Connect to SAP SuccessFactors Data in ACL Analytics

ACL Analytics, part of Diligent HighBond, is a powerful data analysis software primarily used for audit, risk management, and compliance. It enables professionals to examine and analyze large volumes of data to identify anomalies, trends, and potential risks or fraudulent activities.

CData Connect Cloud offers a dedicated cloud-to-cloud interface for SAP SuccessFactors, enabling analytics directly from live SAP SuccessFactors data within ACL Analytics, all without the need for data replication to a native database. With its inherent optimized data processing capabilities, CData Connect Cloud efficiently channels all supported SQL operations, including filters and JOINs, directly to SAP SuccessFactors. This leverages server-side processing to swiftly deliver the requested SAP SuccessFactors data.

Configure SAP SuccessFactors Connectivity for ACL Analytics

Connectivity to SAP SuccessFactors from ACL Analytics is made possible through CData Connect Cloud. To work with SAP SuccessFactors data from ACL Analytics, we start by creating and configuring a SAP SuccessFactors connection in CData Connect Cloud.

1. Log into Connect Cloud, click Sources, and then click Add Connection

2. Select "SAP SuccessFactors" from the Add Connection panel

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to SAP SuccessFactors. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to SAP SuccessFactors.

   You can authenticate to SAP Success Factors using Basic authentication or OAuth with SAML assertion.

   Basic Authentication

   You must provide values for the following properties to successfully authenticate to SAP Success Factors. Note that the provider will reuse the session opened by SAP Success Factors using cookies. Which means that your credentials will be used only on the first request to open the session. After that, cookies returned from SAP Success Factors will be used for authentication.

   • Url: set this to the URL of the server hosting Success Factors. Some of the servers are listed in the SAP support documentation (external link).
   • User: set this to the username of your account.
   • Password: set this to the password of your account.
   • CompanyId: set this to the unique identifier of your company.

   OAuth Authentication

   You must provide values for the following properties, which will be used to get the access token.

   • Url: set this to the URL of the server hosting Success Factors. Some of the servers are listed in the SAP support documentation (external link).
   • User: set this to the username of your account.
   • CompanyId: set this to the unique identifier of your company.
   • OAuthClientId: set this to the API Key that was generated in API Center.
   • OAuthClientSecret: the X.509 private key used to sign SAML assertion. The private key can be found in the certificate you downloaded in Registering your OAuth Client Application.
   • InitiateOAuth: set this to GETANDREFRESH.
   
4. Click Create & Test
5. Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add SAP SuccessFactors Connection page and update the User-based permissions.

Add a Personal Access Token

When connecting to Connect Cloud through the REST API, the OData API, or the Virtual SQL Server, a Personal Access Token (PAT) is used to authenticate the connection to Connect Cloud. It is best practice to create a separate PAT for each service to maintain granularity of access.

1. Click on the Gear icon () at the top right of the Connect Cloud app to open the settings page.
2. On the Settings page, go to the Access Tokens section and click Create PAT.
3. Give the PAT a name and click Create.
4. The personal access token is only visible at creation, so be sure to copy it and store it securely for future use.

With the connection configured and a PAT generated, you are ready to connect to SAP SuccessFactors data from ACL Analytics.

Connect to SAP SuccessFactors from ACL Analytics

The steps below outline connecting to CData Connect Cloud from ACL Analytics to create a new SAP SuccessFactors data source. The CData Connect Cloud Virtual SQL Server allows you to establish a connection to your data from integration tools that support connections to SQL servers. The Virtual SQL Server mimics the behavior of a traditional SQL server, and it supports a range of query options.

1. With your Analytics File open, select 'Import' --> 'Database and application'
2. Create a new SQL Server connection
3. Set the connection information
   • Server: tds.cdata.com
   • Port: 14333
   • Auth Scheme: Password
   • Username: a Connect Cloud user, for example, [email protected]
   • Password: the PAT for the above Connect Cloud user
   • Database: the name of your SAP SuccessFactors connection, for example, SAPSuccessFactors1
   
4. Click "Test Connection"
5. Click "OK"
6. You are now ready to work with your SAP SuccessFactors data in ACL Analytics!

Live connections to SAP SuccessFactors data from your applications

ACL Analytics can now connect to live SAP SuccessFactors data directly through Connect Cloud, allowing you to analyze SAP SuccessFactors data without duplicating it.

To get live data access to 100+ SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources directly from your applications, try CData Connect Cloud today!