SAP Lumira is a powerful self-service data visualization and analytics tool that empowers business users to connect, prepare, and visualize data quickly and intuitively. One of the foundational steps in using SAP Lumira effectively is configuring data connections and designing data models. These steps ensure that the right data is accessible, structured, and optimized for insightful analysis.
This article explores how to configure data connections and build data models in SAP Lumira, enabling users to unlock the full potential of their data assets.
A data connection is the link established between SAP Lumira and a data source, which can be a database, file, cloud service, or other repositories. SAP Lumira supports a broad range of data sources including SAP HANA, SAP Business Warehouse (BW), relational databases, flat files, and cloud platforms.
Select the Data Source Type
When starting a new project in SAP Lumira, users first choose the type of data source they want to connect to — for example, an SAP HANA database, an Excel file, or a CSV file.
Enter Connection Details
For databases, users provide necessary details such as server name/IP, port, database name, and authentication credentials. For file-based sources, users select and upload the file from their local system or network location.
Test the Connection
Lumira allows users to test the connection to verify access and credentials before proceeding. This ensures that the data source is reachable and ready for use.
Choose Data Objects
Once connected, users browse available data objects such as tables, views, or queries, and select the relevant datasets for analysis.
Import or Direct Query
Depending on the source and use case, data can be imported into Lumira’s in-memory engine or accessed via live connection for real-time analysis (especially for SAP HANA).
After establishing data connections, the next step is to build a data model — a structured representation of the data that supports meaningful analysis and visualization.
Users assign the correct roles to each field to ensure accurate reporting and visualizations.
Hierarchies help organize data into levels (e.g., Year > Quarter > Month) to enable drill-down and roll-up capabilities in visualizations.
Applying filters during modeling helps focus on specific data segments, improving performance and relevance of the analysis.
Configuring data connections and designing robust data models are critical steps in maximizing the value of SAP Lumira. By establishing efficient, secure, and well-structured data access and preparation workflows, organizations can empower users with timely, accurate, and insightful visualizations.
SAP Lumira’s flexibility in connecting to diverse data sources and its intuitive modeling capabilities make it an essential tool for modern, data-driven enterprises seeking to transform raw data into actionable intelligence.