Easysoft ODBC-Salesforce Driver

How do I connect SAP BusinessObjects to Salesforce?

Article:
01080
Last Reviewed:
30th January 2024
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1

Use the Salesforce ODBC driver to publish Salesforce data in a BusinessObjects repository and access that data from a BusinessObjects client tool.

Install the Salesforce ODBC Driver
  1. Download the Salesforce ODBC driver for your Windows platform.
  2. Install and license the Salesforce ODBC driver on both the BusinessObjects Server and client tools machines.

    To do this, execute the file distribution that you downloaded in the previous step, and follow the on screen instructions.

    The install program starts the Easysoft License Manager, because you cannot use the Salesforce ODBC Driver until a license is obtained.

    The following types of license are available:

    • Free time-limited trial license which gives you free and unrestricted use of the product for a limited period (usually 14 days).
    • Full license if you have purchased the product. On purchasing the product you are given an authorization code, which you use to obtain a license
  3. In Easysoft License Manager, enter your details.

    You MUST enter the Name, E-Mail Address and Company fields.

    The E-Mail Address MUST be the same as the address used to register and download from the Easysoft web site or you will be unable to obtain trial licenses.

  4. Choose Request License.

    You are asked for a license type.

  5. Do one of the following:
    • For a trial license click Time Limited Trial and then click Next.

      The License Manager asks what software you are licensing. Select from the drop-down list and then click Next.

    • If you have obtained an authorization code for a purchased license, select Non-expiring License and then click Next.

      The License Manager requests your authorization code.

      Enter the authorization code and then click Next.

  6. The License Manager displays a summary of the information you entered and allows you to choose the method of applying for your license.
  7. Do one of the following:
    • Choose On-line Request if your machine is connected to the internet and can make outgoing connections to port 8884.

      The License Manager then sends a request to the Easysoft license server to activate your license key automatically. This is the quickest method and results in your details being entered immediately into our support database.

    • The remaining three options (Email Request, Print Request and View Request) are all ways to obtain a license if your machine is off-line (i.e. does not have a connection to the internet).

      Each of these methods involves providing Easysoft with information including your machine number (a number unique to your machine) and then waiting to receive your license key.

      Instead of emailing your details to Easysoft, you can enter them directly at the Easysoft web site and your license key will be emailed to you automatically.

      To use this method, click View Request, and then visit:

      In the Licensing page, enter your machine number (and authorization code for purchased license), click Submit and your license key will be emailed to you.

      When you receive the license key, you can activate it either by double-clicking the email attachment or by clicking Enter License on the License Manager main screen and pasting the license key into the dialog box.

    • Choose Finish to exit the License Manager.

      The installation is complete.

Configure an ODBC Data Source

Before you can use the Salesforce ODBC Driver to connect your application to Salesforce, you need to configure an ODBC data source. An ODBC data source stores the connection details for the target database (e.g. Salesforce) and the ODBC driver that is required to connect to it (e.g. the Salesforce ODBC driver).

You configure ODBC data sources in ODBC Administrator, which is included with Windows.

There are two versions of ODBC Administrator. The version of ODBC Administrator that you need to run depends on whether the application you want to connect to Salesforce is 32-bit or 64-bit. For SAP BusinessObjects, Central Management Server is a 64-bit application. Business View Manager, Information Design Tool and Web Intelligence Rich Client are 32-bit applications.

To run the 64-bit version of ODBC Administrator, in the Windows Run dialog box, type:

%windir%\system32\odbcad32.exe

To run the 32-bit version of ODBC Administrator, in the Windows Run dialog box, type:

%windir%\syswow64\odbcad32.exe

Use ODBC Administrator to create a Salesforce ODBC Driver data source:

  1. Choose the System DSN tab, and then choose Add.
  2. In the Create New Data Source dialog box, choose Easysoft ODBC-Salesforce Driver, and then choose Finish.
  3. Complete these fields Easysoft ODBC-Salesforce Driver DSN Setup dialog box:
    Setting Value
    DSN Salesforce
    User Name The name of your Salesforce user. For example, myuser@mydomain.com.
    Password The password for your Salesforce user.
    Token The security token for your Salesforce user, if required.

