Discover how a bimodal integration strategy can address the major data management challenges facing your organization today.
Get the Report →How to create an RPA flow for Microsoft Project Data in UiPath Studio
Use the Microsoft Project ODBC Driver to create workflows that access real-time Microsoft Project data without any coding.
UiPath is a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platform with rich features and an easy-to-use UI that enables non-developers to create process automation. By using UiPath Studio, you can build an RPA program just like drawing a diagram. With the CData ODBC Driver for MS Project, users can embed Microsoft Project data in the workflow.
This article walks through using the Microsoft Project ODBC Driver in UiPath Studio to create an RPA program that accesses Microsoft Project data.
Configure the Connection to Microsoft Project
If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.
The User and Password properties, under the Authentication section, must be set to valid Microsoft Project user credentials. In addition, you will need to specify a URL to a valid Microsoft Project server organization root or Microsoft Project services file.
Connect UiPath Studio to Microsoft Project Data
Now you are ready to use Microsoft Project data ODBC DSN in UiPath Studio with the following steps.
- From the Start page, click Blank to create a New Project.
- Click Manage Packages then search for and install UiPath.Database.Activities.
- Navigate to the Activities and drop a Flowchart (Workflow -> Flowchart -> Flowchart) onto the process.
- Drop a database Connect activity (App Integration -> Datbase -> Connect) after the Start activity.
- Double-click the Connect activity and configure the Connection.
- Click the Connection Wizard
- Select "Microsoft ODBC Data Source"
- In Connection Properties, select your DSN (CData MicrosoftProject Source) and click OK
- To store Connection info, create a variable and bind to Output in the Properties section. Choose DatabaseConnection in Output.
Create an Execute Query Activity
With the connection configured, we are ready to query Microsoft Project data in our RPA.
- From the Activities navigation, select Execute Query and drop it on the Flowchart.
- Double-click the Execute Query activity and set the properties as follows:
- ExistingDbConnection: Your Connection variable
- Sql: SELECT statement like SELECT ProjectName, ProjectActualCost FROM Projects
- DataTable: Create and use a variable with the Type System.Data.DataTable
Create Write CSV Activity
With the Connection and Execute Query activities configured, we are ready to add a Write CSV activity to the Flowchart to replicate the Microsoft Project data.
- From the Activities navigation, select Write CSV and drop it after the Execute Query activity.
- Double-click the Write CSV activity and set the properties as follows:
- FilePath: Set to a file (new or existing) on disk (i.e.: C:\UiPath[id]-data.csv
- DataTable: Set to the DataTable variable you created earlier
Connect the Activities and Run the Flowchart
If they are not already connected, connect each Activity that you created to complete the RPA project for extracting Microsoft Project data and exporting it to CSV.
Click Run to extract Microsoft Project data and create a CSV file.
In this article, we used the CData ODBC Driver for MS Project to create an automation flow that accesses Microsoft Project data in UiPath Studio. Download a free, 30-day trial of the ODBC Driver and start working with live Microsoft Project data in UiPath Studio today!