In SAP, data is stored in backend database tables. Such data may include master data, transactional data, configuration data and so on. In order to ensure that ABAP programs get the right access to the database table, the runtime object for the table should be in sync with the structure of the table in the database. Changes to Database tables can be made in the ABAP dictionary. One key point which the ABAPPER must check is that each time a table is changes in the ABAP dictionary, there is also an adjustment which is made to the database structure of the table.

In SAP, once changes are made to tables, the ABAP dictionary will have an active and an inactive version of the table. These active and inactive version are nothing but the old and new versions of the table. The database table has to be adjusted so that it is in line with the changed definition in the ABAP dictionary in three different ways:

1) The most cumbersome way of adjusting a structure is by converting the table itself.

2) Alter table i.e. by changing the database catalog. In this case, simply the definition of the table in the database is changed. All the existing data in the table is maintained and indexes of the table require to be built.

3) The easiest way of changing the definition of the ABAP dictionary is by deleting the database table and creating it from scratch. The table on the database is deleted. After this is done, the inactive table is activated in the ABAP dictionary and the table is created again in the database. However, the downside of all this is that the existing data in the table is wiped away and is not recoverable.

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