SAP DDS_DATAELEMENT Data Element Table data and field list

DDS_DATAELEMENT is a standard SAP Structure so does not store data like a database table does. It can be used to define the fields of other actual tables or to process "Data Element" Information within sap ABAP programs.

This is done by declaring abap internal tables, work areas or database tables based on this Structure. These can then be used to store and process the required data appropriately.

i.e. DATA: wa_DDS_DATAELEMENT TYPE DDS_DATAELEMENT.

The DDS_DATAELEMENT table consists of various fields, each holding specific information or linking keys about Data Element data available in SAP. These include TYPENAME (Name of Dictionary Type), DOMNAME (Domain name), AS4USER (Last Changed by), AS4DATE (Date of Last Change)... See below for full list along with technical details, documentation, text table, check tables, foreign key relationships, conversion routines, relevant tcodes and example ABAP select code etc. .

DDS_DATAELEMENT structure Technical Details:

Delivery Class:
Display/Maintenance via tcode SM30: Display/Maintenance Allowed but with Restrictions
SAP enhancement categories: Can Be Enhanced (Deep)


SAP DDS_DATAELEMENT structure fields - Full list of fields found in SAP data dictionary

Looking for S/4HANA specific information? Click here to explore the details, fields and extensibility available for this table in the SAP S/4HANA version of the DDS_DATAELEMENT table. Also check whether the table still exists or has been transformed into a CDS view as part of the HANA simplifications.
Field Description Data Element Data Type length (Dec) Check table Conversion Routine Domain Name MemoryID SHLP
TYPENAMEName of Dictionary Type TYPENAMECHAR30OBJECTNAMEDTYPDD_TYPES
DOMNAMEDomain name DOMNAMECHAR30Assigned to domainDOMNAMEDD_DOMA
AS4USERLast Changed by AS4USERCHAR12AS4USER
AS4DATEDate of Last Change AS4DATEDATS8AS4DATE
AS4TIMELast changed at AS4TIMETIMS6AS4TIME
ROUTPUTLENLength (No. of Characters) DDLENGNUMC6DDLENG
HEADLENMaximum length of heading HEADLENNUMC2SCRLEN
SCRLEN1Max. length for short field label SCRLEN_SNUMC2SCRLEN
SCRLEN2Max. length for medium field label SCRLEN_MNUMC2SCRLEN
SCRLEN3Max. length for long field label SCRLEN_LNUMC2SCRLEN
DDTEXTShort Description of Repository Objects AS4TEXTCHAR60AS4TEXT
REPTEXTHeading REPTEXTCHAR55REPTEXT
SCRTEXT_SShort Field Label SCRTEXT_SCHAR10SCRTEXT_S
SCRTEXT_MMedium Field Label SCRTEXT_MCHAR20SCRTEXT_M
SCRTEXT_LLong Field Label SCRTEXT_LCHAR40SCRTEXT_L
DTELMASTEROriginal Language in Repository objects MASTERLANGLANG1Assigned to domainISOLASPRASH_T002
SHLPFIELDName of a search help parameter SHLPFIELDCHAR30Assigned to domainFDNAME
DEFFDNAMEDefault name for components using the data element DEFFDNAMECHAR30DEFFDNAME
DATATYPEData Type in ABAP Dictionary DATATYPE_DCHAR4DTYPEDATATYPE
LENGLength (No. of Characters) DDLENGNUMC6DDLENG
DECIMALSNumber of Decimal Places DECIMALSNUMC6DDLENG
OUTPUTLENOutput Length OUTPUTLENNUMC6DDLENG
LOWERCASELowercase letters allowed/not allowed LOWERCASECHAR1AS4FLAG
SIGNFLAGFlag for sign in numerical fields SIGNFLAGCHAR1AS4FLAG
CONVEXITConversion Routine CONVEXITCHAR5CONVEXIT
VALEXIExistence of fixed values VALEXICHAR1AS4FLAG
ENTITYTABValue table ENTITYTABCHAR30Assigned to domainAS4TABDD_DBTB
REFKINDCategory of Dictionary Type TYPEKINDCHAR1TYPEKIND
REFTYPEType of Object Referenced DDREFTYPECHAR1DDREFTYPE

Key field Non-key field



How do I retrieve data from SAP structure DDS_DATAELEMENT using ABAP code?

As DDS_DATAELEMENT is a database structure and not a table it does not store any data in the SAP data dictionary. The ABAP SELECT statement is therefore not appropriate and can not be performed on DDS_DATAELEMENT as there is no data to select.

How to access SAP table DDS_DATAELEMENT

Within an ECC or HANA version of SAP you can also view further information about DDS_DATAELEMENT and the data within it using relevant transactions such as

SE11 (ABAP Dictionary Maintenance)
SM30 (Maintain Table Data)
SE80 (Object Navigator)
SE16 (Data Browser).