Classifying Lists (SAP Library - BC

Classifying Lists

In the following, we present a list classification scheme which covers the most important of the cases that we discussed. This scheme is also used in topic Lists - Colors and Lines.

Header Information

Any list can contain the following header information whioch describe it in more detail:

Title
Object information
Action information

Object Information

The term "object information" refers to header data (as displayed on the screens) and detail data. Object information identifies the object for which the list was created. It consists of field name, field value and an optional explanatory text (check text).

Action Information

The term "action information" refers to chosen actions and results. Examples include sorting, scrolling, and totalling information.

One-Line Lists

One-line lists consist of similar lines with column titles in a header line. Certain columns can have a key function and therefore identify the lines. Examples of special lines are lines with totals or subtotals, or inserted information the user can display and/or hide. The column header can be structured hierarchically.

Multiple-Line Lists

With multiple-line lists, the line information exceeds one physical line and is thus known as a logical line.

The header line also extends over several physical lines.

Hierarchical-sequential Lists

Hierarchical-sequential lists are extracts from a data cube whose dimensions are determined by the number of criteria used. Each combination of criteria is further specified by a number of key figures.

Fixed and/or Extracted Criteria

The extract from the data cube is determined by a number of criteria set to particular occurences (fixed or extracted criteria). This results in a cube which is defined by the variable dimensions; this creates the list.

Fixed criteria with their occurrences are listed as object information because their occurrences are constant for the entire list.

Variable Criteria

Another set of criteria is varied systematically in its occurrences (variable criteria). These characteristics are the keys.

Internal and External Criteria

External criteria vary slowly; that is, they create groups of lines
within which they are constant. They are listed with their
occurrences in hierarchy information described below.

Internal criteria vary within the groups created by the external criteria and have column headings as the key figures. They are located in the left data columns of the list body while the key figures are listed to the right.

Hierarchy Information, Groups

Key figures are often listed in addition to the external criteria. They describe the data further but are constant within the group. The description of the occurrences of external criteria with the constant key figures and their values is referred to here as "hierarchy information". It describes the "groups" in the list.

List Bodies, Key Figures

The lines of the lists within the groups consist of the internal criteria and the varied key figures. Their descriptions appear in the column headings, their occurrences and their values fill the list. The lines form a one-line or multiple-line sub-list, depending on the quantity and arrangement of the internal criteria and key figures.

The key figures are the actual data in the list.

Special Cases

Matrix Lists

Matrix lists are a special type of hierarchical-sequential list; they have both column headers and line headers. They result from classification via several criteria.

Object Lists

If the internal criteria and the key figures of a list do not determine a matrix or a similarly ordered structure, we talk about an object list.

Hierarchies

Hierarchies which have a list-like form (tables of contents, for example), can also be displayed as lists.

Hierarchy Trees

Lists can also be displayed as network or tree structures.

Diagrams

Furthermore, lists can be displayed as simple diagrams, for example, bar charts.