Connect to Live Dynamics GP Data in MicroStrategy through CData Connect Server

MicroStrategy is an analytics and mobility platform that enables data-driven innovation. When you pair MicroStrategy with CData Connect Server, you gain database-like access to live Dynamics GP data from MicroStrategy, expanding your reporting and analytics capabilities. In this article, we walk through creating a virtual database for Dynamics GP in Connect Server and connecting to Connect Server in MicroStrategy to create a simple visualization of Dynamics GP data.

As a hosted integration platform, Connect Server is ideal for working with cloud-based BI and analytics tools. With no servers to configure or data proxies to set up, you can simply use the web-based UI to create a virtual database for Dynamics GP and connect from MicroStrategy to start performing analytics based on live Dynamics GP data.

Configuring Connect Server

To work with live Dynamics GP data in MicroStrategy, we need to create a virtual database for Dynamics GP in Connect Server.

Create a Virtual MySQL Database for Dynamics GP in Connect Server

CData Connect Server uses a straightforward, point-and-click interface to connect to data sources and create virtual databases.

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

   To authenticate set the User and Password connection properties.

   To connect set the URL to the Web services endpoint; for example, http://{servername}:{port}/Dynamics/GPService. Additionally, set CompanyId; you can obtain this value in the company setup window: Click Tools -> Setup -> Company.

   By default, data summaries are not returned to save performance. Set LookupIds to true to return details such as line items; however, note that entities must be retrieved one at a time.

4. Click Save Changes
5. Click Privileges -> Add and add the new user (or an existing user) with the appropriate permissions

Connect to and Visualize Dynamics GP Data Using MicroStrategy

You can connect to Dynamics GP in MicroStrategy by adding a data source based on the native MySQL functionality. Once you have created a data source, you can build dynamic visualizations of Dynamics GP data in MicroStrategy.

1. Open MicroStrategy and select your project.
2. Click Add External Data, select Databases, and use Select Tables as the Import Option.
3. In the Import from Tables wizard, click to add a new Data Source.
4. Select MySQL in the Database menu and select MySQL 5.x in the Version menu.
5. Set the connection properties as follows:
   • Server Name: the URL for your Connect Server instance (i.e.: CONNECT_SERVER_URL)
   • Port Number: the port for your Connect Server MySQL service (3306 by default)
   • Database Name: the name of your virtual Dynamics GP database (i.e.: DynamicsGP1)
   • User: a Connect Server user with permissions to access your Dynamics GP database
   • Password: the password for your Connect Server user
   • Data Source Name: a name for the new external data source, like "Connect Server Dynamics GP"
6. Expand the menu for the new data source and choose "Edit Catalog Options"
7. Edit the "SQL statement retrieve columns ..." query to include TABLE_SCHEMA = '#?Schema_Name?#' in the WHERE clause, and click Apply and then OK (the complete query is below).
   
   

   SELECT DISTINCT 
     TABLE_SCHEMA NAME_SPACE, 
     TABLE_NAME TAB_NAME, 
     COLUMN_NAME COL_NAME, 
     (CASE 
       WHEN 
         (DATA_TYPE LIKE '%char' AND (CHARACTER_SET_NAME='utf8' OR CHARACTER_SET_NAME='ucs2')) 
       THEN 
         CONCAT('n',DATA_TYPE) 
       ELSE 
         DATA_TYPE 
     END) DATA_TYPE, 
     CHARACTER_MAXIMUM_LENGTH DATA_LEN, 
     NUMERIC_PRECISION DATA_PREC, 
     NUMERIC_SCALE DATA_SCALE 
   FROM 
     INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS 
   WHERE 
     TABLE_NAME 
   IN 
     (#TABLE_LIST#) AND TABLE_SCHEMA='#?Schema_Name?#' 
   ORDER BY 
     1,2,3
   

8. Select the new data source and select the Namespace that corresponds to your virtual Dynamics GP database (like DynamicsGP1).
9. Drag tables into the pane to import them. Note: Since we create a live connection, we can import whole tables and utilize the filtering and aggregation features native to the MicroStrategy products to customize our datasets.
10. Click Finish, choose the option to connect live, save the query, and choose the option to create a new dossier. Live connections are possible and effective, thanks to high-performance data processing native to CData Connect Server.
11. Choose a visualization, choose fields to display, and apply any filters to create a new visualization of Dynamics GP data. Data types are discovered automatically through dynamic metadata discovery. Where possible, the complex queries generated by the filters and aggregations will be pushed down to Dynamics GP, while any unsupported operations (which can include SQL functions and JOIN operations) will be managed by the CData SQL engine embedded in Connect Server.
12. Once you have finished configuring the dossier, click File -> Save.

Using CData Connect Server with MicroStrategy, you can easily create robust visualizations and reports on Dynamics GP data. For more information on creating virtual databases for Dynamics GP (and more than 200 other data sources), visit the Connect Server page. Sign up for a free trial and start working with live Dynamics GP data in MicroStrategy.