Connect Zero Copy Connector for ERP to SAP using OData

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Connect Zero Copy Connector for ERP to SAP using OData

    The Zero Copy Connector for ERP enables ServiceNow customers to securely extract data from ERP systems, specifically SAP, using OData v2 APIs. This integration supports data retrieval for use in remote and extraction tables within ServiceNow, facilitating efficient data synchronization and reporting.

    Show full answer Show less

    Note that OData v2 does not support snapshot isolation, so users might encounter some data consistency issues when pulling data from external ERP sources.

    Providing OData Access

    To enable OData connectivity, your SAP system must be configured to allow OData services. SAP users need proper authorization assigned to access these OData services as per SAP backend instructions. Additionally, ensure that the system property controlling downloadable file extensions does not restrict XML files, as XML is used for service metadata.

    Key System Properties

    • snerpintegration.catalogservicepath: Defines the SAP catalog service endpoint to retrieve and store an XML list of available OData services. Refreshing this list involves deleting the existing XML attachment and rerunning the retrieval process.
    • snerpintegration.odatamaxrecordfetchlimit: Limits the number of records fetched per OData GET call to control data volume.
    • snerpintegration.odataservicepath: Specifies the base path for SAP OData services.
    • snerpintegration.responsetimeout: Configures the timeout duration for OData responses, adjustable to mitigate frequent timeouts.
    • snerpintegration.usecookies and snerpintegration.usecsrftoken: Boolean properties to specify if cookies and CSRF tokens should be used in OData requests to enhance security.

    These properties are editable by administrators in the Zero Copy Connector for ERP scope and are essential for tailoring the OData connection to your SAP environment.

    Heartbeat Monitoring

    The connector maintains heartbeat indicators for both RFC and HTTP protocols to monitor the health of the ERP system connection. Successful heartbeats trigger parallel BAPI and OData data retrieval processes, with status updates visible on the ERP system record in ServiceNow.

    Additional Capabilities and Configuration

    • Support for creating and managing OData v2 connections to SAP for data extraction.
    • Ability to manually add OData services when required services are not automatically listed.
    • Integration with SAP SuccessFactors via OData v2 APIs for accessing talent management data.
    • Configuration of OAuth authorization code flow to securely authenticate and authorize users accessing SAP OData endpoints.

    What This Enables for ServiceNow Customers

    By connecting ServiceNow to SAP through the Zero Copy Connector using OData, customers can efficiently extract and synchronize ERP data into their ServiceNow environment. This capability supports enhanced reporting, data analysis, and process automation without direct data duplication, leveraging remote and extraction table models. Proper configuration of system properties and security settings ensures reliable, secure, and performant data integration tailored to your SAP landscape.

    Extract data securely from ERP OData v2 APIs for use in remote tables and extraction tables.

    Important:

    OData v2 does not use snapshot isolation so you might experience some data consistency issues when retrieving data from an external ERP source.

    Providing OData access to users

    You must have an SAP system that has been enabled to make an OData connection.

    To give users OData access, see the following instructions on the SAP help site: Back-End Server: Assign OData Service Authorization to Users.

    Enabling download of XML files

    The glide.attachment.extensions system property restricts the file types that can be downloaded. This property is empty by default. Check that the xml file extension hasn't been added to this property. For more information, see .

    System properties

    The following are properties related to OData.
    Property Type Description Create manually? Role needed to edit property
    sn_erp_integration.catalog_service_path string After the hostname and port, this path is used to connect with any SAP catalog service. The default is: /sap/opu/odata/iwfnd/CATALOGSERVICE;v=2/ServiceCollection. After creating the property and setting it to true, a list of all services is retrieved from SAP. The information is stored in an XML file and attached to the system record. The XML can be used later. For example, parse the XML while offline with no connection to SAP.
    Note:
    If there's an update in the catalog service and you want to update the table catalog information, first remove the attachment displayed on the ERP Systems page. Then, run the retrieval process again to refresh the list.
    		 Yes admin
    sn_erp_integration.odata_max_record_fetch_limit integer Limits the number of records fetched for GET calls by adding the $top parameter to the OData calls to reduce the number of records read from the Odata endpoint. No
    sn_erp_integration.odata_service_path string After the hostname and port, this path is used to connect with any SAP OData service. Add a URL in Value to specify the OData service. The default is: /sap/opu/odata/sap. Yes admin
    sn_erp_integration.response_timeout integer Specifies the timeout value for OData response. If OData calls are timed out frequently, increase the timeout value. Specify the value in seconds. The default is 100 seconds. This value is used for responses both from external web and from a MID Server. No admin or sn_erp_integration.erp_admin
    sn_erp_integration.use_cookies true | false Specifies if cookies must be used for OData connection. No admin or sn_erp_integration.erp_admin
    sn_erp_integration.use_csrf_token true | false Indicates if CSRF token should be sent for OData calls in Zero Copy Connector for ERP operations. No admin or sn_erp_integration.erp_admin
    Note:
    To add a property manually, verify that your scope is set to Zero Copy Connector for ERP, then navigate to sys_properties.list and select New.

    Heartbeat information

    For an ERP system, there are separate heartbeat indicators for RFC and HTTP. When a system is established, the heartbeats are set to active and the status is updated, including any errors. If the heartbeat calls are successful, BAPI and OData retrieval is triggered in parallel and the status can be seen on the system record.

    System record with ODATA retrieval status of completed.

    More information

    For more information about using OData in Zero Copy Connector for ERP, see Create an OData connection in Zero Copy Connector for ERP and OData capabilities supported by Zero Copy Connector for ERP.