What is the difference between authorization objects and authorization fields in SAP security?

What is the difference between authorization objects and authorization fields in SAP security?

In SAP security, authorization objects and authorization fields play vital roles in defining and controlling user access to specific functions and data within the system.

Authorization Objects:

Authorization objects in SAP security are defined as a collection of authorization fields that together determine the level of access a user has to a specific transaction or object in the system. Authorization objects are typically associated with specific roles and are used to grant or restrict access to various functionalities within SAP systems. Each authorization object consists of multiple authorization fields that represent different aspects of access control, such as activity types, organizational levels, and specific values.

Authorization Fields:

Authorization fields in SAP security are individual components of authorization objects that define specific attributes or characteristics for controlling user access. These fields represent specific data elements or parameters within the system, such as plants, company codes, or document types. Authorization fields are used to further refine the access permissions granted by authorization objects and allow for fine-grained control over user privileges within the system.

In summary, while authorization objects are high-level entities that group related authorization fields together to control user access to various functions and data, authorization fields define specific parameters and attributes within those objects to finely tune the access permissions granted to users in SAP security.