generate-cds-analytical-query

Generate CDS Analytical Query

Generate an analytical CDS query — a transient projection view with provider contract analytical_query — on top of an existing analytical cube (@Analytics.dataCategory: #CUBE).

This skill replicates SAP Joule's "CDS Analytical Query Generation" capability by combining ARC-1 (SAP system access) with mcp-sap-docs (documentation & best practices). The query view is what end users consume in analytical clients (SAP Analytics Cloud, Analysis for Office, embedded analytics) — it selects measures and dimensions from a cube and arranges them on rows/columns/free axes.

Prerequisites — read this first

• Requires SAP_BASIS 7.57+ (S/4HANA 2022+). The provider contract analytical_query form is unavailable on 7.56 and earlier. Note that SAPManage(action="probe") rap.available is necessary but not sufficient — RAP shipped in 7.54, so a true does not confirm the 7.57 floor. To gate reliably, check the release directly, e.g. SAPQuery(sql="SELECT release FROM cvers WHERE component = 'SAP_BASIS'") and require >= 757; otherwise be ready for the provider-contract syntax error to surface at activation (Step 5) and stop there.
• You need an existing cube. This skill projects ON a cube. If no cube exists yet, run the generate-analytics-star-schema skill first to build the cube + dimensions, then come back here.

Smart Defaults (apply silently, do NOT ask)

Setting	Default	Rationale
Object type	DDLS	Analytical queries are CDS data definitions
Package	$TMP	Fast prototyping; ask before a transportable package
Authorization	#NOT_ALLOWED	Mandatory on analytical queries — any other value fails activation
Axis layout	Dimensions → #ROWS, measures → #COLUMNS	Sensible default grid; user can rearrange
ATC	No	Only run if user asks about code quality

Input

The user provides a cube name (e.g., ZI_Sales_Cube) or a business description ("revenue by region and month"). Only the cube is strictly required; if the user gives a description, find the cube via Step 1.

Optionally:

• Query name (default: derive from the cube, e.g. ZC_SalesQuery; must be ≤ 28 characters — the analytical engine prepends 2C to the runtime name)
• Package (default $TMP)
• Measures / dimensions to expose (default: all measures + key dimensions from the cube)

Step 1: Resolve and read the cube

1a. Find the cube (if the user gave a description, not a name)

SAPSearch(query="<keyword>*", searchType="object", objectType="DDLS")

Pick the candidate whose name/description matches an analytical cube. If multiple match, list them and ask.

1b. Read the cube source and confirm it IS a cube

SAPRead(type="DDLS", name="<cube>")

Verify the source contains @Analytics.dataCategory: #CUBE (or @Analytics: { dataCategory: #CUBE ... }). If it does NOT, stop: an analytical query can only project on a cube or a dimension. Suggest generate-analytics-star-schema to build a cube first.

1c. Get the structured element list

SAPRead(type="DDLS", name="<cube>", include="elements")

This returns every field with key markers and types. Use it to classify each element:

• Measures — numeric fields carrying @Aggregation.default (e.g. #SUM) in the cube source
• Dimensions — key fields and foreign-key-association fields
• Units/currencies — fields referenced by @Semantics.amount.currencyCode / @Semantics.quantity.unitOfMeasure

Step 2: Look up current analytical-query syntax

Ground the generation in current docs — do NOT rely on memory for annotation names:

search("CDS analytical query provider contract analytical_query transient view")
search("AnalyticsDetails.query.axis ROWS COLUMNS FREE")

Cite the doc IDs you used in your final summary. Key facts the docs confirm (7.58):

• Header form: define transient view entity <name> provider contract analytical_query as projection on <cube>
• @AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #NOT_ALLOWED is mandatory (queries can't be read via ABAP SQL → no DCL allowed; the cube's access control applies)
• The transient keyword is mandatory (no HANA SQL view is generated)
• You cannot define new associations or use KEY in a query view
• A calculated measure (arithmetic / CASE-on-a-measure) needs @Aggregation.default: #FORMULA

Step 3: Compose the analytical query

Pick the template that matches the request.

