Report Development Tools B–1 Appendix B: Extended Export of Lists (XXL) Contents Overview . B–2 XXL Support in the R/3 System B–3 The XXL List Viewer B–4 Where to Learn More . B–7 B In this chapter you will learn:  What is the Extended Export of Lists (XXL)  What is the XXL List Viewer  How to use XXL to export an R/3 list to Microsoft Excel Appendix B: Extended Export of Lists (XXL) Overview Reporting Made Easy B–2 Overview Extended Export of Lists (XXL) helps achieve a tighter integration between the R/3 System and PC applications. XXL is an R/3 component that uses Microsoft Excel to display and manipulate list objects from R/3 applications. The XXL has two primary goals: < To provide users with Microsoft Excel functionality that can be used with R/3 lists, directly from inside the R/3 environment. < To recognize the transferred data as SAP objects in order to protect it from consistency breaches. List objects are files created by R/3 applications and transferred to XXL. List objects contain the data to be listed, information on the list structure, and characteristics of the data (meta information). The term “list object” is used here because the R/3 System not only transfers the list data to XXL, but also the corresponding meta information: information on the list structure, the characteristics of the list data, and explanatory texts. For more information on the XXL application programming interface (API), see the R/3 System’s online help documentation. The transferred meta information allows XXL to provide adequate presentation of the list object on the spreadsheet. XXL activates special macros after the transferred data has been loaded in the spreadsheet program, or processes the transferred data using OLE Automation. R/3 System R/3 System XXL XXL Microsoft Excel • List structure • List data characteristics • Explanatory texts List Object Appendix B: Extended Export of Lists (XXL) XXL Support in the R/3 System Report Development Tools B–3 Functional Areas XXL has two main tasks: < Defining an API (Application Programming Interface) in the form of a function module, which allows ABAP programs to export list objects to the user's PC. < Activating a presentation service in Microsoft Excel (or the spreadsheet program chosen by the user) after the list object has been transferred. SAP offers the following two Excel-based presentation services: < XXL List Viewer controls Microsoft Excel using local macros. For more information on the XXL List Viewer, refer to page B–4. < OLE Automation-based option to display exported data in Microsoft Excel in the form of Pivot tables, or—as of Release 4.0—as a standard list. Users can also write their own macros to process list objects in Microsoft Excel and call them from XXL after the list objects have been exported. Lotus ® Development Corporation offers a separate XXL presentation service (Lotus Connection ) for its Lotus SmartSuite™ family of products, primarily supporting the Lotus 1-2-3 ® spreadsheet application. R/3 data can also be transferred to other members of the SmartSuite family of products. For example, you can convert the representation of the exported list object into the WK1 format and store it in Lotus Notes™. If Lotus 1-2-3 is the presentation medium, the macros provide special XXL functionality, analogous to the XXL List Viewer. Note that the Lotus Connection is also shipped with the standard SAPgui presentation software. While the OLE-Automation- and user-macro-based options are immediately available with the standard SAPgui installation, both the Lotus Connection and the XXL List Viewer require the Desktop Components package to be installed along with the SAPgui component. For more information on Lotus’ solutions, check out http://www.lotus.com/home.nsf/tabs/industryerp on the web. The XXL List Viewer can be used with both Excel 5.0 and Excel 4.0. If Excel 5.0 is used, the XXL List Viewer is recommended only if the user is interested in a preconfigured functionality (managing several views, protections against accidental deletions, graphics with automatic legends, etc.), otherwise use OLE. The presentation options of the XXL List Viewer are also available in the OLE variant (presenting list objects as pivot tables) and have much better performance. XXL Support in the R/3 System Currently, the following applications are able to transfer data using XXL: < Executive Information System Appendix B: Extended Export of Lists (XXL) The XXL List Viewer Reporting Made Easy B–4 < Logistics Information System < ABAP Query < Financial Accounting (Line item display in customer, vendor, and G/L accounts) Since the XXL function module (see The API to XXL in ABAP in the online help documentation) can be called from ABAP programs developed by the customer, XXL can also be used in user-defined applications. For more information, refer to the online documentation on XXL. The XXL List Viewer The XXL List Viewer is a set of Excel 4.0 macros that turn Microsoft Excel into a specialized tool for presenting XXL list objects. XXL adds specific functions to Excel's standard functionality and makes these functions available in a customized menu bar and toolbar. This XXL-specific configuration is intended to restrict the functionality of Excel to keep users from corrupting the consistency of the list object. This means that, for example, certain delete operations are inactive when Excel is running in the XXL environment. Below is an overview of XXL features for manipulating and displaying list objects. < Sort and restructure data  Sort columns and rows by hierarchical key terms  Sort columns, insert new columns  Aggregate groups of rows into sums, averages  Selectively reconstruct detailed rows from aggregated rows  Sort lines/line groups by selectable criteria < Administer objects and views  Save the current table status or layout as a “user view” of the list object  Administer user views and derived objects  Convert objects or views to original Excel tables < Graphical data presentation  Create graphics using the Excel Chart Wizard  Label graphics automatically with key values from the list object or with user- defined texts  Compile and administer slide shows XXL can save and administer the list objects on the presentation computer. If a saved list object is subsequently imported into XXL, all the protection mechanisms and special functions are present. It is also possible to export an XXL list object to the standard Excel environment. When you export to Excel’s standard environment, the list object is saved without all its meta information so that the current list object status can be processed further using the unrestricted Excel functionality. Appendix B: Extended Export of Lists (XXL) The XXL List Viewer Report Development Tools B–5 The XXL List Viewer can also be started locally by using the SAP_INT.XLM macro in Microsoft Excel. After the SAPgui has been installed, the macro is stored in the XXL installation directory. Guided Tour In this example, you will learn to use XXL to export a G/L line items report to Microsoft Excel. From the SAP main menu, choose Accounting → Financial accounting → General ledger, then Account → Display line items. 1. In G/L account, enter 800000, the name of the desired G/L account. 2. In Company code, enter 3000. 3. Select Open items. 4. Choose Enter. The report list displays the open items for the chosen G/L account in Company code 3000. 5. To transfer the report list to Excel, choose Line items → Transfer to Excel. 1 2 3 4 5 Appendix B: Extended Export of Lists (XXL) The XXL List Viewer Reporting Made Easy B–6 How your report is exported to Excel depends on the option you select on the Export list object to XXL window. The graphics shown below demonstrate how the transferred list are displayed in Excel. XXL Option Chosen in the R/3 System Resulting Report Display in Microsoft Excel Appendix B: Extended Export of Lists (XXL) Where to Learn More Report Development Tools B–7 XXL Option Chosen in the R/3 System Resulting Report Display in Microsoft Excel The XXL List Viewer is launched when you select the Excel SAP macros option. The XXL toolbar and menubar appear in the XXL List Viewer. It is important to note that the option to use of the Excel SAP macros is not advised. Although currently available, future releases of the R/3 System are expected to include only limited support for the XXL List Viewer. Where to Learn More For more information on XXL, refer to the R/3 Library (online documentation). In the HTML help documentation, go to: R/3 System Library → BC-Basis Components → ABAP Runtime Environment → BCC XXL List Export XXL Toolbar XXL Menubar Appendix B: Extended Export of Lists (XXL) Where to Learn More Reporting Made Easy B–8 . the Extended Export of Lists (XXL)  What is the XXL List Viewer  How to use XXL to export an R/3 list to Microsoft Excel Appendix B: Extended Export of. XXL XXL Microsoft Excel • List structure • List data characteristics • Explanatory texts List Object Appendix B: Extended Export of Lists (XXL) XXL Support