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This article walks you through the process of using the CData ODBC Driver for SAP from Power Pivot. You will use the Table Import Wizard to load SAP data. You can visually build the import query or use any SQL supported by the driver.
The ODBC protocol is used by a wide variety of Business Intelligence (BI) and reporting tools to get access to different databases. The CData ODBC Driver for SAP brings the same power and ease of use to SAP data. This article uses the driver to import SAP data into Power Pivot.
About SAP Data Integration
CData provides the easiest way to access and integrate live data from SAP. Customers use CData connectivity to:
- Access every edition of SAP, including SAP R/3, SAP NetWeaver, SAP ERP / ECC 6.0, and SAP S/4 HANA on premises data that is exposed by the RFC.
- Perform actions like sending IDoc or IDoc XML files to the server and creating schemas for functions or queries through SQL stored procedures.
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Connect optimally depending on where a customer's SAP instance is hosted.
- Customers using SAP S/4HANA cloud public edition will use SAP NetWeaver Gateway connectivity
- Customers using SAP S/4HANA private edition will use either SAP ERP or SAP NetWeaver Gateway connectivity.
While most users leverage our tools to replicate SAP data to databases or data warehouses, many also integrate live SAP data with analytics tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and Excel.
Getting Started
Connect to SAP as an ODBC Data Source
If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.
You can connect to SAP systems using either librfc32.dll, librfc32u.dll, NetWeaver, or Web Services (SOAP). Set the ConnectionType connection property to CLASSIC (librfc32.dll), CLASSIC_UNICODE (librfc32u.dll), NETWEAVER, or SOAP.
If you are using the SOAP interface, set the Client, RFCUrl, SystemNumber, User, and Password properties, under the Authentication section.
Otherwise, set Host, User, Password, Client, and SystemNumber.
Note: We do not distribute the librfc32.dll or other SAP assemblies. You must find them from your SAP installation and install them on your machine.
For more information, see this guide on obtaining the connection properties needed to connect to any SAP system.
Connect from Power Pivot
Follow the steps below to connect to the DSN in Power Pivot.
- In Excel, click the Power Pivot Window icon on the Power Pivot tab to open Power Pivot.
- Launch the Table Import Wizard: Click the Get External Data from Other Data Sources button.
- Select the OLEDB/ODBC source option.
- Click Build to open the Data Link Properties dialog.
- In the Provider tab, select the Microsoft OLEDB Provider for ODBC Drivers option.
- In the Connection tab, select the Use Data Source Name option and then select the SAP DSN in the menu.
Select and Filter Tables and Views
Follow the steps below to use the wizard to import SAP tables. As you use the wizard to select, filter, and sort columns of SAP tables, Power Pivot generates the query to be executed.
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After selecting the DSN in the Table Import Wizard, select the option to select from a list of tables.
Click Preview & Filter to select specific columns, sort data, and visually build filters. To include or exclude columns, select and clear the option next to the column name.
To filter based on column values, click the down arrow button next to the column name. In the resulting dialog, select or clear the column values you want to filter. Alternatively, click Number Filters or Text Filters and then select a comparison operator. In the resulting dialog, build the filter criteria.
- Return to the Select Tables and Views page of the wizard. You can access filters by clicking the Applied Filters link in the Filter Details column.
Import and Filter with SQL
You can also import with an SQL query. The driver supports the standard SQL, allowing Excel to communicate with SAP APIs.
- After selecting the DSN in the Table Import Wizard, select the option to write a query.
In the SQL Statement box, enter the query. Click Validate to check that the syntax of the query is valid. Click Design to preview the results and adjust the query before import.
- Finish the wizard to import the data for your chosen query.
Refresh On Demand
Connectivity to SAP APIs enables real-time analysis. To immediately update your workbook with any changes, click Refresh.