The data type in the ABAP Dictionary is the user’s view on the data, that is, the data format at the user interface. This data format depends on the database system used. When a table is defined in the ABAP Dictionary, the data types defined in the ABAP Dictionary are copied to the data types of the database system used.

Note that some data types have a predefined length and set templates for output.

ACCP: Posting period. The length is set to 6 places for this data type. The format is YYYYMM. In input and output, a point is inserted between the year and month, so the template of this data type has the form ‘____.__’.

CHAR: Character string. Fields of type CHAR may have a maximum length of only 255 in tables. If longer character fields are to be used in tables, data type LCHR must be selected. In structures there are no restrictions on the length of such fields.

CLNT: Client. Client fields always have three places.

CUKY: Currency key. Fields of this type are referenced by fields of type CURR. The length is set to 5 places for this data type.

CURR: Currency field. Equivalent to a DEC amount field. A field of this type must refer to a field of type CUKY (reference field). The maximum length for this data type is 17 places.

DATS: Date. The length is set to 8 places for this data type. The output template can be determined with the user profile.

DEC: Counter or amount field with decimal point, sign, and commas separating thousands. A DEC field has a maximum length of 31 places. In tables, only DEC fields with a length <= 17 may be used.

FLTP: Floating-point number. The length (including decimal places) is set to 16 places for this data type.

INT1: 1-byte integer between 0 and 255. The length of this data type is set to 3 places.

INT2: 2-byte integer between -32767 and 32767. Fields of this type should only be used for length fields. These long fields are positioned immediately in front of a long field (type LCHR, LRAW). With INSERT or UPDATE on the long field, the database interface enters the length which was actually used in the length field. The length for this data type is set to 5 places.

INT4: 4-byte integer between -2177483647 and 2177483647. The length is set to 10 places for this data type.

LCHR: Character string of arbitrary length, but with a minimum of 256 characters. Fields of this type must be located at the end of transparent tables and must be preceded by a length field of type INT2. If there is an INSERT or UPDATE in ABAP programs, this length field must be filled with the length actually required.

LRAW: Uninterpreted byte string of arbitrary length, but with a minimum length of 256. Fields of this type must be located at the end of transparent tables and must be preceded by a length field of type INT2. If there is an INSERT or UPDATE in ABAP programs, this length field must be filled with the length actually required.

NUMC: Long character field in which only numbers can be entered. The length of this field is limited to a maximum of 255 places.

PREC: Accuracy of a QUAN field. The length for this data type is set to 2 places.

QUAN: Quantity. Equivalent to an amount field DEC. A field of this type must always refer to a units field with UNIT format (reference field). The maximum length for this data type is 17 places.

RAW: Uninterpreted sequence of bytes. Fields of type RAW may have only a maximum length of 255 in tables. If longer raw fields are required in tables, you should select data type LRAW.

TIMS: Time. The length for this data type is set to 6 places. The format is hhmmss. The template for input and output has the form ‘__.__.__’.

UNIT: Units key. Fields of this type are referenced by fields of type QUAN. The length of this data type is set to 2 or 3 places.

VARC: Character field of variable length. Creation of new fields of this data type is not supported as of Release 3.0. However, existing fields with this data type can still be used.