Template A — simple projection (1+ dimensions on rows, 1+ measures on columns)

@EndUserText.label: 'Sales Analytical Query'
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #NOT_ALLOWED
define transient view entity ZC_SalesQuery
  provider contract analytical_query
  as projection on ZI_Sales_Cube
{
      @AnalyticsDetails.query.axis: #ROWS
  RegionId,

      @AnalyticsDetails.query.axis: #FREE
  CalendarYear,

      @AnalyticsDetails.query.axis: #COLUMNS
      @Semantics.amount.currencyCode: 'CurrencyCode'
  SalesAmount,

  CurrencyCode
}

Template B — restricted + calculated measures

@EndUserText.label: 'Sales KPI Query'
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #NOT_ALLOWED
define transient view entity ZC_SalesKpiQuery
  provider contract analytical_query
  as projection on ZI_Sales_Cube
{
      @AnalyticsDetails.query.axis: #ROWS
  RegionId,

      // restricted measure: selection-related CASE — WHEN must reference a DIMENSION
      @Semantics.amount.currencyCode: 'CurrencyCode'
  case when CalendarYear = '2025' then SalesAmount else null end as SalesAmount2025,

      // calculated measure: formula CASE — needs @Aggregation.default: #FORMULA
      @Aggregation.default: #FORMULA
  case when SalesAmount is initial then abap.int8'0' else abap.int8'1' end as HasSales,

  CurrencyCode
}

Template C — query with input parameters (filter prompt)

@EndUserText.label: 'Sales Query (parameterized)'
@AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #NOT_ALLOWED
define transient view entity ZC_SalesParamQuery
  provider contract analytical_query
  with parameters
    p_year : abap.numc(4)
  as projection on ZI_Sales_Cube
{
      @AnalyticsDetails.query.axis: #ROWS
  RegionId,
      @Semantics.amount.currencyCode: 'CurrencyCode'
  SalesAmount,
  CurrencyCode
}
where CalendarYear = $parameters.p_year

Composition rules (enforce before writing):

• Every element you project directly from the cube must use the cube's exact element name (you read them in Step 1c). Calculated and restricted measures (Template B) are the exception — they introduce new aliases (... as SalesAmount2025) that need not exist in the cube.
• Every amount measure needs a @Semantics.amount.currencyCode: '<field>' and that currency field must also be projected.
• Every quantity measure needs @Semantics.quantity.unitOfMeasure: '<field>' and that unit field must be projected.
• Query name ≤ 28 chars.

Step 4: Show the plan, then write

Show the user the composed DDL and the axis layout (which fields are rows / columns / free) before writing. On confirmation:

SAPWrite(action="create", type="DDLS", name="<query>", source="<ddl>", package="$TMP")

For a transportable package, pass package="<pkg>" and transport="<TR>" (the user must supply the TR; create one with SAPTransport if needed).

Step 5: Activate

SAPActivate(name="<query>", type="DDLS")

If activation fails, surface the diagnostics verbatim and let the user re-prompt. Do NOT silently retry. Common failures:

• @AccessControl.authorizationCheck not #NOT_ALLOWED → fix the annotation
• Element not found in cube → you used a name not in the cube (re-check Step 1c)
• Measure missing currency/unit reference → add the @Semantics.* annotation + project the currency/unit field
• Name > 28 chars → shorten the query name

Step 6: Verify

SAPRead(type="DDLS", name="<query>", include="elements")

Confirm the query is live and the projected elements appear. Report success with the runtime name (2C<query>).

Error Handling

Error	Cause	Fix
Projection target is not a cube	Tried to project on a plain view	Build a cube first via generate-analytics-star-schema
provider contract syntax error	SAP_BASIS < 7.57	Stop — analytical_query unsupported on this release
Authorization check error on activate	Used a value other than #NOT_ALLOWED	Set @AccessControl.authorizationCheck: #NOT_ALLOWED
Element does not exist	Element name typo vs cube	Re-read the cube elements (Step 1c)
Name too long	Query name > 28 chars	Shorten it

Notes

• This skill only creates the query layer. To build the underlying cube + dimensions + texts, use generate-analytics-star-schema first — the two skills chain: star-schema produces the cube, this skill projects on it.
• For a transactional (RAP) service rather than analytics, use generate-rap-service instead.
• BTP ABAP and on-prem 7.58 both support this; on 7.57 verify the exact provider-contract form via search() first.