SAP AL11 — SAP Directories
Plenty of SAP integration is still files. A bank sends a statement, a warehouse sends a stock file, an interface writes an extract for a downstream system. Those files sit on the application server's file system, not on your PC.
AL11 lets you browse those directories from inside SAP. You get a list of logical directory names, and you can open one to see the files in it, with sizes and timestamps, and view their contents.
The distinction that trips people up constantly: a file on the application server is not a file on your machine. Interfaces read and write server paths. When a file "is not there", the first question is which of the two locations you are actually looking at.
When you would actually use AL11
- Confirming whether an inbound interface file actually arrived, and when.
- Checking that an outbound file was written, and how large it is.
- Reading the first lines of a file to see whether the format is what was expected.
- Investigating an interface that reports no data.
What the screen looks like
| Directory name | Directory path |
|---|---|
| DIR_HOME | /usr/sap/PRD/D00/work |
| DIR_TRANS | /usr/sap/trans |
| DIR_TEMP | /tmp |
| DIR_INTERFACE_IN | /interfaces/prd/inbound |
| DIR_INTERFACE_OUT | /interfaces/prd/outbound |
| File name | Length | Owner | Last changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| bank_stmt_20260801.txt | 84,112 | prdadm | 01.08.2026 23:14 |
| bank_stmt_20260802.txt | 91,004 | prdadm | 02.08.2026 23:11 |
| bank_stmt_20260803.txt | 0 | prdadm | 03.08.2026 23:09 |
The fields, in plain English
The logical name SAP uses. DIR_HOME is the instance work directory, DIR_TRANS the transport directory, DIR_TEMP temporary space. Custom interface directories are usually added by Basis.
The physical path on the application server. Note the operating system — most SAP servers run Linux, so paths are case-sensitive.
Watch out: A path that "looks right" but differs in case will not match. This is a common cause of an interface finding nothing.
File size in bytes. A zero-byte file is the most informative thing on this screen: the transfer ran but delivered nothing, which points at the sender rather than at SAP.
The timestamp. Compare it against when the interface was supposed to run — a stale timestamp means today's file never arrived and you are looking at yesterday's.
Step by step
- 1Open AL11 to see the directory list.
- 2Double-click the interface directory you care about.
- 3Check the file name, size and timestamp against what you expected.
- 4Double-click a file to view its contents.
- 5If the file is absent or zero bytes, the problem is upstream — not in SAP.
- 6If the file is present and correct, the problem is the job that reads it.
Errors you will hit, and what they mean
The file is not in the directory
Why: It was never delivered, went to a different path, or has already been processed and archived.
Fix: Check the archive directory if one exists, confirm the exact path with Basis, and confirm with the sender that it was transmitted.
File exists but shows 0 bytes
Why: The transfer created the file and delivered no content, or is still in progress.
Fix: Re-check in a few minutes in case it is mid-transfer. If it stays at zero, the sender produced nothing.
No authorisation to display directory
Why: AL11 exposes server file paths and is often restricted.
Fix: Request access for the interface directories specifically rather than the whole transaction.
Contents are unreadable or garbled
Why: Binary file, or a character-encoding mismatch between sender and system.
Fix: Encoding mismatches are a real interface defect worth raising, not a display quirk to work around.
Common questions
Can I upload or delete files with AL11?
No. AL11 is a browser — it displays directories and file contents only. Writing and removing files is done by interface programs or by Basis at the operating system level.
Why can I not see a file that is definitely on my computer?
Because AL11 shows the APPLICATION SERVER file system, which is a different machine. Files on your PC are not visible here, and interfaces cannot read them.
Where do transport files live?
DIR_TRANS, conventionally /usr/sap/trans, with cofiles and data subdirectories.
Transactions that go with AL11
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