1. Checking available information structures

First you should check if an information structure already exists that you could use for reporting. You can then change this information structure to suit your needs. If there is no information structure available that you can use, you can create a new one.

2. Creating the information structure

You define the information structure to be used for archive reporting. In doing this, you establish which source fields from the archive are carried over to which fields in the information structure. You do this with the help of application-specific field catalogs, which are included in the features of the Archive Information System.

An information structure is only ever valid for one archiving object. Several information structures can be defined for one archiving object. For more information, see under Create Information Structures.

3. Activating the information structure

After you have created an information structure, you need to activate it. Alternatively you can use a standard information structure, provided that it fits your requirements.

At this stage, the system generates a transparent database table and the reporting program. For further information, see under Activate and Deactivate Information Structures.

4. Filling the information structure

During an archiving delete run all (activated) archive information structures belonging to an archiving object are filled automatically. Also the Archive Development Kit (ADK) passes all data records found in the archive to the SAP AS interface. According to the defined infostructure, the SAP AS filters the data from the data records passed and enters it in a transparent database table together with an access key. This table serves as the basis for later searches.

As well as the automatic fill using the delete program, an information structure can also be filled later for already available archives. This can be useful if you want to report data that was already archived or if you have changed the fields of an information structure. For more information, see Fill and Empty Information Structures.

5. Reporting of information structures

Use the Archive Explorer function to define the archiving object and the information structure from which you want to report. In the selection screen specify the display parameters for the archived data where necessary. Select a data object from the list of data objects and possibly also define the view where it should be displayed. For more information, see Reporting Information Structures.