CDS stands for Core Data Services, which is a framework for defining and consuming data models in SAP applications. CDS views are one of the key features of CDS, which allow developers to create reusable and consistent data definitions that can be accessed by various tools and technologies.
One of the main benefits of using CDS views is that they enable a simplified and harmonized data access layer for SAP S/4 HANA, the next-generation ERP system from SAP. CDS views can leverage the power and performance of SAP HANA’s in-memory database, as well as provide a common semantic layer for reporting and analytics.
Why Custom CDS Views is used in SAP S/4 HANA ?
Sometimes the standard CDS views provided by SAP may not meet the specific business requirements or scenarios of the customers. In such cases, customers can create their own custom CDS views to extend or enhance the existing data models. Custom CDS views can be created using the ABAP Development Tools (ADT) in Eclipse, which provide a graphical editor and a code editor for defining the CDS view properties and logic.
Some of the use cases for creating custom CDS views are:
– To add additional fields or calculations to an existing CDS view
– To join or aggregate data from multiple CDS views or tables
– To filter or restrict data based on certain conditions or parameters
– To expose custom fields or annotations for consumption by other applications or tools
Custom CDS views can be consumed by various SAP technologies, such as ABAP programs, OData services, Fiori apps, Smart Business KPIs, etc. They can also be exposed to external tools or systems via SQL or REST interfaces.
Custom CDS views are an important and flexible way to tailor the data models in SAP S/4 HANA to suit the customer’s needs and preferences. They can help to optimize the performance, usability, and maintainability of the data access layer in SAP S/4 HANA.
In this document, the author illustrates how CDS views can be created with oDATA
