SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model: Consuming Data Products From SAP BDC

SAP Profitability and Performance Management Cloud Universal Model (SAP PaPM Cloud UM) introduces the BDC Data Product connection type, enabling you to access SAP Business Data Cloud (SAP BDC) harmonized data products through a Targeted HANA Schema maintained within this connection. This allows you to use standardized, business-ready data directly in your modeling projects without custom integration work.

Before you dive in, take a moment to review the key terms used throughout this documentation. Understanding these will help you navigate the content more easily. See, Application Help for Universal Model – BDC Data Product

Prerequisites

You must have an SAP BDC Data Product installed in your SAP HANA Cloud or SAP Datasphere.
For more information, see Access and Query a Data Product in SAP HANA Cloud, Installing Marketplace Data Products – SAP Datasphere.
You must have the required roles for the creation of connection. See, Manage Connections.
You must have an Uploaded CSN Interop JSON or BDC API Resource ORD ID for fetching the metadata, allowing the application to locate and pull the correct blueprint of Data Products.
For more information, see Data Products.

Setting Up the BDC Data Product Connection

Setting up a BDC Data Product connection will feel familiar if you've worked with HANA Schema connections. It shares the same core fields: Connection ID, Description, and Tenant Specific Configuration, with the addition of Default Key

Creation Of Bdc Data Product Connection.png

Importing the BDC Data Product Metadata

To complete the connection setup, import the metadata of the BDC Data Product you want to consume by uploading its CSN Interop JSON file. This file contains the data product structure including its entities, field names, data types, and relationships, and can be downloaded from the SAP API Business Hub – Data Products.

See the image below where you can download the CSN Interop JSON. Sample data product here: Data Product General Ledger Account

Download Csn Interop Json From Api Hub.png

Once uploaded, pressing Import BDC Metadata will now load all available models from the CSN Interop JSON file, including their fields, relations, and other defined structures. From here, you can configure the models depending on your use case, selecting the specific fields, relations, and other components you need.

Imported Models From Csn Interop Json.png

You can also rename the Target Function Name of each model to align with how you want to reference the Data Product table in your modeling. Please take note that these imported data products are generated as read-only Model HANA Functions, which can be activated and used for data access in your modeling projects.

Fields And Relation Of Glaccount Line Item.png

The image above shows an example of a BDC Data Product model displaying its available fields and relations. All of these are based on the structure defined in the CSN Interop JSON file, which SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model automatically translates into a modeling UI that you can configure and use directly in your modeling.

Once you have configured your models by mapping the necessary fields and applying the required relations, you can proceed with Sync Model to synchronize the connection and Activate to make the data product available. After a successful activation, the BDC Data Product data is now ready to be consumed directly in your modeling projects within SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model.

Common Warnings and Errors

As you set up and configure your BDC Data Product connection, you may encounter some warnings and errors along the way. This section covers the most common ones to help you quickly identify and resolve them.

Warning: Schema Does Not Expose BDC Data Product Objects

Warning In Creation Of Connection.png

This warning may appear during the creation of your BDC Data Product connection when the selected or synced model from the BDC Data Products is not detected in the Target HANA Schema. This typically means the Target HANA Schema does not have the corresponding BDC Data Product installed or is not accessible by the technical schema of SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model.

To resolve this, make sure the Target HANA Schema you have configured contains the BDC Data Products you intend to consume and is accessible to SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model.

Error: BDC Virtual Table or Consumption View Not Found

Error In Activation.png

This error occurs during Activation when SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model searches for the synced or selected BDC Data Product from the created connection but cannot find it in the Target HANA Schema. During activation, Universal Model looks for the corresponding virtual table or consumption view of the BDC Data Product in the Target HANA Schema. When nothing is found, the activation fails with this error.

To resolve this, make sure the correct Target HANA Schema is maintained where the BDC Data Product is installed and visible to SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model.

All right, that will be it for now! With the BDC Data Product connection type now available in SAP PaPM Cloud Universal Model, consuming harmonized, business-ready data from SAP Business Data Cloud has never been more straightforward. By leveraging the CSN Interop JSON, you can quickly set up your connection, configure your models, and start using BDC Data Products directly in your calculations. See you again on my next blog post!

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