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SAP2Snowflake Book

Lane 2: the feed

SAP operational data in Snowflake, on a compliant path

Extracting from ECC and S/4HANA changed in June 2026. This is now an architecture decision with a licensing dimension, rather than a choice of connector.

Talk to us about your path Compare extraction options

What changed in June 2026

SAP Note 3255746 redefined the RFC modules of the ODP Data Replication API as being for data transfer between SAP applications. Customers and third-party applications may not use ODP-RFC to access SAP ABAP systems, whether on premise or in a private cloud. Since 9 June 2026 SAP enforces that position technically rather than contractually.

This affected a large installed base of extraction pipelines, including those built on Fivetran, Azure Data Factory, Qlik Replicate and Informatica. SAP provided a time-limited option to restore unrestricted calls, and it expires in December 2026. Routing the same calls through a different third-party tool does not change the position, because the note addresses third-party access itself.

The full breakdown: what broke, what the revert does, and what to do now →

SAP to Snowflake target architecture SAP ECC, S/4HANA and BW feed Snowflake through SAP-permitted routes: BDC Connect, CDS views and OData, SLT, or database-level replication. Snowflake holds a raw landing zone, dbt models carrying converted BW logic, and a semantic layer. Consumption covers BI and reporting, applications, and AI and machine learning. ODP-RFC extraction by third-party tools has been blocked since 9 June 2026. SAP SOURCES SAP ECC Tables, extractors SAP S/4HANA CDS view layer SAP BW InfoProviders, queries INGESTION, SAP-PERMITTED SAP BDC Connect Zero-copy share CDS views / OData Application level SLT Trigger replication Database-level Check licensing SNOWFLAKE Raw landing Source-faithful dbt models Converted BW logic Semantic layer Replaces BEx CONSUMPTION BI and reporting Qlik, Power BI, Tableau Applications Operational feeds AI and ML Governed SAP data ODP-RFC via third-party tools Blocked since 9 June 2026. Temporary revert expires December 2026. Governance, lineage and cost model span every layer. Route chosen per source system and per latency requirement.
Where each compliant route sits, and what it replaces.

The compliant routes, and when each one fits

Five options are worth considering, and they are not interchangeable. The choice depends on your source system, your latency requirement, whether you want raw tables or SAP-curated data products, and what you already own.

  • SAP BDC Connect for Snowflake gives you governed, zero-copy sharing of SAP data products into an existing Snowflake account. It suits cases where SAP semantics should be preserved and nothing should be duplicated.
  • SAP Snowflake delivers Snowflake through SAP's own commercial and architectural envelope.
  • CDS views and OData are the SAP-endorsed application-level path, and they work well on S/4HANA where the view layer is rich.
  • SLT does trigger-based replication for low-latency needs at table level.
  • Database-level replication looks fast and cheap on paper. Check the licensing and semantic implications against your agreement before designing it in.

Side-by-side comparison, with compliance status and cost characteristics →

How we approach it

We start from the reporting requirement and work backwards rather than starting from a connector. That means establishing which SAP objects feed decisions, what latency each one needs and what your license position permits, then selecting the route. The output is a per-source design with a cost and latency profile you can defend to both finance and your SAP team.

Questions we get asked

› Our Fivetran / Azure Data Factory SAP pipeline stopped working. What happened?
Most likely SAP Note 3255746. From 9 June 2026 SAP began blocking unrestricted ODP-RFC calls from non-SAP applications. A time-limited revert option exists, but it expires in December 2026, so restoring the old pipeline only buys time.
› Is SAP data in Snowflake officially supported now?
Yes. SAP and Snowflake announced zero-copy bidirectional sharing, with SAP Snowflake and SAP BDC Connect for Snowflake becoming generally available across the first half of 2026. SAP to Snowflake is a sanctioned architecture.
› Do we need SAP Business Data Cloud to get data into Snowflake?
Not always. BDC Connect is one compliant route and often a good one, particularly where you want SAP-curated data products rather than raw tables. CDS view based extraction, SLT and database-level replication remain valid for other cases. The right answer varies by source system and by latency requirement.
› What about ECC versus S/4HANA?
They differ enough to change the design. S/4HANA has a richer CDS view layer and a universal journal that simplifies finance extraction considerably. ECC generally means more work at the table and extractor level. Landscapes midway through an S/4 program need a design that survives the move.
› How much latency should we expect?
It ranges from near real time to daily depending on the route and the source. We size this against what the reporting requires, because paying for near real time on data that is reviewed weekly is a common and avoidable cost.

Talk to us about your extraction path

Tell us what broke, or what you are being asked to replace, and we will tell you what your compliant options are. No charge for the conversation.

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Book a 30-minute call directly. We use it to understand your landscape, not to pitch.

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