BDC

[Former Member]

What is the difference between Batch Input and Direct Input Methods ?

[Former Member]

HI,

<b>Batch Input</b>

With the Batch Input method, an ABAP program reads the external data that is to be entered in the R/3 System and stores the data in a “batch input session”. The session records the actions that are required to transfer data into the system using normal SAP transactions.

When the program has generated the session, you can run the session to execute the SAP transactions in it. You can explicitly start and monitor a session with the batch input management function (by choosing System - Services - Batch Input), or have the session run in the background processing session.

It offers management of sessions, support for playing back and correcting sessions that contain errors, and detailed logging. Your program prepares the data and stores it in a batch input session. A session is a collection of transaction data for one or more transactions. Batch input sessions are maintained by the system in the batch input queue. You can process batch input sessions in the background processing system.

Your program must open a session in the queue before transferring data to it, and must close it again afterwards. All of these operations are performed by making function modules calls from the ABAP program.

The most important aspects of the session interface are:

Asynchronous processing

Transfer data for multiple transactions

Synchronous database update. During processing, no transaction is started until the previous transaction has been written to the database.

A batch input processing log is generated for each session

Sessions cannot be generated in parallel. The batch input program must not open a session until it has closed the preceding session.

<b>Direct Input (DINP) </b>

With direct input, the SAP function modules execute the consistency checks. However with batch input, these consistency checks are executed with help of the screens. This means that direct input has considerable performance advantages. But there are a few programs for direct input, you can use them if it accomplishes your goal. Direct Input programs work like that they update database tables directly. As you know that it is forbidden to update SAP database tables directly, since consistency and security should be considered. Exceptions are these direct input programs. So you are not able to write custom ABAP direct input programs. But of course you can write ABAP programs to update custom database tables (Z tables), if you are sure all about consistency.

So why SAP has created direct input programs? Because SAP wanted to enhance the batch input procedure, since batch input is slower. SAP offers the direct input technique, especially for transferring large amount of data. In contrast to batch input, this technique does not create sessions, but stores, updates, inserts data directly. To enter the data into the corresponding database tables directly, the system calls a number of function modules that execute any necessary checks. In case of errors, the direct input technique provides a restart mechanism. However, to able to activate the restart mechanism, direct input programs must be executed in the background only. To maintain and start these programs, use program RBMVSHOW or transaction BMV0.

Examples for direct input programs are:

RFBIBL00 - FI

RMDATIND - MM

RVAFSS00 - SD

RAALTD11 - AM

RKEVEXTO - CO-PA

rgds,

bharat.

[Former Member]

Hi

BDCs are used to process the screens automatically one after another by creating sessions and make updates to database if necessary.

Because SAP wanted to enhance the batch input procedure, since batch input is slower. SAP offers the direct input technique, especially for transferring large amount of data. In contrast to batch input, this technique does not create sessions, but stores, updates, inserts data directly. To enter the data into the corresponding database tables directly, the system calls a number of function modules that execute any necessary checks. In case of errors, the direct input technique provides a restart mechanism. However, to able to activate the restart mechanism, direct input programs must be executed in the background only.

Thanks

Vasudha