Database Definition and Installation 

One of the first tasks in setting up your FI-SL System is to determine the variable dimensions that your ledger(s) will use. Next you must define your database structure.

Variable dimensions determine which dimensions will be stored in the key part of a data record. They also determine which variable fields of the data record key can be filled when a document is posted to FI-SL.

When you set up your system, you should first determine the dimension combinations and ledger structures that you will use in your system. Efficient structuring of your variable dimensions will result in reduced amount of required data storage.

You use the Define Table Group function to define a complete table group and store it in the ABAP Dictionary. A table group is a group of interdependent database tables (object/summary/actual and plan line item tables).

When you use the Define Table Group function, you no longer need to maintain object tables and their underlying structures in the ABAP Dictionary. You can define the variable dimensions for two object tables (partner/object and/or transaction attributes). The system automatically generates the summary and line item database tables assigned to these object tables.

Detailed procedures for defining table groups are described in the Define Table Group step in the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Special Purpose Ledger.

Once you have saved your table group, you can activate it.

You should only activate your table group when it is complete and you want to save it permanently. Any changes made to active tables can often be problematic since in some circumstances manual conversions must be made in the ABAP Dictionary.

Once you have created and activated the table group, you can install it directly from the Define Table Group transaction.

You can also inactivate FI-SL database tables, for example, if syntax errors have occurred during installation. You inactivate database tables in the table directory in Customizing. When you use the inactivation function, all tables that belong to the same table group will be inactivated. For more information, see the Maintain Table Directory step in the Implementation Guide (IMG) for Special Purpose Ledger.