Edit and Search External SAP Ariba Source Objects in Salesforce Connect

CData Connect Server, enables you to access SAP Ariba Source data from cloud-based applications like the Salesforce console and mobile applications like the Salesforce1 Mobile App. In this article, you will use CData Connect Server and Salesforce Connect to access external SAP Ariba Source objects alongside standard Salesforce objects.

Configuring Connect Server

To work with live SAP Ariba Source data in Salesforce Connect, we need to connect to SAP Ariba Source from Connect Server, provide user access to the new virtual database, and create OData endpoints for the SAP Ariba Source data.

Add a Connect Server User

Create a User to connect to SAP Ariba Source from Reveal through Connect Server.

1. Click Users -> Add
2. Configure a User
3. Click Save Changes and make note of the Authtoken for the new user

Connect to SAP Ariba Source from Connect Server

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

1. Open Connect Server and click Connections
2. Select "SAP Ariba Source" from Available Data Sources
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to SAP Ariba Source.
   
   

   In order to connect with SAP Ariba Source, set the following:

   • API: Specify which API you would like the provider to retrieve SAP Ariba data from. Select the Supplier, Sourcing Project Management, or Contract API based on your business role (possible values are SupplierDataAPIWithPaginationV4, SourcingProjectManagementAPIV2, or ContractAPIV1).
   • DataCenter: The data center where your account's data is hosted.
   • Realm: The name of the site you want to access.
   • Environment: Indicate whether you are connecting to a test or production environment (possible values are TEST or PRODUCTION).

   If you are connecting to the Supplier Data API or the Contract API, additionally set the following:

   • User: Id of the user on whose behalf API calls are invoked.
   • PasswordAdapter: The password associated with the authenticating User.

   If you're connecting to the Supplier API, set ProjectId to the Id of the sourcing project you want to retrieve data from.

   Authenticating with OAuth

   After setting connection properties, you need to configure OAuth connectivity to authenticate.

   • Set AuthScheme to OAuthClient.
   • Register an application with the service to obtain the APIKey, OAuthClientId and OAuthClientSecret.

     For more information on creating an OAuth application, refer to the Help documentation.

   Automatic OAuth

   After setting the following, you are ready to connect:

   APIKey: The Application key in your app settings. OAuthClientId: The OAuth Client Id in your app settings. OAuthClientSecret: The OAuth Secret in your app settings.

   When you connect, the provider automatically completes the OAuth process:

   1. The provider obtains an access token from SAP Ariba and uses it to request data.
   2. The provider refreshes the access token automatically when it expires.
   3. The OAuth values are saved in memory relative to the location specified in OAuthSettingsLocation.
4. Click Save Changes
5. Click Privileges -> Add and add the new user (or an existing user) with the appropriate permissions (SELECT is all that is required for Reveal).

Add SAP Ariba Source OData Endpoints in Connect Server

After connecting to SAP Ariba Source, create OData Endpoints for the desired table(s).

1. Click OData -> Tables -> Add Tables
2. Select the SAP Ariba Source database
3. Select the table(s) you wish to work with and click Next
4. (Optional) Edit the table definition to select specific fields and more
5. Save the settings

(Optional) Configure Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS)

When accessing and connecting to multiple different domains, there is a possibility of violating the limitations of cross-site scripting. In that case, configure the CORS settings in OData -> Settings.

• Enable cross-origin resource sharing (CORS): ON
• Allow all domains without '*': ON
• Access-Control-Allow-Methods: GET, PUT, POST, OPTIONS
• Access-Control-Allow-Headers: Authorization

Save the changes to the settings.

Connect to SAP Ariba Source Data as an External Data Source

Follow the steps below to connect to the feed produced by the API Server.

1. Log into Salesforce and click Setup -> Integrations -> External Data Sources.
2. Click New External Data Source.
3. Enter values for the following properties:
   • External Data Source: Enter a label to be used in list views and reports.
   • Name: Enter a unique identifier.
   • Type: Select the option "Salesforce Connect: OData 4.0".

   • URL: Enter the URL to the OData endpoint of the API Server. The format of the OData URL is CONNECT_SERVER_URL/api.rsc/

4. Select the Writable External Objects option.

5. Select JSON in the Format menu.

6. In the Authentication section, set the following properties:
   • Identity Type: If all members of your organization will use the same credentials to access the API Server, select "Named Principal". If the members of your organization will connect with their own credentials, select "Per User".
   • Authentication Protocol: Select Password Authentication to use basic authentication.
   • Certificate: Enter or browse to the certificate to be used to encrypt and authenticate communications from Salesforce to your server.
   • Username: Enter the username for a user known to CData Connect Server.
   • Password: Enter the user's authtoken.

Synchronize SAP Ariba Source Objects

After you have created the external data source, follow the steps below to create SAP Ariba Source external objects that reflect any changes in the data source. You will synchronize the definitions for the SAP Ariba Source external objects with the definitions for SAP Ariba Source tables.

1. Click the link for the external data source you created.
2. Click Validate and Sync.
3. Select the SAP Ariba Source tables you want to work with as external objects.

Access SAP Ariba Source Data as Salesforce Objects

After adding SAP Ariba Source data as an external data source and syncing SAP Ariba Source tables as external objects, you can use the external SAP Ariba Source objects just as you would standard Salesforce objects.

• Create a new tab with a filter list view:

• Create reports of external objects:

• Create, update, and delete SAP Ariba Source objects from the Salesforce dashboard:

Simplified Access to SAP Ariba Source Data from Applications

At this point, you have a direct connection to live SAP Ariba Source data from Salesforce. For more information on gaining simplified access to data from more than 100 SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources in applications like Salesforce, refer to our Connect Server page.