Integrate Live SAP BusinessObjects BI Data into Custom Business Apps Built in Power Apps

Power Apps is a service for building and using custom business apps that connect to your data and work across the web and mobile — without the time and expense of custom software development. When paired with CData Connect Server, you get instant access to SAP BusinessObjects BI data from the apps you build using Power Apps. This article shows how to connect to Connect Server from Power Apps and build an app based on live SAP BusinessObjects BI data.

CData Connect Server provides a pure SQL interface for SAP BusinessObjects BI, allowing you to easily integrate with live SAP BusinessObjects BI data in Power Apps — without replicating the data. CData Connect Server looks exactly like a SQL Server database to Power Apps and uses optimized data processing out of the box to push all supported SQL operations (filters, JOINs, etc) directly to SAP BusinessObjects BI, leveraging server-side processing to quickly return SAP BusinessObjects BI data.

Create a Virtual SQL Database for SAP BusinessObjects BI Data

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

1. Login to Connect Server and click Connections.
2. Select "SAP BusinessObjects BI" from Available Data Sources.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to SAP BusinessObjects BI.

   To connect to your SAP Business Objects BI instance, you must set the following connection properties:

   • Url: set this to the rest API URL. After logging into the Central Management Console, choose 'Applications' from the combo box. Double-click on 'RESTful Web Service' and you'll see the access URL. By default it is, http://{Server-Name}:6405/biprws.
   • User: set this to the username of your instance.
   • Password: set this to the password of your instance.
4. Click Save Changes
5. Click Privileges -> Add and add the new user (or an existing user) with the appropriate permissions.

Connecting to CData Connect Server

To use Connect Server to integrate SAP BusinessObjects BI data into your Power Apps, you need a new SQL Server connection:

1. Log in to Power Apps
2. Click Data -> Connections -> New connection
3. Select SQL Server
4. In the connection wizard:
   
   
   • Choose to connect directly
   • Set SQL server name to the address of your Connect Server instance (CONNECT_SERVER_URL)
   • Set SQL database name to the name of the virtual SAP BusinessObjects BI database you created earlier (like sapbusinessobjectsbidb)
   • Set the Username and Password and click Create

Building a Data-Centric App for SAP BusinessObjects BI Data

With the connection to Connect Server configured, you are ready to integrate live SAP BusinessObjects BI data into the apps you build in Power Apps.

1. Log in to Power Apps
2. Click Create, hover over "Start from data" and click Make this app
3. Select the SQL Server connection you created
4. Search for or choose a table to work with
5. Click Connect
6. Customize the newly created app just like you would any other, including changing the layout and setting the fields exposed in BrowseScreen, DetailScreen, and EditScreen

At this point, you have an app with read access to live SAP BusinessObjects BI data that you can save and publish for use within your organization.

SQL Access to SAP BusinessObjects BI Data from Applications

Now you have a direct connection to live SAP BusinessObjects BI data from Microsoft Power Apps. You can create more connections and apps to drive business — all without replicating SAP BusinessObjects BI data.

To get SQL data access to 200+ SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources directly from your applications, see the CData Connect Server.