Extend Google Sheets with Salesforce Data 360 Data

Interact with Salesforce Data 360 data from Google Sheets through macros, custom functions, and add-ons. The CData API Server enables connectivity to Salesforce Data 360 data from cloud-based and mobile applications like Google Sheets. The API Server is a lightweight Web application that produces OData services for Salesforce Data 360.

Google Apps Script can consume these OData services in the JSON format. This article shows how to create a simple add-on that populates a Google Spreadsheet with Account data.

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 Salesforce Data 360 OData services:

Connect to Salesforce Data 360

To work with Salesforce Data 360 data from Google Sheets, we start by creating and configuring a Salesforce Data 360 connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to Salesforce Data 360 data:

1. First, navigate to the Connections page.
2. Click Add Connection and then search for and select the Salesforce Data 360 connection.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Salesforce Data 360.

   Salesforce Data 360 supports authentication via the OAuth standard.

   OAuth

   Set AuthScheme to OAuth.

   Desktop Applications

   CData provides an embedded OAuth application that simplifies authentication at the desktop.

   You can also authenticate from the desktop via a custom OAuth application, which you configure and register at the Salesforce Data 360 console. For further information, see Creating a Custom OAuth App in the Help documentation.

   Before you connect, set these properties:

   • InitiateOAuth: GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
   • OAuthClientId (custom applications only): The Client ID assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.
   • OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): The Client Secret assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.

   When you connect, the driver opens Salesforce Data 360's OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application.

   The driver then completes the OAuth process as follows:

   • Extracts the access token from the callback URL.
   • Obtains a new access token when the old one expires.
   • Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation so that they persist across connections.

   For other OAuth methods, including Web Applications and Headless Machines, refer to the Help documentation.

   
4. After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your Salesforce Data 360 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:

1. On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
2. Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User.
3. 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 Salesforce Data 360

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the Salesforce Data 360 tables:

1. First, navigate to the API page and then click Add Table .
2. Select the connection you wish to access and click Next.
3. With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm.

Gather the OData Url

Having configured a connection to Salesforce Data 360 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:

Retrieve Salesforce Data 360 Data

Open the Script Editor from your spreadsheet by clicking Tools -> Script Editor. In the Script Editor, add the following function to populate a spreadsheet with the results of an OData query:

function retrieve(){
  var url = "https://MyUrl/api.rsc/Account?select=Id,[Account ID],[Account Name],EmployeeCount";
  var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
    headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
  }); 
  var json = response.getContentText();
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  var a1 = sheet.getRange('a1');
  var index=1;
  var account = JSON.parse(json).value;

  var cols = [["Id","[Account ID]","[Account Name]","EmployeeCount"]]; 
  sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);

  row=2;
  for(var i in account){
    for (var j in account[i]) {
      switch (j) {
        case "Id":
          a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "[Account ID]":
          a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "[Account Name]":
          a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "EmployeeCount":
          a1.offset(row,3).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
      }      
    }
    row++;
  }
}

Follow the steps below to add an installable trigger to populate the spreadsheet when opened:

1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers -> Add a New Trigger.
2. Select retrieve in the Run menu.
3. Select From Spreadsheet.
4. Select On open.

After closing the dialog, you are prompted to allow access to the application.

You can test the script by clicking Publish -> Test as Add-On. Select the version, installation type, and spreadsheet to create a test configuration. You can then select and run the test configuration.