It is possible to integrate a search machine into the input help. This may be usefull in the following cases:

• If you want to search for information on texts, especially long texts such as documentations
• If you want to search for information thereby tolerating errors

To integrate a search machine into the input help, the following prerequisites must be met:

• A search machine must be installed (preferably on a separate server)
• An RFC connection must be established between the server of the search machine and the relevant R/3 system
• An external index must be created for the information required in the input help
• A search help must be created that uses the index as selection method

To create the external index and an appropriate search help, use transaction SENG. It provides wizzards for both operations.

The index is initially created from the relevant data; when data is changed, the index is adapted using a synchronization mechanism.

Triggers are used to store changes to the data of the table or the view in a log table. This log table as well as the triggers are automatically created when you create the external index using transaction SENG. You can use the change information stored in the log table to rewrite the index after a change. To do this you must schedule a job in the transaction.

When the input help is called, the search machine uses the restrictions entered by the user to determine the relevant keys. The system then uses these keys to retrieve the corresponding data from the underlying table or view and to display it in the hit list.