SAP ABAP Data Element EPD_FKEY_TYPEID (Master Data Template Category of External Key Attribute)
Hierarchy
☛ FI-CA (Software Component) FI-CA
   ⤷ IS-U-MD (Application Component) Master Data
     ⤷ EMDGEN (Package) Master Data Generator - Generic Part
Basic Data
Data Element EPD_FKEY_TYPEID
Short Description Master Data Template Category of External Key Attribute  
Data Type
Category of Dictionary Type D   Domain
Type of Object Referenced     No Information
Domain / Name of Reference Type EPD_FKEY_TYPEID    
Data Type CHAR   Character String 
Length 20    
Decimal Places 0    
Output Length 20    
Value Table      
Further Characteristics
Search Help: Name    
Search Help: Parameters    
Parameter ID   
Default Component name EPD_FKEY_TYPEID   
Change document    
No Input History    
Basic direction is set to LTR    
No BIDI Filtering    
Field Label
  Length  Field Label  
Short 10 ExtKeyCat. 
Medium 15 ExtKeyAttr MDT 
Long 20 Ext. Key Attr. MDT 
Heading 21 Ext. Key Attr. MDT 
Documentation

Definition

The external key template category and external key attribute are required for key references. A key reference determines the higher-level key attribute from which a value is adopted.

When you execute master date templates (MDTs), new objects are created, and keys are internally determined. These keys are often required by the subsequent nodes of the master data template. The following examples illustrate how the characteristics of the template categories interact:

Example 1:

  • You use the master data generator MDG and a node of category X to create an object. A new key is internally determined. This key has the attribute XKEY.
  • After X, the MDG executed the node of category Y. To do this, the MDG requires the new key of the object created beforehand. The attribute of the MDT category Y, which requires the new key, has the name XVAL, for example.

Parameters can be used to transfer new keys. You use the Evaluation category parameter for the XKEY and XVAL attributes and assign the same parameter name in both nodes. The parameter - which is initially empty - is assigned the new key when node X is executed, and is available for node Y. However, if you enter different parameter names in the two attributes, the transfer does not function. This may occur if the nodes X and Y occur several times in the MDT.

For this reason, you can arrange key references for selected attributes when you define the MDT categories. When you create a new MDT, these attributes can have the evaluation category called key reference. In this way, the new keys are automatically transferred in some cases.

The following example illustrated the interaction of the MDT characteristis.

Example 1

  • MDT category X is defined as follows:
    • MDT category X
    • External key category X0

(Note: the MDT category and external key category often agree. However, you can choose differing descriptions, as described in this case.)

  • MDT category X has the following attribute:
    • Attribute name    XKEY
    • Key X

(Note: the Key field is selected because this attribute permits internal number assignment.

  • MDT category Y has the following attribute:
    • Attribute name    XVAL
    • Key ' '
    • External key category X0
    • External key attribute XKEY

      (Note: in this example, external key category X0 is set at attribute level. This means that the value of attribute XVAL is transferred at runtime from a node whose external key category also has the value X0. The corresponding attribute is called XKEY.

  • An autonomous MDT category, called A contains the nodes of category X and Y. Y is not only executed after X but is also subordinate to X in the hierarchy.
  • You now create a MDT of category A and activate nodes X and Y.
  • Result: in node Y the key reference is automatically assigned to the XVAL attribute. Different evaluation categories are not permitted . You do not have to make any further settings for this attribute. When the MDT is executed, the key is automatically passed on from note X to Y.

Example 2:

  • The same prerequisites applies as in example 1. The only difference is, node Y is executed after node X but is not subordinate to Y in the

hierarchy. This has the following consequences:

  • Attribute XVAL in category Y permits the key reference evaluation category. You can also use different evaluation categories, such as parameters.

Example 3

  • The same as example 2, but you replicate the node with category Y and the node with category Y. As there is not hierarchy of nodes, you must allocate the key references. To do this, use the F4 help. In the case of this example, the F4 help would offer two possible selections.

History
Last changed by/on SAP  20050409 
SAP Release Created in 462