What is Client in SAP

Client
Introduction
 
A client is a self-contained business entity or unit within each SAP system with independent information and data. The main objective of the client is to keep the business data isolated so that other clients cannot access or change them.

The SAP client concept allows an organization to split a system into logical subunits. Clients may operate as separate business units, where all data is stored in a common database. Client specific data includes User Master Records (including authorizations and user groups), data customization and application/business data

• Client-specific data is data affecting only one client, such as user master and application data.
• Cross-client data is data affecting the whole system environment, such as cross-client Customizing data and all Repository objects.

SAP supports up to 1000 clients starting from 000 to 999.

SAP Standard Clients 

SAP R3 comes with 3 inbuilt standard clients,

000 – Master Client aka Reference Client

Client 000 contains a simple organizational structure of a test company and includes parameters for all applications, standard settings, and configurations for the control of standard transactions and
examples to be used in many different profiles of the business applications. It contains clien independent settings.
 

001 – Copy of Client 000
This client is a copy of the 000 client including the test company. This client's settings are  clientindependent if it is configured or customized. People normally use 001 client to create a new client.

066 – EarlyWatch Client (SAP Support)
The SAP EarlyWatch Alert is a diagnosis service, for solution monitoring of SAP and non-SAP systems in the SAP Solution Manager. Alert may contain Performance issue, average response time, current system load, Database administration etc.

Golden Client
Golden Client is the client where all the developments i.e. changes and modifications like configuration settings and cross-client customizations are made and tested, which are later transported to the Quality and Production clients.

A Golden client is configured to automatically record all changes and store in change requests.