Validate Excel Online Data with QuerySurge

QuerySurge is a smart data testing solution that automates data validation and testing. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for Excel Online, QuerySurge can work with live Excel Online data. This article walks through connecting to Excel Online data from QuerySurge.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Excel Online data. When you issue complex SQL queries to Excel Online, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Excel Online and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying allows you to work with and analyze Excel Online data using native data types.

Connecting to Excel Online Data in QuerySurge

To connect to live Excel Online data from QuerySurge, you need to deploy the JDBC Driver JAR file to your QuerySurge Agent(s) and add a new connection from the QuerySurge Admin view.

Deploy the JDBC Driver

1. Download the CData JDBC Driver for Excel Online installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.
2. Once the driver is installed, stop the Agent Service.
3. Copy the JAR File (and license file if it exists) from the installation location (typically C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for Excel Online\lib\) to your Agent(s) (QuerySurge_install_dir\agent\jdbc).
4. Restart the Agent Service.

For more information on deploying JDBC drivers for QuerySurge, refer to the QuerySurge Knowledge Base.

Configure a New Connection to Excel Online

1. Log into QuerySurge and navigate to the Admin view.
2. Click Configuration -> Connections in the Administration Tree.
3. Click Add to create a new connection.
4. In the QuerySurge Connection Wizard, click Next.
5. Name the connection (e.g. CData JDBC Connection to Excel Online).
6. Set the Data Source to "All Other JDBC Connections (Connection Extensibility)" and click Next.
7. Set the Driver Class to cdata.jdbc.excelonline.ExcelOnlineDriver and click Next.

8. Set the Connection URL using the necessary connection properties to authenticate with Excel Online. Your Connection URL will look something like the following:

   jdbc:excelonline:InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH

   Built-in Connection String Designer

   For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Excel Online JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.excelonline.jar

   Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

   You can connect to a workbook by providing authentication to Excel Online and then setting the following properties:

   • Workbook: Set this to the name or Id of the workbook.

     If you want to view a list of information about the available workbooks, execute a query to the Workbooks view after you authenticate.

   • UseSandbox: Set this to true if you are connecting to a workbook in a sandbox account. Otherwise, leave this blank to connect to a production account.

   You use the OAuth authentication standard to authenticate to Excel Online. See the Getting Started section in the help documentation for a guide. Getting Started also guides you through executing SQL to worksheets and ranges.

9. Set the Test Query to enable the Test Connection button for the Connection (e.g. SELECT * FROM Test_xlsx_Sheet1 LIMIT 1) and click Next.
10. Click Test Connection to ensure the connection is configured properly and click Save to add the connection.

Once the connection is added, you can write SQL queries against your Excel Online data in QuerySurge.

Compare Excel Online Data Queries with a QueryPair

With the connection configured, you can follow the steps below to compare querying Excel Online data with a QueryPair.

1. Select "Design Library" from the Design Menu
2. Click QueryPairs under QuerySurge Design
3. Click "Create New QueryPair"
4. Name the QueryPair and click Save
5. In either the Source or Target panes, select the connection created above (select the same connection to query Excel Online twice or another connection to perform a comparison)
6. Write queries in the Editor for each pane, e.g. SELECT * FROM Test_xlsx_Sheet1
7. Click the "Design-Time Run" tab to execute the queries
8. When the query execution is finished, click "View Query Results" to see the Excel Online data returned by the query

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for Excel Online and start working with your live Excel Online data in QuerySurge. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.