Extend Google Sheets with SAP Data

Interact with SAP data from Google Sheets through macros, custom functions, and add-ons. The CData API Server enables connectivity to SAP data from cloud-based and mobile applications like Google Sheets. The API Server is a lightweight Web application that produces OData services for SAP.

Google Apps Script can consume these OData services in the JSON format. This article shows how to create a simple add-on that populates a Google Spreadsheet with MARA data.

Getting Started

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Set Up the API Server

If you have not already done so, download the CData API Server. Once you have installed the API Server, follow the steps below to begin producing secure SAP OData services:

Connect to SAP

To work with SAP data from Google Sheets, we start by creating and configuring a SAP connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to SAP data:

1. First, navigate to the Connections page.
2. Click Add Connection and then search for and select the SAP connection. 👁 Selecting a data source (SQLite is shown)
   
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to SAP.

   The Java edition supports connecting to an SAP system using the JCo .jar file. See the "Getting Started" chapter in the help documentation for information on using the Jco JAR file.

   The Windows edition supports connecting to SAP systems using either the librfc32.dll, the librfc32u.dll, NetWeaver, or Web Services (SOAP). Set the ConnectionType connection property to CLASSIC (librfc32.dll), CLASSIC_UNICODE (librfc32u.dll), NETWEAVER, or SOAP.

   Note: We do not distribute the librfc32.dll or other SAP assemblies. You must find them from your SAP installation and install them on your machine.

   All versions of Sync support connecting to an SAP system using Web services (SOAP). If you are using the SOAP interface you must enable SOAP access to your SAP system and set the Client, RFCUrl, SystemNumber, User, and Password properties, under the Authentication section. Additionally, set the ConnectionType to SOAP.

   See this guide on obtaining the connection properties needed to connect to any SAP system.

   👁 Connecting to a datasource (SQLite is shown)
   
4. After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your SAP data through the API Server. You can add and configure users on the Users page. Follow the steps below to configure and create a user:

1. On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
2. Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User. 👁 Configure a new user
   
3. An Authtoken is then generated for the user. You can find the Authtoken and other information for each user on the Users page: 👁 API Server user settings
   

Creating API Endpoints for SAP

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the SAP tables:

1. First, navigate to the API page and then click Add Table . 👁 Add tables
   
2. Select the connection you wish to access and click Next. 👁 Select the connection (SQLite is shown)
   
3. With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm. 👁 Adding tables from the connection (SQLite is shown)
   

Gather the OData Url

Having configured a connection to SAP data, created a user, and added resources to the API Server, you now have an easily accessible REST API based on the OData protocol for those resources. From the API page in API Server, you can view and copy the API Endpoints for the API:

Retrieve SAP Data

Open the Script Editor from your spreadsheet by clicking Tools -> Script Editor. In the Script Editor, add the following function to populate a spreadsheet with the results of an OData query:

function retrieve(){
 var url = "https://MyUrl/api.rsc/MARA?select=MANDT,MANDT,MBRSH,ERNAM";
 var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
 headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
 }); 
 var json = response.getContentText();
 var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
 var a1 = sheet.getRange('a1');
 var index=1;
 var mara = JSON.parse(json).value;

 var cols = [["MANDT","MANDT","MBRSH","ERNAM"]]; 
 sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);

 row=2;
 for(var i in mara){
 for (var j in mara[i]) {
 switch (j) {
 case "MANDT":
 a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
 break;
 case "MANDT":
 a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
 break;
 case "MBRSH":
 a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
 break;
 case "ERNAM":
 a1.offset(row,3).setValue(account[i][j]);
 break;
 } 
 }
 row++;
 }
}

Follow the steps below to add an installable trigger to populate the spreadsheet when opened:

1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers -> Add a New Trigger.
2. Select retrieve in the Run menu.
3. Select From Spreadsheet.
4. Select On open.

After closing the dialog, you are prompted to allow access to the application.

You can test the script by clicking Publish -> Test as Add-On. Select the version, installation type, and spreadsheet to create a test configuration. You can then select and run the test configuration.