cds-view-entities

CDS View Entities

Guide for building semantic data models using ABAP CDS (Core Data Services) view entities in ABAP Cloud.

Workflow

1. Determine the user's goal:

   • Creating a new data model (standalone or for RAP)
   • Defining relationships between entities (associations, compositions)
   • Adding annotations for UI, semantics, or analytics
   • Implementing access controls
   • Using expressions, functions, or parameters in CDS

2. Identify the context:

   • Standalone CDS view vs. RAP BO data model
   • Root entity vs. child entity vs. projection view
   • Transactional (RAP) vs. analytical vs. read-only consumption

3. Apply best practices:

   • Use CDS view entities (v2 syntax define view entity) — not legacy CDS views (define view)
   • Follow naming conventions (e.g., ZR_* for interface/BO views, ZC_* for consumption/projection views, ZI_* for reuse views)
   • Add appropriate annotations for metadata consumers (UI, OData, analytics)

CDS View Entity Syntax

Basic View Entity

@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #CHECK
@EndUserText.label: 'Sales Order'
define view entity ZI_SalesOrder
  as select from zsalesorder
{
  key order_id       as OrderId,
      customer_id    as CustomerId,
      order_date     as OrderDate,
      net_amount     as NetAmount,
      currency_code  as CurrencyCode,
      status         as Status,
      created_by     as CreatedBy,
      created_at     as CreatedAt,
      last_changed_at as LastChangedAt
}

Root View Entity (for RAP)

@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #CHECK
@EndUserText.label: 'Sales Order Root'
define root view entity ZR_SalesOrder
  as select from zsalesorder
  composition [0..*] of ZR_SalesOrderItem as _Item
{
  key order_uuid         as OrderUUID,
      order_id           as OrderId,
      customer_id        as CustomerId,
      order_date         as OrderDate,
      @Semantics.amount.currencyCode: 'CurrencyCode'
      net_amount         as NetAmount,
      currency_code      as CurrencyCode,
      status             as Status,

      @Semantics.user.createdBy: true
      created_by         as CreatedBy,
      @Semantics.systemDateTime.createdAt: true
      created_at         as CreatedAt,
      @Semantics.user.localInstanceLastChangedBy: true
      last_changed_by    as LastChangedBy,
      @Semantics.systemDateTime.localInstanceLastChangedAt: true
      last_changed_at    as LastChangedAt,
      @Semantics.systemDateTime.lastChangedAt: true
      last_changed_at    as LastChangedAt,

      _Item
}