Build Semantic Layer Views for Salesforce Data Cloud Data in APOS Live Data Gateway

APOS Live Data Gateway (LDG) serves as a data connection and data transformation solution, facilitating live data connectivity and broadening data source possibilities for SAP Analytics Cloud and other SAP solutions. When integrated with CData Connect AI, users have the capability to construct semantic layer views for real-time access to Salesforce Data Cloud data, enabling real-time analytics on Salesforce Data Cloud in a manner akin to working with a relational database.

CData Connect AI offers a dedicated SQL Server interface for Salesforce Data Cloud, enabling data querying directly from Salesforce Data Cloud without the need to replicate data to a native database. With pre-optimized data processing capabilities, CData Connect AI efficiently directs all supported SQL operations, including filters and JOINs, directly to Salesforce Data Cloud. This harnesses server-side processing to swiftly retrieve the requested Salesforce Data Cloud data.

Configure Salesforce Data Cloud Connectivity for APOS Live Data Gateway

Connectivity to Salesforce Data Cloud from APOS Live Data Gateway is made possible through CData Connect AI. To work with Salesforce Data Cloud data from APOS Live Data Gateway, we start by creating and configuring a Salesforce Data Cloud connection.

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

2. Select "Salesforce Data Cloud" from the Add Connection panel

3. Salesforce Data Cloud uses OAuth to authenticate. Click "Sign in" to authenticate with Salesforce Data Cloud.
4. Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add Salesforce Data Cloud 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 Salesforce Data Cloud data in the APOS Live Data Gateway.

Connecting to Salesforce Data Cloud & Creating a Semantic Layer View

After configuring the connection in CData Connect AI you are ready to connect to Salesforce Data Cloud in the Live Data Gateway Admin tool and build a semantic layer view in the Live Data Gateway Web UI.

Configuring the Connection to Salesforce Data Cloud

1. Log into your APOS Live Data Gateway Manager
2. If you haven't already, update your APOS LDG license file
   1. Click File -> Configurations
   2. Click on the "..." Menu for the License
   3. Select the license file from the APOS team that includes your CData Connect AI license
3. In the APOS Live Data Gateway Manager, click "Add"
4. In the APOS Live Data Gateway On the Connection tab, configure the connection:
   • Set Data Source to "Database"
   • Set Database to "JDBC Generic"
   • Set Connection String to a connection string similar to the following, using the name of the connection you configured earlier, e.g.

     jdbc:sqlserver://tds.cdata.com:14333;databaseName=SalesforceDataCloud1

   • Set Driver Class to "com.CData.connect.Driver" (this should be set by default)
   
5. Click Test Connection
6. Click Save
7. Give your connection a unique prefix (e.g. "salesforcedatacloud")
8. Highlight the newly created connection and click File -> "Approve Users For Web UI"
9. Approve the appropriate DB users to create views and click "Save"

At this point, we are ready to build our semantic layer view in the Live Data Gateway Web UI.

Creating a Semantic Layer View

1. In your browser, navigate to the APOS Live Data Gateway Portal
2. Select a Connection (e.g. "salesforcedatacloud")
3. Set User Name and Password to your Connect AI username and PAT .
4. Click "Login"
5. Once connected, click "Semantic Layer" to create a new semantic layer view
6. Click "New Semantic Layer View"
7. Set the Semantic Layer View Prefix and Semantic Layer View Name
8. Click "Step 2"
9. Select the table(s) and column(s) you wish to include in your view
10. Click "Step 3"
11. Select the Measures from the available table columns
12. Click "Step 5" (we skipped the "Extra Dimensions" step)
13. Add any Variable Prompts
14. Click "Step 6"
15. Define any Table Joins
16. Click "Review"
17. Review you semantic layer view and click "Save"

With the Semantic Layer View created, you are ready to access your Salesforce Data Cloud data through the APOS Live Data Gateway, enabling real-time data connectivity to Salesforce Data Cloud data from SAP Analytics Cloud and other SAP solutions.

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