Connect Zero Copy Connector for ERP to SAP using OData and HTTP

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Connect Zero Copy Connector for ERP to SAP using OData and HTTP

    The Zero Copy Connector for ERP enables secure extraction of data from SAP ERP systems using OData v2 APIs over HTTP. This integration allows ServiceNow customers to access SAP data within remote and extraction tables, facilitating seamless data synchronization without copying data redundantly.

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    It is important to note that OData v2 does not support snapshot isolation, which may lead to potential data consistency issues when retrieving data from external ERP sources.

    Providing OData Access and Connectivity

    • An SAP backend system must be enabled to support OData connections.
    • Users require proper OData service authorization within SAP to access data.
    • OData data extraction is accomplished via HTTP connections configured in the Zero Copy Connector.
    • Ensure XML file downloads are permitted by verifying the glide.attachment.extensions system property does not block the .xml extension, as service catalog data is stored in XML files.

    Key Configuration Properties

    Several system properties control the OData connection and behavior in the Zero Copy Connector:

    • snerpintegration.catalogservicepath: Defines the SAP path to retrieve the catalog of available OData services. Creating and enabling this property stores catalog information as an XML attachment for offline use.
    • snerpintegration.odatamaxrecordfetchlimit: Limits the number of records fetched in OData GET calls to optimize performance by using the $top query parameter.
    • snerpintegration.odataservicepath: Specifies the SAP path used to access OData services. Defaults to /sap/opu/odata/sap.
    • snerpintegration.responsetimeout: Sets the timeout period (in seconds) for OData response calls, adjustable to address frequent timeouts. Default is 100 seconds.
    • snerpintegration.usecookies and snerpintegration.usecsrftoken: Control whether cookies and CSRF tokens are used in OData calls, enhancing security.

    These properties can be created or edited by users with the admin role and scoped to the Zero Copy Connector for ERP application.

    Heartbeat and Monitoring

    The connector supports separate heartbeat mechanisms for RFC and HTTP protocols. Once the ERP connection is established, these heartbeats monitor connection health and update system status, including any errors encountered. Successful heartbeats trigger parallel data retrieval using BAPI (via RFC) and OData (via HTTP), with status visible on the ERP system record in ServiceNow.

    Additional Capabilities and Configuration

    • Customers can manually add OData services to the Zero Copy Connector if the required services do not appear automatically.
    • Support exists for accessing SAP SuccessFactors talent management data through OData v2 APIs.
    • OAuth authorization code flow configuration is available for securing OData endpoint access, enabling authentication and authorization for SAP users.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging the Zero Copy Connector with OData and HTTP, ServiceNow customers can:

    • Efficiently extract and integrate SAP ERP data into ServiceNow without redundant data storage.
    • Maintain secure and authorized connections to SAP OData services.
    • Customize and optimize data retrieval through configurable properties such as record limits and timeouts.
    • Monitor connection health through heartbeat indicators ensuring reliable data synchronization.
    • Extend connectivity to SAP SuccessFactors and secure access using OAuth flows.

    Extract data securely from ERP OData v2 APIs for use in remote tables and extraction tables. OData connects to SAP via HTTP.

    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.

    Extract data using OData and an HTTP 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 .

    New 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 new 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 become 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. BAPI and table list retrieval is done via RFC. OData retrieval is done via HTTP.

    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.