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Background documentation Processing Types  Locate the document in its SAP Library structure

The database utility can be used to make modifications to database objects with various processing types.

Direct

The required database modifications are carried out immediately.

This processing type is not suitable for converting large tables. First of all, the conversion places a great load on the system. Secondly, the conversion can terminate due to a runtime restriction. You should therefore choose the processing type Background when converting large tables.

Background

A background job is scheduled for the required database modifications.

You can specify the time at which background processing is to begin. If you wish, you can choose to start background processing immediately. The advantage of selecting this processing type rather than Direct is that there is no danger of the operation terminating as the result of a runtime restriction.

Entering for mass processing

If you choose this processing type, entries are created with the corresponding function in a system table (TBATG). The requests collected in this table can then be processed in the background at fixed times (generally overnight). The background process for editing the requests must be scheduled explicitly as a job (see Scheduling Jobs for Mass Processing).

The objects already scheduled for mass processing can be displayed from the initial screen of the database utility with DB requests ® Mass processing. The interpretation of the displayed list is described in Displaying Requests for Mass Processing.

The background program writes messages in a log file. You can display these day logs starting with the initial screen of the database utility with Extras ® Logs. The interpretation of the displayed list is described in Displaying Requests for Mass Processing.