Data Platforms for SAP Environments

In today’s data-driven business landscape, one of the main challenges is optimizing the extraction, transformation, and availability of information to facilitate analysis and decision-making. This project focuses on improving the data extraction process for orders from SAP, using Azure as the cloud platform and a Medallion architecture that accelerates data analysis and enables reuse for future use cases.

Previously, the tables containing order data were extracted directly from SAP Core Data Services (CDS). However, this approach resulted in long loading times, reducing operational efficiency, and limited data reuse in other projects due to the rigidity of the existing architecture. It also made it difficult to create reports and analyses—both essential for decision-making in a wholesale distribution company.

To overcome these limitations, a Medallion architecture was designed and implemented, organizing the data into four layers: Bronze, Silver, Silver Plus, and Gold.

• The Bronze layer contains raw data extracted directly from SAP, unprocessed.
• In the Silver layer, the data is cleaned, structured, and typed to ensure consistency and quality.
• The Silver Plus layer applies specific business rules, adapting the data to the company’s operational needs.
• Finally, the Gold layer makes the optimized data available for analysis and reporting, including two key tables specifically refined for detailed order analysis.

This new approach has delivered several significant benefits. First, loading speeds have improved substantially, allowing analysts and business users to access information more quickly and at the right time. This, in turn, facilitates the creation of detailed reports and real-time analyses that support strategic decision-making.

Another major advantage is data reusability. The flexibility of the implemented architecture allows processed data to be reused for new analyses without repeating the entire extraction and transformation process. This significantly reduces the time required to develop new reports and explore different business dimensions.

Finally, scalability is a key benefit of the Medallion architecture. The solution easily adapts to changes in business requirements and allows for the integration of new data sources in the future, establishing a robust foundation for further expansion and more complex analyses.

In conclusion, this new approach has optimized not only the speed of data loading and transformation but also its reuse for strategic reporting and analysis. It has increased the system’s flexibility and scalability, enabling the company to adapt quickly to new needs and establishing a solid foundation for future use cases.