SAP Cloud ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) and Azure DevOps are powerful tools that play key roles in managing the application lifecycle. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of integrating these platforms and how it simplifies the management of SAP-centric solutions.
Understanding SAP Cloud ALM and Azure DevOps:
SAP Cloud ALM: SAP Cloud ALM is SAP’s cloud-based solution designed to support the entire application lifecycle of SAP-centric solutions. It aids businesses in efficiently managing various aspects of the application lifecycle, from project planning to ongoing operations and optimization.
Azure DevOps: Azure DevOps, on the other hand, is a comprehensive set of development tools and services by Microsoft. It covers the entire software development lifecycle, providing version control, build automation, release management, test management, and collaboration tools.
Integration for Enhanced Collaboration:
Our solution focuses on integrating Azure DevOps work items with SAP Cloud ALM tasks, creating a bidirectional workflow. This integration allows seamless communication between SAP Cloud ALM tasks and Azure DevOps work items, ensuring updates in one platform reflect in the other.

Key Integrations:
- Basic Information: We synchronize essential details such as work item status, priority, title, effort, assignee, start date, end date, relations, and attachments
- Priority Mapping: We align priorities from SAP Cloud ALM (very high, high, medium) with Azure DevOps work item priorities (1, 2, 3, 4).
- Work Item State Mapping: States in SAP Cloud ALM (project task, user story, subtask) correspond to Azure DevOps work item types (Feature, user story, task).
Integration Process:
1.SAP Cloud ALM:
Create subscriptions for different task types, each with its own web hook and mapping. Set up SAP BTP destinations for communication with custom APIs by Canarys. For Getting the create/update request data from SAP you need to follow the below steps:
- Create Destination in SAP BTP –
- 1. Create a destination in SAP BTP Cockpit for SAP Cloud ALM subaccount, using Canarys End Point and selecting No Authentication.
- Create web hook in SAP Cloud ALM –
- 1. Establish a web hook in SAP Cloud ALM, selecting BTP Destination as the Destination Source and using the previously created destination ID.
- Create mapping in SAP Cloud ALM –
- 1. Create mapping in SAP Cloud ALM, using payload-based mapping, as mentioned in the provided links.
- 1. External API Management: Mapping Guide | SAP Help Portal
- 2. Mapping | SAP Help Portal
- 3. Mention the event for the task in payload-based mapping, specifying task update/create/delete events.
- Create a subscription in SAP Cloud ALM
- 1. Create a subscription in SAP Cloud ALM after setting up web hook and mapping, using the created names.
- 2. Specify the event for the task in subscription creation, referring to the provided link for further clarification.
- 3. Subscriptions | SAP Help Portal
2. Azure DevOps:
- 1. Create two web hooks in Azure DevOps for work item create and update events.
- 2. Mention Canarys Custom API end point and add personal access token in the authorization section during web hook creation.
3. Security:
- 1. Secure the creation and updating of SAP Cloud ALM tasks using access tokens.
- 2. Generate access tokens from OAuth apps within SAP BTP Cockpit for authentication.
- #. OAuth Flow for SAP Cloud ALM:
- 1. Create an instance in SAP Cloud ALM sub account in SAP BTP Cockpit for SAP Cloud ALM APIs, specifying the instance scope for permissions.
- 2. Create a service binding with an empty JSON to obtain client credentials and client secret for generating access tokens.
- #. OAuth Flow for SAP Cloud ALM:
Limitations:
No event from SAP for relation additions and deletions; workaround involves updating a basic field using Canarys API.
Conclusion:
This integrator simplifies the process of connecting SAP Cloud ALM with Azure DevOps, providing end-to-end traceability. Consistent traceability ensures visibility into how requirements translate into development tasks, code changes, and testing activities. Enhance collaboration, streamline processes, and unlock the full potential of managing your application lifecycle seamlessly.