/sap-abap-cds

ABAP CDS Annotations Reference

Complete reference for ABAP CDS annotations organized by category.

Source: https://help.sap.com/doc/abapdocu_cp_index_htm/CLOUD/en-US/abencds_annotations.html

Annotation Syntax

@AnnotationName: value
@AnnotationName.property: value
@AnnotationName: [{ property1: value1, property2: value2 }]

Annotations can be placed at:

• Header level: Before define view
• Element level: Before field in projection list
• Parameter level: Before parameter definition

1. AbapCatalog Annotations

Control ABAP Dictionary integration:

Example:

@AbapCatalog.sqlViewName: 'ZV_EXAMPLE'
@AbapCatalog.compiler.CompareFilter: true
@AbapCatalog.preserveKey: true
define view Z_EXAMPLE as select from ...

2. AccessControl Annotations

Define authorization behavior:

Values Explained:

• #NOT_REQUIRED: No DCL needed, full access granted
• #CHECK: Warning in Eclipse if DCL missing
• #MANDATORY: Syntax error if DCL missing
• #NOT_ALLOWED: DCL ignored even if exists

Example:

@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #CHECK
define view Z_SECURED_VIEW as select from ...

3. EndUserText Annotations

Provide user-facing labels and descriptions:

Example:

@EndUserText.label: 'Sales Order Header'
define view Z_SALES_ORDER as select from vbak
{
  @EndUserText.label: 'Order Number'
  @EndUserText.quickInfo: 'Unique sales document identifier'
  vbeln
}

Translation: Use transaction SE63 to translate these texts.

4. Metadata Annotations

Control metadata behavior and extensions:

Example:

@Metadata.allowExtensions: true
@Metadata.ignorePropagatedAnnotations: true
define view Z_EXTENSIBLE_VIEW as select from ...

5. Semantics Annotations

Communicate field semantic meaning to frameworks:

Currency and Amount

@Semantics.currencyCode: true
waers,
@Semantics.amount.currencyCode: 'waers'
netwr

Quantity and Unit

@Semantics.unitOfMeasure: true
meins,
@Semantics.quantity.unitOfMeasure: 'meins'
menge

Administrative Fields

@Semantics.user.createdBy: true
ernam,
@Semantics.systemDateTime.createdAt: true
erdat

Other Semantics

6. UI Annotations

Control Fiori Elements rendering:

List Report Annotations

@UI.lineItem: [{ position: 10, importance: #HIGH }]
@UI.selectionField: [{ position: 10 }]
vbeln,

@UI.hidden: true
internal_id

Object Page Annotations

@UI.facet: [{
  purpose: #STANDARD,
  type: #FIELDGROUP_REFERENCE,
  label: 'General Information',
  targetQualifier: 'GeneralInfo'
}]

@UI.fieldGroup: [{ qualifier: 'GeneralInfo', position: 10 }]
vbeln,
@UI.fieldGroup: [{ qualifier: 'GeneralInfo', position: 20 }]
erdat

Status and Data Points

@UI.dataPoint: { qualifier: 'Status', title: 'Order Status' }
@UI.textArrangement: #TEXT_ONLY
status

Text Arrangement Values: #TEXT_FIRST, #TEXT_LAST, #TEXT_ONLY, #TEXT_SEPARATE

7. Consumption Annotations

Control consumer framework behavior:

Value Help

@Consumption.valueHelpDefinition: [{
  entity: {
    name: 'I_Currency',
    element: 'Currency'
  },
  additionalBinding: [{
    localElement: 'CompanyCode',
    element: 'CompanyCode',
    usage: #FILTER_AND_RESULT
  }]
}]
waers

Filter

@Consumption.filter: {
  selectionType: #RANGE,
  multipleSelections: true,
  mandatory: true
}
bukrs

Derived Type

@Consumption.derivedType.defaultFilter: 'I_SALESORDER'

8. ObjectModel Annotations

Define data model characteristics:

Text Association

@ObjectModel.text.element: ['StatusText']
status,

@Semantics.text: true
StatusText

Foreign Key

@ObjectModel.foreignKey.association: '_Customer'
kunnr,
_Customer

Composition

@ObjectModel.composition: true
_Items

Transactional Processing

@ObjectModel.transactionalProcessingEnabled: true
@ObjectModel.writeActivePersistence: 'DB_TABLE'

9. Analytics Annotations

For analytical applications and embedded analytics:

@Analytics.dataCategory: #FACT
define view Z_ANALYTICS_FACT as select from ...
{
  @DefaultAggregation: #SUM
  amount
}

10. Search Annotations

Enable search functionality:

@Search.searchable: true
define view Z_SEARCHABLE as select from ...
{
  @Search.defaultSearchElement: true
  @Search.fuzzinessThreshold: 0.8
  @Search.ranking: #HIGH
  name
}

11. Environment Annotations

Inject system values into parameters:

define view Z_WITH_DEFAULTS
  with parameters
    @Environment.systemField: #SYSTEM_DATE
    p_date : abap.dats,
    @Environment.systemField: #SYSTEM_LANGUAGE
    p_lang : spras
  as select from ...

Finding Annotations in Eclipse/ADT

1. Open Development Object: Ctrl+Shift+A
2. Filter by type: DDLA (annotation definition)
3. Browse annotations: View all available definitions

API Access

DATA: lo_service TYPE REF TO cl_dd_ddl_annotation_service.

cl_dd_ddl_annotation_service=>create(
  EXPORTING iv_cds_view = 'Z_CDS_VIEW'
  RECEIVING ro_service  = lo_service
).

" Get all annotations
DATA(lt_annos) = lo_service->get_annos( ).

" Get specific label
DATA(lv_label) = lo_service->get_label_4_element(
  iv_element  = 'FIELD_NAME'
  iv_language = sy-langu
).

" Display the retrieved label
WRITE: / 'Field Label:', lv_label.

System Tables

Best Practices

1. Always set authorization check: Use @AccessControl.authorizationCheck
2. Add labels: Use @EndUserText.label for user-facing views
3. Document currencies/quantities: Required for CURR/QUAN fields
4. Use consistent positioning: Number position values by 10s for easy insertion
5. Leverage text associations: Use @ObjectModel.text.element for code-text pairs

Documentation Links

• SAP Help - Annotations (Cloud): https://help.sap.com/doc/abapdocu_cp_index_htm/CLOUD/en-US/abencds_annotations.html
• SAP Help - Annotations (7.50): https://help.sap.com/doc/abapdocu_750_index_htm/7.50/en-US/abencds_annotations_sap.htm
• UI Annotations Reference: https://ui5.sap.com/#/api/sap.ui.comp.smartfield.SmartField

Last Updated: 2025-11-23