Transferring Data Using Staging BAPIs

To enable data and metadata extraction from non-SAP sources on the application level, SAP BW provides open interfaces known as staging BAPIs.BAPI s (Business Application Programming Interface) are standardized programming interfaces that offer external access to the business processes and data in a SAP system.

Staging BAPIs allow you to use SAP BusinessObjects DataServices and certified third-party tools (like Extraction, Transformation, Loading) to integrate data from non-SAP sources. This allows you for example to transfer data from an Oracle application to the BW system.

You can find the object descriptions of the staging BAPIs in your BW system in BAPI Explorer (transaction BAPI). On the Hierarchical tab page, choose SAP Business Information Warehouse  →   Warehouse Management.

Metadata Exchange

Metadata from non-SAP systems can be defined or updated either manually or using BAPI functionality in BW. If you access the BAPI interface, the non-SAP software's extraction tool can automatically read the metadata from the source system or define the metadata in the extraction tool. The tool can then transfer the metadata to BW using the BAPI interface. To change metadata in BW manually, enter the required data in the transfer structure maintenance transaction. In addition to transferring and updating metadata from the extraction tool to BW, the BAPIs can also be used to transfer BW metadata to the extraction tool.

Scheduling and Data Transfer

BAPIs are provided for scheduling the data transfer job. These can be used to define application-specific parameters, to use parameters and values for input help options in the InfoPackage and to send the data request to the extraction tool. The data transfer can be triggered from BW or using the extraction tool. During transfer, the data is transformed into the relevant BW format. Make sure that the transfer structure in BW and the data structure for the extraction tool match. If possible, run transformations for technical clean-ups (data conversions for example) at the extraction tool level. BAPIs also help you to monitor the data transfer, allowing you to find the request status and the log transfer from the extraction tool.

You can connect the BW system to SAP BusinessObjects DataServices as a DataStore and import the relevant BW metadata to SAP BusinessObjects DataServices. In the BW system, connect SAP BusinessObjects DataServices as the source system. The data transfer can be triggered by a data request from the BW system or by SAP BusinessObjects DataServices.

You can find out more about integration with SAP BusinessObjects DataServices in SAP Help Portal, at help.sap.com  → SAP BusinessObjects  → IM Solutions  → SAP BusinessObjects Solution Portfolio Knowledge Center in the Data Services Supplement for SAP guide.