6/24/2014 BDC Interview Questions

29th June 2012 BDC Interview Questions

What is BDC and why do we use BDC ?

BDC ( Batch Data Communication ) also known as batch input is a technique by which large
volumes of data can be transferred from Non Sap or Legacy systems to SAP systems.

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Example: A Legacy system that is to be replaced by SAP has say 1000 Customers , 2000
vendors and 3000 materials. All this data needs to be transferred to SAP . In such cases , We
can use BDC.

If the old system is replaced by SAP, such a transfer is called Conversion.

If the old system runs along with SAP, in that case the transfer is called an Interface.

The two methods for BDC are:

Session Method
Call TRANSACTION Method
CALL DIALOG (Outdated)

ABAP interview questions on BDC:

Important:
Question 1:What is the difference between Call Transaction Method and the Session
method ?

Session Method Call Transaction

Session method id generally used when the Call transaction method is when the data
data volume is huge. volume is low
Session method is slow as compared to Call Call Transaction method is relatively faster
transaction. than Session method.
SAP Database is updated when you process SAP Database is updated during the
the sessions. You need to process the execution of the batch input program.
sessions separately via SM35.

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Errors are automatically handled during the Errors should be handled in the batch input
processing of the batch input session. program.

Important:
Question 2: How do you do BDC for a table control?
With other things as usual, there is a special trick that you have to use while doing BDC for
table control.
You need to use the BDC OKCODE '=P+'.
Its the BCD_OKCODE for Page down that can be used for scrolling down in table control.

Important:
Question3: Is there any method apart from BDC for data upload to SAP?
Apart from BDC and LSMW, you can use BAPIs to upload data into SAP.
BAPIs should be preferred over BDCs, because they process data faster than BDC.

A BAPI is faster since it updates Database "directly". Whereas BDC calls transaction and goes
through the whole screen sequence as any user would do.

BAPI BDC
BAPI is faster than BDC. BDC is relatively slower than BAPI.
BAPI directly updates database. BDC goes through all the screens as a
normal user would do and hence it is
slower.
No such processing options are available in Background and Foreground processing
BAPI. options are available for BDC.
BAPI would generally used for small data BDCs would be preferred for large volumes
uploads. of data upload since background processing
option is available.
For processing errors, the Return Errors can be processed in SM35 for session
Parameters for BAPI should be used.This method and in the batch input program for
parameter returns exception messages or Call Transaction method.
success messages to the calling program.

Question 4: How do you process errors in Call Transaction method ?

Let's have a look at the syntax for CALL TRANSACTION method.

Sample code:
DATA: BEGIN OF G_T_MESSTAB OCCURS 0.
INCLUDE STRUCTURE BDCMSGCOLL.
DATA: END OF G_T_MESSTAB.

CALL TRANSACTION 'MB11'

USING G_T_BDCDATA
MODE 'E'
UPDATE 'S'
MESSAGES INTO G_T_MESSTAB.

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All the error messages will be trapped inside G_T_MESSTAB.

Question 5: What is the use of program RSBDCSUB?

There are two ways to process the BDC sessions:
1) Go to SM35 ---> Choose session ---> hit process.
Now See Question no. 10.
2) Use program RSBDCSUB.
RSBDCSUB schedules the session to be processed in background.

Let's take an example to understand this.

The sessions are created at one point of time and processed at other point of time and this
may create a problem: For example: a BDC program creates a session for updating 1500
customers in SAP. However , before this session is processed via SM35 , a user inserts 100
customers in the system manually. In this case , the session will have at least 100 errors when
the session is processed from SM35.

One way to avoid this is to use the program "RSBDCSUB" in the batch input program itself so
that the session is processed as soon as it is created.
RSBDCSUB schedules the session to be processed in background.

Question 6: What is the structure of the BDC table?

The BDCDATA consists of the following fields:

PROGRAM [CHAR 40] - Online program name.
DYNPRO [NUMC 4] - Screen number.
DYNBEGIN [CHAR 1] - Flag to indicate the start of a new screen.
FNAM [CHAR 132] - Field name of a screen field to be filled with data.
FVAL [CHAR 132] - The actual value to be filled into the specified screen field.

Sample Screenshot:

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BDCDATA table structure

Question 7: What is the difference between BDC_OKCODE and BDC_CURSOR?

BDC_OKCODE: is used for storing commands during the recording. like '/00' is the command
for 'ENTER' Key.
BDC_CURSOR: contains the cursor position. it contians the field in which cursor will be.

Example code:
perform bdc_field using 'BDC_CURSOR'
'PROJ-PSPID'.
perform bdc_field using 'BDC_OKCODE'
'=BU'.

