External field catalog & Info object catalogs - Role - in Flexible upload

1) What is the role of Info Object catalogs maintained in the Data Basis & the Source Data Basis?

Please be kind enough to mention a scenario u2013 underlining their utility in the consolidation process.

Like u2026.

Are they used for loading master data from source system to the BCS system?

Can they be used in the flexible upload u2013 data collection function?

Are they used for as a source of AFD data?

I came across the below documentation on flexible upload - in an SAP material.

*When uploading from a field catalog, you also have the option of using mapping. In this case, the file structure no longer has to correspond with the structure of the data basis.*

Understood the above 2 points.

*Rather, you can assign a BW InfoObjectCatalog that acts as the data structure description for the file here. You specify this InfoObjectCatalog in Customizing for the data basis.*

2)Does the above statement implies that we need not do any setting in the field catalog tab of the flexible upload? If yes, what do we do?

In the flexible upload u2013 field catalog tab u2013 we define the data structure for the file we upload (correct me if Iu2019m wrong).

If you use an external field catalog, you have to specify how you want to map the data structure for the file to the structure for the data basis.

3)Pls give an example of an external field catalog.

4)Can we use an external field catalog in the upload of RFD?

Many Thanks

&

Kind Regards,

Kumar