Connecting to SAP

SAP is an enterprise-wide business suite for managing a broad range of organizational business processes. Use the ACL Connector for SAP to import your organization's SAP data.

Before you start

Compatible SAP systems

The ACL Connector for SAP can be used with the following SAP systems:

• S/4HANA
• all enhancement levels of the following systems, running on all supported database platforms including SAP HANA:
  • SAP ERP 6.0 (ECC 6.0)
  • SAP CRM 7.0
  • SAP SRM 7.0
  • SAP SCM 7.0
  • SAP EWM 7.0

Compatible SAP SPAM/SAINT version

For installing the SAP add-on for the SAP system, the required version of SAP SPAM/SAINT is 0053 or higher.

SAP SPAM is the Support Package Manager. SAP SAINT is the Add-On Installation Tool.

Install the SAP add-on for the SAP system

Your SAP Basis Administrator must install the SAP add-on for the SAP system. The add-on is required for the SAP connector to communicate with the SAP system. Users with an SAP connector subscription can download the add-on file from Launchpad (www.highbond.com).

Use the SAP Front End to install the SAP add-on. The compatible SAP Basis release for installing the SAP add-on is 700 or higher.

1. Download the .sar add-on file from Launchpad (DABEXP_SAPCONN_AOI_100.sar).
2. On the SAP system, use the SAINT transaction to access the Add-On Installation Tool.
3. Use the Add-On Installation Tool to install the SAP Add-on Installation Package.

SAP authorizations

Users of the SAP connector require the following SAP access and authorizations in order to connect to an SAP system and extract data:

• An SAP user ID and password that allows them to connect to the SAP system
• Specific SAP authorization objects and authorizations, including SAP table authorizations

SAP authorization objects

Users of the SAP connector require the specific SAP authorizations listed below.

Authorization class	Authorization object	Field	Values	Details
AAAB Cross-Application Authorization Objects	S_RFC Authorization check for RFC access	ACTVT	16 (authorizes Execute)	Controls a user's ability to execute function modules on the SAP system from a remote location, such as a desktop computer.
		RFC_NAME	/SDF/RI_CRM CMON RFC1 SYST /DABEXP/DAB_FUGR
		RFC_TYPE	FUGR (Function Group)
		Alternatively, as of SAP NW 7.0 EHP 2 (SAP Basis 702), the RFC_TYPE can be set to FUNC (Function Module). With FUNC, function modules must be authorized directly and not via the function group.
		ACTVT	16 (authorizes Execute)
		RFC_NAME	/SDF/CMO_GET_INSTNO CMO_GET_INSTNO RFC_GET_FUNCTION_INTERFACE RFC_GET_NAMETAB RFCPING /DABEXP/RFC_SAPCONNECTOR
		RFC_TYPE	FUNC (Function Module)
BC_A Basis: Administration	S_TABU_DIS	ACTVT	03 (Display)	Controls a user's access to specific groups of SAP tables.
		DICBERCLS (Authorization Group)	*
	S_TABU_NAM	ACTVT	03 (Display)	Controls a user's access to individual SAP tables.
		TABLE (Table Name)	*
	Note Users of the SAP connector should be assigned authorizations for those SAP tables they need to access in order to perform their analysis. For example, a user performing a General Ledger audit needs authorizations for the general ledger tables. Your organization's own business processes dictate which users require table authorizations, and what authorizations they require. Work with your SAP Security Administrator to determine the appropriate level of access that your users require.

SAP port configuration

On each SAP server that you will connect to with the SAP connector, you need to open the following TCP/IP ports for inbound and outbound communication:

Port name	Port number	Comment
Dispatcher	32<NN>	Used by SAP GUI
Gateway	33<NN>	Used for RFC communication
Message Server	36<NN>
Note <NN> is the instance number of your SAP system. So, if the SAP system number is 10, then ports 3210, 3310 and 3610 need to be open.

Install SAP GUI for Windows

SAP GUI for Windows, version 7.50, or higher, must be installed on the local computer or the server where you intend to use Analytics's SAP connector. The SAP GUI allows the SAP connector to remotely access your SAP system.

