Run an SAP HANA MCP server for Claude in 10 minutes

#sap #mcp #claude #docker

This is the short, hands-on version: an MCP server that lets Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot or Cursor read SAP S/4HANA from its HANA database, read-only, with SAP's data dictionary as tools. You need Docker, a host that reaches the HANA SQL port and a database user from your SAP Basis team.

1. The database user

In the tenant that holds the ABAP schema (usually SAPHANADB):

CREATE USER AMCP_READER PASSWORD "<strong password>" NO FORCE_FIRST_PASSWORD_CHANGE;
ALTER USER AMCP_READER DISABLE PASSWORD LIFETIME;
-- dictionary and organization tables the tools read
GRANT SELECT ON SAPHANADB.DD02L TO AMCP_READER;
GRANT SELECT ON SAPHANADB.DD03L TO AMCP_READER;
GRANT SELECT ON SAPHANADB.DD04T TO AMCP_READER;
-- … the full list is in the guide linked below
GRANT SELECT ON SAPHANADB.ACDOCA TO AMCP_READER;  -- plus the business tables you need

2. Start the server

mkdir anythingmcp && cd anythingmcp
curl -fsSLo docker-compose.yml \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HelpCode-ai/anythingmcp/main/docker-compose.quickstart.yml
printf 'JWT_SECRET=%s\nENCRYPTION_KEY=%s\n' "$(openssl rand -hex 32)" "$(openssl rand -hex 32)" > .env
echo 'SSRF_ALLOWED_HOSTS=hana.internal' >> .env
docker compose up -d

Open http://localhost:3000, create the admin user, go to Connectors → Marketplace and install SAP S/4HANA (HANA SQL) with host, port (3<instance>15), tenant, schema, SAP client and the user above. The install runs a test call and tells you if the grants work.

3. Connect a client

Claude Code:

claude mcp add --transport http sap-hana http://localhost:4000/mcp --header "X-API-Key: <key>"

For claude.ai or ChatGPT, publish only the MCP endpoint over HTTPS, never the HANA port.

4. Ask

"Which company codes are in this system, and in which currency?" is a good first question. Then try "Top 10 customers by net sales in 2025, from the billing documents". Watch the tool calls: the model reads the guide and the dictionary before it writes any SQL.

What you get

10 tools: a data model guide, dictionary lookups, CDS view search, org structure, and one read-only SELECT
SET TRANSACTION READ ONLY on every session, 1,000-row cap, statement timeout, HR tables blocked
Roles per MCP server and an audit log of every call

Full guide with the complete grant list, screenshots and example questions: https://anythingmcp.com/guides/connect-sap-hana-to-claude. Code: AnythingMCP at https://github.com/HelpCode-ai/anythingmcp, the HANA connector on its own at https://github.com/HelpCode-ai/sap-hana-mcp-server

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