Edit and Search Airtable External Objects in Salesforce Connect (API Server)

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

Set Up the API Server

If you have not already done so, download the CData API Server. Once you have installed the API Server, follow the steps below to begin producing secure Airtable OData services:

Connect to Airtable

To work with Airtable data from Salesforce Connect, we start by creating and configuring a Airtable connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to Airtable data:

1. First, navigate to the Connections page.
2. Click Add Connection and then search for and select the Airtable connection.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Airtable.

   APIKey, BaseId and TableNames parameters are required to connect to Airtable. ViewNames is an optional parameter where views of the tables may be specified.

   • APIKey : API Key of your account. To obtain this value, after logging in go to Account. In API section click Generate API key.
   • BaseId : Id of your base. To obtain this value, it is in the same section as the APIKey. Click on Airtable API, or navigate to https://airtable.com/api and select a base. In the introduction section you can find "The ID of this base is appxxN2ftedc0nEG7."
   • TableNames : A comma separated list of table names for the selected base. These are the same names of tables as found in the UI.
   • ViewNames : A comma separated list of views in the format of (table.view) names. These are the same names of the views as found in the UI.
   
4. After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your Airtable data through the API Server. You can add and configure users on the Users page. Follow the steps below to configure and create a user:

1. On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
2. Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User.
3. An Authtoken is then generated for the user. You can find the Authtoken and other information for each user on the Users page:

Creating API Endpoints for Airtable

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the Airtable tables:

1. First, navigate to the API page and then click Add Table .
2. Select the connection you wish to access and click Next.
3. With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm.

Gather the OData Url

Having configured a connection to Airtable data, created a user, and added resources to the API Server, you now have an easily accessible REST API based on the OData protocol for those resources. From the API page in API Server, you can view and copy the API Endpoints for the API:

Connect to Airtable 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 -> Develop -> 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 https://your-server:your-port/api.rsc.

     Note that plain-text is suitable for only testing; for production, use TLS.

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 the API Server.
   • Password: Enter the user's authtoken.

Synchronize Airtable Objects

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

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

Access Airtable Data as Salesforce Objects

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

• Create a new tab with a filter list view:

  

• Display related lists of Airtable external objects alongside standard Salesforce objects:

  
• Create, read, update, and delete Airtable objects from tabs on the Salesforce dashboard:

Troubleshooting

You can use the following checklist to avoid typical connection problems:

• Ensure that your server has a publicly accessible IP address. Related to this check, but one layer up, at the operating system layer, you will also need to ensure that your firewall has an opening for the port the API Server is running on. At the application layer, ensure that you have added trusted IP addresses on the Settings -> Security tab of the administration console.
• Ensure that you are using a connection secured by an SSL certificate from a commercial, trusted CA. Salesforce does not currently accept self-signed certificates or internal CAs.

• Ensure that the server you are hosting the API Server on is using TLS 1.1 or above. If you are using the .NET API Server, you can accomplish this by using the .NET API Server's embedded server.

  If you are using IIS, TLS 1.1 and 1.2 are supported but not enabled by default. To enable these protocols, refer to the how-to on MSDN and the Microsoft technical reference.

  If you are using the Java edition, note that TLS 1.2 is enabled by default in Java 8 but not in Java 6 or 7. If you are using these earlier versions, you can refer to this this Oracle how-to.