3636962 - SAC Import Fails When Using <root> as Hierarchy Parent – Snowflake to Public Dimension

• When attempting to import data from Snowflake into a public dimension model in SAP Analytics Cloud, rows are rejected if a literal <root> value is used in the hierarchy parent column.
• Users experience import errors, even if <root> appears only once. The intended purpose of the hierarchy is to support selective locking/unlocking of specific dimension members via multi actions.

SAP Analytics Cloud 2025.8.13 

1. In SQL server, create a view or table containing a dimension with a Parent column.

   • Add one or more rows where the Parent value is set as the string literal <root>.

2. In SAP Analytics Cloud, create or open a public dimension model.

3. Go to Data Management and define a new Import Job from the Snowflake connection.

4. Map the ID and Parent columns to build a parent-child hierarchy.

5. Run the import job.

6. Observe:

   • Import fails with error messages.

   • Rows referencing <root> are rejected.

   • The hierarchy is not created or incomplete.

The issue occurs because <root> is treated as a reserved concept in SAC to indicate the top-level node in a hierarchy. Using <root> as a literal value in the dataset can lead to:

• Ambiguities in hierarchy construction.

• SAC interpreting multiple rows with the same parent <root> as an invalid structure.

• Validation failures during import due to conflicting or cyclical references.

This behavior persists even if <root> is used only once in the dataset.

To avoid this issue and ensure successful data import, follow the recommended guidelines below:

1. Avoid using <root> as a literal value in the Parent column of the hierarchy structure.

2. For top-level nodes, leave the Parent field empty/null, or use a custom identifier such as TOP_NODE or a use any other unique code.

3. Preprocess the data in SQL Server to replace or remove <root> before running the import job.

4. Validate the hierarchy structure to ensure:

   • There is only one top-level node.

   • No circular references exist.

   • Each child has a unique and valid parent.

5. Test the import with a small subset of data before applying changes in production.

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SAC, hierarchy, parent-child, root node, import error, data rejected, multi actions, Snowflake, locking, top node , KBA , LOD-ANA-AQU , Import Data Connections (Acquiring Data) , Problem