ABAP SQL & AMDP
Guide for writing modern ABAP SQL statements and ABAP Managed Database Procedures (AMDP) in ABAP Cloud and Standard ABAP.
Workflow
Determine the user's goal:
- Writing or optimizing ABAP SQL queries
- Using advanced SQL features (window functions, CTEs, aggregates)
- Creating AMDP procedures or functions
- Implementing CDS table functions via AMDP
- Understanding PRIVILEGED ACCESS for authorization bypass
Identify the context:
- ABAP for Cloud Development vs. Standard ABAP (affects available syntax)
- Performance optimization needs
- Whether AMDP is justified (prefer ABAP SQL when possible)
Guide implementation using modern ABAP SQL syntax
Modern ABAP SQL Quick Reference
Basic SELECT with Inline Declaration
"Single record
SELECT SINGLE FROM ztravel
FIELDS travel_id, description, total_price, currency_code
WHERE travel_id = @lv_travel_id
INTO @DATA(ls_travel).
"Multiple records into internal table
SELECT FROM ztravel
FIELDS travel_id, description, total_price, currency_code
WHERE status = 'O'
ORDER BY total_price DESCENDING
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_travels)
UP TO 100 ROWS.
Expressions in SELECT List
SELECT FROM zflight
FIELDS carrier_id,
connection_id,
flight_date,
seats_max - seats_occupied AS seats_free,
CASE WHEN seats_occupied > seats_max * 80 / 100
THEN 'FULL'
ELSE 'AVAILABLE'
END AS availability,
CAST( price AS DECFLOAT34 ) AS price_dec,
CONCAT( carrier_id, connection_id ) AS flight_key
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_flights).
Aggregate Functions and GROUP BY
SELECT FROM zflight
FIELDS carrier_id,
COUNT(*) AS flight_count,
SUM( seats_occupied ) AS total_passengers,
AVG( price ) AS avg_price,
MIN( flight_date ) AS first_flight,
MAX( flight_date ) AS last_flight
GROUP BY carrier_id
HAVING COUNT(*) > 10
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_stats).
Window Functions
SELECT FROM zflight
FIELDS carrier_id,
connection_id,
flight_date,
price,
"Running total
SUM( price ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id
ORDER BY flight_date
ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND CURRENT ROW ) AS running_total,
"Row number within partition
ROW_NUMBER( ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id
ORDER BY flight_date DESCENDING ) AS row_num,
"Ranking
RANK( ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id ORDER BY price DESCENDING ) AS price_rank,
"Lead/Lag
LAG( price, 1 ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id ORDER BY flight_date ) AS prev_price,
LEAD( price, 1 ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id ORDER BY flight_date ) AS next_price
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_window).
Common Table Expressions (CTE)
WITH
+connections AS (
SELECT FROM zflsch
FIELDS carrier_id, connection_id, city_from, city_to
WHERE carrier_id IN @lt_carriers ),
+flight_counts AS (
SELECT FROM zflight
FIELDS carrier_id, connection_id,
COUNT(*) AS cnt
GROUP BY carrier_id, connection_id ),
+result AS (
SELECT FROM +connections AS c
INNER JOIN +flight_counts AS f
ON c~carrier_id = f~carrier_id AND c~connection_id = f~connection_id
FIELDS c~carrier_id, c~city_from, c~city_to, f~cnt )
SELECT FROM +result
FIELDS *
ORDER BY cnt DESCENDING
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_result).
Set Operations (UNION, INTERSECT, EXCEPT)
"UNION ALL (keeps duplicates) / UNION (removes duplicates)
SELECT FROM ztable1 FIELDS col1, col2
UNION ALL
SELECT FROM ztable2 FIELDS col1, col2
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_union).
"INTERSECT — rows in both
SELECT FROM ztable1 FIELDS col1
INTERSECT
SELECT FROM ztable2 FIELDS col1
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_intersect).
"EXCEPT — rows in first but not second
SELECT FROM ztable1 FIELDS col1
EXCEPT
SELECT FROM ztable2 FIELDS col1
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_except).
