SAP Analytics: Next generation CDS Views - CDS View Entities

CDS Views are evolving!  Here's a quick start guide to transitioning to CDS View Entities.

What are CDS View Entities?

Traditionally, when creating CDS views, two objects are created when we use the syntax DEFINE VIEW:

• The CDS entity itself
• A DDIC artifact

The future of how we define CDS Views: DEFINE VIEW ENTITY

The difference here is that it only creates the CDS view entity, no DDIC artifact is created!

What this means is there is only one name for the CDS view entity which results in the following benefits:

• Faster activation
• Optimization and simplification of syntax
• Stricter syntax checks indicate problematic stiuations more explicitly, for example, annotation checks.

Architecture improvements also include:

• Checks of key elements
• Amount / quantity handling
• Improved buffer handling using CDS tuning objects

When is it available?

• ABAP 7.55
• Kernel Release 7.81
• ABAP Platform 2020
• ABAP Platform Cloud 2008

Compatability and migration

• Entity views are incompatible with existing CDS views
• No automatic migration is available and therefore tools are required to facilitate the process

Helper Tools

Review this blog for details on migrating CDS Views to CDS View Entities

A new generation of CDS views: how to migrate your CDS views to CDS view entities | SAP Blogs

As of ABAP release 7.55, a new type of CDS view has been released: the CDS view entity. CDS view entities are an improvement over the “classic” CDS DDIC-based views. For details, see: Blog post

SAP Community BlogsAndrea Schlotthauer

Important Links

A new generation of CDS views: CDS view entities | SAP Blogs

With ABAP release 7.55, a new type of CDS view is available: in official terminology, it’s called CDS view entity. And it has come to replace the “classic” CDS DDIC-based views that have

SAP Community BlogsAndrea Schlotthauer

CDS view entities are feature complete, Part l: New features | SAP Blogs

Since ABAP release 7.88, SAP BTP ABAP Environment 2205, CDS view entities are feature complete. In this blog series, you find a complete list of new features, improvements, and differences of CDS view entities

SAP Community BlogsAndrea Schlotthauer

CDS view entities are feature complete, Part ll: Improvements | SAP Blogs

Since ABAP release 7.88, SAP BTP ABAP Environment 2205, CDS view entities are feature complete. In this blog series, you find a complete list of new features, improvements, and differences of CDS view

SAP Community BlogsAndrea Schlotthauer

CDS view entities are feature complete, Part lll: Differences | SAP Blogs

Since ABAP release 7.88, SAP BTP ABAP Environment 2205, CDS view entities are feature complete. In this blog series, you find a complete list of new features, improvements, and differences of CDS view

SAP Community BlogsAndrea Schlotthauer

Buffering CDS View Entities | SAP Blogs

A CDS entity buffer temporarily caches the data retrieved from a CDS view entity into the shared memory of the current AS ABAP instance. Starting with the following ABAP releases, buffering of CDS view

SAP Community BlogsJoerg Maier

ABAP Core Data Services: New syntax for extending CDS entities | SAP Blogs

This blog post provides an overview of all available types of CDS extensions. Overview of CDS entity extensions Statement Can be used for Available since EXTEND VIEW ENTITY CDS view entity CDS projection

SAP Community BlogsAndrea Schlotthauer

Feature Matrix: Data Modeling with ABAP Core Data Services | SAP Blogs

This page offers an overview of all available CDS DDL features. It can be used like a cheat sheet to look up features and their release dates. It also offers links to data sources with further information

SAP Community BlogsAndrea Schlotthauer

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If your organization needs a helping hand on any SAP technology topics, please feel free to reach out to me at ben@ben-kwong.com