Seamlessly Bring HubDB Data into Retool Using CData Connect AI

Retool enables the rapid creation of custom internal tools using a low-code or no-code approach. By integrating HubDB into Retool with CData Connect AI, you can access live data from HubDB in real time, enabling you to build more efficient apps and streamline workflows.

This guide walks you through the simple steps to connect HubDB to Retool via CData Connect AI using OpenAPI or the Virtual SQL Server API. You can securely connect to your HubDB data, ensuring seamless integration and real-time updates, empowering you to create smarter apps and enhance operational efficiency. Let's get started!

Configure the HubDB Connectivity for Retool (in CData Connect AI)

Overview

Here is an overview of the steps:

1. Configure: (Optional) Set up your HubDB data source in CData Connect AI, add a Workspace, add assets to your Workspace, and generate a Personal Access Token (PAT).
2. Connect: Link Retool to CData Connect AI using OpenAPI or the Virtual SQL Server API.
3. Explore: Use your connected data to build smarter apps and explore advanced integrations.

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following before starting:

1. An active HubDB account and credentials.
2. A CData Connect AI account. Log in or sign up for a free trial here.
3. A Retool account. Sign up here.

Connect to HubDB from Connect AI

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

1. Log into Connect AI, click Sources, and then click Add Connection

2. Select "HubDB" from the Add Connection panel

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to HubDB.

   There are two authentication methods available for connecting to HubDB data source: OAuth Authentication with a public HubSpot application and authentication with a Private application token.

   Using a Custom OAuth App

   AuthScheme must be set to "OAuth" in all OAuth flows. Be sure to review the Help documentation for the required connection properties for you specific authentication needs (desktop applications, web applications, and headless machines).

   Follow the steps below to register an application and obtain the OAuth client credentials:

   1. Log into your HubSpot app developer account.
      • Note that it must be an app developer account. Standard HubSpot accounts cannot create public apps.
   2. On the developer account home page, click the Apps tab.
   3. Click Create app.
   4. On the App info tab, enter and optionally modify values that are displayed to users when they connect. These values include the public application name, application logo, and a description of the application.
   5. On the Auth tab, supply a callback URL in the "Redirect URLs" box.
      • If you're creating a desktop application, set this to a locally accessible URL like http://localhost:33333.
      • If you are creating a Web application, set this to a trusted URL where you want users to be redirected to when they authorize your application.
   6. Click Create App. HubSpot then generates the application, along with its associated credentials.
   7. On the Auth tab, note the Client ID and Client secret. You will use these later to configure the driver.

   8. Under Scopes, select any scopes you need for your application's intended functionality.

      A minimum of the following scopes is required to access tables:

      • hubdb
      • oauth
      • crm.objects.owners.read
   9. Click Save changes.
   10. Install the application into a production portal with access to the features that are required by the integration.
       • Under "Install URL (OAuth)", click Copy full URL to copy the installation URL for your application.
       • Navigate to the copied link in your browser. Select a standard account in which to install the application.
       • Click Connect app. You can close the resulting tab.

   Using a Private App

   To connect using a HubSpot private application token, set the AuthScheme property to "PrivateApp."

   You can generate a private application token by following the steps below:

   1. In your HubDB account, click the settings icon (the gear) in the main navigation bar.
   2. In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Integrations > Private Apps.
   3. Click Create private app.
   4. On the Basic Info tab, configure the details of your application (name, logo, and description).
   5. On the Scopes tab, select Read or Write for each scope you want your private application to be able to access.
   6. A minimum of hubdb and crm.objects.owners.read is required to access tables.
   7. After you are done configuring your application, click Create app in the top right.
   8. Review the info about your application's access token, click Continue creating, and then Show token.
   9. Click Copy to copy the private application token.

   To connect, set PrivateAppToken to the private application token you retrieved.

   
4. Click Save & Test
5. Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add HubDB Connection page and update the User-based permissions.

Add a Personal Access Token

When connecting to Connect AI through the REST API, the OData API, or the Virtual SQL Server, a Personal Access Token (PAT) is used to authenticate the connection to Connect AI. It is best practice to create a separate PAT for each service to maintain granularity of access.

1. Click on the Gear icon () at the top right of the Connect AI app to open the settings page.
2. On the Settings page, go to the Access Tokens section and click Create PAT.
3. Give the PAT a name and click Create.
4. The personal access token is only visible at creation, so be sure to copy it and store it securely for future use.

Configure HubDB Endpoints for Retool

After connecting to HubDB, create a workspace for your desired table(s).

