About eCATT and Data Transfer

Question

Hi,
    I have a confusion.
   Can I consider eCATT as a standard data transfer tool.What may its greater advantage be?
  Thank you

Answer 1

SAP CATT - Computer Aided Test Tool
Just sharing my experiences with CATT (although, I have not used this feature in the last 2 years or so !).
Simply, any one in SAP can use this tool as long as you can access to the tcode. I used CATT atleast in 3 different SAP modules. Typically, in SAP projects, CATT execution is a favorite task for "technical" associates. When the technical resources are either not available immediately or their plate is full with other important tasks, functional associates can simply jump into this activity, since there is no coding or programming involved. This tool has been a great gift from SAP since I am a functional person and could not do coding ! I can remember at least 30 or 40 occassions where I used CATT to get this and that done.
Below find few examples:
1. Created multiple sales orders (excess of 200) in a matter of minutes for the purpose of end user training
2. Created multiple purchase ordes (excess of 200) in a matter of minutes for the purpose of end user training
3. Created Deliveries for the sales orders in a matter of minutes for the purpose of end user training
4. Created config. entires, if the volume of records is large. I remember once I entered 900 records.
5. Extensively used in preparing the transactional data for the purpose of archiving. It worked impeccably.
6. Loading of master data (example: material groups)
Note: Upon execution of CATT, it is very possible that some records will fail, which have to be addressed manually. SAP really needs to further enhance this area of CATT because, there is no easy way of identifying the failed ones, it has to be done manually. One workaround is simply download the result into an Excel and using sort feature of Excel, identify the failed ones and deal with them manually.
With Compliment by: Ranga Rachapudi
CATT stands 4 Computer Aided Testing Tool
Although CATT is meant for as a testing tools, many SAP users have now use CATT frequently to upload vendors master data and make changes to other master record.
SAP Consultant and Abapers tends to used it for creating test data.
With CATT, you don't have to create any ABAP upload programs and this save on development time. However, you still have to spend time on data mapping into the spreadsheet format.
The transactions run without user interaction. You can check system messages and test database changes. All tests are logged.
What CATT does is record you performing the actual transaction once.
You then identify the fields that you wish to change in that view.
Then export this data to a spreadsheet to populate with the data required.
This is uploaded and executed saving you keying in the data manually.
To perform CATT, it has to be enabled in your production environment (your systems administrator should be able to do this - SCC4).
You will also need access to your development system to create the CATT script.
User Guide for Data Upload
The use of CATT is for bulk uploading of data. Although CATT is primarily a testing tool, it can be used for the mass upload of data. The way CATT works is like a real user actually inputting on the SAP screen. You prepare a set of data that are required to be input into the system and execute what you called a Test Case and CATT will do the boring task of keying for you.
Over-all procedure
The over-all procedure to upload data using CATT is as follows:
· Creation of the CATT test case & recording the sample data input.
· Download of the source file template.
· Modification of the source file.
· Upload of the data from the source file.
Details of each step are provided in the following paragraphs.
Detailed Procedure
Creation of the CATT test case:
Creation of the test case is completed as follows:
· Execute Transaction SCAT
· Name the test case. Test case name must start with “Z”. It is also good practise to include the transaction code in
the test case name (e.g. Z_IE01_UPLOAD for the upload of equipment)
· Click the “Record” button.
· Enter the transaction code (e.g. IE01)
· Continue recording the transaction. Ensure data is entered into every field that is to be used during the upload.
· Save the test case.
Download the source file template
Download of source file template is conducted in two stages as follows:
· Creation of import parameters:
· Within transaction SCAT, Double Click on the TCD line in the “Maintain Functions” screen.
· Click the Field List button (Field list is displayed).
· For every field that you wish to upload data, double click in the Column New field contents (This creates an
import parameter).
· In the Maintain Import Parameter Pop-Up:
· Delete the default value if not required.
· Press Enter
· The New field contents column now contains the character & followed by the field name (e.g. &EQART). This
is the name of the import parameter.
· Repeat this for every field (in every screen) to be uploaded.
· Back out and save the CATT test case
· Download of source file template:
· Use the path GOTO -> Variants -> Export Default
· Select path and file name (e.g. C:TEMPZ_IE01_UPLOAD.TXT)
· Click Transfer
Modify the source file
The downloaded source file template is now populated with the data that is to be uploaded. This is completed as follows:
· Using Excel, open the tab-delimited text file.
· Do not change any of the entries that already exist.
1st row contains the field names.
2nd row contains the field descriptions.
3rd row displays the default values which are set in the test case.
4th row contains a warning that changing the default values in the spreadsheet has no effect on the actual default values.
· The data to be uploaded can be entered in the spreadsheet from row 4 onwards (delete the 4th row warning &
replace with data for upload).
· Save the file as a Text file (Tab delimited).
Upload data from the source file
Uploading the data is completed as follows:
· Execute the CATT test case
· In the Execute screen:
· Set processing mode to Errors or Background (your choice).
· Set variants to External from file.
· Click the Choose button and select the file to be uploaded.
· If uploading to another client, click the Remote execution button and select the RFC connection to the required client.
· If uploading to the current client, click the execute button.
Also, refer the links....
http://www.sap-img.com/sap-catt.htm
http://sap.ittoolbox.com/documents/popular-q-and-a/catt-procedure-1795
http://www.thespot4sap.com/Articles/CATT.asp
http://help.sap.com/printdocu/core/Print46c/en/data/pdf/BCCATTOL/BCCATTOL.pdf
http://help.sap.com/printdocu/core/Print46c/en/data/pdf/BCCATTOL/CACATTOL.pdf
Reward Points if this helps,