Access Live SAP SuccessFactors Data in Coginiti Pro

Coginiti Pro is a single tool for all your SQL data and analytics needs, designed specifically for data engineers, analysts, and data scientists. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors, Coginiti Pro can access and query live SAP SuccessFactors data. This article describes how to connect to and query SAP SuccessFactors data from Coginiti Pro.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors offers unmatched performance for interacting with live SAP SuccessFactors data. When you issue complex SQL queries to SAP SuccessFactors, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to SAP SuccessFactors and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). In addition, its built-in dynamic metadata querying allows you to work with and analyze SAP SuccessFactors data using native data types.

Gather Connection Properties and Build a Connection String

Download the CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver. Then gather the required connection properties.

You can authenticate to SAP Success Factors using Basic authentication or OAuth with SAML assertion.

Basic Authentication

You must provide values for the following properties to successfully authenticate to SAP Success Factors. Note that the provider will reuse the session opened by SAP Success Factors using cookies. Which means that your credentials will be used only on the first request to open the session. After that, cookies returned from SAP Success Factors will be used for authentication.

• Url: set this to the URL of the server hosting Success Factors. Some of the servers are listed in the SAP support documentation (external link).
• User: set this to the username of your account.
• Password: set this to the password of your account.
• CompanyId: set this to the unique identifier of your company.

OAuth Authentication

You must provide values for the following properties, which will be used to get the access token.

• Url: set this to the URL of the server hosting Success Factors. Some of the servers are listed in the SAP support documentation (external link).
• User: set this to the username of your account.
• CompanyId: set this to the unique identifier of your company.
• OAuthClientId: set this to the API Key that was generated in API Center.
• OAuthClientSecret: the X.509 private key used to sign SAML assertion. The private key can be found in the certificate you downloaded in Registering your OAuth Client Application.
• InitiateOAuth: set this to GETANDREFRESH.

NOTE: To use the JDBC driver in Coginiti Pro, you may need a license (full or trial) and a Runtime Key (RTK). For more information on obtaining this license (or a trial), contact our sales team.

Built-in Connection String Designer

For assistance constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the SAP SuccessFactors JDBC Driver. Double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command line.

Fill in the connection properties (including the RTK) and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

Create a JDBC Data Source for SAP SuccessFactors Data

1. Open Coginiti Pro and in the File menu, select "Edit Drivers."
2. In the newly opened wizard, click "Add" and select "Generic."

3. In the "JDBC Drivers" wizard, set the driver properties (below) and click "Create Driver."

   • Set JDBC Driver Name to a useful name, like CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors.
   • Click "Add Files" to add the JAR file from the "lib" folder in the installation directory (e.g. cdata.jdbc.sapsuccessfactors.jar)
   • Select the Class Name: cdata.jdbc.sapsuccessfactors.SAPSuccessFactorsDriver.

Create a Connection using the CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors

1. In the File menu, click "Edit Connections."
2. In the newly opened wizard, click "Add" and select "Generic."
3. In the "Connections" wizard, set the connection properties.
   • Set Connection name to an identifying name.
   • Set Database JDBC driver to the Driver you configured earlier.
   • Set JDBC URL to the JDBC URL configured using the built-in connection string designer (e.g. jdbc:sapsuccessfactors:User=username;Password=password;CompanyId=CompanyId;Url=https://api4.successfactors.com;
4. Click "Test" to ensure the connection is configured properly. Click "Save."

Query SAP SuccessFactors Using SQL

1. Open the Connections tab by clicking on database icon: .
2. Click the plus sign () to add a new query tab.

3. Once the query console is open, write the SQL script you wish to execute and click "Run at Cursor".

   NOTE: You can use the explorer on the left to determine table/view names and column names.

   Using the explorer

   1. In the "Select connection" field, select the connection you wish to query.
   2. Expand your newly created connection, expand the "CData" catalog, and expand the SAP SuccessFactors catalog.
   3. Expand "Tables" or "Views" to find the entity you wish to query.
   4. Expand your selected entity to explore the fields (columns).

Free Trial & More Information

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors and start working with your live SAP SuccessFactors data in Coginiti Pro. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.