SAP Datasphere data in Power BI: How to access it directly
- SAP Datashere
- 5 min reading time
Michael Beringer
This article is part 1 of a two-part blog series on the integration of SAP Datasphere and Microsoft Power BI.
The first part deals with direct access from Power BI to SAP Datasphere.
In the second part, we show how SAP data can be integrated into Power BI via Microsoft Fabric (OneLake)
SAP Datasphere is at the heart of the SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) - the central platform for modelling, harmonizing and analysing company data.
In practice, however, many companies are already using Microsoft Power BI - whether for self-service analyses, management dashboards or the integration of non-SAP sources.
As a result, there is an increasing desire to analyze SAP data from the Datasphere in Power BI.
With the right setup, this is not a contradiction, but a useful extension:
- SAP Datasphere + SAC provide the native, governance-strong analytics layer within the BDC.
- SAP Datasphere + Power BI complement these with flexibility, ad-hoc analyses and integration into existing reporting landscapes.
Table of contents
1. why analyze SAP data via Datasphere in Power BI?
In many organizations, Power BI is already the trusted tool for data analysis. By connecting to SAP Datasphere, departments can continue to use their existing dashboards, KPIs and visualizations - based on reliable SAP data.
This creates real self-service BI added value: users can combine data flexibly, discover new perspectives and derive decisions independently, while relying on central data storage.
User acceptance - analytics where the users are: Power BI is firmly integrated into the way many companies work. When SAP data is directly available in this environment, the usage rate increases significantly. Reports are opened more frequently, analyses are shared more often and insights are implemented more quickly.
2. why does a hybrid scenario with SAC still make sense?
A pure Power BI scenario would be neither technically optimal nor future-proof in many SAP landscapes.
The SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) is still the preferred solution for:
- Planning & simulation, deeply integrated into SAP processes
- semantically consistent live analyses, directly on the Datasphere
- Security & Authorization, natively linked to SAP Identity
A hybrid setup combines the strengths of both tools:
- SAC for governance-compliant, integrated analytics and planning
- Power BI for ad-hoc and self-service scenarios where flexibility, speed and integration with Microsoft environments are paramount
This creates a hybrid analytics architecture in which both front ends use the SAP Datasphere as a shared, central database. The SAP Analytics Cloud serves as the governance core, while Power BI serves as a flexible extension for self-service and ad-hoc analyses.
3. connection options between SAP Datasphere & Power BI
Connection options between SAP Datasphere and Power BI
Power BI can be integrated with SAP Datasphere on three different levels:
- SAP HANA Connector - native access to HDI objects
- ODBC Connector - generic database access via DSN
- OData Connector - semantic access to analytical models
All three methods make it possible to connect Power BI with SAP Datasphere in order to securely analyze and visualize data.
Each variant has its own strengths - depending on the data requirements, security specifications and performance expectations. The following section describes the three integration variants in detail.
3.1 SAP HANA Connector (DirectQuery or Import)
The SAP HANA Connector enables direct, native access to the underlying SAP HANA cloud database of the SAP Datasphere. It serves as a bridge between SAP data in HDI containers and Power BI.
It is particularly suitable for high-performance and real-time analyses on calculation views (HDI containers) and supports both import and DirectQuery mode.
- Activated database access in the respective Datasphere space (access to HANA schema and HDI container)
- Database user with access to the space schema/HDI container schema
- Access to the SAP Business Application Studio (BAS)
- Creation and deployment of calculation views in the HDI container
- Optional: A high-performance infrastructure, a stable network connection and sufficient HANA resources for DirectQuery
- Highest performance with large data volumes thanks to direct access to the HANA engine
- Live access (DirectQuery) possible - data is displayed almost in real time and remains in the SAP system
- Use of complex SQL logic, aggregations and calculations directly in SAP HANA
- Complete integration in SAP Datasphere/HDI container environment - consistent database
- High technical effort: creation, testing and deployment of calculation views in BAS required
- The use of BAS creates a second, parallel development and deployment environment
- Only HDI objects are directly accessible, purely modeled datasphere views without HDI deployment are not accessible
- Additional infrastructure, performance and connection quality requirements apply to DirectQuery
3.2 ODBC Connector (Import)
The ODBC connector uses the SAP HANA ODBC driver to create a flexible and powerful connection between Power BI and SAP Datasphere.