PRIVILEGED ACCESS
Bypasses CDS access control (DCL) — use with care:
"Skips access control defined in CDS DCL
SELECT FROM zi_travel
FIELDS travel_id, description
WHERE status = 'O'
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_all_travels)
PRIVILEGED ACCESS.
Built-in SQL Functions
| Category |
Functions |
| String |
CONCAT, SUBSTRING, LENGTH, LEFT, RIGHT, LTRIM, RTRIM, UPPER, LOWER, REPLACE, LPAD, RPAD |
| Numeric |
ABS, CEIL, FLOOR, ROUND, MOD, DIV, DIVISION |
| Date/Time |
DATS_ADD_DAYS, DATS_DAYS_BETWEEN, TSTMP_ADD_SECONDS, TSTMP_CURRENT_UTCTIMESTAMP, DATN_ADD_MONTHS |
| Conversion |
CAST, COALESCE, CURRENCY_CONVERSION, UNIT_CONVERSION |
| Null |
COALESCE, CASE WHEN ... IS NULL |
| Aggregate |
COUNT, SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX, STRING_AGG |
Subqueries
"Scalar subquery
SELECT FROM ztravel
FIELDS travel_id,
total_price,
( SELECT AVG( total_price ) FROM ztravel ) AS avg_price
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_with_avg).
"EXISTS subquery
SELECT FROM ztravel AS t
FIELDS t~travel_id, t~description
WHERE EXISTS ( SELECT FROM zbooking AS b
WHERE b~travel_id = t~travel_id
AND b~flight_date > @sy-datum )
INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_with_bookings).
AMDP (ABAP Managed Database Procedures)
When to Use AMDP
- Prefer ABAP SQL for most scenarios
- Use AMDP when: complex calculations benefit from SQLScript, CDS table functions are needed, or mass data processing requires database-level optimization
AMDP Class Structure
CLASS zcl_my_amdp DEFINITION
PUBLIC FINAL CREATE PUBLIC.
PUBLIC SECTION.
INTERFACES if_amdp_marker_hdb. "Mandatory for AMDP
TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_result,
carrier_id TYPE s_carr_id,
total TYPE i,
END OF ty_result,
tt_result TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_result WITH EMPTY KEY.
"AMDP procedure
METHODS get_carrier_stats
AMDP OPTIONS READ-ONLY CDS SESSION CLIENT DEPENDENT
EXPORTING VALUE(et_result) TYPE tt_result.
"AMDP table function for CDS table function
CLASS-METHODS get_data FOR TABLE FUNCTION zdemo_amdp_tf.
ENDCLASS.
AMDP Procedure Implementation
METHOD get_carrier_stats
BY DATABASE PROCEDURE
FOR HDB
LANGUAGE SQLSCRIPT
OPTIONS READ-ONLY
USING zflight_ve.
et_result = SELECT carrier_id,
COUNT(*) AS total
FROM zflight_ve
GROUP BY carrier_id
ORDER BY total DESC;
ENDMETHOD.
AMDP Table Function for CDS Table Function
CDS table function definition:
@ClientHandling.type: #CLIENT_DEPENDENT
@ClientHandling.algorithm: #SESSION_VARIABLE
define table function ZDEMO_AMDP_TF
with parameters @Environment.systemField: #SYSTEM_LANGUAGE p_lang : abap.lang
returns {
key carrier_id : s_carr_id;
carrier_name : s_carrname;
flight_count : abap.int4;
}
implemented by method zcl_my_amdp=>get_data;
AMDP implementation:
METHOD get_data
BY DATABASE FUNCTION
FOR HDB
LANGUAGE SQLSCRIPT
OPTIONS READ-ONLY
USING zcarrier_ve zflight_ve.
RETURN SELECT c.carrier_id,
c.carrier_name,
COUNT(*) AS flight_count
FROM zcarrier_ve AS c
INNER JOIN zflight_ve AS f
ON c.carrier_id = f.carrier_id
GROUP BY c.carrier_id, c.carrier_name;
ENDMETHOD.
