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Consume QuickBooks OData Feeds in SAP Lumira
Use the API Server to create data visualizations on QuickBooks feeds that reflect any changes in SAP Lumira.
You can use the CData API Server to create data visualizations based on QuickBooks data in SAP Lumira. The API Server enables connectivity to live data: dashboards and reports can be refreshed on demand. This article shows how to create a chart that is always up to date.
About QuickBooks Data Integration
CData simplifies access and integration of live QuickBooks data. Our customers leverage CData connectivity to:
- Access both local and remote company files.
- Connect across editions and regions: QuickBooks Premier, Professional, Enterprise, and Simple Start edition 2002+, as well as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and UK editions from 2003+.
- Use SQL stored procedures to perform actions like voiding or clearing transactions, merging lists, searching entities, and more.
Customers regularly integrate their QuickBooks data with preferred tools, like Power BI, Tableau, or Excel, and integrate QuickBooks data into their database or data warehouse.
Getting Started
Set Up the API Server
If you have not already done so, download the CData API Server. Once you have installed the API Server, follow the steps below to begin producing secure QuickBooks OData services:
Connect to QuickBooks
To work with QuickBooks data from SAP Lumira, we start by creating and configuring a QuickBooks connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to QuickBooks data:
- First, navigate to the Connections page.
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Click Add Connection and then search for and select the QuickBooks connection.
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Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to QuickBooks.
When you are connecting to a local QuickBooks instance, you do not need to set any connection properties.
Requests are made to QuickBooks through the Remote Connector. The Remote Connector runs on the same machine as QuickBooks and accepts connections through a lightweight, embedded Web server. The server supports SSL/TLS, enabling users to connect securely from remote machines.
The first time you connect, authorize the Remote Connector with QuickBooks. See the "Getting Started" chapter of the help documentation for a guide.
- After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.
Configure API Server Users
Next, create a user to access your QuickBooks data through the API Server. You can add and configure users on the Users page. Follow the steps below to configure and create a user:
- On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
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Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User.
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An Authtoken is then generated for the user. You can find the Authtoken and other information for each user on the Users page:
Creating API Endpoints for QuickBooks
Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the QuickBooks tables:
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First, navigate to the API page and then click
Add Table
.
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Select the connection you wish to access and click Next.
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With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm.
Gather the OData Url
Having configured a connection to QuickBooks data, created a user, and added resources to the API Server, you now have an easily accessible REST API based on the OData protocol for those resources. From the API page in API Server, you can view and copy the API Endpoints for the API:
Connect to QuickBooks from SAP Lumira
Follow the steps below to retrieve QuickBooks data into SAP Lumira. You can execute an SQL query or use the UI.
- In SAP Lumira, click File -> New -> Query with SQL. The Add New Dataset dialog is displayed.
- Expand the Generic section and click the Generic OData 2.0 Connector option.
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In the Service Root URI box, enter the OData endpoint of the API Server. This URL will resemble the following:
https://your-server:8080/api.rsc
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In the User Name and Password boxes, enter the username and authtoken of an API user. These credentials will be used in HTTP Basic authentication.
Select entities in the tree or enter an SQL query. This article imports QuickBooks Customers entities.
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When you click Connect, SAP Lumira will generate the corresponding OData request and load the results into memory. You can then use any of the data processing tools available in SAP Lumira, such as filters, aggregates, and summary functions.
Create Data Visualizations
After you have imported the data, you can create data visualizations in the Visualize room. Follow the steps below to create a basic chart.
In the Measures and Dimensions pane, drag measures and dimensions onto the x-axis and y-axis fields in the Visualization Tools pane. SAP Lumira automatically detects dimensions and measures from the metadata service of the API Server.
By default, the SUM function is applied to all measures. Click the gear icon next to a measure to change the default summary.
- In the Visualization Tools pane, select the chart type.
- In the Chart Canvas pane, apply filters, sort by measures, add rankings, and update the chart with the current QuickBooks data.