Analytics users	The SAP GUI must be installed on the same computer as Analytics.
Robots users	The SAP GUI must be installed on the server that houses the Robots Agent.
Analytics Exchange users	The SAP GUI must be installed on the server that houses AX Server, and on any AX Engine Node servers that will be used to access your SAP system.

SAP connection information and credentials

Typically, an SAP Basis Administrator maintains connection information for an SAP system. Ask your SAP Basis Administrator to provide the necessary connection information, or have them configure the required connection information in the SAP Logon window.

If your administrator cannot help you, you or your administrator should contact SAP Support.

To connect to SAP, you or your administrator must gather the following:

• the correct server type (Normal, or Load Balanced)
• instance number (for Normal server type)
• logon group and system ID (for Load Balanced server type)
• the host name or IP address of the SAP system
• your SAP username and password
• client number
• read access to the tables in the SAP system

Create an SAP connection

1. From the Analytics main menu, select Import > Database and application.
2. From the New Connections tab, in the ACL Connectors section, select SAP.

   Tip

   You can filter the list of available connectors by entering a search string in the Filter connections box. Connectors are listed alphabetically.

3. In the Data Connection Settings panel, enter the connection settings and at the bottom of the panel, click Save and Connect.

   You can accept the default Connection Name, or enter a new one.

The connection for SAP is saved to the Existing Connections tab. In the future, you can reconnect to SAP from the saved connection.

Once the connection is established, the Data Access window opens to the Staging Area and you can begin importing data. For help importing data from SAP, see Import data using the Data Access window .

Connection settings

Basic settings

Setting	Description	Example
Preloaded SAP Systems optional	The name of an SAP system with connection settings specified in one of the following SAP GUI configuration files: SAPUILandscape.xml saplogon.ini Default location of the SAP GUI configuration file: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\SAP\Common If both configuration files are present in the ..\SAP\Common folder, SAPUILandscape.xml takes precedence. Note If you select a preloaded SAP system, all the remaining SAP connection settings are automatically populated for you, with the exception of User, Password, and Client.	PHR - Production Human Resources
Server Type	The configuration of servers in your SAP system: NORMAL a single server LOAD BALANCE a load-balanced group of servers	NORMAL LOAD BALANCE
Server	The host name or IP address of the SAP system.	phr-1.example.com 52.202.133.148
Instance Number (Server Type = NORMAL)	The two-digit instance number of the SAP system. The instance number forms the last two digits of the port numbers used for inbound and outbound communication between the SAP connector and the SAP system. For more information, see SAP port configuration.	01
Logon Group (Server Type = LOAD BALANCE)	The name of a load-balanced group of servers in the SAP system.	ACL Production
System Id (Server Type = LOAD BALANCE)	The three-character identifier of the SAP system.	PHR
Client	The three-digit code identifying a client within the SAP system. A client is a sub-partition of an SAP system.	800
Language	The language of the SAP system.	EN

Advanced settings

Setting	Description	Example
Variable String Length optional	The number of characters that are imported from the start of SAP fields with a data type of STRING or RAWSTRING. Large amounts of system information can sometimes be present as trailing characters in fields of these types. You can use this setting to limit the number of characters that are imported. If you omit this setting, the default of 256 characters is used.	6 You know that only the first 6 characters in a STRING field contain information of interest.
Temporary Working Directory	The path for a directory that temporarily stores SAP data. When the SAP connector retrieves data it is temporarily stored locally. Large tables can cause an overflow error if they cannot be accommodated by the Analytics project folder, which is the default storage location. This setting allows you to specify a different temporary storage location, one with enough space for large files. If you leave the prefilled setting of Default, the data is temporary stored in the Analytics project folder.	D:\SAP_temp_storage
RFC Function Module	The name of the RFC Function Module that forms the basis of the SAP connector. Leave this field blank. The value is automatically provided in the background. The field exists in the event that the module is renamed in the future, and the new name must be manually specified.

Searching for SAP tables

After you create a new connection to an SAP system, Analytics lists 200 common SAP tables in the Available Tables list in the Data Access window. You can scroll through the list and click any table name to add the table to the Staging Area.

