CDS & ABAP Data Types Cheat Sheet

Use alongside Lesson 8 — Custom Persistence Modeling. Browse all cheat sheets.

CDS / Dictionary type	Use	ABAP counterpart
abap.char(n)	Fixed-length text	c LENGTH n
abap.numc(n)	Numeric text, often IDs with leading zeros	n LENGTH n
abap.string	Variable-length / long text	string
abap.int1	Very small integer	b
abap.int2	Small integer	s
abap.int4	Standard integer	i
abap.int8	Large integer	int8
abap.dec(p,s)	Exact decimal value	p ... DECIMALS s
abap.decfloat16	Decimal floating point	decfloat16
abap.decfloat34	High-precision decimal floating point	decfloat34
abap.fltp	Binary floating point	f
abap.dats	Date	d
abap.tims	Time	t
abap.utclong	UTC timestamp	utclong
abap.cuky	Currency key/code such as EUR, USD, GBP; used to tell the system which currency an amount is in	Character-based key with currency semantics
abap.curr(p,s)	Monetary amount such as 125.50; normally paired with a CUKY field so the value has a currency	packed number p
abap.unit(n)	Unit key such as KG, KM, L; used to describe the unit belonging to a quantity	Character-based key with unit semantics
abap.quan(p,s)	Measured quantity such as 12.500; normally paired with a UNIT field	packed number p
abap.clnt	SAP client identifier; used for client-dependent data separation	Character-based client key
abap.lang	Language key such as E, D, F; used for language-dependent data/texts	Character-based language key
abap.raw(n)	Fixed-length binary data	x LENGTH n
abap.rawstring	Variable-length binary data	xstring

Quick rules

• Use CHAR for normal business fields with a sensible maximum length.
• Use STRING for variable-length or potentially long free text.
• Use NUMC for numeric-looking identifiers where leading zeros matter.
• Use INT* for real integer arithmetic.
• Use CURR + CUKY for money.
• Use QUAN + UNIT for quantities.
• Use reusable types such as SYSUUID_X16 when the business meaning is known.

Small DEFINE TABLE example

@EndUserText.label : 'Simple Example'
@AbapCatalog.tableCategory : #TRANSPARENT
@AbapCatalog.deliveryClass : #A
@AbapCatalog.dataMaintenance : #RESTRICTED
define table zexample_### {

  key client        : abap.clnt not null;
  key uuid          : sysuuid_x16 not null;

  item_no           : abap.numc(8) not null;
  title             : abap.char(80) not null;
  description       : abap.string;
  quantity          : abap.int4;
  created_on        : abap.dats;

  @Semantics.amount.currencyCode : 'zexample_###.currency_code'
  amount            : abap.curr(10,2);

  currency_code     : abap.cuky;

}