AMDP Client Safety (ABAP Cloud)
| Addition |
Use Case |
CDS SESSION CLIENT DEPENDENT |
Uses client-dependent CDS views (most common) |
CLIENT INDEPENDENT |
Uses only client-independent objects |
AMDP OPTIONS READ-ONLY |
Mandatory in ABAP for Cloud Development |
Output Format
When helping with ABAP SQL or AMDP topics, structure responses as:
## ABAP SQL / AMDP Guidance
### Query
[The ABAP SQL statement or AMDP implementation]
### Explanation
[Key features used and why]
### Performance Notes
[Optimization considerations if relevant]
References
1---2name: abap-sql-amdp3description: Help with modern ABAP SQL features and AMDP (ABAP Managed Database Procedures) including inline declarations, window functions, GROUP BY, HAVING, PRIVILEGED ACCESS, string functions, aggregate expressions, common table expressions (CTE), AMDP classes, AMDP procedures, AMDP table functions, CDS table functions, and AMDP scalar functions. Use when users ask about ABAP SQL, modern SQL, SELECT, window functions, CTE, common table expression, AMDP, SQLScript, AMDP table function, CDS table function, aggregate, GROUP BY, HAVING, UNION, INTERSECT, EXCEPT, PRIVILEGED ACCESS, ABAP SQL expressions, built-in SQL functions, or database procedures. Triggers include "ABAP SQL query", "window function", "CTE", "AMDP", "table function", "GROUP BY", "aggregate", "PRIVILEGED ACCESS", "inline SELECT", or "SQLScript".4---56# ABAP SQL & AMDP78Guide for writing modern ABAP SQL statements and ABAP Managed Database Procedures (AMDP) in ABAP Cloud and Standard ABAP.910## Workflow11121. **Determine the user's goal**:13 - Writing or optimizing ABAP SQL queries14 - Using advanced SQL features (window functions, CTEs, aggregates)15 - Creating AMDP procedures or functions16 - Implementing CDS table functions via AMDP17 - Understanding PRIVILEGED ACCESS for authorization bypass18192. **Identify the context**:20 - ABAP for Cloud Development vs. Standard ABAP (affects available syntax)21 - Performance optimization needs22 - Whether AMDP is justified (prefer ABAP SQL when possible)23243. **Guide implementation** using modern ABAP SQL syntax2526## Modern ABAP SQL Quick Reference2728### Basic SELECT with Inline Declaration2930```abap31"Single record32SELECT SINGLE FROM ztravel33 FIELDS travel_id, description, total_price, currency_code34 WHERE travel_id = @lv_travel_id35 INTO @DATA(ls_travel).3637"Multiple records into internal table38SELECT FROM ztravel39 FIELDS travel_id, description, total_price, currency_code40 WHERE status = 'O'41 ORDER BY total_price DESCENDING42 INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_travels)43 UP TO 100 ROWS.44```4546### Expressions in SELECT List4748```abap49SELECT FROM zflight50 FIELDS carrier_id,51 connection_id,52 flight_date,53 seats_max - seats_occupied AS seats_free,54 CASE WHEN seats_occupied > seats_max * 80 / 10055 THEN 'FULL'56 ELSE 'AVAILABLE'57 END AS availability,58 CAST( price AS DECFLOAT34 ) AS price_dec,59 CONCAT( carrier_id, connection_id ) AS flight_key60 INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_flights).61```6263### Aggregate Functions and GROUP BY6465```abap66SELECT FROM zflight67 FIELDS carrier_id,68 COUNT(*) AS flight_count,69 SUM( seats_occupied ) AS total_passengers,70 AVG( price ) AS avg_price,71 MIN( flight_date ) AS first_flight,72 MAX( flight_date ) AS last_flight73 GROUP BY carrier_id74 HAVING COUNT(*) > 1075 INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_stats).76```7778### Window Functions7980```abap81SELECT FROM zflight82 FIELDS carrier_id,83 connection_id,84 flight_date,85 price,86 "Running total87 SUM( price ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id88 ORDER BY flight_date89 ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND CURRENT ROW ) AS running_total,90 "Row number within partition91 ROW_NUMBER( ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id92 ORDER BY flight_date DESCENDING ) AS row_num,93 "Ranking94 RANK( ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id ORDER BY price DESCENDING ) AS price_rank,95 "Lead/Lag96 LAG( price, 1 ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id ORDER BY flight_date ) AS prev_price,97 LEAD( price, 1 ) OVER( PARTITION BY carrier_id ORDER BY flight_date ) AS next_price98 INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_window).99```100101### Common Table Expressions (CTE)102103```abap104WITH105 +connections AS (106 SELECT FROM zflsch107 FIELDS carrier_id, connection_id, city_from, city_to108 WHERE carrier_id IN @lt_carriers ),109 +flight_counts AS (110 SELECT FROM zflight111 FIELDS carrier_id, connection_id,112 COUNT(*) AS cnt113 GROUP BY carrier_id, connection_id ),114 +result AS (115 SELECT FROM +connections AS c116 INNER JOIN +flight_counts AS f117 ON c~carrier_id = f~carrier_id AND c~connection_id = f~connection_id118 FIELDS c~carrier_id, c~city_from, c~city_to, f~cnt )119 SELECT FROM +result120 FIELDS *121 ORDER BY cnt DESCENDING122 INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_result).123```124125### Set Operations (UNION, INTERSECT, EXCEPT)126127```abap128"UNION ALL (keeps duplicates) / UNION (removes duplicates)129SELECT FROM ztable1 FIELDS col1, col2130UNION ALL131SELECT FROM ztable2 FIELDS col1, col2132INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_union).133134"INTERSECT — rows in both135SELECT FROM ztable1 FIELDS col1136INTERSECT137SELECT FROM ztable2 FIELDS col1138INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_intersect).139140"EXCEPT — rows in first but not second141SELECT FROM ztable1 FIELDS col1142EXCEPT143SELECT FROM ztable2 FIELDS col1144INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_except).145```146147### PRIVILEGED ACCESS148149Bypasses CDS access control (DCL) — use with care:150151```abap152"Skips access control defined in CDS DCL153SELECT FROM zi_travel154 FIELDS travel_id, description155 WHERE status = 'O'156 INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_all_travels)157 PRIVILEGED ACCESS.158```159160### Built-in SQL Functions161162| Category | Functions |163| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |164| **String** | `CONCAT`, `SUBSTRING`, `LENGTH`, `LEFT`, `RIGHT`, `LTRIM`, `RTRIM`, `UPPER`, `LOWER`, `REPLACE`, `LPAD`, `RPAD` |165| **Numeric** | `ABS`, `CEIL`, `FLOOR`, `ROUND`, `MOD`, `DIV`, `DIVISION` |166| **Date/Time** | `DATS_ADD_DAYS`, `DATS_DAYS_BETWEEN`, `TSTMP_ADD_SECONDS`, `TSTMP_CURRENT_UTCTIMESTAMP`, `DATN_ADD_MONTHS` |167| **Conversion** | `CAST`, `COALESCE`, `CURRENCY_CONVERSION`, `UNIT_CONVERSION` |168| **Null** | `COALESCE`, `CASE WHEN ... IS NULL` |169| **Aggregate** | `COUNT`, `SUM`, `AVG`, `MIN`, `MAX`, `STRING_AGG` |170171### Subqueries172173```abap174"Scalar subquery175SELECT FROM ztravel176 FIELDS travel_id,177 total_price,178 ( SELECT AVG( total_price ) FROM ztravel ) AS avg_price179 INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_with_avg).180181"EXISTS subquery182SELECT FROM ztravel AS t183 FIELDS t~travel_id, t~description184 WHERE EXISTS ( SELECT FROM zbooking AS b185 WHERE b~travel_id = t~travel_id186 AND b~flight_date > @sy-datum )187 INTO TABLE @DATA(lt_with_bookings).188```189190## AMDP (ABAP Managed Database Procedures)191192### When to Use AMDP193194- Prefer ABAP SQL for most scenarios195- Use AMDP when: complex calculations benefit from SQLScript, CDS table functions are needed, or mass data processing requires database-level optimization196197### AMDP Class Structure198199```abap200CLASS zcl_my_amdp DEFINITION201 PUBLIC FINAL CREATE PUBLIC.202 PUBLIC SECTION.203 INTERFACES if_amdp_marker_hdb. "Mandatory for AMDP204205 TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_result,206 carrier_id TYPE s_carr_id,207 total TYPE i,208 END OF ty_result,209 tt_result TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_result WITH EMPTY KEY.210211 "AMDP procedure212 METHODS get_carrier_stats213 AMDP OPTIONS READ-ONLY CDS SESSION CLIENT DEPENDENT214 EXPORTING VALUE(et_result) TYPE tt_result.215216 "AMDP table function for CDS table function217 CLASS-METHODS get_data FOR TABLE FUNCTION zdemo_amdp_tf.218ENDCLASS.219```220221### AMDP Procedure Implementation222223```abap224METHOD get_carrier_stats225 BY DATABASE PROCEDURE226 FOR HDB227 LANGUAGE SQLSCRIPT228 OPTIONS READ-ONLY229 USING zflight_ve.230231 et_result = SELECT carrier_id,232 COUNT(*) AS total233 FROM zflight_ve234 GROUP BY carrier_id235 ORDER BY total DESC;236ENDMETHOD.237```238239### AMDP Table Function for CDS Table Function240241CDS table function definition:242243```cds244@ClientHandling.type: #CLIENT_DEPENDENT245@ClientHandling.algorithm: #SESSION_VARIABLE246define table function ZDEMO_AMDP_TF247 with parameters @Environment.systemField: #SYSTEM_LANGUAGE p_lang : abap.lang248 returns {249 key carrier_id : s_carr_id;250 carrier_name : s_carrname;251 flight_count : abap.int4;252 }253 implemented by method zcl_my_amdp=>get_data;254```255256AMDP implementation:257258```abap259METHOD get_data260 BY DATABASE FUNCTION261 FOR HDB262 LANGUAGE SQLSCRIPT263 OPTIONS READ-ONLY264 USING zcarrier_ve zflight_ve.265266 RETURN SELECT c.carrier_id,267 c.carrier_name,268 COUNT(*) AS flight_count269 FROM zcarrier_ve AS c270 INNER JOIN zflight_ve AS f271 ON c.carrier_id = f.carrier_id272 GROUP BY c.carrier_id, c.carrier_name;273ENDMETHOD.274```275276### AMDP Client Safety (ABAP Cloud)277278| Addition | Use Case |279| ------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------- |280| `CDS SESSION CLIENT DEPENDENT` | Uses client-dependent CDS views (most common) |281| `CLIENT INDEPENDENT` | Uses only client-independent objects |282| `AMDP OPTIONS READ-ONLY` | Mandatory in ABAP for Cloud Development |283284## Output Format285286When helping with ABAP SQL or AMDP topics, structure responses as:287288```markdown289## ABAP SQL / AMDP Guidance290291### Query292293[The ABAP SQL statement or AMDP implementation]294295### Explanation296297[Key features used and why]298299### Performance Notes300301[Optimization considerations if relevant]302```303304## References305306- ABAP SQL Cheat Sheet: https://github.com/SAP-samples/abap-cheat-sheets307- AMDP Cheat Sheet: https://github.com/SAP-samples/abap-cheat-sheets/blob/main/12_AMDP.md308- ABAP SQL Reference: https://help.sap.com/doc/abapdocu_cp_index_htm/CLOUD/en-US/index.htm?file=abenabap_sql.htm