Sets 

Definition

A set links together specific values or ranges of values under a set name. These values exist within one or more dimensions of a database table. A dimension is a single field or column of a logical database (table). Account, cost center, and business area are examples of dimensions.

Set Values Within a Dimension

Using sets, you can group together values within a particular dimension.

You could group together values within the dimension Account by using set names such as:

When you create sets, you decide how to organize set structures and which values should be included in a set. You can use the following types of sets:

For more information, see Set Types.

Use

You can use sets and set values in other Special Purpose Ledger (FI-SL) sub-components, such as:

For more information, see Uses of Sets.

Advantages of Sets

Sets are easy to create and maintain, and they give you more flexibility when maintaining your system. Also, with sets you do not have to maintain master data and tables.

Other advantages of sets include:

You define a set once, as an independent object.

You can use the same set in many other different modules.
For example, if you create a set for reporting, you can also use the set for allocations.

When you add a new value to a set, the value is automatically stored on the system.

You can create a set that contains a range of accounts, such as all cash accounts. You can then use the set in a report. If you add a new account to your system, you do not need to change the set or report definition; you only need to execute the report.

With sets, you can organize your system values into logical groups and hierarchies according to your individual needs.

Beginning with Release 4.0, you can use sets for all dimensions (table fields) that use the same or compatible data elements.

In FI-SL, for example, you can use groups that have been created in the Controlling (CO) application component if the dimension is compatible with the dimension of the CO group.

You create a report for table GLFUNCT and want to enter accounts in the report rows. You could enter a cost element group as the row block (table CCSS, dimension KSTAR). In this case, dimension CCSS-KSTAR is compatible with dimension GLFUNCT-RACCT.

Structure

A set consists of the following parts:

When you create a set, you enter a set name that consists of up to 24 characters.

This information applies to all values within the set.

Set value information also includes data that is used by the Report Writer (such as symbolic names, print classes, and set line text).

If your system release has been upgraded from Release 3.0 or 3.1 to Release 4.0:

The set class categorizes the set, depending on its purpose and the application component in which it is used. There are, for example, different set classes for sets created in the Special Purpose Ledger (FI-SL) application component and for groups (such as cost center groups) created in the Controlling (CO) application component.

Depending on the set class, the ID is derived from characteristics that uniquely identify the set. In FI-SL the set name uniquely identifies the set.

However, the conversion program changes the names of the sets. The set names are followed by the suffix .<table name>.

For example, if you created a set called ACCOUNTS for table GLT1 in Release 3.0 or 3.1, the set is automatically converted into a 4.0 set called ACCOUNTS.GLT1. You should note, however, that you only need to enter the name ACCOUNTS (and not ACCOUNTS.GLT1) when you use the set in the system. If there is more than one set called ACCOUNTS, the system displays a dialog box in which you select the appropriate set.

Beginning with Release 3.0, Extended General Ledger (FI-GLX) has been changed to Special Purpose Ledger (FI-SL). In this documentation, the abbreviation FI-GLX is the same as the abbreviation FI-SL