This method is particularly suitable for companies that attach great importance to stable data imports, scheduled updates and high query performance.
The connector uses a direct connection to the SAP HANA database of SAP Datasphere.
- Installed SAP HANA client (HDBODBC) on the local system and on the Power BI Gateway server if applicable
- Manually set up Data Source Name (DSN) with correct access to the respective Datasphere space schema
- Database users with read access to the required tables and views
- The IP address of the ODBC client must be entered in the SAP Datasphere IP Allowlist
- Optional: on-premises data gateway for automated data updates
- Direct, low-latency connection between Power BI and SAP Datasphere
- High performance, as aggregations are executed directly in the HANA engine
- Access to all shared views in the space schema
- Stable and scalable solution for productive business scenarios
- No semantic evaluation as with SAC or OData (only the technical field names are read)
- No single sign-on: authentication takes place via dedicated DB users
- Hierarchies and associations in Analytical Models are not supported, so fact and dimension views must be extracted separately and linked manually in Power BI
- Analytical model aggregations are not adopted
3.3 OData Connector (Import)
The OData-Connector offers a standardized, web-based way to connect Power BI with the semantic layer of the SAP Datasphere.
The Open Data Protocol (OData V4) is used to provide data via REST APIs so that Power BI can use analytical models and, depending on the release, also relational views.
This method is particularly suitable for ad-hoc analyses, prototyping or light cloud integrations where no direct database access is required.
- Published analytical model or released view
- Datasphere user with corresponding scoped role for consuming the objects
- Created OAuth client in the SAP Datasphere
- Power BI Desktop with Custom Connector (GitHub project from SAP: data-warehouse-cloud-connectors)
- Simple setup without local installation or complex network shares
- Access via HTTPS - ideal for cloud scenarios
- Use of semantic information from the SAP Datasphere
- Aggregation at model level for analytical models is supported
- Ideal for quick analyses, proof-of-concepts or testing purposes
- Only import mode available, no live or DirectQuery access
- No automatic gateway refresh possible (beta limitation)
- Performance limits for large data sets
- Hierarchies are not supported
- Is still in beta status and is therefore not recommended for productive scenarios
4. conclusion & recommendation for your Power BI project
All three types of connection between SAP Datasphere and Power BI enable secure and powerful integration. However, they differ significantly in terms of setup effort, governance, semantic support and deployment scenario.
The SAP HANA Connector is particularly suitable for high-performance, productive analyses, while the ODBC Connector impresses with its stability and simple maintenance for planned data imports. The OData Connector, on the other hand, is ideal for ad-hoc analyses or prototypes, but should not be used productively at present due to technical limitations.
Decision-making aid: The right connector for your scenario
To find the right type of connection, it is worth taking a look at the specific application scenario - whether productive or prototypical, with a focus on real-time or periodic data updates.
The following overview provides a direct comparison of the three approaches in order to make the most informed decision possible.
| Criterion | SAP HANA Connector | ODBC Connector | OData Connector |
| Access type | Direct DB access to HDI containers | Generic DB access via DSN | API/REST-based access (HTTPS) |
| Mode | DirectQuery & Import | Import | Import |
| Setup effort | High (BAS, HDI setup, authorizations) | Medium (ODBC driver, DSN, IP whitelist) | Low (OAuth, HTTPS, no gateway) |
| Performance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Semantics support | ❌ (technical fields only) | ❌ (technical fields only) | ✅ (only for analytical models) |
| Gateway support | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Hierarchies / Associations | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Only in Analytical Models |
| Single Sign-On (SSO) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ About OAuth tokens |
| Recommended for | Real-time reports and complex analyses in the HANA Engine | Regular data imports and standard reports | Ad hoc analyses, PoCs and cloud demos |
Feel free to contact us if you would like to find out how to connect SAP data optimally with Power BI - or if you would like support with integration, data modelling and performance optimization.
In the second part of this series, we show you how to use SAP Datasphere with Power BI via Microsoft Fabric (OneLake).
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