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What Can Nexus Extract from SAP?

Nexus can extract data from SAP objects that are visible through the ABAP Dictionary (DDIC) and selectable, as well as from CDS view entities and suitable SAP GUI reports. The exact scope depends on the SAP release, system architecture, available interfaces, authorizations, and customer-specific implementations.

At a Glance​

SAP elementCan Nexus extract it?What to know
Transparent DDIC tableYes, if accessibleThe standard physical SAP table type. It can contain transactional, master, or organizational data.
Pooled or cluster tableYes, where availableLegacy table types found mainly in older SAP ECC systems.
DDIC viewYes, if accessibleA virtual object that combines or filters data from one or more tables.
S/4HANA compatibility viewYes, if accessibleA SAP-delivered view that preserves access to some legacy ECC structures.
ABAP structureNoStructures define fields for tables, programs, or interfaces but do not contain standalone records.
Non-parameterized ABAP CDS DDIC-based viewYes, if accessibleUse the generated SQL view name from @AbapCatalog.sqlViewName.
Non-parameterized CDS view entityYes, with prerequisitesRequires SAP Add-On 1.82 or later and dab Nexus 1.19.986 or later. Select it in Package Studio.
Parameterized CDS viewNoParameterized CDS views are not supported, regardless of the SAP Add-On or dab Nexus version.
SAP GUI reportUsually, if it can run unattendedThe report must accept selection parameters, show tabular results, and allow the results to be exported.

The object must also be available through the SAP interface used by Nexus, and the Nexus user must have the required authorizations.

SAP Tables and DDIC Views​

SAP tables and views defined in the ABAP Dictionary (DDIC) are the most direct extraction objects.

Transparent Tables​

Transparent tables have a direct one-to-one relationship between the DDIC definition and the underlying database table. They are the most common SAP table type.

Typical examples include:

AreaExamplesData
FinanceBKPF, BSEG, ACDOCAAccounting documents and Universal Journal data
SalesVBAK, VBAPSales order headers and items
ProcurementEKKO, EKPOPurchase order headers and items
Master dataMARA, KNA1, LFA1Material, customer, and vendor data

Pooled and Cluster Tables​

Pooled and cluster tables are legacy DDIC table types. They store several logical tables together in shared physical storage and are mainly found in older SAP ECC systems. Nexus can extract them where they are available and exposed through the relevant SAP interface.

SAP S/4HANA has largely replaced these table types with transparent tables. For example, structures that were cluster tables in ECC may be stored differently in S/4HANA.

DDIC Views​

A DDIC view is a virtual object based on one or more tables. It can provide joined or filtered data without storing a separate copy of that data. Nexus can extract accessible DDIC views in the same way as other supported SAP data objects.

ABAP Structures​

ABAP structures are reusable field definitions used by tables, programs, and interfaces. They do not store standalone data records and cannot be extracted directly by Nexus. If the required fields belong to a selectable table or view, extract that data object instead.

CDS Views​

Core Data Services (CDS) views provide business-oriented data models on top of SAP data. They can combine tables, apply business logic, expose meaningful field names, and provide associations and metadata. CDS views are especially important in SAP S/4HANA.

Nexus can extract a CDS view when:

  • The view is available through the SAP interface used by Nexus.
  • The Nexus user has the required authorizations.
  • The SAP Add-On and dab Nexus versions support the CDS view type.

ABAP CDS DDIC-Based Views and CDS View Entities​

ABAP CDS DDIC-based views are defined with DEFINE VIEW and generate a corresponding SQL view in the ABAP Dictionary. CDS view entities are the newer successor, defined with DEFINE VIEW ENTITY; they do not generate a separate DDIC SQL view. This difference affects how the object is identified in Nexus: use the generated SQL view name for a DDIC-based view, while view entities are searched directly in Package Studio.

Which CDS Views Should You Choose?​

The available CDS options depend on the SAP Add-On and dab Nexus versions:

VersionCDS guidance
SAP Add-On before 1.82Use non-parameterized ABAP CDS DDIC-based views. CDS view entities are not available through the documented Add-On capability.
SAP Add-On 1.82 or later and dab Nexus 1.19.986 or laterCDS view entities can be searched in Package Studio and extracted like standard tables. Parameterized CDS views remain unsupported.

