topic Re: Conversion Exits in Application Development and Automation Discussions

Conversion Exits

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:01:55 GMT

Hi,

What are conversion exits ??

Thanks,

Rathul.

Re: Conversion Exits

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:03:43 GMT

When you store data in a table you may want to standardise that data so for example it sorts correctly, or it may be encoded to a shortened form etc, however, in this form it's not easily readable by people.

For example, if you find a numeric material number, and try to find that in a select without the leading zeroes, the database will not find it. However, entering the leading zeroes each time in the input field can be error prone and tedious.

SAP uses this functionality a lot. Whether it's an order number, a WBS element code, or even account assignment codes.

Conversion exits come in pairs - INPUT for data being entered into SAP from the outside world and OUTPUT for data being displayed by SAP. These conversion exits are implied (ie are automatic) when you declare an input parameter like a ddic object that has a conversion exit, or when you use the WRITE statement.

You can also call the conversion exit explicitely to provide you with for example a WBS element code that you can use to select from the database on (WBS Elements are not stored in the textual format you see on the screen)

How do you find out if a variable has a conversion exit ? Look at the domain for the variable by drilling down from the field name to the data element and then to the domain. The field 'Convers. Routine' holds the conversion exit name. To get the full function module just add 'CONVERSION_EXIT_' on the front and the direction '_INPUT' or 'OUTPUT' on the back.

eg: CONVERSION_EXIT_MATN1_INPUT is for material numbers coming into SAP.

Vinodh Balakrishnan

Re: Conversion Exits

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:03:47 GMT

Most conversion exits used in screens by SAP are actually function modules. You can find them by searching for CONVERSION_EXIT_name_INPUT and CONVERSION_EXIT_name_OUTPUT.

Regards.

Re: Conversion Exits

former_member156446 — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:05:39 GMT

Conversion routine is a piece of code, which changes the value for display.

scenario is like this the partner function need to stored in SAP as WE and ppl who see cant understand what WE is , so we place a conversion routine to SHOW WE as SOLD-TO-PARTY

>Award points if helpful

Re: Conversion Exits

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:30:50 GMT

Hi Rathul,

Generally conversion exits are used for append the leading ZEROS and discard the leading zero.There are two function modules are present.

1.conversion_exit_alpha_input.

2.conversion_exit_alpha_output.

1.conversion_exit_alpha_input :

EX:

1. '1234 ' --> '00001234'

2. 'ABCD ' --> '0000ABCD '

2.conversion_exit_alpha_output.

EX:

1.'00001234' -

> '1234'.

Reward points if helpful.

Kiran Kumar.G.A

Re: Conversion Exits

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:28:53 GMT

Hi,

Conversion exits are the method by which SAP uses to normalise the data held in the various tables. As a good example, have a look at material numbers.

If the material number contains all numeric characters (ie the characters 0-9), then SAP prepends leading zeroes onto the string so that 12345 becomes 000000000000012345.

The reason for this is so that the numbers are sorted correctly by the database. If for example you had the numbers 1,2,3,4,5, 10, 200, 1000 as material numbers and asked SAP to sort them by material number you would end up with the sequence: 1,10,1000, 2, 200, 3, 4 and 5. However by prepending zeroes to the material number to bring it to some standard length, then the material numbers will sort in the order that you think they should be.

This also explains why, when you search for a material number, even though the user says it's '1234' and you search the database for '1234' you will not find it. Stick a bunch of zeroes on the front and you will find it!!

As another quick example, have a look at WBS elements. I'll defy you to find a WBS element in the database which has a name the same as you type in to access them. SAP converts these names into six (or is it 8 ??) digit numbers prefixed by zeroes. This is then what is used in the tables to identify each WBS element or project:

So what is a conversion exit ?

A conversion exit consists of two function modules. One module converts incoming data into the representation that will be used internally. The second is a module that converts internally represented data to that which is displayable and user friendly.

Conversion exits are called automatically whenever a variable (who'se domain has a conversion exit defined) is either input via a selection screen or output via a write statement.

Creating Own Conversion Exits:

Write your two conversion exits in the same manner that SAP does - with an input and output parameter only.

Make sure that they conform to the naming convention CONVERSION_EXIT_XXXXX_INPUT and CONVERSION_EXIT_XXXXX_OUTPUT.

Activate and test them.

Then, create a domain that reflects the characteristics of the data you are processing, and in the Conversion exit field enter XXXXX.

You then need to define a data type to be able to use this.

Reward points if found helpfull...

Cheers,

siva.

Re: Conversion Exits

subhobrata_sarkar — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 07:39:50 GMT

Amazing explanation. I learnt why there are preceding zeroes before numbers and why i need to remove or add them every time.

Thanks a lot.

Subhobrata