Steps to prepare and upload excel files data to r/3?

Question

Hi abap experts,
We have brand new installed ECC system somehow configured but with no master or transaction data loaded .It is new  empty system....We also have some legacy data in excel files...We want to start loading some data into the SAP sandbox step by step and to see how they work...test some transactions see if the loaded data are good etc initial tests.
Few questions here are raised:
-Can someone tell me what is the process of loading this data into SAP system?
-Should this excel file must me reworked prepared somehow(fields, columns etc) in order to be ready for upload to SAP??
-Users asked me how to prepared their legacy excel files so they can be ready in SAP format for upload.?Is this an abaper  job or it is a functional guy job?
-Or should the excel files be converted to .txt files and then imported to SAP?Does it really make some difference if files are in excel or .txt format?
-Should the Abaper determine the structure of those excel file(to be ready for upload ) and if yes,  what are the technical rules here ?
-What tools should be used for this initial data loads? CATT , Lsmw , batch input or something else?
-At which point we should test the data?I guess after the initial load?
-What tools are used in all steps before...
-If someone can provide me with step by step scenario or guide of loading some kind of initial  master data - from .xls file alignment  to the real upload  - this will be great..
You can email me  some upload guide or some excel/txt file examples and screenshots documents to excersize....Email: [email protected]
Your help is appreciated it.!
Jon

Answer 1

Depends on data we upload the data from file to R/3 .
If it is regular updation then we used to get the data from application server files to R/3 since local file updation we can not set up background processing..
If it is master data upload and that to one time upload then we use presenation server files to SAP R/3..
See the simple example to upload the data to on master custom table from XLS File
Program    : ZLWMI151_UPLOAD(Data load to ZBATCH_CROSS_REF Table)
Type       : Upload program
Author     : Seshu Maramreddy
Date       : 05/16/2005
Transport  : DV3K919574
Transaction: None
Description: This program will get the data from XLS File
             and it upload to ZBATCH_CROSS_REF Table
REPORT ZLWMI151_UPLOAD no standard page heading
                       line-size 100 line-count 60.
*tables : zbatch_cross_ref.
data : begin of t_text occurs 0,
       werks(4) type c,
       cmatnr(15) type c,
       srlno(12) type n,
       matnr(7) type n,
       charg(10) type n,
       end of t_text.
data: begin of t_zbatch occurs 0,
      werks like zbatch_cross_ref-werks,
      cmatnr like zbatch_cross_ref-cmatnr,
      srlno like zbatch_cross_ref-srlno,
      matnr like zbatch_cross_ref-matnr,
      charg like zbatch_cross_ref-charg,
      end of t_zbatch.
data : g_repid like sy-repid,
       g_line like sy-index,
       g_line1 like sy-index,
       $v_start_col         type i value '1',
       $v_start_row         type i value '2',
       $v_end_col           type i value '256',
       $v_end_row           type i value '65536',
       gd_currentrow type i.
data: itab like alsmex_tabline occurs 0 with header line.
data : t_final like zbatch_cross_ref occurs 0 with header line.
selection-screen : begin of block blk with frame title text.
parameters : p_file like rlgrap-filename obligatory.
selection-screen : end of block blk.
initialization.
  g_repid = sy-repid.
at selection-screen on value-request for p_file.
  CALL FUNCTION 'F4_FILENAME'
       EXPORTING
            PROGRAM_NAME = g_repid
       IMPORTING
            FILE_NAME    = p_file.
start-of-selection.
Uploading the data into Internal Table
  perform upload_data.
  perform modify_table.
top-of-page.
  CALL FUNCTION 'Z_HEADER'
  EXPORTING
    FLEX_TEXT1       =
    FLEX_TEXT2       =
    FLEX_TEXT3       =
*&      Form  upload_data
      text
FORM upload_data.
  CALL FUNCTION 'ALSM_EXCEL_TO_INTERNAL_TABLE'
       EXPORTING
            FILENAME                = p_file
            I_BEGIN_COL             = $v_start_col
            I_BEGIN_ROW             = $v_start_row
            I_END_COL               = $v_end_col
            I_END_ROW               = $v_end_row
       TABLES
            INTERN                  = itab
       EXCEPTIONS
            INCONSISTENT_PARAMETERS = 1
            UPLOAD_OLE              = 2
            OTHERS                  = 3.
  IF SY-SUBRC <> 0.
    write:/10 'File '.
  ENDIF.
  if sy-subrc eq 0.
    read table itab index 1.
    gd_currentrow = itab-row.
    loop at itab.
      if itab-row ne gd_currentrow.
        append t_text.
        clear t_text.
        gd_currentrow = itab-row.
      endif.
      case itab-col.
        when '0001'.
          t_text-werks = itab-value.
        when '0002'.
          t_text-cmatnr = itab-value.
        when '0003'.
          t_text-srlno = itab-value.
        when '0004'.
          t_text-matnr = itab-value.
        when '0005'.
          t_text-charg = itab-value.
      endcase.
    endloop.
  endif.
  append t_text.
ENDFORM.                    " upload_data
*&      Form  modify_table
      Modify the table ZBATCH_CROSS_REF
FORM modify_table.
  loop at t_text.
    t_final-werks = t_text-werks.
    t_final-cmatnr = t_text-cmatnr.
    t_final-srlno = t_text-srlno.
    t_final-matnr = t_text-matnr.
    t_final-charg = t_text-charg.
    t_final-erdat = sy-datum.
    t_final-erzet = sy-uzeit.
    t_final-ernam = sy-uname.
    t_final-rstat = 'U'.
    append t_final.
    clear t_final.
  endloop.
  delete t_final where werks = ''.
  describe table t_final lines g_line.
  sort t_final by werks cmatnr srlno.
Deleting the Duplicate Records
  perform select_data.
  describe table t_final lines g_line1.
  modify zbatch_cross_ref from table t_final.
  if sy-subrc ne 0.
    write:/ 'Updation failed'.
  else.
    Skip 1.
    Write:/12 'Updation has been Completed Sucessfully'.
    skip 1.
    Write:/12 'Records in file ',42 g_line .
    write:/12 'Updated records in Table',42 g_line1.
  endif.
  delete from zbatch_cross_ref where werks = ''.
ENDFORM.                    " modify_table
*&      Form  select_data
      Deleting the duplicate records
FORM select_data.
  select werks
         cmatnr
         srlno from zbatch_cross_ref
         into table t_zbatch for all entries in t_final
         where werks = t_final-werks
         and  cmatnr = t_final-cmatnr
         and srlno = t_final-srlno.
  sort t_zbatch by werks cmatnr srlno.
  loop at t_zbatch.
    read table t_final with key werks = t_zbatch-werks
                                cmatnr = t_zbatch-cmatnr
                                srlno = t_zbatch-srlno.
    if sy-subrc eq 0.
      delete table t_final .
    endif.
    clear: t_zbatch,
           t_final.
  endloop.
ENDFORM.                    " select_data
and also you can use .txt file upload using Function module - GUI_UPLOAD
if it is application server then use open datset command.
Thanks
Seshu