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Getting Started

Enterprise Glossary is metadata catalog that is shipped as part of Xtract Universal.iQ. It provides access to metadata from Xtract Universal.iQ services and their related SAP objects in your underlying SAP source systems.

To get started with the Xtract Universal.iQ Enterprise Glossary:

  1. Get Xtract Universal.iQ Enterprise Glossary up and running, see Run in Docker.
  2. Create a Connection to the Xtract Universal.iQ Designer.
  3. Optional: Create a Connection to your SAP S/4HANA source system for additional metadata.
  4. Create and run a Synchronization Job to import objects as Entities into Enterprise Glossary.
  5. Analyze and extent your Entities:
  6. Optional: Create your own Custom Entities and link them with other Entities.

Introduction

The following video provides an introduction to Enterprise Glossary and demonstrates its main features and benefits.

Key Features

Enterprise Glossary is a centralized SAP metadata catalog that stores metadata from connected Xtract Universal.iQ services and SAP systems. It provides access to reports, key performance indicators (KPIs), calculation formulas, and data lineage information. Enterprise Glossary offers:

  • Automatic SAP Synchronization: Automatically extracts and updates metadata, metrics, filters, and queries directly from connected enterprise systems, while maintaining a full version history of all changes.
  • Data Lineage Visualization: Maps data flows across systems, from high-level dashboards and reports down to the original source data and its transformations.
  • Search and Analysis: Users can search for KPIs, view calculation formulas, and review report structures without IT assistance.

Common Use Cases

  • Discover data: Find existing Data Products, SAP objects, and Xtract Universal.iQ services with clearly structured technical information.
  • Add business context: Enrich your data with semantic information such as business purpose, ownership, and responsibility.
  • Understand data lineage: Trace where data comes from and how it is transformed along its way to the target.
  • Analyze where-used relationships: Understand which other objects, reports, or services use an SAP object.
  • Understand KPIs: Make KPIs transparent and understand how they are calculated.
  • Establish a common business vocabulary: Create a shared understanding of business terms, definitions, and concepts.

Main Components

Entities
Entities are glossary entries that are created automatically when synchronizing a connected source system via a synchronization job. Each Entity represents a source object, e.g., an SAP object such as CDS Views and tabes, or an Xtract Universal.iQ service.

Custom Entities
Custom Entities are glossary entries that are created manually by the user. A Custom Entity can describe any element the user wants to document.

Templates
Templates determine the layout and information inside an Entity. Enterprise Glossary provides predefined templates for all supported object types, e.g., CDS Views and tables. The layout can be customised and Custom Fields can be added.

Custom Templates
Custom Templates determine the layout and information inside a Custom Entity. All Custom Entities are based on a Custom Template. Creating a Custom Template is therefore a prerequisite for using Custom Entities.

Fields
Fields represent some of the information that makes up an Entity, e.g., the description or the origin of an SAP object. The value of the Field is filled by the synchronization with the SAP system.

Custom Fields
Custom Fields represent some of the information that makes up an Entity, e.g., additional or organization-specific information. The value of the Custom Field is defined manually.

Last update: October 5, 2026