Using ABAP CDS Views Related to SAP BW/4HANA Context

In this section, we present some typical scenarios how SAP S/4HANA and SAP BW/4HANA can cooperate using ABAP CDS views.

To learn about use cases for ABAP CDS views in an SAP BW/4HANA context, refer to the following video.

A BW Query is defined on an InfoProvider, which is a transient provider in this scenario. When using a transient provider, the metadata in SAP BW/4HANA is not persisted, but generated at runtime. If the source metadata is changed, the transient provider is adapted automatically.

As prerequisite for this scenario, the ABAP CDS view must have the annotation @Analytics.dataCatagory: #CUBE. A transient provider is then created automatically.

Instead of predefined InfoObjects, a transient provider offers transient objects, which are generated based on the fields of the ABAP CDS View.

If the ABAP CDS view has the annotation @AbapCatalog.SQLviewName: 'XYZ', then the name of the transient provider is 2CXYZ.

Use cases for this scenario are:

• Use field based models in Embedded BW in SAP S/4HANA
• Quickly leverage BW Query capabilities for ABAP CDS views in SAP S/4HANA

The following BW functionality is supported:

• BW Variables (for fields with Semantic Annotations)
  Note

  As the Query is based on generated transient objects, and not on InfoObjects, the use of BW hierarchies and related variables is not supported.
  Note

  Parameters defined in the ABAP CDS view must be defined in the BW Query as static filter (as fixed value or as mandatory BW variable)
• Restricted key figures.
• Exceptions and conditions.
• Currency conversion.
• Report-to-report interface.
• BW Query and InfoProvider authorization.
  Note

  Analysis authorizations are not supported, but SAP S/4HANA Analytics privileges are used.

When searching for a transient provider using the InfoProvider search of the New Query dialog, make sure that you select Search for transient provider.

Transactions RSRT and RSRTS_ODP_DIS can be used to find Transient Providers.

Consider the following when using Embedded BW in SAP S/4HANA:

• It is not intended for building an Enterprise Data Warehouse.

• It is only intended for SAP standard scenarios.

• If you load/create data, keep Embedded BW data low (<20% of the SAP S/4HANA data volume.)

• If different clients exist in SAP S/4HANA, use another dedicated Embedded BW client.

• SAP S/4HANA authorizations do not apply for Embedded BW, but must be mapped and generated if necessary.

• Transports: first transport the ABAP CDS View, then transport the queries.

In this scenario, ABAP CDS Views are consumed virtually in SAP BW/4HANA. The ABAP CDS View needs the following annotations:

• @Analytics.dataExtraction.enabled:true
• @Analytics.dataCatagory: #CUBE, @Analytics.dataCatagory: #FACT or @Analytics.dataCatagory: #DIMENSION.
  Note

  Not @Analytics.dataCatagory: #AGGREGATIONLEVEL

It requires a two-step approach:

1. Define an OPD_CDS DataSource on the ABAP CDS view.
2. Define an Open ODS View on the OPD_CDS DataSource.

Use cases for this scenario are:

• Virtual (real-time) consumption of OLTP data in SAP BW/4HANA (Analytics CDS views, Interface CDS views.)
  Note

  An example is using a CompositeProvider to combine transactional data from SAP S/4HANA (using an Open ODS view) with historical data from SAP BW/4HANA, stored in a DataStore Object (advanced).
• SAP BW/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA are deployed across different SAP HANA instances.

The following BW functionality is supported:

• Modeling through Open ODS Views, utilizing semantic information.
• BW Query functionality.
• SAP BW/4HANA authorizations.
• BW Hierarchies.

Consider the following when using ABAP CDS views for virtual access:

• Distinguish between transactional data and master data and create associations accordingly.
• Start with the Open ODS views for master data, then proceed with Open ODS views for transactional data.
• The field SAP Client needs to be added to the key of all Open ODS views and needs to be uniquely filtered.
• Use BW Query on top of Open ODS views or CompositeProviders to take advantage of the full set of reporting features.

In this scenario, ABAP CDS views are used as a replacement for older SAP Extractors to load data to SAP BW/4HANA. The ABAP CDS View needs the following annotations:

• @Analytics.dataExtraction.enabled:true
• @Analytics.dataCatagory: #CUBE, @Analytics.dataCatagory: #FACT or @Analytics.dataCatagory: #DIMENSION.
  Note

  Not @Analytics.dataCatagory: #AGGREGATIONLEVEL

Use cases for this scenario are:

• Load (and transform OLTP data) to SAP BW/4HANA (once, scheduled, near real-time.)
• SAP BW/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA are deployed across different SAP HANA instances.

The following BW functionality is supported:

• Combine transformation on source side (through the ABAP CDS view definition) with BW Transformation in SAP BW/4HANA.
• BW Query functionality.
• SAP BW/4HANA authorizations.
• Extract with delta mechanism, determine deletions.
• Combine transactional data from SAP S/4HANA Analytics with master data (InfoObjects) in SAP BW/4HANA.

The question is how to find a CDS view that is enabled for extraction. If you know part of its name, you can simply start typing the name in the New DataSource dialogue.

An app called View Browser allows you to find suitable views for extraction.

Alternatively, you can search for entities that contain data from a specific table.