Search the Available Tables list

Instead of scrolling through the list, you may find it easier to search for a table name or table description. You can enter a search string in the Search tables box above the list. The search string can contain both literal characters and wildcard characters.

The search extends beyond the list to also search any undisplayed names stored in the local cache of table names.

For detailed information about searching the Available Tables list, see Add one or more tables to the Staging Area.

What if the table I searched for is not found?

If the table you searched for is not in the Available Tables list, or in the table name cache, you can search and retrieve additional table names from the SAP system.

1. Enter a search string in the Search tables box.

   If the table is not found, the Search table name in database button appears.

2. Click Search table name in database.

   Any table name in the SAP system that matches the search string is added to the Available Tables list. The table name or names are also added to the table name cache so that they are more immediately available in the future.

   Note

   Searches in the SAP database are on the short SAP table name only (ANAT, BNKA, and so on). Table descriptions are not searched.

   Tip

   You cannot selectively remove table names from the Available Tables list or the table name cache. To clean up the list of tables, delete and recreate the SAP connection. The list reverts to containing only the common SAP tables.

Joining SAP tables

You can join SAP tables in the Staging Area in the Data Access window. Joining SAP tables has the following limitations:

• Two tables can be joined, unlike other Analytics connectors, which allow joining up to five tables.
• Inner joins, and left joins, are supported. Outer joins, and right joins, are not supported.

For more information, see Joining tables in the Data Access window.

Key field icon

The key field icon identifies key fields in SAP tables added to the Staging Area. The purpose of the key field icon is to identify fields that you can use for joining SAP tables.

SAP data type

The Type displayed with field names in SAP tables added to the Staging Area is the SAP data type. Other Analytics connectors display the Analytics data type. SAP data types are converted to Analytics data types upon import.

Language of the SAP system

In the Data Connection Settings panel, you can specify the language of the SAP system that you are connecting to.

Languages supported by Analytics

If the language of the SAP system is one of the languages supported by Analytics, the Available Tables list displays table descriptions in the supported language.

The languages supported by Analytics:

English	German	Spanish	French
Chinese	Japanese	Portuguese	Polish

Languages not supported by Analytics

If the language of the SAP system is not one of the languages supported by Analytics, the Available Tables list displays the initial list of table descriptions in English. Any tables that you subsequently search and retrieve from the SAP system appear in the language of the system. The result is that table descriptions in the Available Tables list are a mix of English and the language of the SAP system.

