name is as well created automatically by SAP. Here we have a restriction of a maximum length of
45 characters. if you have to write this data into a certain directory, then you may have to shorten the
proposed file name.
Your source file is completely unknown to SAP, so you have to describe it. Which means you have to tell
where it is located, whether it is on your PC drive or in the SAP’s file system. In this case the source file is
at the PCs local drive.

As SAP cannot read directly from Excel, you need to save the Excel file as a comma separated file (CSV) or
as a Unicode Text file (TXT).

Keep already in mind that your file has to be closed when you execute the reading step.

Please use F4 to find the file on your PC, SAP is then creating the content of the FILE field itself

Enter a name of your choice

Indicate whether this file has one source structure or multiple source structures. In this case there is only
one source structure (remember the definition in step 2)

In case you saved your Excel file as unicode text you have to put the radio button to Tabulator.
As we have field names in the first line in our Excel source, we need to select the box for “Field names at
Start of File”. This controls that SAP starts processing the source file at the second line.

If the sequence of fields in the source is identical to the definition made in Step 3 then you have to mark
the box “Field Order Matches Source Structure Definition”. Without this indicator SAP would try to find
the fields based on the names.

Further set the radio button to “Record End Marker” and to ASCII as we are using a text file as source.

Step 8 – Assign files

Not much to do, as there is only one source file, SAP proposed it automatically, you only need to click
SAVE

Step 9 – Read Data

In this step you read the data from your source file. SAP automatically generates the Read-Program based
on the settings made in the earlier steps.

You can process it for all your data or only for a part of it.

In case you defined amount and date fields in your source (step 3) then you have here the option for
automatic conversion. Without having amount and date fields you can ignore the defaults.

After execution you get the numbers of read records and transactions. As we have only a flat structure
the numbers for records and transactions is equal.

However, you should verify with your source file if this number is correct. It is the first indication when
something may be wrong.

I had often cases where people had deleted content from the Excel file, I mean cell content, they had not
deleted rows. For Excel those rows with erased content are still active, and they get saved as empty lines
at the end of your text file. So SAP may read many lines more than actually have data. If you have a good
sense for data then the number of read records will already tell you something.
Step 10 – Display Read Data

A very important step is to display the read data, because you can check if the values were moved into the
correct fields and that they fit into the fields and do not overlap with other fields ( in this case you have to
redefine your field length in step 3)

You cannot see this from the overview, you have to click the line to get into the detail.

However, the overview screen is important too. Here you can see in one sight if the records look equally
or if you see a kind of wave, which indicates that something with the field lengths i wrong. And if you use
the icons to go the end then you can as well check if your records have data until the last record

SAP will process even empty records in the conversion step, which certainly leads to errors. Such empty
records need to be removed from your source file, then you need to read it again.
Step 11 – Convert Data

Similar to the Read Data step you can convert only a selection or all data.

Important here is to set the radio button to “Create File“. This way SAP writes the CONV file with the
converted data. This corresponds to the setting made for the Port in Activation of IDOC Inbound
processing.

Further is gives you the last chance to check in step 12 a few individual records if the data was correct
converted.

Not to forget that you get the numbers of converted records and transactions. Those numbers will
hopefully match with your expected numbers:

I usually store this output as text file for audit purposes.

Step 12 – Display converted Data

Like in step 10 you can call the display for all or just for a selection. If you have more than 5000 records
then you should restrict the selection.

You get first the overview screen, similar to the Read data, and can as well go into the detail by clicking a
line.

The converted data is displayed according to the target structure. Only those segments that were selected
in step 4.

The green lines are technical lines for the IDOC, The yellow line is the header segment for the transaction,
the blue lines are the individual records.

You can already see that there are 2 records with …MAKT which holds the material description in German
and English

and another 2 records with …MLTX for the sales text. (if we had sales text wit 2 lines, then we could see 4
records here)

Go into the detail of at least any record of one transaction to verify that each target field has the right
content.

Step 13 – Start Idoc Generation

Not much to worry, you have just 2 options: Execute or leave

SAP proposed already the file name with the CONV file. Click execute and see the count in the status line
going up.

SAP tells you when it has finished. then leave this step and continue with the next step.

Step 14 – Start Idoc Processing

You will see a bigger selection screen, but everything needed is defaulted and you can just execute it.

If you have many thousand IDOCs, then better execute it in background (via menu Program > run in
background).

Even the IDOC posting is much quicker than batch input sessions, I have often migrations with 10 and
more hours for processing of one object.

Changing material text and sales text for about 40000 materials needed only 36 minutes.
When processing has finished, then SAP present an overview like you probably know it from MM17 Mass
maintenance.
You can sort it by status to get immediately an overview if you have failed IDOCs.

However, this analysis is better made from the next step.

Step 15 – Create Idoc Overview

If you ran the processing step in foreground, then the selection screen is already fully defaulted and you
can execute it like it is.

If it is not defaulted, then enter the “Created at” time and the “created on” date and enter the logical
message, here “MATMAS_MASS_BAPI” and execute.

The overview looks slightly different now.

You get a frame on the left from which you can select the IDOCs based on its status.

As we have done everything correct, only one status is shown.

By double click onto the IDOC number you can display the IDOC details, and eventually correct the
content of a failed IDOC and then repost the IDOC in the last step of your LSMW. I plan to describe this in
more detail in another blog later (but first I have to make something wrong, otherwise I cant get the

screen shots – this will be tough )