Table Maintenance Generator

In this Post, we will discuss what is table maintenance generator?What is the use
of it?

As all of you know, we can create database tables in SAP using transaction code
SE11. A table can be manipulated by a program or manually.

When creating table, you will find a check box 'Table maintenance allowed'. If we
check that option, we can manually enter entries using SE16 or table
maintenance generator screen.

SE16 is for data browser.

How to create table maintenance generator?
Go to SE11, give the table name and click on change. Then Go to utilities--> Table
maintenance generator.

In the table maintenance generator screen, we should give Authorization Group,
Function Group name (Function Group name can be same as table name),
Maintenance type can be one step or two step, usually we will create with one
step. we should give maintenance screen number. After clicking on create button,
a table maintenance generator will be created.

To check it go to SM30 . In SM30, we find display, Maintain options.

We can view the table contents by choosing Display and we can create table
entries by choosing Maintain.

Why we have to go for Table maintenance generator, when we can edit the table
by SE16 or SE11, utilities->create entries?
Answer.
In the production system, end-users will not be having access to transaction
codes like SE11 and SE16. Developers will not be having access to many
transaction codes including the above two.
To view the contents of the database table, we will use SE16n in Production
system. Please find out the difference between SE16 and SE16n.
All these authorizations will be maintained by BASIS team, by creating access
profiles.
So in order to edit or create the contents of a database table, we should go for
table maintenance generator. In real time, authorizations will be maintained in
production system. (even in development and Test systems to some extent).
There is an audit like Sarbanes-Oxley Act for American clients, where every thing
will be audited by government agency. To know more about SOX, use the links on
the right hand side of this page.

The second reason is, we can edit or create multiple entries at a time, using table
maintenance generator.
Apart from that we have options like 'Enter conditions' in table maintenance
screen SM30. Please try to find out the use of those, by creating an example.
Table Maintenance generator: Difference between one step and two steps.
While creating table maintenance generator, we find below options:

1. When we choose one step, we have to give the screen number in Overview Screen field.
2. When we choose two step, we have to give both overview screen number and single screen number.
   

You can give any number for screen. Don’t give 1000 screen number. As this
number is reserved for selection screen.

When we choose two step, two screens will be created for table maintenance. For
single step only one screen will be created.
When we choose two step, table maintenance will work as follows
Go to SM30, give the table name for which you have created table maintenance-
Overview screen will be displayed. To create entries, when you click on ‘new
entries’. Another screen will be displayed, where you give input and save. You can
enter one record at a time.
When we choose single step, table maintenance will work as follows:
Go to SM30; give table name for which you have created table maintenance-
Overview screen will be displayed; To create entries click on ‘new entries’, you can
enter the records on the same screen. You can enter multiple records at a time.

We use single step generally, as it is user friendly.
To completely understand the difference and above points please do exercise by
creating table maintenance generator in both ways (using single step and two
step).