For all supported versions, prefer:

  • SAP-released CDS views intended for customer or partner consumption, especially views with a C1 stability contract.
  • Business-oriented interface or consumption views when they provide the required data.
  • CDS view entities for new custom development when the required Add-On and dab Nexus versions are installed, because SAP recommends them over older CDS DDIC-based views.

dab Nexus can technically extract accessible, non-parameterized CDS views regardless of their Virtual Data Model (VDM) layer or stability contract. However, unreleased or internal views may change between SAP releases. Confirm that the selected view contains the required fields and has acceptable performance before using it in a production extraction.

How to Find the ABAP Name of a CDS View​

The name shown in an SAP development tool is not always the technical name required for extraction. Use the following steps to identify the relevant ABAP name.

CDS DDIC-Based View​

  1. Open transaction SE11.
  2. Enter the CDS view name and display its definition.
  3. Look for the annotation @AbapCatalog.sqlViewName.
  4. Use the annotation value as the ABAP SQL view name.

Example:

@AbapCatalog.sqlViewName: 'IFIGLACCTLNITM'
define view I_GLAccountLineItem as ...

In this example, IFIGLACCTLNITM is the generated ABAP SQL view name.

CDS View Entity​

CDS view entities do not generate an ABAP SQL view name. They can be searched and selected directly in Package Studio when the SAP Add-On is version 1.82 or later and dab Nexus is version 1.19.986 or later.

  1. Ensure that the SAP Add-On is version 1.82 or later.
  2. Ensure that dab Nexus is version 1.19.986 or later.
  3. Grant authorization for DDDDLSRC and DDDDLSRC02BT.
  4. Search for the CDS view entity in Package Studio.
  5. Select the view entity and add it to the extraction package.

If the view entity is not listed, check the SAP Add-On version, dab Nexus version, and the required authorizations before investigating the CDS definition itself.

SAP S/4HANA and Compatibility Views​

SAP S/4HANA changed several underlying data models compared with SAP ECC. Some familiar ECC table names remain available as SAP-delivered compatibility views rather than physical tables. These views map legacy structures to the new S/4HANA model.

Examples include:

ECC objectS/4HANA data model
MSEGMATDOC, exposed through a compatibility view
COEPUniversal Journal (ACDOCA), exposed through a compatibility view
COSP / COSSUniversal Journal structures, exposed through compatibility views
Customer and vendor dataBusiness Partner (BP) model

Nexus can extract supported compatibility views. This means that many existing ECC-based extraction scenarios can continue to work after an ECC-to-S/4HANA conversion.

For new S/4HANA extractions, prefer native objects such as CDS views, Business Partner objects, ACDOCA, and MATDOC over compatibility views. Because compatibility views can combine and transform data from several objects, validate their performance for large-volume extractions.

How to Check for a Compatibility View​

  1. Open transaction SE16N.
  2. Enter the object name.
  3. If SAP displays a Proxy Object, the object is likely backed by a compatibility view.
  4. Use SE11 to inspect the underlying CDS definition and related objects.

SAP Reports​

Nexus can extract the tabular output of an SAP report if the report can be executed automatically and its results can be exported from SAP GUI. The report must:

  • Be implemented as an ABAP program.
  • Provide an initial selection screen for parameters and filters.
  • Produce results in a tabular format.
  • Allow the table output to be exported to a file using standard SAP GUI functionality.

Nexus follows the same basic process as a user in SAP GUI: it starts the report, enters the selection values, runs the report, and exports the resulting table. Nexus does not extract the report program itself; it extracts the exported table data.

As a rule of thumb, a report is generally suitable if a user can run it, enter selection parameters, view the results in a table, and export that table to a file without additional manual interaction.

Choosing an SAP Object​

Use this order as a practical starting point:

  1. Choose a released, non-parameterized ABAP CDS DDIC-based view when it provides the required business data.
  2. If the system has SAP Add-On 1.82 or later and dab Nexus 1.19.986 or later, consider a CDS view entity. Select it directly in Package Studio.
  3. Choose a native S/4HANA table or object for new S/4HANA scenarios when a suitable CDS view is not available.
  4. Use a transparent table or DDIC view when direct table-level data is required.
  5. Use an ECC table or compatibility view for existing scenarios, while checking its S/4HANA behavior and performance.
  6. Use an SAP GUI report when the required result is available only through a report that can run and export automatically.

Before configuring an extraction, confirm the object name, available fields, selection behavior, authorizations, and expected data volume in the target SAP system.

SAP References​