A List Classification Scheme

When you design a list, it is useful to look at the following classification scheme. If the list at hand fits into this scheme, your task is much easier, because there are design guidelines for it. Furthermore, lists in the R/3 System will have a uniform look. This helps users to recognize the list structure and to find the relevant information faster.

Header Information

Any list can contain the following header information to describe it in more detail:

Title
Object information
Action performed on the list

Object Information

The term "object information" refers to header data (as displayed on the screens) and detail data. Object information identifies the object for which the list was created. It consists of field name, field value and an optional explanatory text.

Action Performed on Lists

The term "action performed on lists" refers to chosen actions and results. Examples: Sorting, scrolling, and totaling information.

One-Line Lists

One-line lists have lines of identical structure with column titles in a header line. Certain columns can have a key function and identify the lines. Examples of special lines are lines with totals or subtotals, or inserted information the user can display and/or hide. The column header can be structured hierarchically.

Multiple-line Lists

With multiple-line lists, as with multiple-line tables, the line information exceeds one physical line and thus is known as a logical line. The header line also extends over several physical lines.

Hierarchical-Sequential Lists

Hierarchical-sequential lists are extracts of a data cube whose dimensions are determined by the number of criteria used. Each combination of criteria is further specified by a number of key figures.

Fixed and/or Extracted Criteria

The extract from the data cube is determined by a number of criteria set to particular occurrences (fixed or extracted criteria). This results in a cube which is defined by the variable dimensions; this creates the list.

Fixed criteria with their occurrences are listed as object information because their occurrences are constant for the entire list.

Variable Criteria

Another group of criteria is varied systematically in its occurrences (variable criteria). These characteristics are the keys.

Internal and External Criteria

External criteria vary slowly; they create groups of lines within which they are constant. They are listed with their occurrences in hierarchy information described below.
Internal criteria vary within the groups created by the external criteria and have column headings as the key figures. They are located in the left data columns of the list body while the key figures are listed to the right of them.

Hierarchy Information, Groups

Key figures are often listed in addition to the external criteria. They describe the data further, but are constant within the group. The description of the occurrences of the external criteria with the constant key figures and their values is referred to here as "hierarchy information". It describes the "groups" in the list.

List Bodies, Key Figures

The lines of the lists within the groups consist of the internal criteria and the varied key figures. Their descriptions appear in the column headings, their occurrences and their values fill the list. The lines form a one-line or multiple-line sublist, depending on the quantity and arrangement of the internal criteria and the key figures.

The key figures are the actual data in the list.

Special Cases

Matrix Lists

Matrix lists are a special type of hierarchical-sequential lists; they have both column headers and line headers. They result, for example, from classification via several criteria.

Object Lists

If the internal criteria and the key figures of a list do not determine a matrix or a similarly ordered structure, we talk about an object list.

Hierarchies

Hierarchies which have a list-like form (tables of contents, for example), can also be displayed as lists.

Diagrams, Trees

Furthermore, lists can be displayed as simple diagrams, for example, bar charts or as a tree structure.

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