3 tools to analyse your SAP data with no budget

You hear about data everywhere in your company but the budget is not coming your way? If you use SAP ECC or S/4, there are a few options you could try.

The ever-reliable, indestructible table viewer: SE16 / SE16N / SE16H

The most basic option, and the most likely to be authorised. You enter a table name, use fields to select data, execute, and view the results. When paired with MS Excel, it is the cheapest, quickest and most versatile tool around.

A few watchouts apply.

Security and authorisations. Sensitive data — employee personal information, financial details — may be accessible. Access to table groups can be controlled, but data extraction does not leave audit logs, which makes it difficult to track who accessed what.

Performance. Querying large tables consumes significant system resources. Good selection criteria and properly indexed tables help mitigate the impact.

Relational database. This tool works with one table at a time. You cannot join two tables unless a view exists for that purpose. Some SAP objects that appear to be tables are actually structures or virtual tables, and certain tables are not readable with this tool.

Interpreting the results. Technical values may be translations of stored data. Date and number formats depend on user settings, not the actual storage format. Long fields may be truncated when displayed, and copying to Excel might not capture hidden values. Settings can be adjusted to address these issues.

A step higher in sophistication: SQVI and Queries

This tool allows SE16-like work on table combinations using a drag-and-drop interface, eliminating the need for manual VLOOKUPs in Excel. Queries can be re-executed at will.

Security and authorisations. Access controls determine which tables users can analyse.

Performance. Large-table queries and joins impact system resources. Good selection criteria, correct table joins and proper indexing help considerably.

Relational database. Tables can and should be joined — but must be joined correctly on appropriate fields.

Interpreting the results. Format and language considerations apply as with SE16. Data may need reformatting using the tool or after extraction.

And did you know about this one? TAANA

When table sizes become too large for SE16 or SQVI extraction, SAP provides a Table Analysis tool. It is more complex than the previous options but includes reliable documentation.

For example, analysing sales document types by year, person, location, quantity, currency and customer can generate too much data for Excel. TAANA allows setup and background processing for quick analysis afterwards. It can also profile table usage and generate field statistics.

Watchouts? Authorisation and compliance requirements apply. Performance is less problematic since execution typically occurs in the background. However, it analyses one table at a time, so multiple tables consume time — though analyses can execute in parallel, cautiously.

The most important thing to keep in mind

Define what you are seeking carefully and in detail. Then determine if that information exists in your SAP systems through web research and conversations with colleagues. These tools help build intelligence about the data available to you — and may provide the foundation for the business case that justifies budget approval.