How to create Elementary and Secondary Search Helps

Search helps

Search helps are objects that you can use to assign input help (F4 Help) to screen fields. You can do this by creating a search help in the ABAP Dictionary and attaching it to the corresponding screen field.


The input help (F4 help) is a standard function of the SAP system. You can display the list of all possible input values for a screen field using input help. You can enhance the possible input values with further information. This is meaningful especially when the field requires the input of a formal key.

To understand the functionality of search helps in detail, you have to be familiar with the standard input help process.

There are two types of search helps:

Elementary search helps
They describe a search path. The elementary search help must define the following:
Where the data of the hit list must be read from (the selection method)
How the exchange of values between the screen template and selection method is implemented (the interface of the search help)
How the online input help must be defined (online behavior of the search help).
Collective search helps
Collective search helps combine several elementary search helps. A collective search help can offer several alternative search paths.

 Search Help Exit

A search help describes the standard input help process. In exceptional cases it may be necessary to deviate in some points from this standard. You use a search help exit to implement such a deviation from the standard.


A search help exit is a function module that has a predefined interface. A search help exit is called at certain times by the help processor. The administrative data of the help processor is passed to the search help exit using the interface.

You can store your own program logic that manipulates this administrative data in the search help exit. Individual steps of the input help process can be skipped with a search help exit.

Creating Elementary and Secondary Search Helps

Go to SE11 and select Search help Radio button

Select the Radio button Elementary search help and click on continue.

Now choose the selection method in which enter the table name.

Now enter fileds of the selection method table in the the search help parameters  and save and active the component.

Now exucute the search help then you can see the below screen and in the field ,press the F4

You can get the search help values for vbeln fileds

Creating Secondary Search Help:

Go to the SE11 and enter the name secondary search help.

Now choose the Collective search help radio button

Now enter the description and enter fields in the search help parameters 

Now click on the Include search help button and enter the elementary search which we have created earlier

Now save and activate the component

Execute it.

Then press the F4 button and you will get the output like in the below screen.

Now ,we have successfully created the elementary and secondary search help.