Module 19: BW/4HANA & AMDP (ABAP Managed Database Procedures)

AMDP is the most powerful pushdown tool available to BW developers.
It allows BW logic to run directly inside SAP HANA, combining ABAP governance with SQLScript performance.

This module covers:

• AMDP basics
• AMDP transformations
• SQLScript usage in BW
• Performance-driven use cases
• Debugging AMDP logic

---

1. AMDP Basics

1.1 What is AMDP?

AMDP (ABAP Managed Database Procedures):

• Are ABAP methods implemented in SQLScript
• Executed directly in SAP HANA
• Managed and transported via ABAP

ABAP Class
   ↓
AMDP Method
   ↓
SQLScript (HANA Execution)

Key Concept

AMDP combines ABAP lifecycle management with database-native execution.

---

1.2 Why AMDP is Important in BW/4HANA

• Enables full HANA pushdown
• Eliminates ABAP loops
• Handles massive datasets efficiently
• Scales with data growth

Interview Line

AMDP is the bridge between BW and HANA.

---

2. AMDP Transformations (Strategic Replacement)

2.1 What is an AMDP Transformation?

An AMDP-based transformation replaces:

• Start routines
• Field routines
• End routines
• Expert routines

With:

• One HANA-executed SQLScript logic

Benefits Over ABAP Routines

Aspect	ABAP Routines	AMDP
Execution	App Server	HANA DB
Performance	Medium	Very High
Pushdown	No	Yes
Scalability	Limited	Excellent

Best Practice

If logic is complex and data volume is large → use AMDP.

---

3. SQLScript in BW Context

3.1 What is SQLScript?

SQLScript is:

• SAP HANA's procedural SQL language
• Set-based and declarative
• Optimized for parallel execution

Typical SQLScript Operations in BW

• Joins
• Aggregations
• Lookups
• Conditional logic
• Window functions

SELECT
  customer,
  SUM(amount) AS total_sales
FROM :source
GROUP BY customer;

info

SQLScript replaces ABAP loops with set-based logic.

---

4. Performance Use Cases for AMDP

4.1 Ideal Use Cases

Use AMDP When

Data volume is very large
Complex joins are required
Heavy calculations are involved
Lookups span multiple tables

4.2 Typical BW Scenarios

Scenario	Why AMDP
Currency conversion	High volume
Time-dependent joins	Complex logic
Delta calculations	Performance
Data harmonization	Scalability

4.3 When NOT to Use AMDP

Avoid AMDP When

Logic is trivial
Data volume is very small
ABAP-only APIs are required

---

5. Debugging AMDP Logic (Important & Often Ignored)

5.1 Why AMDP Debugging is Different

• Logic runs in HANA
• ABAP debugger cannot step through SQLScript
• Requires different tools

5.2 Debugging Techniques

1. SQL Console Testing

• Test SQLScript independently
• Validate logic step-by-step

2. Temporary Result Tables

• Output intermediate results
• Validate transformations

3. Error Stack Analysis

• Analyze DTP error stack
• Check SQLScript exceptions

4. HANA Studio / DB Explorer

• Analyze execution plans
• Check runtime behavior

Best Practice

Always test AMDP logic with realistic data volumes.

---

6. AMDP Error Handling

Common Error Types

Error	Cause
SQL syntax error	Invalid SQLScript
Data type mismatch	Incorrect mapping
Runtime exception	Logic issue
Performance timeout	Inefficient query

Error Handling Strategy

• Validate inputs early
• Handle NULL values
• Use controlled exits
• Log errors where possible

---

7. BW/4HANA 2.0 vs 1.0 (AMDP Usage)

Aspect	BW/4HANA 1.0	BW/4HANA 2.0
AMDP adoption	Optional	Strongly recommended
ABAP routines	Common	Discouraged
Pushdown	Partial	Mandatory
Performance tuning	Mixed	Pushdown-first

---

8. Common AMDP Design Mistakes

Avoid These

Rewriting ABAP logic blindly
Using SELECT * in SQLScript
Not handling NULLs
Overcomplicating logic

---

9. Interview-Grade Questions

Q1. Why is AMDP preferred over ABAP routines?

Answer: Because AMDP executes logic directly in HANA, enabling pushdown, parallel execution, and significantly better performance for large datasets.

Q2. How do you debug AMDP transformations?

Answer: By testing SQLScript independently, analyzing error stacks, using HANA tools, and validating intermediate results.

---

10. Summary

• AMDP is core to BW/4HANA pushdown
• SQLScript replaces ABAP-heavy logic
• AMDP transformations are strategic
• Performance gains are substantial
• Debugging requires HANA-centric tools

---

11. What's Next?

➡️ Module 20: Advanced Performance Optimization & Tuning

Learning Tip

In BW/4HANA, AMDP is not an optimization — it's a design choice.