ABAP Date Functions: Calculations, Conversions, and Timestamps

SAP ABAP Date Functions and Operations

SAP provides built-in date functions and function modules for various date-related operations, such as date conversion, calculations, and formatting.

1. Getting the Current Date and Time

DATA: lv_date TYPE sy-datum,
      lv_time TYPE sy-uzeit.

lv_date = sy-datum.  " Current date (YYYYMMDD)
lv_time = sy-uzeit.  " Current time (HHMMSS)

WRITE: 'Date:', lv_date, 'Time:', lv_time.

✅ Retrieves the current system date and time

2. Adding/Subtracting Days to a Date

DATA: lv_date TYPE sy-datum.

lv_date = sy-datum + 10.  " Add 10 days
WRITE: 'New Date:', lv_date.

lv_date = sy-datum - 5.  " Subtract 5 days
WRITE: 'Previous Date:', lv_date.

✅ Directly adds/subtracts days to DATS type variables

3. Adding/Subtracting Months and Years

Use the function module RP_CALC_DATE_IN_INTERVAL:

DATA: lv_date_new TYPE sy-datum.

CALL FUNCTION 'RP_CALC_DATE_IN_INTERVAL'
  EXPORTING
    date      = sy-datum
    months    = 3     " Add 3 months
    years     = 1     " Add 1 year
  IMPORTING
    calc_date = lv_date_new.

WRITE: 'New Date:', lv_date_new.

✅ Handles month-end variations and leap years

4. Calculating the Difference Between Two Dates

DATA: lv_date1 TYPE sy-datum,
      lv_date2 TYPE sy-datum,
      lv_diff  TYPE i.

lv_date1 = '20240310'.  " 10th March 2024
lv_date2 = '20240301'.  " 1st March 2024

lv_diff = lv_date1 - lv_date2.  " Difference in days
WRITE: 'Difference in Days:', lv_diff.

✅ Calculates difference in days

For years, months, and days, use:

DATA: lv_years  TYPE i,
      lv_months TYPE i,
      lv_days   TYPE i.

CALL FUNCTION 'HR_HK_DIFF_BT_2_DATES'
  EXPORTING
    date1 = lv_date1
    date2 = lv_date2
  IMPORTING
    years  = lv_years
    months = lv_months
    days   = lv_days.

WRITE: 'Difference:', lv_years, 'Years,', lv_months, 'Months,', lv_days, 'Days'.

✅ Calculates difference in years, months, and days

5. Converting Date Format

Convert date to a user-friendly format:

DATA: lv_date_ext TYPE char10.

CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERT_DATE_TO_EXTERNAL'
  EXPORTING
    date_internal = sy-datum
  IMPORTING
    date_external = lv_date_ext.

WRITE: 'Formatted Date:', lv_date_ext.  " Outputs DD/MM/YYYY based on user settings

✅ Formats the date based on the user’s SAP locale

Convert a formatted date (DD/MM/YYYY) to SAP format (YYYYMMDD):

DATA: lv_date_int TYPE sy-datum.

CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERT_DATE_TO_INTERNAL'
  EXPORTING
    date_external = '07/03/2025'
  IMPORTING
    date_internal = lv_date_int.

WRITE: 'SAP Date:', lv_date_int.  " Outputs 20250307

✅ Converts date strings from external systems

6. Getting the First and Last Day of a Month

Use LAST_DAY_IN_PERIOD_GET:

DATA: lv_last_day TYPE sy-datum.

CALL FUNCTION 'LAST_DAY_IN_PERIOD_GET'
  EXPORTING
    i_gjahr = '2024'   " Year
    i_periv = 'K4'     " Fiscal year variant (Standard: K4)
    i_poper = '03'     " Period (March)
  IMPORTING
    e_date  = lv_last_day.

WRITE: 'Last Day of Month:', lv_last_day.

✅ Returns the last day of a month in a fiscal year

For the first day, subtract days:

DATA: lv_first_day TYPE sy-datum.

lv_first_day = sy-datum - ( sy-datum+6(2) - 1 ).
WRITE: 'First Day:', lv_first_day.

✅ Extracts first day by adjusting the day component

7. Working with Timestamps

Get the current UTC timestamp:

DATA: lv_timestamp TYPE timestamp.

GET TIME STAMP FIELD lv_timestamp.
WRITE: 'Current UTC Timestamp:', lv_timestamp.

✅ Precise to seconds

Calculate timestamp difference in seconds:

DATA: lv_tstmp1 TYPE timestamp,
      lv_tstmp2 TYPE timestamp,
      lv_diff   TYPE int8.

lv_tstmp1 = '20240310120000'.  " 10th March 2024, 12:00:00
lv_tstmp2 = '20240309180000'.  " 9th March 2024, 18:00:00

lv_diff = cl_abap_tstmp=>subtract(
            i_tstmp1 = lv_tstmp1
            i_tstmp2 = lv_tstmp2 ).

WRITE: 'Difference in Seconds:', lv_diff.

✅ Works for precise time calculations

8. Factory Calendar & Business Days

To calculate next business day, use:

DATA: lv_next_date TYPE sy-datum.

CALL FUNCTION 'DATE_NEXT_WORKDAY'
  EXPORTING
    start_date  = sy-datum
    factory_calendar = 'US'  " Set factory calendar
  IMPORTING
    next_workday = lv_next_date.

WRITE: 'Next Business Day:', lv_next_date.

✅ Uses a factory calendar for holidays

To calculate working days between two dates, use:

DATA: lv_days TYPE i.

CALL FUNCTION 'DAYS_BETWEEN_TWO_DATES'
  EXPORTING
    date_1 = '20240301'
    date_2 = '20240310'
  IMPORTING
    days   = lv_days.

WRITE: 'Working Days:', lv_days.

✅ Excludes weekends/holidays based on SAP settings

Summary: Key Date Functions

Operation	Method
Get current date/time	`sy-datum`, `sy-uzeit`
Add/subtract days	`date + n` or `date - n`
Add/subtract months/years	`RP_CALC_DATE_IN_INTERVAL`
Date difference (days)	`date1 - date2`
Date difference (years, months, days)	`HR_HK_DIFF_BT_2_DATES`
Convert to user format	`CONVERT_DATE_TO_EXTERNAL`
Convert user input to SAP date	`CONVERT_DATE_TO_INTERNAL`
First/Last day of a month	`LAST_DAY_IN_PERIOD_GET`
Get UTC timestamp	`GET TIME STAMP`
Timestamp difference (seconds)	`CL_ABAP_TSTMP=>SUBTRACT`
Next business day	`DATE_NEXT_WORKDAY`
Working days between dates	`DAYS_BETWEEN_TWO_DATES`