Adding an SAP BW (Bluetelligence) Connection
Overview
The file-based SAP BW connector is provided with the Bluetelligence Metadata API, which extracts metadata through a command-line utility that uses RFC calls to generate five XML-formatted export files.
The following are the five export files:
Details File
Contains object level information on Datasets. Every <entity> element (except TRFN) represents a separate Dataset. Transformations (TRFN) are imported as Data Processes.
Relations File
Contains object level information on how each entities are connected. The <edge> elements indicate the source and target Datasets.
Buildups File
Contains field level information for Datasets. The <parent> element has an id property that points to an entity in the Details file.
Buildup Descriptions File
Contains the field level description information for the datasets listed in the Buildups file.
Mappings File
Contains the field level mappings between InfoObjects, fields, and rules across BW Queries, InfoProvider, DataSource, and Transformations that translate into nodes and edges. The <edge> elements indicate how Fields are mapped between Datasets.
Prerequisites
The Bluetelligence Metadata API command-line utility requires a license file. The license file is provided as part of the fulfillment process when you subscribe to the platform. You can apply the license using the methods described in
Insert License.
The following SAP access details are required to configure a Metadata API instance:
System Number
Client
Prefix
Delimiter
BW ERP SID
Server
Languages
User
Password
Supported Versions
The SAP BW connector supports SAP BW/4HANA 2023 Feature Pack 04 (released on February 25, 2025) and Metadata API version 1.7.0 (released on September 01, 2025).
Installing the Plugin
Declaring the Connection
Connectors are created and configured through a dedicated configuration file located in the /connections folder of the relevant scanner. The scanner frequently checks for changes and resynchronizes automatically.
To establish a connection with SAP BW, fill in the following parameters in the dedicated configuration file located in the ./connections folder inside the scanner installation directory:
Parameter | Expected value |
|---|
name | The name displayed to catalog users for this connection. |
code | The unique identifier of the connection on the Zeenea platform. Once registered on the platform, this code must not be modified, or the connection will be considered as new and the old one removed from the scanner. |
connector_id | The connector type to use for the connection. The value must be bluetelligence-sap-bw and must not be modified. |
enabled | A boolean value to enable or disable the connection (true or false). The default value is true. |
connection.path | The complete path to the folder containing the XML exports from the Bluetelligence Metadata API extraction process to be scanned by the connector.
By default, the utility stores these files in the ./Exports folder inside the root installation directory. |
description_language | Description language for all items. Default language is English ("E").
All available languages are defined in SAP and must respect the language from Buildup Descriptions file. |
filters | Defines filtering rules to include or exclude specific items using universal filters. See Universal Filters. |
Universal Filters
Use the universal filter language to include or exclude items based on the following criteria:
Criteria | Description |
|---|
"Technical Name" | Name of entity |
UID | UUID of entity |
Type | Type of entity |
"Info Area" | The info area attach to the entity |
Example:
filters = [
{
id="accept_zeenea_dataset"
action = ACCEPT
rules {
"Info Area" = "Zeenea"
}
},
{
id = "default_reject"
action = REJECT
}
]
Data Extraction
To harvest metadata, the connector parses the XML files extracted using the Bluetelligence Metadata API and loads the information into the data catalog platform.
Collected Metadata
Synchronization
The connector synchronizes all SAP BW objects from the Bluetelligence extracted files and automatically represents them in the catalog.
Dataset
A dataset can be one of the following SAP BW objects: Data Store Object, Advanced Data Store Object, HANA Composite Provider, Info Sources, Data Sources, Cube, Query, or HANA Calculation View.
Name and ID
Description
Technical Data:
UID
Type
Info Area
Label
Space
System
Data Process
A data process is the following SAP BW object: Transformation.
Name and ID
Technical Data:
Field
Dataset field.
Name and ID
Description
Technical Data:
Data Type
Associated Object
Navigation Attribute
Semantics
Length
Unique Identifier Keys
Each object in the catalog is associated with a unique identifier key. When the object is imported from an external system, the key is generated and provided by the connector.
Object | Identifier Key | Description |
|---|
Dataset | code/asset type/dataset name | - code: Unique identifier of the connection noted in the configuration file.
- asset type: Asset type as defined by Bluetelligence.
- dataset name |
Field | code/asset type/dataset name/field name | - code: Unique identifier of the connection noted in the configuration file.
- asset type: Asset type as defined by Bluetelligence.
- dataset name
- field name |
Data Process | code/reference/asset type/dataset name | - code: Unique identifier of the connection noted in the configuration file.
- asset type: Asset type as defined by Bluetelligence.
- dataset name: Dataset name that is linked. |
Last modified date: 11/28/2025