ALE is used to modify Master data. It becomes important to assess the log entries periodically to understand how frequently the data is changing and whether any system related scale up is needed or not. Change Pointers are those log entries. They track changes in master data and its distribution to various systems associated with it.

At a high-level, the process goes like this –

  • Application prepares the change document
  • Changes are tracked in different tables and based on the kind of data being changed. This is the step where change pointers are created by SMD tool (Shared Master Data).
  • Change pointers are read and master idocs are created.

Relevant Transactions –

  • BD61 – This transaction is used to enable change pointers across the system.
  • BD50 – This transaction enables the change pointers only for given message types to have a control on the change pointer generation.
  • BD52 – Not all changes are equal. Some changes might not be used by any other system and may not need to be relays by idocs. This transaction allows selection of specific fields for which Change Pointers are needed.

Change entries at header and item can be viewed in tables CDHDR and CDPOS tables respectively while corresponding change pointers and status can be seen in BDCP and BDCPS tables respectively.

~S