---
type: concept
x-llmwiki:
  schemaVersion: "0.1"
  contentHash: 49aa6f04d0ddeb17e3cdbf1493dc65d9a0f04bcf867d44a7e126adbbe6f11cc8
  pageDirectory: concepts
  sources:
    - grant-sap-business-data-cloud-bdc-recipients-access-to-opensharing-data-shares-databricks-on-aws.md
  confidence: 0.9
  provenanceState: extracted
  freshnessStatus: unverified
  aliases:
    - core-schema-notation-csn
    - CSN(
    - Core Schema Notation
    - core-schema-notation-csn-for-sap-bdc
    - CSN(FSB
  citations:
    - file: grant-sap-business-data-cloud-bdc-recipients-access-to-opensharing-data-shares-databricks-on-aws.md
title: Core Schema Notation (CSN)
description: A schema description format used to describe Databricks Delta Shares to SAP BDC so that SAP BDC users can read and understand the shared data assets.
tags:
  - schema
  - metadata
  - sap-bdc
timestamp: "2026-06-19T10:45:59.855Z"
---

# Core Schema Notation (CSN)

**Core Schema Notation (CSN)** is a notation used to describe data shares in a format that SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) recipients can read. It is employed when sharing data assets from a Databricks workspace to an SAP BDC account via the [OpenSharing](/concepts/opensharing.md) protocol.

## Overview

After granting an SAP BDC recipient access to a share (a collection of tables or views), the share must be described in Core Schema Notation so that the SAP BDC users can consume the shared data. This description is generated by running a notebook that uses the [SAP BDC SDK](https://pypi.org/project/sap-bdc-connect-sdk/). ^[grant-sap-business-data-cloud-bdc-recipients-access-to-opensharing-data-shares-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Usage

CSN is not defined in the available source material beyond its role in the sharing workflow. The typical steps involving CSN are:

1. A share with data assets is created (any shared table must have a primary key or identity column).
2. The SAP BDC recipient is granted access to the share.
3. A notebook employing the SAP BDC SDK is executed to describe the share in Core Schema Notation, making the schema interpretable by SAP BDC systems.

The SAP BDC SDK takes care of translating the Databricks share metadata into the CSN format. ^[grant-sap-business-data-cloud-bdc-recipients-access-to-opensharing-data-shares-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Related Concepts

- [OpenSharing](/concepts/opensharing.md) – The protocol for sharing data assets with external platforms.
- SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) – The target recipient system that consumes CSN-described shares.
- [Delta Sharing](/concepts/delta-sharing.md) – The underlying sharing framework that enables OpenSharing.
- [SAP BDC Connector](/concepts/sap-bdc-connector.md) – The connection object that links a Databricks workspace to an SAP BDC account.

## Sources

- grant-sap-business-data-cloud-bdc-recipients-access-to-opensharing-data-shares-databricks-on-aws.md

# Citations

1. [grant-sap-business-data-cloud-bdc-recipients-access-to-opensharing-data-shares-databricks-on-aws.md](/references/grant-sap-business-data-cloud-bdc-recipients-access-to-opensharing-data-shares-databricks-on-aws-7790bd51.md)