SAP connection errors

Error number	Error code	Description
0	Unknown	Connecting to SAP, or importing data, cannot be completed. An unknown error occurred.
1	SapDriverInitializationError	Cannot connect to SAP. Required driver configuration files may be missing.
2	SapDriverLicenseInvalidError	Cannot connect to SAP. There is a problem with the driver license.
3	ConnectionPropertiesParserValueMustNotBeNullOrWhitespaceError	Cannot connect to SAP. A required connection parameter is missing.
4	ConnectionPropertiesParserLibraryTypeOutOfRangeError	The value for the library parameter is not valid. Valid values are: ClassicRfc, NetweaverRfc
5	ConnectionPropertiesParserRfcFunctionTypeOutOfRangeError	The value for the RFC function parameter is not valid. Valid values are: Standard, Extended, Three
6	ConnectionPropertiesParserServerDetailInfoAmbiguousError	Cannot connect to SAP. The values specified for one or more of the following properties is incorrect: InstanceNumber, LogonGroup, SID.
7	ConnectionPropertiesParserVariableStringLengthNotAnIntegerError	The variable string length for the connection parameter must be a whole number.
8	SapConnectionInfoValidationClientIsNullOrWhitespaceError	The value for the client connection parameter is missing.
9	SapConnectionInfoValidationClientLongerThanThreeCharactersError	The value for the client connection parameter cannot exceed 3 characters.
10	SapConnectionInfoValidationLanguageIsNullOrWhitespaceError	The value for the language connection parameter is missing.
11	SapConnectionInfoValidationLanguageIsLongerThanTwoCharactersError	The value for the language connection parameter cannot exceed 2 characters.
12	SapConnectionInfoValidationUsernameIsNullOrWhitespaceError	The value for the username connection parameter is missing.
13	SapConnectionInfoValidationPasswordIsNullOrWhitespaceError	The value for the password connection parameter is missing.
14	SapConnectionInfoValidationTestDownloadTableIsNullOrWhitespaceError	The value for the Test Download Table connection parameter is missing.
15	SapConnectionInfoValidationRfcFunctionModuleIsNullOrWhitespaceError	The value for the RFC Function Module connection parameter is missing.
16	SapConnectionInfoValidationSapConnectionServerInfoIsNullError	Cannot connect to SAP. SAP server properties are missing (internal driver error).
17	SapConnectionInfoValidationVariableStringLengthMustBeGreaterZeroError	Cannot connect to SAP. Variable string length must be greater than 0 (internal driver error).
18	SapConnectionInfoValidationServerIsNullError	The value for the server connection parameter is missing.
19	SapConnectionInfoValidationServerDetailsIsNullError	Cannot connect to SAP. SAP server detail properties are missing (internal driver error).
20	SapConnectionInfoValidationInstanceNumberNullOrWhitespaceError	The value for the Instance Number connection parameter is missing.
21	SapConnectionInfoValidationInstanceNumberMustHaveTwoDigitsError	The value for the Instance Number connection parameter must be two digits.
22	SapConnectionInfoValidationLogonGroupNullOrWhitespaceError	The value for the Logon Group connection parameter is missing.
23	SapConnectionInfoValidationSidNullOrWhitespaceError	The value for the SID connection parameter is missing.
24	SapConnectionInfoValidationSidLongerThanThreeCharactersError	The value for the SID connection parameter cannot exceed 3 characters.
25	SapDriverErpError	Connection to the SAP server was lost. An unknown error occurred.
26	SapDriverTableNotFoundError	The table cannot be found.
27	SapDriverTableStructureNotExportableError	The table cannot be imported because it has no data.
28	SapDriverAppendStructureNotExportableError	The table cannot be imported because it has no data.
29	SapDriverGetTablesDownloadError	The download of SAP tables could not be completed.
30	SapDriverSqlParsingError	The SQL syntax is probably not valid and the import of data cannot be performed. A specific cause of the error cannot be identified.
31	SapDriverSqlParsingNoSqlScriptFragmentError	SQL statements must be specified.
32	SapDriverSqlParsingExactlyOneBatchAllowedError	Only 1 SQL batch is allowed.
33	SapDriverSqlParsingExactlyOneSelectStatementAllowedError	Only 1 SELECT statement is allowed.
34	SapDriverSqlParsingFragmentNotAllowedError	A portion of the SQL syntax is not allowed, or is not allowed in its current position. For example, UPDATE or DELETE statements are not allowed.
36	SapDriverSqlParsingJoinTypeNotAllowedError	The specified JOIN type is not allowed. Specify an INNER JOIN, or a LEFT JOIN.
37	SapDriverSqlParsingFirstJoinValueNotATableError	The first value specified by the JOIN is not a table.
38	SapDriverSqlParsingOnlyOneJoinAllowedError	Only 1 JOIN is allowed.
39	SapDriverSqlParsingSecondJoinValueNotATableError	The second value specified by the JOIN is not a table.
40	SapDriverSqlParsingNoJoinConditionError	The JOIN condition must not be empty.
