An SAP archiving object defines which application data belongs together, which programs process it and how the resulting archive can be managed. Correct object selection and configuration are therefore central to a safe archiving program; they cannot be replaced by deleting rows from large tables.
What is an SAP archiving object?
SAP defines the archiving object as a central component of data archiving. It bundles related database objects so they can be treated as a completed business object and interpreted independently of technical conditions at the time of archiving.
Examples vary by application. An accounting document, sales document or material document can include header, item and related records that must be processed together. The object name is used in Archive Administration, commonly transaction SARA.
Programs and activities assigned to an object
Depending on the object, SAP archiving activities can include:
- Preprocessing: optional preparation or marking before the write phase.
- Write: selects eligible business objects and writes archive files without deleting online rows.
- Delete: reads successfully written archive files and removes the associated data from the database through the supported program.
- Postprocessing: performs object-specific follow-up work where provided.
- Read: supports available technical or application-specific archive access.
- Reload: may exist for some objects but is not universally supported or desirable.
The available actions and exact sequence depend on the object, application, release and configuration.
AOBJ and SARA serve different purposes
Transaction AOBJ is used to define or inspect archiving-object characteristics, including assigned programs and structure information. Transaction SARA is the operational entry point for administering and running archiving activities. Application menus may also open SARA with the relevant object preselected.
Most organizations should begin with SAP-delivered objects and application-specific documentation. Creating or extending an object is a development and lifecycle commitment requiring design, testing, security and long-term maintenance.
Configuration decisions to review
Structure and scope
Confirm the tables and structures bundled into the business object, including supported extensions and custom dependencies.
Technical settings
Review logical file paths, archive-file size, delete-program scheduling, test and production variants, storage behavior and background-job controls.
Eligibility and residence
Understand business-completion checks, residence settings and object-specific prerequisites. Record age alone does not establish eligibility.
Information structures and access
Determine which archive information structures, indexes or application viewers users need. Activate and test them before relying on the archive for historical access.
ILM integration
Where SAP ILM applies, confirm the relationship between archiving and ILM objects, audit areas, policies, retention rules and legal holds for the specific scenario.
How to prioritize objects
Use a balanced scorecard rather than sorting tables by size alone:
- Potential eligible and removable volume.
- Growth rate and operational pressure.
- Business-process ownership and completion quality.
- Dependencies on other objects and applications.
- Historical reporting, document and custom-data needs.
- Retention, privacy and legal-hold requirements.
- Implementation, testing and operating complexity.
Begin with objects that provide meaningful value and have manageable dependencies, available business owners and testable access requirements.
Test configuration progressively
- Inspect object documentation and current system configuration.
- Run eligibility or preprocessing analysis where applicable.
- Execute a controlled write using a representative scope.
- Verify archive-file integrity and storage.
- Test historical access and information structures.
- Run the supported delete phase in a controlled environment.
- Reconcile counts, values, relationships and exceptions.
- Test recovery, rerun and operational monitoring.
- Obtain business validation before production scale-up.
Common configuration errors
- Using generic residence assumptions without business approval.
- Starting deletion automatically before control gates are proven.
- Ignoring custom tables and related documents.
- Failing to activate or fill required archive information structures.
- Treating successful write status as evidence that users can retrieve what they need.
- Changing SAP-delivered behavior without an upgrade and support plan.
ArchiveHub and archiving-object analysis
ArchiveHub helps analyze SAP data growth, map opportunities to relevant archiving objects and connect execution priorities to business access. Capabilities and results depend on the SAP release, application scope, object support, configuration and validation.
Read the cornerstone guide, follow the operational runbook, review historical reporting, or assess your environment.