In this blog post I’d like to examine when to prefer using Python Script Operator for readers who are about to use it for the first time.
Before delving into the Python Script Operator, it's important to understand the significance of SAP Datasphere. This cloud-based solution provides a platform for organizations to integrate data from various sources, create data models, and perform advanced analytics. It offers a user-friendly interface that enables both technical and non-technical users to collaborate on data projects, making it a valuable asset for modern data-driven businesses.
Using Python is a new area for many of us. We are used to using ABAP routines, functions etc in BW implementations. Since we can not use ABAP in Datasphere environment, we need to deep dive into alternatives like using Python Script or coding similar business logics in SQL views.
Coding with a new language can be challenging too.
Python syntax is easy to learn and understand so it can be an efficient way to increase productivity. It can provide rapid development with ease to maintain updates. It’s libraries reduce the need for developers to write code from scratch, saving time and effort.
However, there may be some performance issues since it is an interpreted language and resulting in slow execution times in some cases.
If we check for which business contexts Python can be used, generally:
Although Python can be used for many purposes, there are some limitations while using it with Python Script operator in SAP Datasphere:
By using the Python Script Operator, you gain access to popular libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, enabling you to leverage pre-built functions, to perform a wide range of tasks, from data cleansing to data manipulation. If you want to use some other API's for machine learning, predictive analysis etc other than these two, unfortunately it is not possible in Python Script Operator and you should create a different Python execution environment outside of Datasphere and reach to Datasphere structures with other connection methods.
If you need record based data manipulation , data cleansing, filtering etc Python Script Operator is a very preferrable tool. But for group based manipulations it is not suitable since its reading mechanism is in bulk packages and it won't give required results for aggregations etc.
Based on these facts, if you decide that Python Script Operator is good for your data flow logic in Datasphere;
First, you may want to check Script Operator Python Reference in help.sap.com , you can find nice examples there to get used to syntax.
Script Operator Python Reference | SAP Help Portal
After that it would be nice to check Pandas and NumPy Help Documentation.
API reference — pandas 2.1.1 documentation (pydata.org)
NumPy reference — NumPy v1.26 Manual
You can learn more about Python Programming by following this self-paced course:
Python for Beginners | openSAP
The Python Script Operator is a valuable tool for data professionals seeking to leverage the power of Python within the SAP Datasphere. Its versatility, access to Python libraries, and seamless integration with data flows make it a go-to choice for tasks ranging from data cleansing to advanced analytics. By incorporating Python into your SAP Datasphere data flows, you can unlock new possibilities and drive data-driven insights for your organization.
Before delving into the Python Script Operator, it's important to understand the significance of SAP Datasphere. This cloud-based solution provides a platform for organizations to integrate data from various sources, create data models, and perform advanced analytics. It offers a user-friendly interface that enables both technical and non-technical users to collaborate on data projects, making it a valuable asset for modern data-driven businesses.
Using Python is a new area for many of us. We are used to using ABAP routines, functions etc in BW implementations. Since we can not use ABAP in Datasphere environment, we need to deep dive into alternatives like using Python Script or coding similar business logics in SQL views.
Coding with a new language can be challenging too.
Python syntax is easy to learn and understand so it can be an efficient way to increase productivity. It can provide rapid development with ease to maintain updates. It’s libraries reduce the need for developers to write code from scratch, saving time and effort.
However, there may be some performance issues since it is an interpreted language and resulting in slow execution times in some cases.
If we check for which business contexts Python can be used, generally:
- Data Cleansing and Preprocessing:
- E-commerce: Clean and preprocess product data, removing duplicates and inconsistencies before analysis.
- Finance: Standardize and clean financial transaction data to ensure accuracy in reporting.
- Advanced Analytics and Reporting:
- Retail: Perform sales forecasting using time series analysis and visualize sales trends with Python libraries like Matplotlib and Pandas.
- Healthcare: Analyze patient data to identify disease trends and generate detailed reports for medical professionals.
- Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics:
- Manufacturing: Implement predictive maintenance models to forecast equipment failures and optimize maintenance schedules.
- Marketing: Create recommendation engines to personalize product recommendations for online shoppers.
- Custom Data Transformations:
- Supply Chain: Implement custom data transformations for optimizing inventory management and logistics.
- Energy Sector: Calculate energy consumption patterns and derive insights for energy-efficient operations.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP):
- Customer Support: Analyze customer feedback and sentiment analysis for improving customer support services.
- Media and Entertainment: Process user-generated content for content recommendation and moderation.
- Image and Video Analysis:
- Manufacturing: Perform quality control inspections using computer vision to detect defects in production lines.
- Retail: Analyze in-store customer behavior through video footage for optimizing store layouts.
- Financial Modeling:
- Finance: Build financial models to assess investment risks and opportunities, calculate financial ratios, or optimize portfolio allocations.
- Custom Data Integration:
- Logistics: Integrate data from various logistics providers with custom Python scripts to unify and analyze shipment data.
- Human Resources: Consolidate HR data from multiple sources, such as payroll systems and employee databases.
- Geo-spatial Analysis:
- Real Estate: Analyze property values, market trends, and location data for property investment decisions.
- Agriculture: Assess soil quality and crop yields using geo-spatial data for precision farming.
- Text Analytics:
- Legal Services: Analyze legal documents for document classification, entity extraction, and legal research.
- Customer Feedback: Analyze customer reviews to extract insights for product improvement.
- Custom Data Visualization:
- Executive Dashboards: Create custom dashboards using Python libraries to visualize key performance indicators (KPIs) and business metrics.
- Data Aggregation and Summarization:
- Education: Aggregate student performance data to generate reports for educators and administrators.
- Insurance: Summarize insurance claims data to identify trends and anomalies for risk assessment.
Although Python can be used for many purposes, there are some limitations while using it with Python Script operator in SAP Datasphere:
By using the Python Script Operator, you gain access to popular libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, enabling you to leverage pre-built functions, to perform a wide range of tasks, from data cleansing to data manipulation. If you want to use some other API's for machine learning, predictive analysis etc other than these two, unfortunately it is not possible in Python Script Operator and you should create a different Python execution environment outside of Datasphere and reach to Datasphere structures with other connection methods.
If you need record based data manipulation , data cleansing, filtering etc Python Script Operator is a very preferrable tool. But for group based manipulations it is not suitable since its reading mechanism is in bulk packages and it won't give required results for aggregations etc.
Based on these facts, if you decide that Python Script Operator is good for your data flow logic in Datasphere;
First, you may want to check Script Operator Python Reference in help.sap.com , you can find nice examples there to get used to syntax.
Script Operator Python Reference | SAP Help Portal
After that it would be nice to check Pandas and NumPy Help Documentation.
API reference — pandas 2.1.1 documentation (pydata.org)
NumPy reference — NumPy v1.26 Manual
You can learn more about Python Programming by following this self-paced course:
Python for Beginners | openSAP
Conclusion
The Python Script Operator is a valuable tool for data professionals seeking to leverage the power of Python within the SAP Datasphere. Its versatility, access to Python libraries, and seamless integration with data flows make it a go-to choice for tasks ranging from data cleansing to advanced analytics. By incorporating Python into your SAP Datasphere data flows, you can unlock new possibilities and drive data-driven insights for your organization.
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