SAP IDT - Data Foundation Layer
A Data Foundation contains one or more tables and joins from one or more relational databases that forms the design of Business Layer. A relational connection is used to design Data Foundation layer. You can add various other objects at Data Foundation that enhances the capabilities like - Derived tables, custom calculations, context, LOVs, etc.
It is also possible to design multiple Business Layers on a single Data Foundation thus allowing you to build multiple Universes on single Data Foundation Layer.
Types of Data Foundation
In Information Design Tool, you can build Data Foundation that is – Single-source enabled or multi-source enabled.
Single-source Data Foundation supports a single Relational connection. Single Source Data Foundation supports a local or a secured connection so the Universe designed on this can be maintained locally or can be published to the Repository.
Multi-source enabled Data Foundation supports one or more relational connections. Connections can be added when you design the Data Foundation or can be added later. Multi-source enabled Data Foundation is designed on secured connections published in a Repository.
Data Foundation Editor
A Data Foundation editor is divided into multiple panes −
- View Pane
- Properties Pane
- Browsing pane
The Data Foundation view pane contains tables and joins. Master contains tables and joins that are connected with each other in a logical manner.
Properties pane defines properties of each object. To check the properties, you have to select any object in the Master tab.
Using the browsing pane, you can work on different elements in data foundation like connections, Data Foundation, Aliases and Contexts, LOVs and parameters.
You can also perform a search in Data Foundation. To perform a search, click the 
icon.
