Analysis of SID tables in SAP BW

Objective:
SID table come into picture throughout the BW processes starting from data load to read process. SID creation and check process is automated in BW and hence in most of the time we dont
really check these tables. There are times when we need to address questions like:

How flags CHCKFL, DATAFL and INCFL works in SID table.
Master data Cleanup activity.
How F4/BEx help is working?
Foreign key relationship between dimension table and SID table. Cardinality during designing a cube.
In this article we will focus on SID flags and their locking feature. How flags CHCKFL, DATAFL and INCFL gets populated and their significance. Next article will address the steps of master
data cleanup in BW.


Introduction:
There are 3 flags CHCKFL, DATAFL and INCFL in SID tables. These fields gets updated depending upon the where used list of an entry/SID. SID flags are BI: Locked Data Elements and play
an important role to keep SAP BW data consistent by providing locking over data.


CHCKFL - Flag: Value in check tables (indicates some entries in master data table is still in use by other objects).
DATAFL - Flag: Value in dimension or available as attribute(some other infocube(s) is/are still using SID master data table).
INCFL - Flag: Value is built into all inclusion tables (some other hierarchies is still using SID master data table value).

In other words flag values indicate that data is still linked to other objects in BW.

SID Flag Matrix:

SID
CHCKFL
Flag: Value in check
tables
DATAFL
Flag: Value in dimension
or available as attribute
INCFL
Flag: Value is built
into all inclusion
tables Remarks
0 X X X This entry appears if transaction data loaded before master data.
Number - - X SID is in use in Dimentation table of cube(s) or in Hierarchy
Number X

X
SID is in use in Dimentation table of cube(s) or in Hierarchy and data is also in use
in P or Q table (Master data table)
Number X X X Is in use in Dimentation table/ any active table of DSO
Number - X X
Is part of attribute of another master data infoobject and also declared as Nav
attribute.
Number - - -

Number X - -
Data entered in master data table (or text table; infoobject with only text table) and
not in use in any other tables
Number

X X
If an infoset is created on top of infoobject, then SID's will be created for all
infoobject included in infoset.
Hierarchy load creates SID
Master data load will create SID in for all navigational attributes
Master data infoobject included in infoset : SIDs gets created for all attributes included in infoset (regardless whether attributes were declared as display of navigational). SID gets created for
all navigational attributes during master data load activity, whereas for display attributes SID gets created when we read data from infoset for the very first time.
SIDs get created during request activation process in DSO (if SIDs Generation upon Activation flag is checked in DSO, under settings)
SIDs created during standard cube load activity.

Note:- The process remains the same: When a data package is processed, there must first be a check whether a SID already exists for each key value and if necessary, it must be inserted. For
performance reasons, this method is not used for master data texts, that is if you only load master data texts without the corresponding attributes, no SIDs are generated and the loaded texts are
not available for BEx queries. An exception is characteristics that have no master data. In this case, loading texts also results in the generation of the SID.Master data load will not create any
SID entries for display attributes.


There are 2 SID tables available for Master data infoobjects :
1. Under general tab: We are taking example of 0GL_ACCOUNT (G/L Account)
/BI0/SGL_ACCOUNT
This SID table is available for all BW infoobjects (regardless whether they are master data enabled or not).

Ways to populate SID table:
InfoCube data load activity and G/L Account is included in one of the domination.
Hierarchy load (if hierarchy exists for G/L Account)
If G/L Account is included as an navigational attribute in another master data infoobject.
SID creation during request activation process in DSO
If infoobject G/L Account (or master data infoobject wher G/L Account is an attribute) is included in an infoset.


2. Under Master data/text tab: SID table attribute.

This table contains SID combinations of all navigational attributes declared in the master data infoobject.
Way to populate SID table:

Master data load of 0GL_ACCOUNT will populate this table.