Data Modeling Basics

After creating a project in SAP Gateway Service Builder, you can start the data modeling process. The data model defines, for example, the entity types, complex types, properties, and associations required for the service. After you have defined the artifacts contained in the data model, you can consider the operations you want to perform at runtime, and you map these operations to data objects and properties within your Service Builder project. At runtime, the data model is exposed to SAP Gateway services that trigger the operations you have defined at design time and return the relevant data and fields to the user.

For example, you can create a data model that reads customers' names, addresses, and contact details stored in an SAP system and a sales manager can access this data using a mobile device while on the road without logging into SAP system directly.

Depending on your level of experience and the time you want to dedicate to the data modeling process, you can:

• Define a new data model. For more information, see Defining a Data Model.

• Reuse existing data models or services and reduce the development effort. For more information, see Data Modeling Options.

• Create function imports to invoke custom operations. For more information, see Function Imports.

• Use generators to create classes with minimum effort. For more information, see Generating the Service.

• To facilitate a superior user experience while working on the Service Builder, copy and paste functions are available. For more information, see Copying Data Model Artifacts and Copying a Service Builder Project.

For an overview of constraints, see SAP Note 1574568 .