Create Informatica Mappings From/To an ODBC Data Source for SAP

Informatica provides a powerful, elegant means of transporting and transforming your data. By utilizing the CData ODBC Driver for SAP, you are gaining access to a driver based on industry-proven standards that integrates seamlessly with Informatica's powerful data transportation and manipulation features. This tutorial shows how to transfer and browse SAP data in Informatica PowerCenter.

Getting Started

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Connect to SAP as an ODBC Data Source

Information for connecting to SAP follows, along with different instructions for configuring a DSN in Windows and Linux environments.

You can connect to SAP systems using either librfc32.dll, librfc32u.dll, NetWeaver, or Web Services (SOAP). Set the ConnectionType connection property to CLASSIC (librfc32.dll), CLASSIC_UNICODE (librfc32u.dll), NETWEAVER, or SOAP.

If you are using the SOAP interface, set the Client, RFCUrl, SystemNumber, User, and Password properties, under the Authentication section.

Otherwise, set Host, User, Password, Client, and SystemNumber.

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.

For more information, see this guide on obtaining the connection properties needed to connect to any SAP system.

Windows

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

Linux

If you are installing the CData ODBC Driver for SAP in a Linux environment, the driver installation predefines a system DSN. You can modify the DSN by editing the system data sources file (/etc/odbc.ini) and defining the required connection properties.

/etc/odbc.ini

[CData SAPERP Source]
Driver = CData ODBC Driver for SAP
Description = My Description
Host = sap.mydomain.com
User = EXT90033
Password = xxx
Client = 800
System Number = 09
ConnectionType = Classic
Location = C:/mysapschemafolder

For specific information on using these configuration files, please refer to the help documentation (installed and found online).

Create a Linked Table to MARA Data

Follow the steps below to create a linked table, which enables you to access live MARA data.

Create the ODBC Connection

Follow the steps below to connect to SAP in Informatica PowerCenter:

1. In the Informatica Developer tool connect to your repository and create a project.
2. In the Connection Explorer pane, right-click and click Create a Connection.
3. In the New Database Connection wizard that is displayed, enter a name and Id for the connection and in the Type menu select ODBC.
4. In the Connection String property, enter the DSN.

NOTE: If you are working in a Linux operating system, set the Driver Manager for Linux property to unixODBC 2.3.x.

Create the SAP Data Object

After you have created an ODBC connection to SAP, you can now access SAP entities in Informatica. Follow the steps below to add MARA entities to your project.

1. In the Object Explorer, right-click your project and then click New -> Data Object.
2. In the wizard that is displayed, select the Relational Data Object option.
3. Click the Browse button next to the Connection box and select the ODBC connection you created in the previous step.
4. Select the option to create a data object from an existing resource and click the Browse button next to the Resource box.
5. In the dialog that is displayed, clear the Show Default Schema Only option and expand the node for the ODBC connection. Select the entity that you want. 👁 The driver models SAP entities as relational tables. (Salesforce is shown.)
   

You can now browse the table in the Data Viewer: Right-click the node for the table and then click Open. On the Data Viewer view, click Run.

👁 Table data and metadata in the Data Viewer. (Salesforce is shown.)

Create the Mapping

Follow the steps below to add the SAP source to a mapping:

1. In the Object Explorer, right-click your project and then click New -> Mapping.
2. Expand the node for the SAP connection and then drag the data object for the table onto the editor.
3. In the dialog that appears, select the Read option.

👁 The source SAP table in the mapping. (Salesforce is shown.)

Follow the steps below to map SAP columns to a flat file:

1. In the Object Explorer, right-click your project and then click New -> Data Object.
2. Select Flat File Data Object -> Create as Empty -> Fixed Width.
3. In the properties for the SAP object, select the rows you want, right-click, and then click copy. Paste the rows into the flat file properties.
4. Drag the flat file data object onto the mapping. In the dialog that appears, select the Write option.
5. Click and drag to connect columns.

To transfer SAP data, right-click in the workspace and then click Run Mapping.

👁 The completed mapping. (Salesforce is shown.)