difference between user exit and customer exit

[Former Member]

what is the difference between user exit and customer exit?

please help.

[Former Member]

Hi Priya,

The R/3 enhancement concept allows you to add your own functionality to SAP’s standard business applications without having to modify the original applications. SAP creates customer exits for specific programs, screens, and menus within standard R/3 applications. These exits do not contain any functionality. Instead, the customer exits act as hooks. You can hang your own add-on functionality onto these hooks."

Customer exits are implemented in Z-includes and are ENHANCEMENTS to the system.

User-exits were firstly intended to be developed for the SD module. You make your coding in includes in SAP namespace (e.g MV*). That's why, user exits are MODIFICATIONS to the system. In includes for user exits there are empty subroutines ( generally with the name convention "userexit_...") and you code using global variables of the main program.

But, generally developers use these terms without this distinction. So, someone may mean a "customer exit" when (s)he says "user exit" or vice-versa.

Check these links also

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/c8/1975cc43b111d1896f0000e8322d00/content.htm

http://www.sapdevelopment.co.uk/enhance/enhancehome.htm

Regards

Alfred

Reward with points if it is helpful

[Former Member]

hi,

Check

REgards,

Santosh

[anversha_s]

hi,

A point in an SAP program where a customer's own program can be called.

In contrast to customer exits, user exits allow developers to access and modify program components and data objects in the standard SAP System. On upgrade, each user exit must be checked to ensure that it conforms to the standard system.

There are the following types of user exit:

User exits that use INCLUDEs -

These are customer enhancements that are called directly in the program.

User exits that use tables -

These are used and managed using Customizing.

Customer Exit

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SAP creates customer exits for specific programs, screens, and menus within standard applications. These exits do not contain any functionality. Instead, the customer exits act as hooks. You can hang your own add-on functionality onto these hooks.

If you want to enhance the functionality of your SAP System, you should take advantage of the exits available in standard applications. There are two main reasons why you should use exits rather than modifying SAP software yourself. Add-ons attached to exits have the advantage that:

· They do not affect standard SAP source code

When you add new functionality to your SAP System using SAP’s exits, you do not alter the source code of standard SAP programs in any way. The code and screens you create are encapsulated as separate objects. These customer objects are linked to standard applications, but exist separately from SAP’s standard software package.

· They do not affect software updates

When you add new functionality to your SAP System using SAP’s exits, your objects (called customer objects) must adhere to strict naming conventions. When it comes time to upgrade a to a new software release, customer objects’ names ensure that they will not be affected by any changes or new additions to the standard software package.

Customer exits are not available for all programs and screens found in the SAP System. You can only use customer exits if they already exist in the SAP System. You find find more information about locating applications with pre-defined exits in Locating Applications that have Exits

User Exits:

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User exits allow you to add additional functions to the SAP standard.

Programs with user exits contain subroutine calls at certain points in their syntax that are identified by the prefix USEREXIT. The actual user exits are located in an include that has been assigned to a module pool. This is where customers can include any changes (enhancements) that they want to make to the system. These includes are always processed during program flow.

Advantage: In principle, customers can modify anything they want that is found in the include (tables, structures, and so forth).

Disadvantage: SAP cannot check the individual enhancements themselves which often leads to errors in the enhancement process.

Thanks and Regards,

anver

if hlped pls amrk points

[Former Member]

again,

<b>1.</b>what is the fifference between User-exit and customer exit.?

<b>2.</b> Previously there were only user-exits.

<b>3.</b> Then came the concept of customer-exits.

<b>4.</b>user exits were nothing but

subroutines

FORM/PERFORM

called from standard programs.

<b>5.</b> The FORM defintion was placed inside

an empty include file.

<b>6.</b> So It was called EVERYTIME.

and we need to MODIFY/REPAIR the

standard include .

<b>7.</b> Then it came with concept of customer-exit

<b>8.</b> It consists of calling a FUNCTION MODULE,

which is called only if

the user-exit is ACTIVATED (other wise not called)

In this case, the code in put inside

a pre-defined Z include.

*----

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<b>9.</b> Functionality of both is same, howerver

we can note the following important differences

a) Customer exit is called only if activated.

(hence, it does not waste resources)

b) in customer exit, REPAIR does not happen

to the standard include.

2) how to define of them.?

They are already defined in the system.

We have to activate them and write our code.

3) If a requriment comes in real time which exit we hav to use ,,, User-exit 0r customer exit.. plzz clarify.

Usually customer exits are there.

But in Case of SD module, especially Sales order,

there will be user-exit includes

Cheers

Alfred