41	SapDriverSqlParsingJoinConditionOringNotAllowedError	Using OR with JOIN conditions is not allowed.
42	SapDriverSqlParsingJoinConditionNotAllowedError	The type of JOIN condition specified is not allowed.
43	SapDriverSqlParsingJoinOperatorMustBeEqualsOnlyError	The JOIN operator can only be Equals.
44	SapDriverSqlParsingJoinSameFieldError	You cannot JOIN a field to itself.
45	SapDriverSqlParsingOnlyExplicitJoinsAllowedError	Only explicit JOINS are allowed.
46	SapDriverSqlParsingHasNoSelectStatementError	A SELECT statement must be specified.
47	SapDriverSqlParsingHasNoQuerySpecificationError	SQL syntax is probably invalid. A query specification may be required.
48	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlFieldMustBeQualifiedWithTableError	The field must be qualified with a table name or a table alias.
49	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlSelectStarFieldMustOnlyBeQualifiedWithTableNameError	SELECT * must be qualified with a table name or a table alias.
50	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlFieldMustOnlyBeQualifiedWithTableNameError	The field can only be qualified with a table name or a table alias.
51	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlTableMustHaveExactlyOneIdentifierError	The table name must not be qualified.
52	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlQueryeMustHaveAtLeastOneFieldError	The SELECT statement must contain at least one field.
53	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlQueryeMustHaveAtLeastOneTableError	The SELECT statement must contain at least one table.
54	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlEnhancedQuerySqlTableNotMatchingAnySapTableError	The table qualifying a field does not match any table received from the SAP system.
55	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlFieldQualifierNotMatchingAnyTableError	The table qualifying a field does not match any table specified in the SELECT statement.
56	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlSelectStarFieldQualifierNotMatchingAnyTableError	The table qualifying a * field does not match any table specified in the SELECT statement.
57	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlFieldNotInSapTableError	The field specified in the SELECT statement does not exist in the SAP data.
58	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlFieldNotExportableError	The field specified in the SELECT statement cannot be imported from the SAP system.
59	SapDriverSqlParsingSqlFieldNotFilterableError	The field specified in the WHERE clause cannot be filtered in the SAP system.
60	SapDriverSqlParsingTopRowFilterMustHaveAbsolutValueError	The SELECT TOP statement must specify an absolute value.
61	SapDriverSqlParsingTopRowFilterWithTiesNotAllowedError	The SELECT TOP statement must be used without ties.
63	SapDriverSqlParsingTopRowFilterMustHaveIntegerValueError	The SELECT TOP statement must specify an integer value.
64	SapDriverSqlParsingTopRowFilterIntegerValueMustBeGreaterZeroError	The SELECT TOP statement must specify a value greater than zero (0).
68	SapDriverSqlParsingTopRowFilterFromClauseMustHaveInnerQuerySpecificationError	The FROM clause in the SELECT TOP statement must contain a query specification.
69	SapDriverSqlParsingOringFilterValuesOnlyForSameFieldAndClauseError	Different fields cannot be specified in an OR condition. The same field must be used throughout the OR condition, and the same field operator must be used.
70	SapDriverSqlParsingFilterExpressionNotAllowedError	The expression specified in the WHERE clause for filtering the field is not allowed.
71	SapDriverSqlParsingFilterValueLiteralNotAllowedError	The literal specified in the WHERE clause for filtering the field is not allowed.
72	SapDriverSqlParsingFilterComparisonTypeNotAllowedError	The comparison operator specified in the WHERE clause for filtering the field is not allowed.
73	SapDriverPackageCreationFilterTypeNotSupportedError	The filter type is not supported.
74	SapDriverTableCreationMaximumRecordLimitReachedError	The number of selected fields exceeds the maximum supported by the SAP RFC (SAP Remote Function Call).
75	SapDriverExecuteDownloadError	An unknown error occurred while importing SAP table data.
76	SapDriverSearchTablesDownloadError	An unknown error occurred while searching for SAP tables.
77	SapDriverSqlParsingNoFromClauseError	The SELECT statement must contain a FROM clause.
78	SapDriverSqlParsingNoTableReferenceInFromClauseError	The FROM clause in the SELECT statement must specify a table.
79	SapDriverSqlParsingExpectedTopRowForPreviewError	The outer SELECT statement must have a TOP clause.
80	SapDriverSqlParsingPreviewStatmentMustNotHaveWhereClauseError	The outer SELECT statement must not have a WHERE clause.
81	SapDriverSqlParsingPreviewStatmentMustHaveUnqualifiedStarQualifierOnlyError	The outer SELECT statement must only have a * qualifier.
82	SapDriverProjectPathNotFoundError	The specified Temporary Working Directory does not exist.