1. Navigate to the Workspaces page and click Add to create a new Workspace (or select an existing workspace).
2. Click Add to add new assets to the Workspace.
3. Select the HubDB connection (e.g. HubDB1) and click Next.
4. Select the table(s) you wish to work with and click Confirm.
5. Make note of the OpenAPI URL or the Virtual SQL Server URL for your workspace, e.g. https://cloud.cdata.com/api/openapi/v3/{workspace_name}...

With the connection, PAT, and Workspace configured, you are ready to connect to HubDB data from Retool.

Connect Retool to HubDB in CData Connect AI

Now that you've configured your HubDB connection in CData Connect AI, it's time to integrate it with Retool.

Retool can be connected to HubDB in CData Connect AI via either OpenAPI or the Virtual SQL Server API. Choose the method that best suits your workflow:

Connect via OpenAPI

To connect using the OpenAPI specification, follow these steps:

1. On CData Connect AI, from the left-hand side, go to Workspaces then select a Workspace.
2. Click the View Endpoints, and under the OpenAPI, copy the OpenAPI URL for the workspace. Keep the default options. See OpenAPI section for more information.
3. Login to Retool and then go to the Resources tab, click Create new > Resource.
4. In the Select a resource type search bar, and search for OpenAPI.
   
5. Click OpenAPI. The Configure OpenAPI screen appears. Enter the following information to configure the OpenAPI connector:
• Name: The Connection Name to identify the connector on Retool.
• Specification URL: The OpenAPI URL you copied from the Workspace in CData Connect AI. Paste the URL here.
• Forward headers when fetching OpenAPI spec: Check this box.
• Under the URL parameters, keep the key-value pair unchanged.
• In the Headers section, write the key as Authorization and in the value, write Basic.
• For the Basic connection value, Retool requires a base64-encoded version of your CData Connect AI username:PAT combination (where PAT is the token you generated earlier). Use a tool like this to encode the value. For example, [email protected]:12345 encodes to dGVzdEBjZGF0YS5TIzNDU=. Copy this encoded value and paste it into the value field after Basic with a space.
• Username: Enter your CData Connect AI username. This is displayed in the top-right corner of the CData Connect AI interface. For example, [email protected].
• Password: Enter the PAT you generated on the Settings page.

6. Click Test connection to test your connection configuration. Once you have a successful connection, click Create resource.
7. Create the app in Retool in which to integrate your data.
8. Click Create resource query.
9. Select the new resource you created, and view the endpoints that are available.
10. You can now build your app with your live HubDB data.

Connect via Virtual SQL Server API

To connect using the Virtual SQL Server API, follow these steps:

1. Login to Retool, then go to Resources. Click Connect New at the top-right and select Resources.

2. Enter Microsoft SQL in the search bar, click the resulting option, and enter the following details:

• Name: A name for the connection to CData Connect AI.
• Host: tds.cdata.com.
• Port: 1433.
• Database Name: Enter the Connection Name of the CData Connect AI data source you want to connect to (for example, Salesforce1).
• Database Username: Enter your CData Connect AI username. This is displayed in the top-right corner of the CData Connect AI interface. For example, [email protected].
• Database Password: Enter the PAT you generated on the Settings page.

3. Click Test Connection. If the connection fails, you might need to whitelist CData Connect AI IPs for Retool and other data sources. Check out the documentation here.
4. If it succeeds, click Create Resource.
5. Your connection is now set up, and you can build your app with live HubDB data.

Build Retool Apps with Your Live HubDB Data

Now that you have integrated HubDB with Retool using CData Connect AI, it's time to utilize your live data to its full potential. Let's build a simple app:

• Step 1: Set Up the Table (on home screen)
  • Create a New App in Retool.
  • Select your HubDB connection.
  • Add a Table component and bind it to HubDB's data.
  
• Step 2: Add Filters (on top-right)
  • Add a Dropdown to filter by Opportunity Stage.
  • Add a Text Input for searching Account Name.
  
• Step 3: Display Key Metrics (below Table)
  • Add a Text component to show Total Amount of filtered opportunities.
  • Use a query to sum the Amount for filtered data.
• Step 4: Add Visuals (top-right or side panel)
  • Add a Bar Chart to visualize opportunities by Stage.
  • Add a Line Chart to show Expected Revenue over time.
• Step 5: Test and Deploy (top-right)
  • Test filters, search, and charts.
  • Deploy the app and share the link for access.

With these steps, you've successfully created a dynamic app to manage and visualize your Salesforce opportunities. Enjoy exploring your live data and leveraging it for better insights!

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