Question 8: What are the 3 methods that we use in sequence in a Batch input session
method ?

1) BDC_OPEN_GROUP for opening the Batch Input Session

2) BDC_INSERT for inserting the transactional data into SAP
3) BDC_CLOSE_GROUP for closing the Batch Input Session

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If there are n records , the BDC_INSERT method should be called n times.

BDC_OPEN_GROUP and BDC_CLOSE_GROUP are called only once.

General Information about a session is stored in table APQI.

Transaction data for a session is stored in table APQD.

Question 9: What is your approach for writing a BDC program?

Identify the Tcode and do the recording in SHDB to populate the BDCDATA.

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Once the recording is done , one can Transfer it to the Batch input program.

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In the batch Input program , The transactional data is read from the file to an internal table.

Then one can loop over the transactional data in the internal table and start uploading the
data in SAP either by CALL TRANSACTION method or by creating sessions through the batch
input program.

Question 10: How do you process errors in Session method ?

You can go to Transaction SM35 , Choose the session name and click on Process.

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Question 11: What are the different modes of processing batch input sessions?

The three modes are:

Foreground

Display Errors Only

Background

Question 12: What is the difference between Synchronous and Asynchronous Update ?
In Synchronous update , the database is updated before the next transaction is taken for
processing in a batch input.
In Asynchronous update , the system doesn't wait for updating the database before the next
transaction is taken for processing in a batch input.

Question 13: What is the transaction for Recording BDC ?

The Tcode is SHDB.

Question 14: How do you read files from the Application server ?

You can use the commands:
OPEN DATASET ---> opens the file(dataset) either in read /write mode.
READ DATASET ---> Read the file
CLOSE DATASET ---> Close the dataset once the date has been read .

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Question 15: How do you read files from the presentation server ?
You can use the Function Modules :
GUI_UPLOAD --> To read data from file into an internal table
GUI_DOWNLOAD --> To write data from internal table to a file on presentation server

If you found the post helpful , consider hitting the Google plus button------>

Thanks and all the best for your interview :).

Posted 29th June 2012 by Amby

Labels: BDC

22 View comments

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Anonymous May 7, 2013 at 5:54 PM

Thanks a lot for the questions and detailed answers...Very helpful indeed...
Reply
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6/24/2014 BDC Interview Questions

Anonymous May 21, 2013 at 6:47 PM

Very useful stuff..... Thank you.. :)
Reply

Anonymous May 24, 2013 at 2:36 AM

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Thanks A Lot............:)
Reply

Anonymous June 6, 2013 at 2:56 AM

thans a lot
Reply

prakash June 21, 2013 at 4:33 PM

great content
Reply

Raju Bera July 2, 2013 at 10:49 AM

very helpful....can u provide contents on MODULE POOL, BADI, USER EXIT, CUSTOMER
EXIT,FIELD EXIT, SCREEN EXIT ,BAPI........any help will be appreciated
Thanks in advance.
Reply

Anonymous August 17, 2013 at 8:03 AM

Good one...I think Q#11 refers to call transaction modes and not batch inpust session processing
modes...
Reply

Zakiya Khan August 21, 2013 at 11:42 PM

Good one and you are helping everyone to attend the interviews so please we will expect more and
more Thanks a lot.
Reply

r.kavi Chakravarthi October 21, 2013 at 4:13 AM

Its one of the keen and accurate site for all SAP beginners.this is good enough for freshers who is
going to accelerate their career as SAP consultant.so Expecting lot from you people.hope we can get
more from this site.Thanks and good work.Try to post new topics like above people said.it will be very
indeed to all..:)
Reply

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Renu January 20, 2014 at 9:28 AM

useful stuff..
Reply

Siva G February 6, 2014 at 5:19 AM

This comment has been removed by the author.
Reply

Raju March 4, 2014 at 4:12 AM

Thanks Amby!!!! Very useful.

Ques 3.
No such processing options are available in BAPI.

BAPIs are usually called in some program. So, the programs can be run in foreground or background.
And ideally, BAPI can be run in both modes. So, doesn't it mean, BAPI can be used for large volume
of data in background mode. And BAPI should be the first choice.

Regards,
Raju
http://help-sap.blogspot.in/
Reply

Sandip March 23, 2014 at 2:42 AM

Very useful stuff....Is there any questions and answers for ALV reports
Reply

yektek training April 10, 2014 at 7:27 AM

nice post thanks for sharing from Swathi
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siva sankar Sankar April 23, 2014 at 7:55 AM

thanks for sharing valuable information from Sankar
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Aravindh Kumar May 26, 2014 at 6:29 AM

Superb blog. Keep going :)
Reply

Anonymous May 26, 2014 at 10:51 PM

Amazing Answers
Reply

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