Modeling Cds

Cds Modeling

CDS view creation (basic, composite, consumption), associations, compositions, CDS annotations (semantic, UI, analytics), CDS access control (DCL)

Create Core Data Services (CDS) views for data modeling, including basic views, composite views, consumption views, associations, compositions, annotations, and access control rules.

Process

1. Review the task requirements.
2. Apply the skill's methodology.
3. Validate the output against the defined criteria.

Step 1: Create Basic CDS View

@EndUserText.label: 'Travel Booking View'
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #CHECK
define view entity ZI_TravelBooking
  as select from ztravelbook
{
  key travel_uuid as TravelUUID,
      travel_id as TravelID,
      agency_id as AgencyID,
      customer_id as CustomerID,
      begin_date as BeginDate,
      end_date as EndDate,
      booking_fee as BookingFee,
      total_price as TotalPrice,
      currency_code as CurrencyCode,
      description as Description,
      status as Status,
      created_by as CreatedBy,
      created_at as CreatedAt,
      last_changed_by as LastChangedBy,
      last_changed_at as LastChangedAt
}

Step 2: Create Composite View with Associations

@EndUserText.label: 'Travel Booking with Associations'
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #CHECK
define view entity ZI_TravelBooking
  as select from ztravelbook
  association [0..*] to ZI_TravelBookingItem as _Items
    on $projection.TravelUUID = _Items.TravelUUID
  association [0..1] to ZI_Agency as _Agency
    on $projection.AgencyID = _Agency.AgencyID
  association [0..1] to ZI_Customer as _Customer
    on $projection.CustomerID = _Customer.CustomerID
  association [0..1] to ZI_Currency as _Currency
    on $projection.CurrencyCode = _Currency.CurrencyCode
{
  key travel_uuid as TravelUUID,
      travel_id as TravelID,
      agency_id as AgencyID,
      customer_id as CustomerID,
      begin_date as BeginDate,
      end_date as EndDate,
      booking_fee as BookingFee,
      total_price as TotalPrice,
      currency_code as CurrencyCode,
      description as Description,
      status as Status,
      created_by as CreatedBy,
      created_at as CreatedAt,
      last_changed_by as LastChangedBy,
      last_changed_at as LastChangedAt,

      /* Associations */
      _Items,
      _Agency {
        AgencyID,
        AgencyName,
        AgencyAddress
      },
      _Customer {
        CustomerID,
        CustomerName,
        CustomerEmail
      },
      _Currency {
        CurrencyCode,
        CurrencyName
      },

      /* Calculated Fields */
      @EndUserText.label: 'Duration in Days'
      cast(end_date - begin_date as abap.int4) as DurationInDays,

      @EndUserText.label: 'Is Active'
      case
        when status = 'A' then cast('X' as abap.boolean)
        else cast('' as abap.boolean)
      end as IsActive
}

Step 3: Create Composition (Parent-Child Relationship)

@EndUserText.label: 'Travel Booking Root'
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #CHECK
define root view entity ZI_TravelBooking
  as select from ztravelbook
  composition [0..*] of ZI_TravelBookingItem as _Items
{
  key travel_uuid as TravelUUID,
      travel_id as TravelID,
      agency_id as AgencyID,
      customer_id as CustomerID,
      begin_date as BeginDate,
      end_date as EndDate,
      booking_fee as BookingFee,
      total_price as TotalPrice,
      currency_code as CurrencyCode,
      description as Description,
      status as Status,
      created_by as CreatedBy,
      created_at as CreatedAt,
      last_changed_by as LastChangedBy,
      last_changed_at as LastChangedAt,

