Build SAP SuccessFactors LMS-Connected ETL Processes in Google Data Fusion

Google Data Fusion allows users to perform self-service data integration to consolidate disparate data. Uploading the CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors LMS enables users to access live SAP SuccessFactors LMS data from within their Google Data Fusion pipelines. While the CData JDBC Driver enables piping SAP SuccessFactors LMS data to any data source natively supported in Google Data Fusion, this article walks through piping data from SAP SuccessFactors LMS to Google BigQuery,

Upload the CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors LMS to Google Data Fusion

Upload the CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors LMS to your Google Data Fusion instance to work with live SAP SuccessFactors LMS data. Due to the naming restrictions for JDBC drivers in Google Data Fusion, create a copy or rename the JAR file to match the following format driver-version.jar. For example: cdatasapsuccessfactorslms-2020.jar

1. Open your Google Data Fusion instance
2. Click the to add an entity and upload a driver
3. On the "Upload driver" tab, drag or browse to the renamed JAR file.
4. On the "Driver configuration" tab:
   • Name: Create a name for the driver (cdata.jdbc.sapsuccessfactorslms) and make note of the name
   • Class name: Set the JDBC class name: (cdata.jdbc.sapsuccessfactorslms.SAPSuccessFactorsLMSDriver)
   
5. Click "Finish"

Connect to SAP SuccessFactors LMS Data in Google Data Fusion

With the JDBC Driver uploaded, you are ready to work with live SAP SuccessFactors LMS data in Google Data Fusion Pipelines.

1. Navigate to the Pipeline Studio to create a new Pipeline
2. From the "Source" options, click "Database" to add a source for the JDBC Driver
3. Click "Properties" on the Database source to edit the properties

   NOTE: To use the JDBC Driver in Google Data Fusion, you will need a license (full or trial) and a Runtime Key (RTK). For more information on obtaining this license (or a trial), contact our sales team.

   • Set the Label
   • Set Reference Name to a value for any future references (i.e.: cdata-sapsuccessfactorslms)
   • Set Plugin Type to "jdbc"
   • Set Connection String to the JDBC URL for SAP SuccessFactors LMS. For example:
     
     jdbc:sapsuccessfactorslms:RTK=5246...;User=username;CompanyId=CompanyId;Url=https://api4.successfactors.com;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;

     SAP SuccessFactors LMS uses OAuth authentication. Before connecting, you must configure an OAuth application tied to your SAP SuccessFactors LMS account.

     To establish a connection, set the following properties:

     • User: Your SAP SuccessFactors LMS username.
     • CompanyId: Your SAP SuccessFactors company identifier.
     • Url: The SAP SuccessFactors API URL (e.g., https://api4.successfactors.com).
     • OAuthClientId: The client Id assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.
     • OAuthClientSecret: The client secret assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.

     See the Getting Started chapter of the help documentation for a guide to creating a custom OAuth app and using OAuth.

     Built-in Connection String Designer

     For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the SAP SuccessFactors LMS JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

           java -jar cdata.jdbc.sapsuccessfactorslms.jar
           

     Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

     
   • Set Import Query to a SQL query that will extract the data you want from SAP SuccessFactors LMS, i.e.:
     SELECT * FROM Items
   
4. From the "Sink" tab, click to add a destination sink (we use Google BigQuery in this example)
5. Click "Properties" on the BigQuery sink to edit the properties
   • Set the Label
   • Set Reference Name to a value like sapsuccessfactorslms-bigquery
   • Set Project ID to a specific Google BigQuery Project ID (or leave as the default, "auto-detect")
   • Set Dataset to a specific Google BigQuery dataset
   • Set Table to the name of the table you wish to insert SAP SuccessFactors LMS data into
   

With the Source and Sink configured, you are ready to pipe SAP SuccessFactors LMS data into Google BigQuery. Save and deploy the pipeline. When you run the pipeline, Google Data Fusion will request live data from SAP SuccessFactors LMS and import it into Google BigQuery.

While this is a simple pipeline, you can create more complex SAP SuccessFactors LMS pipelines with transforms, analytics, conditions, and more. Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors LMS and start working with your live SAP SuccessFactors LMS data in Google Data Fusion today.