Edit and Search Excel Online External Objects

The CData API Server, when paired with the ADO.NET Provider for Excel Online (or any of 200+ other ADO.NET Providers), enables you to access Excel Online 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 Excel Online external objects alongside standard Salesforce objects.

Set Up the API Server

Follow the steps below to begin producing secure Excel Online OData services:

Deploy

The API Server runs on your own server. On Windows, you can deploy using the stand-alone server or IIS. On a Java servlet container, drop in the API Server WAR file. See the help documentation for more information and how-tos. You can find guides to deploying the API Server on Azure, Amazon EC2, and Heroku in the CData KB.

Connect to Excel Online

After you deploy the API Server and the ADO.NET Provider for Excel Online, provide authentication values and other connection properties needed to connect to Excel Online by clicking Settings -> Connection and adding a new connection in the API Server administration console.

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.

You can then choose the Excel Online entities you want to allow the API Server access to by clicking Settings -> Resources.

Authorize API Server Users

After determining the OData services you want to produce, authorize users by clicking Settings -> Users. The API Server uses authtoken-based authentication and supports the major authentication schemes. Access can also be restricted based on IP address; by default, only connections to the local machine are allowed. You can authenticate as well as encrypt connections with SSL.

Connect to Excel Online 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 Excel Online Objects

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

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

Access Excel Online Data as Salesforce Objects

After adding Excel Online data as an external data source and syncing Excel Online tables with Excel Online 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 Excel Online external objects alongside standard Salesforce objects:

• Create, read, update, and delete Excel Online 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.