SAP tables · Lesson

MARA

Quick answer

MARA is the anchor of material master data; join it with MARC/MAKT/MBEW etc.

Key takeaways

MATNR is the primary key.
MATNR, material number (key).
MARC, plant data for a material.
Watch out: Reading tables directly instead of using CDS/reports where appropriate.

What it stores

It stores general material master data, the client-level attributes of a material that are the same across all plants and organizational levels.

Key fields

MATNR, material number (key).
MTART, material type.
MBRSH, industry sector.
MEINS, base unit of measure.
MATKL, material group.

Keys and relationships

MATNR is the primary key. MARA holds the client-level (general) data; plant-, sales-, and storage-specific data live in related tables keyed by MATNR plus the organizational level.

MARC, plant data for a material.
MAKT, material descriptions (by language).
MVKE, sales data; MARD, storage/stock.
MBEW, valuation/accounting data.

Working with it

MARA is the anchor of material master data; join it with MARC/MAKT/MBEW etc. for the full picture, or use the material CDS views in S/4HANA. View its structure in SE11 and its data (with authorization) in SE16N.

Common pitfalls

Reading tables directly instead of using CDS/reports where appropriate.
Ignoring header/item relationships.
Performance: querying large tables without indexed selection.

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Check your understanding

Which statement is true of MARA?
- A. ST22 (ABAP Dump Analysis) is the transaction for viewing short dumps.
- B. This downloads hub gathers practical, reusable SAP assets, templates, cheat sheets, sample projects and…
- C. MATNR is the primary key.
Show answer
C. MATNR is the primary key.
Covered in the “Keys and relationships” section of this lesson.
Which of these also applies to MARA?
- A. MARA holds the client-level (general) data; plant-, sales-, and storage-specific data live in related tables…
- B. Wrong movement type at goods receipt.
- C. Wrong tool for the integration style.
Show answer
A. MARA holds the client-level (general) data; plant-, sales-, and storage-specific data live in related tables…
Covered in the “Keys and relationships” section of this lesson.
Which part of the Learn SAP curriculum covers MARA?
- A. SAP tables
- B. SAP reference
- C. SAP HANA
Show answer
A. SAP tables
This lesson sits in the SAP tables section of the Learn SAP course.

Frequently asked questions

What does MARA stand for in SAP?

MARA is a key SAP table in MM (Materials). It stores general material master data, the client-level attributes of a material that are the same across all plants and organizational levels.

Which fields matter most in MARA?

MATNR is the primary key.

What else is worth knowing about MARA?