      /* Composition */
      _Items
}

@EndUserText.label: 'Travel Booking Item'
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #CHECK
define view entity ZI_TravelBookingItem
  as select from ztravelbookitem
  association [0..1] to ZI_TravelBooking as _TravelBooking
    on $projection.TravelUUID = _TravelBooking.TravelUUID
  association [0..1] to ZI_Material as _Material
    on $projection.MaterialID = _Material.MaterialID
{
  key travel_uuid as TravelUUID,
  key item_uuid as ItemUUID,
      travel_id as TravelID,
      item_id as ItemID,
      material_id as MaterialID,
      description as Description,
      quantity as Quantity,
      unit as Unit,
      price as Price,
      currency_code as CurrencyCode,

      /* Associations */
      _TravelBooking,
      _Material {
        MaterialID,
        MaterialName,
        MaterialDescription
      },

      /* Calculated Fields */
      @EndUserText.label: 'Line Total'
      cast(quantity * price as abap.curr(17,2)) as LineTotal
}

Step 4: Create Consumption View with Annotations

@EndUserText.label: 'Travel Booking Consumption View'
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #CHECK
@Metadata.allowExtensions: true
@Search.searchable: true
define view entity ZC_TravelBooking
  as projection on ZI_TravelBooking
{
  key TravelUUID,
      TravelID,
      AgencyID,
      CustomerID,
      BeginDate,
      EndDate,
      BookingFee,
      TotalPrice,
      CurrencyCode,
      Description,
      Status,
      CreatedBy,
      CreatedAt,
      LastChangedBy,
      LastChangedAt,
      DurationInDays,
      IsActive,

      /* Associations */
      _Items,
      _Agency,
      _Customer,
      _Currency,

      /* Semantic Annotations */
      @Semantics.amount.currencyCode: 'CurrencyCode'
      TotalPrice,

      @Semantics.amount.currencyCode: 'CurrencyCode'
      BookingFee,

      @Semantics.currencyCode: true
      CurrencyCode,

      @Semantics.user.createdBy: true
      CreatedBy,

      @Semantics.systemDateTime.createdAt: true
      CreatedAt,

      @Semantics.user.lastChangedBy: true
      LastChangedBy,

      @Semantics.systemDateTime.lastChangedAt: true
      LastChangedAt,

      /* UI Annotations */
      @UI: {
        lineItem: [ { position: 10, importance: #HIGH } ],
        identification: [ { position: 10 } ],
        selectionField: [ { position: 10 } ]
      }
      TravelID,

      @UI: {
        lineItem: [ { position: 20 } ],
        identification: [ { position: 20 } ],
        fieldGroup: [ { qualifier: 'General', position: 20 } ]
      }
      Description,

      /* Value Helps */
      @Consumption.valueHelpDefinition: [ {
        entity: { name: 'ZC_Agency', element: 'AgencyID' }
      } ]
      AgencyID,

      @Consumption.valueHelpDefinition: [ {
        entity: { name: 'ZC_Customer', element: 'CustomerID' }
      } ]
      CustomerID
}

Step 5: Create CDS Access Control (DCL)

@EndUserText.label: 'Travel Booking Access Control'
@MappingRole: true
define role ZC_TravelBooking {
  grant select on ZI_TravelBooking
    where ( AgencyID ) = aspect pfcg_auth( ZTRAVELBOOK, AGENCYID, ACTVT = '03' )
       or ( CreatedBy ) = aspect user_filter( CreatedBy );
}

Step 6: Create Abstract Entity

@EndUserText.label: 'Abstract Travel Booking'
define abstract entity ZA_TravelBooking {
  TravelUUID : sysuuid_x16;
  TravelID : abap.numc(10);
  AgencyID : abap.char(6);
  CustomerID : abap.char(8);
  BeginDate : abap.dats;
  EndDate : abap.dats;
  TotalPrice : abap.curr(17,2);
  CurrencyCode : abap.cuky(5);
  Description : abap.char(255);
  Status : abap.char(1);
}

@EndUserText.label: 'Travel Booking Implementation'
define view entity ZI_TravelBooking
  as projection on ztravelbook
  implements ZA_TravelBooking
{
  key travel_uuid as TravelUUID,
      travel_id as TravelID,
      agency_id as AgencyID,
      customer_id as CustomerID,
      begin_date as BeginDate,
      end_date as EndDate,
      total_price as TotalPrice,
      currency_code as CurrencyCode,
      description as Description,
      status as Status
}

