Create Interactive Metabase Dashboards that Work with Microsoft Planner Data

Metabase is an open source data visualization tool that allows users to create interactive dashboards. When paired with CData Connect Server, users can easily create visualizations and dashboards linked to live Microsoft Planner data. This article describes how to create a virtual database for Microsoft Planner and build a simple visualization using Microsoft Planner data.

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

Create a Virtual MySQL Database for Microsoft Planner Data

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

1. Log into Connect Server and click Connections.
2. Select "Microsoft Planner" from Available Data Sources.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Microsoft Planner.

   You can connect without setting any connection properties for your user credentials. Below are the minimum connection properties required to connect.

   • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
   • Tenant (optional): Set this if you wish to authenticate to a different tenant than your default. This is required to work with an organization not on your default Tenant.

   When you connect the Driver opens the MS Planner OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the Driver. The Driver then completes the OAuth process.

   1. Extracts the access token from the callback URL and authenticates requests.
   2. Obtains a new access token when the old one expires.
   3. Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation to be persisted across connections.
4. Click Save Changes
5. Click Privileges -> Add and add the new user (or an existing user) with the appropriate permissions.

Connect to CData Connect from Metabase

After creating the virtual database, navigate to your Metabase instance. Use the MySQL interface to connect to CData Connect.

1. Navigate to the administration screen (Settings -> Admin) and click "Add Database" from the "Databases" tab
2. Configure the connection to CData Connect and click "Save"
   • Database type: Select "MySQL"
   • Name: Name the connection (e.g. "Microsoft Planner (CData Connect)")
   • Host: The URL of your Connect instance (e.g. https://CONNECT_SERVER_URL)
   • Port: The port of the MySQL endpoint for your Connect instance (e.g. 3306)
   • Database name: The name of the virtual database you just created (e.g. Microsoft Planner1)
   • Username: A CData Connect username
   • Password: The password for the above CData Connect user
   • Click to Use a secure connection (SSL)

Query Microsoft Planner Data with Metabase

Once you configure the connection to CData Connect, you can query Microsoft Planner and build visualizations.

1. Use the "Write SQL" tool to retrieve the Microsoft Planner data
2. Write a SQL query based on the virtual database, e.g.
   
   

   SELECT TaskId, startDateTime FROM Tasks WHERE TaskId = 'BCrvyMoiLEafem-3RxIESmUAHbLK'

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 Microsoft Planner data in Metabase. You can continue to work with live Microsoft Planner data in Metabase just like you would any MySQL database. For more information on creating a virtual MySQL database for Microsoft Planner (and more than 200 other data sources), visit the Connect Server page. Sign up for a free trial and start working with live Microsoft Planner data in Metabase today.