Changing standard SAP field descriptions

Posted on September 1, 2005 | Category: SAP

Sometimes you absolutely need a couple of fields to input all your information, so you end up using an unused field. What happens if the field description does not match, not even closely the information you put in it?

Well you have several choices:
- You could live with it.
- You could create your own data dictionary for your users, so that they know that field X in fact represents Y (but this has to be for a very limited number of fields)
- You could change the standard SAP description of the field – but bear in mind that you’ll probably need to multiply that effort by the number of languages used within your company.

So here it goes – what I will show here is by no way a recommendation and I take no responsibility for you doing it!

To illustrate this example we will change the description of a field from the material master. In this case I selected the field ‘Prod./Insp. Memo’ (Production/Inspection memo) which is usually found in the basic data views. It is a nice field because it is an information field: There is no customizing table behind it.


Before we do anything, we need to get some technical information on that field. So position the cursor on the field for which you want to change the description, display the technical information and note the data element (do function key F1 / technical information to get it). In this case the data element is ‘FERTH’.


Now follow the path to select the transaction indicated.


or simply type the transaction code CMOD in the transaction window.


You’ll be sent to a screen called ‘Project Management of SAP Enhancements’. In that screen select the menu as indicated (Goto / Text enhancements / Keywords / Change).


You’ll then have to select the language in which you want to change the description (if you are working in a multi-language environment, you’ll have to repeat this step for every language maintained).
In the field ‘Data Element’, type the Data Element name noted earlier.


The following screen will then be displayed. That screen has several fields. They contain the various descriptions for the data element selected. Depending on what screen/layout this data element is used the system will use one of the short, medium or long description fields. The Heading field will as its name suggests be used in the list header row of a layout. The Short Description field will be used when you select the function key F1 (help) on that field.

The length of each field is :
- Short field label: 10 characters
- Medium field label: 20 characters
- Long field label: 40 characters
- Heading: 55 characters
- Short Description: 60 characters

Replace the texts with those that you want to appear. For example: Save your changes (depending on your setup, record this in a customising request). Note that this is a cross client change.

Now if you go back in the material master for example, the field displays the new information.

And if you select the function key F1 (help) you’ll actually see the text corresponding to the Short description appear – Note that the downside of this is that only the first line is changed. The rest of the help text refers to the standard help documentation.

This technique should be used when all other options have been investigated and there is no other way around. Don’t go on a SAP renaming spree!

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20 Responses to “Changing standard SAP field descriptions”

1. Amit Amin Says:
   October 30th, 2007 at 11:33 pm

   thanks for such a nice posting.

2. Vhong Reymar Says:
   May 17th, 2008 at 12:15 pm

   Hi,

   Thanks for this great page!

   Is there any way that we can change the Standard Domain of the Standard Data Element?

   For example, the data element PREIS has a domain WERT11 with data type CURR and length of 11. The requirement is to extend the data type of PREIS into data type TB_CURR_11_5 with a length of 16.

   Can we do this enhancement? And how?

   Thank you very much!

3. Murali Says:
   June 4th, 2008 at 7:24 am

   Thanks for this post. It is really helpful.

4. renet@web Says:
   June 4th, 2008 at 9:09 am

   Glad to be of help. Thanks for the comment.

5. Anjani Says:
   August 25th, 2008 at 6:47 am

   I have a quick question – If you change the label using CMOD as described by you guys, is there any chances that it would get over written during upgrades?

   Thanks

6. renet@web Says:
   August 26th, 2008 at 6:43 pm

   Anjani, yes I think that would happen.

7. Sheryl Dickert Says:
   October 18th, 2008 at 4:40 am

   Very informative and concise. Thanks so much.

8. Babusingh Says:
   November 26th, 2008 at 4:17 pm

   Hi,

   Reali It is Woderfull information

   Thanks

9. Sharik Says:
   February 18th, 2009 at 9:50 pm

   Hi,

   This solution is simple, easy and works very well. Why is it recommended to use it as a last resort?

   Regards,
   Sharik

10. Zakir Says:
    May 1st, 2009 at 10:37 pm

    Keep the good work up, buddy !!!

11. fenny Says:
    June 19th, 2009 at 8:55 pm

    hai, i will ask about how to call function module in SAP with PHP. I’m so confused, how to insert the import value in function with php ?? i have tried many times, but, the always no value. If I check in SAP, there is a value.
    Can you tell me how to call it ? thank you.

12. Marcos Says:
    July 15th, 2009 at 7:39 am

    Thanks for this post. It is really helpful.

13. cá estamos » alterar descrições de campos no SAP Says:
    September 4th, 2009 at 1:13 am

    [...] http://www.renet-web.net/2005/09/01/changing-standard-sap-field-descriptions/ [...]

14. victort Says:
    September 23rd, 2009 at 6:46 pm

    its’ really appreciate you share it with us, thank you very much :)

15. Piyush Dhyani Says:
    January 21st, 2010 at 2:51 pm

    Great document, its is very userful. It is well eloborated and clearly explained

    THanks for publishing such a nice document

16. harry Says:
    February 20th, 2010 at 11:19 pm

    What a splendid way to share your knowledge. Thanks Pascal, it’s exactly the input I needed for my decision making.

17. Isuru Says:
    February 25th, 2010 at 8:40 pm

    Great help. thanx!

18. S McIntosh Says:
    March 23rd, 2011 at 12:51 pm

    What a great tip
    thanks

19. linda gao Says:
    August 27th, 2011 at 3:13 am

    Very nice posting. Thank you!
    However Not apply for all the fields. Need below supplement

    Use Quotation date in PO header as an example.
    Prerequisite: You might need a access key to access below steps.
    ME21N—cursor at field quotation date (PO header) top task bar systemSatatus, Note down program name(SAPLMEGUI) ,screen number (1229) and field name (IHRAN) go to SE51, input program name and screen numberchange choose radio button “element list” press change go to subtab “Text/ I/O templates”change text part in column “Text or I/O field “ for component name MEPO1229-IHRAN(note IHRAN is field name you took down earlier onsave and activate the changes

20. Pascal Says:
    August 27th, 2011 at 9:07 am

    Thanks for your addition Linda.

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