Data Element Definition
This function allows you to define data elements that retrieve data from the user database and includes it in the layout at runtime.
The fields that you list in the Export List
are
the data elements for a layout. For more information about export lists, see Assigning
Transactions to Layouts.
Prerequisites
You have created a layout.
For more information, see Creating Layouts.
You have assigned a transaction to the layout, and defined the export and import lists for the layout.
For more information, see Assigning Transactions to Layouts.
Features
Data Element
tileYou can enter the details for the data element such as:
A name for the data element
A shortcut to uniquely identify the data element.
While designing the layout, you include this shortcut in the layout; it acts as a pointer to the data element.
The Microsoft Office format (for a date or numeric data element).
This format is used when the data element is generated.
External Description
tileWhen you create a data element, the application creates a description for the data element automatically. You can create descriptions for the data element in different languages.
Transaction
,Import List
, andExport List
tilesYou can choose whether the data for the data element is retrieved by the transaction that you have assigned to the layout or by a transaction assigned specifically to the data element.
If the required data is available from the transaction that you have assigned to the layout, then you only need to specify the name as used in the export list of the layout.
If the transaction that you have assigned to the layout does not contain enough information to generate the data element, then you must assign a different transaction to the data element.
You must specify a complete transaction element including the BDoc type with its import and export lists. It is used to retrieve long texts for fields that are already available.
A data element that you created retrieves the short text “IN” for India, during runtime. You want the text “India” to be displayed. You can then create specific import and export lists for the data element to retrieve the long text “India” for the given short text.