Extend Google Sheets with Dynamics 365 Business Central Data

Interact with Dynamics 365 Business Central data from Google Sheets through macros, custom functions, and add-ons. The CData API Server enables connectivity to Dynamics 365 Business Central data from cloud-based and mobile applications like Google Sheets. The API Server is a lightweight Web application that produces OData services for Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Google Apps Script can consume these OData services in the JSON format. This article shows how to create a simple add-on that populates a Google Spreadsheet with Accounts data and, as you make changes, executes updates to Dynamics 365 Business Central data.

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 Dynamics 365 Business Central OData services:

Connect to Dynamics 365 Business Central

To work with Dynamics 365 Business Central data from Google Sheets, we start by creating and configuring a Dynamics 365 Business Central connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to Dynamics 365 Business Central data:

1. First, navigate to the Connections page.
2. Click Add Connection and then search for and select the Dynamics 365 Business Central connection.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Dynamics 365 Business Central.

   To authenticate to Dynamics 365 Business Central, you must select an AuthScheme and provide the required properties.To authenticate with an Access Key, set AuthScheme to "AccessKey" and provide the User and AccessKey properties.

   To obtain the User and AccessKey values, navigate to the Users page in Dynamics 365 Business Central and then click on Edit. The User Name and Web Service Access Key values are what you will enter as the User and AccessKey connection string properties. Note that the User Name is not your email address. It is a shortened user name.

   Additionally, specify OrganizationUrl. If you have multiple companies in your organization, you must also specify the Company to indicate which company you would like to connect to. Company does not need to be specified if you have only one company.

   If you wish to authenticate through other methods, refer to the Help documentation.

   
4. After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your Dynamics 365 Business Central 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 Dynamics 365 Business Central

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the Dynamics 365 Business Central 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 Dynamics 365 Business Central 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:

Retrieve Dynamics 365 Business Central Data

Open the Script Editor from your spreadsheet by clicking Tools -> Script Editor. In the Script Editor, add the following function to populate a spreadsheet with the results of an OData query:

function retrieve(){
  var url = "https://MyUrl/api.rsc/Accounts?select=Id,accountid,Name,Name";
  var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
    headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
  }); 
  var json = response.getContentText();
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  var a1 = sheet.getRange('a1');
  var index=1;
  var accounts = JSON.parse(json).value;

  var cols = [["Id","accountid","Name","Name"]]; 
  sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);

  row=2;
  for(var i in accounts){
    for (var j in accounts[i]) {
      switch (j) {
        case "Id":
          a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "accountid":
          a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "Name":
          a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "Name":
          a1.offset(row,3).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
      }      
    }
    row++;
  }
}

Follow the steps below to add an installable trigger to populate the spreadsheet when opened:

1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers -> Add a New Trigger.
2. Select retrieve in the Run menu.
3. Select From Spreadsheet.
4. Select On open.

After closing the dialog, you are prompted to allow access to the application.

Post Changes to Dynamics 365 Business Central Data

Add the following function to post changes to cells back to the API Server:

function buildReq(e){
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  var changes = e.range;
  var id = sheet.getRange(changes.getRow(),1).getValue();
  var col = sheet.getRange(1,changes.getColumn()).getValue();
  
  var url = "http://MyServer/api.rsc/Accounts("+id+")";
  var putdata = "{\"@odata.type\" : \"CDataAPI.Accounts\",  \""+col+"\": \""+changes.getValue()+"\"}";;
  UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
    method: "put",
    contentType: "application/json",
    payload: putdata,
    headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
  });

}

Follow the steps below to add the update trigger:

1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers.
2. Select buildReq in the Run menu.
3. Select From Spreadsheet.
4. Select On edit.

You can test the script by clicking Publish -> Test as Add-On. Select the version, installation type, and spreadsheet to create a test configuration. You can then select and run the test configuration.

As you make changes to cells, the API Server executes updates to Dynamics 365 Business Central data.