    To find out whether you need to supply a security token, choose the Test button. If the connection attempt fails with an error which contains LOGIN_MUST_USE_SECURITY_TOKEN, you need to supply one.

    Salesforce emails the security token to the email address associated with your Salesforce user account. If you have not received a security token, you can regenerate it. Salesforce will then email the new security token to you. To regenerate your security token, log in to Salesforce and then choose Setup from the user menu. Search for "security token" in the Quick Find box. Click Reset Security Token in the Reset Security Token page. When you receive the token in your email client, copy it and then paste it into the Token field.

  4. Use the Test button to verify that you can successfully connect to Salesforce.
Connect SAP BusinessObjects to Salesforce

These instructions show you how to publish Salesforce data in a BusinessObjects repository and access that data from a BusinessObjects client tool. You need to install the Salesforce ODBC driver on both the BusinessObjects Server and client tools machines. You need to configure a Salesforce ODBC driver System data source with the same name on both these machines.

Note The BusinessObjects Central Management Server is a 64-bit application, and so you need to configure the data source in the 64-bit ODBC Administrator. The BusinessObjects client tools are 32-bit applications, and so you need to configure the data source in the 32-bit ODBC Administrator.

  1. On the BusinessObjects Client tools machine, start the Information Design Tool.
  2. On the File menu, choose New, and then choose Project.

    The New Project dialog box is displayed.

  3. Enter "Salesforce" in the space provided and then choose Finish.
  4. On the Window menu, choose Repository Resources to make the Repository Resources pane visible.
  5. In the Repository Resources pane, choose the + icon, and then choose Insert Session.
  6. Log in to your BusinessObjects Central Management Server when prompted.
  7. Expand the node for the new session, right-click on the Connections folder, and then choose Insert Relational Connection.

    The New Relational Connection dialog box is displayed.

  8. Enter Salesforce in the space provided and then choose Next.
  9. In the database middleware list, expand Generic, expand Generic ODBC3 datasource, choose ODBC Drivers, and then choose Next.

    The New Relational Connection dialog box is displayed.

  10. In the Data Source Name list, choose the Salesforce ODBC data source that you created on the BusinessObjects Central Management Server, and then choose Finish.
  11. In the Repository Resources pane, expand the Connections list, right-click Salesforce and then choose Create Relational Connection Shortcut. Double-click Salesforce when prompted to choose a project.
  12. In the Local Projects pane, right-click Salesforce, choose New and then choose New Data Foundation.

    The New Data Foundation dialog box is displayed.

  13. Enter "Salesforce" in the Resource Name box, and then choose Next.
  14. Choose Single Source, and then choose Next.
  15. Select Salesforce in the Select Connection list, and then choose Finish.
  16. In the Connection pane, expose the Airline table.
  17. Drag the Account table from the Connection pane to the Master pane.
  18. On the File menu, choose Save.
  19. In the Local Projects pane, right-click Salesforce, choose New and then choose New Business Layer.

    The New Business Layer dialog box is displayed.

  20. Select Relational Data Foundation, and then choose Next.
  21. Enter "Saleforce" in the Resource Name box, and then choose Next.
  22. Select Salesforce.dfx in the Select data foundation list, and then choose Finish.
  23. In the Business Layer pane, expose the columns in the Account table.
  24. In the Local Projects pane, right-click Salesforce.blx, click Publish, and then click To A Repository.

    The Publish Universe wizard starts.

  25. Choose Next, and then choose Finish.

    Your Universe is now available to the various BusinessObjects reporting tools. The remaining steps in this section will use Web Intelligence Rich Client to illustrate this.

  26. On the BusinessObjects Client tools machine, start the Web Intelligence Rich Client.
  27. In the New Document pane, in the Choose a data source to create a document section choose More.
  28. Log in to your BusinessObjects Central Management Server when prompted.

    The Universe dialog box is displayed.

  29. Select Salesforce.unx and then choose Select.

    Query Panel starts.

  30. Drag the Airline table from the Universe outline pane to the Result objects pane.
  31. Choose the Run Query button.

    The Salesforce data is displayed in the Web Intelligence document.

Applies To

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