Step 7: Create Custom Entity

@EndUserText.label: 'Travel Booking Custom Entity'
define custom entity ZCE_TravelBooking {
  key TravelUUID : sysuuid_x16;
  TravelID : abap.numc(10);
  AgencyID : abap.char(6);
  CustomerID : abap.char(8);
  BeginDate : abap.dats;
  EndDate : abap.dats;
  TotalPrice : abap.curr(17,2);
  CurrencyCode : abap.cuky(5);
  Description : abap.char(255);
  Status : abap.char(1);
}

CDS View Types

Basic View (Interface View)

• Direct mapping to database table
• Use for data model foundation
• Naming: ZI_* (Interface)

Composite View

• Combines multiple tables/views
• Uses associations and joins
• Use for complex data models

Consumption View

• Projection of interface view
• Includes UI and semantic annotations
• Use for Fiori Elements apps
• Naming: ZC_* (Consumption)

Abstract Entity

• Template for multiple implementations
• Use for common structures
• Naming: ZA_* (Abstract)

Custom Entity

• No database table mapping
• Use for calculated/derived data
• Naming: ZCE_* (Custom Entity)

Associations vs Compositions

Associations

• Loose relationship
• Can exist independently
• Use for reference data
• Syntax: association [0..1] to Entity

Compositions

• Strong parent-child relationship
• Child cannot exist without parent
• Use for dependent entities
• Syntax: composition [0..*] of Entity

CDS Annotations

Semantic Annotations

• @Semantics.amount.currencyCode - Amount with currency
• @Semantics.quantity.unitOfMeasure - Quantity with unit
• @Semantics.user.createdBy - User who created
• @Semantics.systemDateTime.createdAt - Creation timestamp
• @Semantics.currencyCode - Currency code field

UI Annotations

• @UI.lineItem - List report column
• @UI.identification - Object page identification
• @UI.fieldGroup - Object page field group
• @UI.selectionField - Filter field
• @UI.chart - Chart configuration

Analytics Annotations

• @Aggregation.default - Default aggregation (SUM, AVG, etc.)
• @Analytics.dataCategory - Data category (DIMENSION, FACT, etc.)
• @Analytics.dataExtraction.enabled - Enable data extraction

Best Practices

• Use semantic annotations for proper field semantics
• Create interface views (I_) before consumption views (C_)
• Use associations for reference data, compositions for dependent data
• Add proper access control (DCL) for security
• Use calculated fields for derived data
• Follow naming conventions (ZI_*, ZC_*, ZA_*, ZCE_*)
• Add proper labels (@EndUserText.label) for all entities
• Use abstract entities for common structures
• Implement proper authorization checks
• Use value helps for foreign key fields
• Add proper semantic annotations for better UX
• Optimize view performance by selecting only needed fields in consumption views
• Use cast() and case expressions for type conversions and conditional logic
• Document complex calculated fields and associations with comments
• Test CDS views with different user roles to verify access control works correctly
• Use @Search.searchable annotation for full-text search capabilities

Anti-Patterns

• Missing semantic annotations (poor data semantics)
• Not using associations/compositions (poor data model)
• Missing access control (security vulnerability)
• Not following naming conventions (confusion)
• Missing labels (poor maintainability)
• Direct table access instead of CDS views (violates ABAP Cloud)
• Not using abstract entities for common structures (code duplication)
• Missing calculated fields (inefficient queries)

Related

• Skill: rap-development - RAP BO creation with CDS
• Skill: fiori-development - Fiori Elements with CDS annotations
• Knowledge: sap-rap-patterns.json - CDS patterns and guidelines

When to Use

This skill should be used when strict adherence to the defined process is required.

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of the agent factory context.
• Access to the necessary tools and resources.