3798441 - Invalid certificate error happened when uploading private key pem file for import data connection to SAP SuccessFactors in SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC)

• When creating a new SuccessFactors connection in SAP Analytics Cloud using OAuth 2.0, uploading the Private Key PEM file results in an error.
• Error message: "Invalid file uploaded, please upload a valid certificate file".

• SAP Analytics Cloud (Enterprise) 
• SAP SuccessFactors

1. Log in to SAP Analytics Cloud with appropriate access.
2. Start creating a new import data connection to SuccessFactors and select OAuth 2.0 authentication.
3. Upload the Private Key PEM file during the connection setup.
4. Observe the error: "Invalid file uploaded, please upload a valid certificate file".

There is a private key change process in SuccessFactors Creating a X.509 Certificate Using Your Own Tools

SAP Analytics Cloud validates the uploaded private key file using the following strict format rules:

1. Line 1 must contain the string begin encrypted
2. Line 2 must contain all key content as a single unbroken line
3. Line 3 must contain the string end encrypted

The private key file downloaded from SAP SuccessFactors uses standard PEM format, which typically has:

• Header: -----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----
• Key content split across multiple lines (64 characters per line)
• Footer: -----END PRIVATE KEY-----

This format does not satisfy SAC's validation rules, causing the upload to fail.

The SuccessFactors certificate validation logic in SAC will be updated to adjust the new certificate format in a patch of SAC 2026 QRC3

Workaround:

Manually reformat the private key file before uploading it to SAC:

1. Open the .pem file Open the downloaded private key file in a text editor (e.g., Notepad++).
2. Replace the header and footer

        Change:

        -----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----

        To:

        -----BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----

        Change:

        -----END PRIVATE KEY-----

        To:

        -----END ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----

     3. Merge all key content into a single line

        Join all base64-encoded lines between the header and footer into one single continuous line with no line breaks. The final file must look exactly like this:

-----BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----
MIIEvQIBADANBgkqhki....<all base64 content as one line>....VQIDAQAB
-----END ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----

• refer to: KBA 2280022 - How to collect a HTTP archive (HAR) file and Console Log file in SAP Analytics Cloud
• refer to: KBA 3200458 - Creating Support Users in SAP Analytics Cloud
• refer to: KBA 3416060 - Error "Unable to connect to datasource. Check the connection details and user credentials, and then try again."

sac, successfactors, oauth 2.0, private key, pem, invalid file uploaded, certificate file, upload error, import data connection, sfsf connection, oauth private key, certificate validation, pem parsing, connection setup, authentication , KBA , LOD-ANA-AQU-CLD , Data acquisition from Cloud-based (non-OData) sources , Problem