How to integrate Metabase with JD Edwards Data

Metabase is an open source data visualization tool that allows users to create interactive dashboards. When paired with CData Connect AI, users can easily create visualizations and dashboards linked to live JD Edwards data. This article describes how to connect to JD Edwards and build a simple visualization using JD Edwards data.

CData Connect provides a pure cloud-to-cloud interface for JD Edwards, allowing you to easily integrate with live JD Edwards data in Metabase — without replicating the data. Connect looks exactly like a SQL Server database to Metabase and uses optimized data processing out of the box to push all supported SQL operations (filters, JOINs, etc) directly to JD Edwards, leveraging server-side processing to quickly return JD Edwards data.

Configure JD Edwards Connectivity for Metabase

Connectivity to JD Edwards from Metabase is made possible through CData Connect AI. To work with JD Edwards data from Metabase, we start by creating and configuring a JD Edwards connection.

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

2. Select "JD Edwards" from the Add Connection panel

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to JD Edwards.

   The driver connects to JD Edwards through your Application Interface Services (AIS) Server. Set the following connection properties:

   • URL: The base HTTPS URL of your AIS Server (e.g., https://jde-ais.example.com:8300).
   • User: Your JD Edwards username.
   • Password: Your JD Edwards password.
   • Environment (optional): The JD Edwards environment to use (e.g., PD920 for production or DV920 for development). If not specified, the AIS Server's default environment is used.
   • Role (optional): The JD Edwards role for the session. If not specified, the AIS Server's default role is used.
   • DeviceName (optional): An identifier for the connecting device or application, used for auditing and logging on the AIS Server.
   • Jasserver (optional): The specific Java Application Server (JAS) instance to route requests through, useful in clustered environments.

   Choosing Which Data Is Exposed

   JD Edwards organizes tables and business views by System Code, and the driver exposes each System Code as its own schema. Use these properties to control which schemas are available:

   • DataModel: One or more ERP modules (comma-separated) whose System Codes are exposed as schemas, or All to expose every System Code in the connected instance. Defaults to FinancialManagement.
   • SystemCodes: A comma-separated list of additional System Codes to expose alongside those from DataModel (e.g., 42,43).

   When you connect, the driver sends your credentials to the AIS Server to obtain a session token and caches it. The driver requests a new token automatically before the session expires.

   
4. Click Save & Test
5. Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add JD Edwards 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.

With the connection configured and a PAT generated, you are ready to connect to JD Edwards data from Metabase.

Connect to CData Connect AI from Metabase

After creating the connection in Connect AI, navigate to your Metabase instance. Use the SQL Server interface to connect to Connect AI.

1. Navigate to the administration screen (Settings -> Admin) and click "Add Database" from the "Databases" tab
2. Configure the connection to Connect AI and click "Save"
   • Database type: Select "SQL Server"
   • Name: Name the connection (e.g. "JD Edwards (Connect AI)")
   • Host: tds.cdata.com
   • Port: 14333
   • Database name: The name of the connection you just created (e.g. JDEdwards1)
   • Username: A Connect AI username (e.g. [email protected])
   • Password: The PAT previously created
   • Click to Use a secure connection (SSL)
   

Execute JD Edwards Data with Metabase

Once you configure the connection to Connect AI, you can query JD Edwards and build visualizations.

1. Use the "Write SQL" tool to retrieve the JD Edwards data
2. Write a SQL query based on the JD Edwards connection in CData Connect AI, e.g.
   
   

   SELECT DocumentNumber, Amount FROM AccountsPayable.AccountLedger WHERE BusinessUnit = '100'

   
3. Navigate to the "Visualization" screen, choose a visualization, and configure the visualization

More Information & Free Trial

At this point, you have built a simple visualization from JD Edwards data in Metabase. You can continue to work with live JD Edwards data in Metabase just like you would any SQL Server database. For more information on creating a live connection to JD Edwards (and more than 100 other data sources), visit the Connect AI page. Sign up for a free trial and start working with live JD Edwards data in Metabase today.