Edit and Search External SAP Netweaver Gateway Objects in Salesforce Connect

CData Connect Server, enables you to access SAP Netweaver Gateway data from cloud-based applications like the Salesforce console and mobile applications like the Salesforce1 Mobile App. In this article, you will use CData Connect Server and Salesforce Connect to access external SAP Netweaver Gateway objects alongside standard Salesforce objects.

Configuring Connect Server

To work with live SAP Netweaver Gateway data in Salesforce Connect, we need to connect to SAP Netweaver Gateway from Connect Server, provide user access to the new virtual database, and create OData endpoints for the SAP Netweaver Gateway data.

Add a Connect Server User

Create a User to connect to SAP Netweaver Gateway from Reveal through Connect Server.

1. Click Users -> Add
2. Configure a User
3. Click Save Changes and make note of the Authtoken for the new user

Connect to SAP Netweaver Gateway from Connect Server

CData Connect Server uses a straightforward, point-and-click interface to connect to data sources and generate APIs.

1. Open Connect Server and click Connections
2. Select "SAP Netweaver Gateway" from Available Data Sources
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to SAP Netweaver Gateway.
   
   

   SAP Gateway allows both basic and OAuth 2.0 authentication. You can use basic authentication to connect to your own account, or you can use OAuth to enable other users to retrieve data from your service with their accounts. In addition to authenticating, set the following connection properties to access SAP Gateway tables.

   • Url: Set this to the URL of your environment, or to the full URL of the service. For example, the full URL might appear as: https://sapes5.sapdevcenter.com/sap/opu/odata/IWBEP/GWSAMPLE_BASIC/. In this example, the environment URL would just be: https://sapes5.sapdevcenter.com.
   • Namespace: Set the appropriate Service Namespace. In the example above, IWBEP is the namespace. It is optional if the full URL to the service is specified.
   • Service: Set this to the service you want to retrieve data from. In the example above, the service is GWSAMPLE_BASIC. It is not required if the full URL is specified.

   Authenticate via Basic Authentication

   In basic authentication, you use your login credentials to connect. Set the following properties:

   • User: This is the username you use to log in to SAP Gateway.
   • Password: This is the password you use to log in to SAP Gateway.

   Authenticate via OAuth Authentication

   You can connect to SAP Gateway using the embedded OAuth connectivity (without setting any additional authentication connection properties). When you connect, the OAuth endpoint opens in your browser. Log in and grant permissions to complete the OAuth process. See the OAuth section in the online Help documentation for more information on other OAuth authentication flows.

4. Click Save Changes
5. Click Privileges -> Add and add the new user (or an existing user) with the appropriate permissions (SELECT is all that is required for Reveal).

Add SAP Netweaver Gateway OData Endpoints in Connect Server

After connecting to SAP Netweaver Gateway, create OData Endpoints for the desired table(s).

1. Click OData -> Tables -> Add Tables
2. Select the SAP Netweaver Gateway database
3. Select the table(s) you wish to work with and click Next
4. (Optional) Edit the table definition to select specific fields and more
5. Save the settings

(Optional) Configure Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS)

When accessing and connecting to multiple different domains, there is a possibility of violating the limitations of cross-site scripting. In that case, configure the CORS settings in OData -> Settings.

• Enable cross-origin resource sharing (CORS): ON
• Allow all domains without '*': ON
• Access-Control-Allow-Methods: GET, PUT, POST, OPTIONS
• Access-Control-Allow-Headers: Authorization

Save the changes to the settings.

Connect to SAP Netweaver Gateway Data as an External Data Source

Follow the steps below to connect to the feed produced by the API Server.

1. Log into Salesforce and click Setup -> Integrations -> External Data Sources.
2. Click New External Data Source.
3. Enter values for the following properties:
   • External Data Source: Enter a label to be used in list views and reports.
   • Name: Enter a unique identifier.
   • Type: Select the option "Salesforce Connect: OData 4.0".

   • URL: Enter the URL to the OData endpoint of the API Server. The format of the OData URL is CONNECT_SERVER_URL/api.rsc/

4. Select the Writable External Objects option.

5. Select JSON in the Format menu.

6. In the Authentication section, set the following properties:
   • Identity Type: If all members of your organization will use the same credentials to access the API Server, select "Named Principal". If the members of your organization will connect with their own credentials, select "Per User".
   • Authentication Protocol: Select Password Authentication to use basic authentication.
   • Certificate: Enter or browse to the certificate to be used to encrypt and authenticate communications from Salesforce to your server.
   • Username: Enter the username for a user known to CData Connect Server.
   • Password: Enter the user's authtoken.

Synchronize SAP Netweaver Gateway Objects

After you have created the external data source, follow the steps below to create SAP Netweaver Gateway external objects that reflect any changes in the data source. You will synchronize the definitions for the SAP Netweaver Gateway external objects with the definitions for SAP Netweaver Gateway tables.

1. Click the link for the external data source you created.
2. Click Validate and Sync.
3. Select the SAP Netweaver Gateway tables you want to work with as external objects.

Access SAP Netweaver Gateway Data as Salesforce Objects

After adding SAP Netweaver Gateway data as an external data source and syncing SAP Netweaver Gateway tables as external objects, you can use the external SAP Netweaver Gateway objects just as you would standard Salesforce objects.

• Create a new tab with a filter list view:

• Create reports of external objects:

• Create, update, and delete SAP Netweaver Gateway objects from the Salesforce dashboard:

Simplified Access to SAP Netweaver Gateway Data from Applications

At this point, you have a direct connection to live SAP Netweaver Gateway data from Salesforce. For more information on gaining simplified access to data from more than 100 SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources in applications like Salesforce, refer to our Connect Server page.