SAP HANA Database is the in-memory columnar database that powers SAP SuccessFactors Incentive Management (ICM). If you're building reports, querying CSC_ tables, migrating from Callidus Commissions, or preparing for a sales ops role in the HANA ecosystem — this learning path takes you from zero HANA knowledge to writing production-quality queries and procedures.

This path is organized by skill level and use case. Start at Lesson 1, or jump to what you need.

The Complete Path (6 Lessons)

1

Introduction to SAP HANA Database

Architecture, columnar storage, why HANA for ICM, cloud on GCP, connecting to HANA Database Explorer.

Read Lesson 1 →
Beginner
2

HANA SQL Basics

Key SQL differences from Oracle, LIMIT vs ROWNUM, date functions, NULL handling, first queries on CSC tables.

Read Lesson 2 →
Beginner
3

HANA Built-In Functions

String, date, numeric, and NULL functions. Real ICM examples: period calculations, name formatting, quota percentages.

Read Lesson 3 →
Intermediate
4

Hierarchical Queries with Recursive CTEs

Why hierarchy matters in ICM, Oracle CONNECT BY, HANA recursive CTEs, building org trees, rollup calculations.

Read Lesson 4 →
Intermediate
5

HANA SQL Script & Procedures

Procedural code in HANA, table variables, parameter passing, control flow, error handling, worked example.

Read Lesson 5 →
Advanced

Who This Path Is For

  • SAP SuccessFactors IM practitioners moving from Oracle-based systems (Callidus) to HANA-based SuccessFactors IM.
  • Data analysts and reporting specialists who need to query CSC_ tables for incentive commission reporting.
  • SQL developers with Oracle or standard SQL experience who are new to HANA's columnar architecture and SQL extensions.
  • Integration engineers building ETL pipelines that extract from or load into SAP SuccessFactors IM on HANA.

What You'll Learn

  • HANA architecture basics: columnar vs row storage, why HANA dominates aggregation queries, in-memory processing.
  • HANA SQL syntax: differences from Oracle (LIMIT, IFNULL, CURRENT_DATE, no DUAL table), case sensitivity, version checking.
  • Built-in functions: string, date, numeric, type conversion functions with real ICM examples.
  • Recursive CTEs: replacing Oracle CONNECT BY, building hierarchies for org structures and rollup calculations.
  • HANA SQL Script: creating procedures, table variables, parameter passing, control flow, error handling.
  • CSC_ tables: the SAP SuccessFactors IM table prefix, key tables (CSC_PARTICIPANT, CSC_RESULTS, CSC_QUOTA), indexing strategy.
  • Performance mindset: selecting only needed columns, early filtering on indexed columns, using Calculation Views.

Prerequisites

This path assumes you have:

  • Basic SQL knowledge (SELECT, WHERE, JOIN, GROUP BY). If you need a refresher, read SQL Fundamentals.
  • Access to a SAP SuccessFactors IM or SAP HANA system where you can run queries. Most lessons use CSC_ table samples.
  • Familiarity with a query editor (HANA Database Explorer, SAP Analytics Cloud, or DBeaver).

How to Use This Path

ℹ️Each lesson is self-contained but builds on prior knowledge. Read in order the first time. On revisits, jump to what you need. Code samples are copy-paste ready — use them to experiment in your own HANA environment.

Ready to begin? Start with Lesson 1: Introduction to SAP HANA Database.

Start the learning path →

Lesson 1 covers HANA architecture, columnar storage, and why it matters for SuccessFactors IM.

Begin Lesson 1 →