Understanding QuickViewer

Unlike the SAP Query tool, which is a complete reporting solution tool, the SAP QuickViewer tool, delivered with SAP version 4.6 and above, is a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) utility for quickly collecting data from an R/3 system. To define a report by using the QuickViewer, you simply enter texts (titles) and select fields and options to define the QuickView. With this tool, you create QuickViews, not reports. Users cannot share QuickViews as they can reports, but they can convert QuickViews to reports to use them with the SAP Query tool.

Like the other Query tools, the QuickViewer allows you to define reports without having any technical or programming knowledge. The QuickViewer is especially useful for new users and occasional system users. The QuickViewer is basically a single-screen version of the SAP Query tool. Although QuickViews are user dependent, you can convert a QuickView into a SAP Query report to make the information available to others.

QuickViews have the same functional attributes as queries. However, there are a number of differences between QuickViews and queries created using the SAP Query tool:

• Basic lists QuickViews can define only basic lists, as opposed to the multiple-line queries and ranked or statistical lists that the SAP Query tool can create.

• Security Security initial setup is simpler in the QuickViewer than in the SAP Query tool because no query group assignment is necessary with QuickViews.

• User dependency Each user has his or her own personal list of QuickViews, and unless they are converted to SAP queries, QuickViews cannot be shared or exchanged among users.

• Data source Unlike with the SAP Query tool, with the QuickViewer, you are not required to use an InfoSet. When you define a QuickView, you can specify its data source dynamically. You can use tables, database views, table joins, logical databases, and even InfoSets as the data sources for QuickViews.

• Modes A similarity between the SAP Query tool and the QuickViewer is that each provides two modes for designing reports: a standard mode (called Basis mode) and a graphical mode (called Layout mode).

The QuickViewer emulates the SAP Query reporting tool on a single screen. It is divided into three major sections:

• The top left lists the tables and data fields contained in the data source.

• The bottom left is the Help application.

• The right side of the screen is the QuickViewer main screen, where you design a QuickView. The main screen section has three tabbed sections that you use to specify a QuickView.