Connect to SAP SuccessFactors Data from Blazor Apps

Blazor is a framework for developing modern, client-side web UIs using .NET technology. Instead of coding in JavaScript, developers can use the familiar C# language and .NET libraries to build app UIs.

The CData ADO.NET Provider for SAP SuccessFactors can be used with standard ADO.NET interfaces, such as LINQ and Entity Framework, to interact with live SAP SuccessFactors data. Since Blazor supports .NET Core, developers can use CData ADO.NET Providers in Blazor apps. In this article, we will guide you to build a simple Blazor app that talks to SAP SuccessFactors using standard SQL queries.

Install the CData ADO.NET Provider for SAP SuccessFactors

CData ADO.NET Providers allow users to access SAP SuccessFactors just like they would access SQL Server, using simple SQL queries.

Install the SAP SuccessFactors ADO.NET Data Provider from the CData website or from NuGet. Search NuGet for "SAP SuccessFactors ADO.NET Data Provider."

Create a SAP SuccessFactors-Connected Blazor App

Start by creating a Blazor project that references the CData ADO.NET Provider for SAP SuccessFactors

1. Create a Blazor project on Visual Studio.
2. From the Solution Explorer, right click Dependencies, then click Add Project Reference.
3. In the Reference Manager, click the Browse button, and choose the .dll file of the installed ADO.NET Provider (e.g. System.Data.CData.SAPSuccessFactors.dll, typically located at C:\Program Files\CData\CData ADO.NET Provider for SAP SuccessFactors\lib etstandard2.0).

SELECT SAP SuccessFactors Data from the Blazor App

1. Open the Index.razor file from the Project page.
2. In a SAPSuccessFactorsConnection object, set the connection string:

   You can authenticate to SAP Success Factors using Basic authentication or OAuth with SAML assertion.

   Basic Authentication

   You must provide values for the following properties to successfully authenticate to SAP Success Factors. Note that the provider will reuse the session opened by SAP Success Factors using cookies. Which means that your credentials will be used only on the first request to open the session. After that, cookies returned from SAP Success Factors will be used for authentication.

   • Url: set this to the URL of the server hosting Success Factors. Some of the servers are listed in the SAP support documentation (external link).
   • User: set this to the username of your account.
   • Password: set this to the password of your account.
   • CompanyId: set this to the unique identifier of your company.

   OAuth Authentication

   You must provide values for the following properties, which will be used to get the access token.

   • Url: set this to the URL of the server hosting Success Factors. Some of the servers are listed in the SAP support documentation (external link).
   • User: set this to the username of your account.
   • CompanyId: set this to the unique identifier of your company.
   • OAuthClientId: set this to the API Key that was generated in API Center.
   • OAuthClientSecret: the X.509 private key used to sign SAML assertion. The private key can be found in the certificate you downloaded in Registering your OAuth Client Application.
   • InitiateOAuth: set this to GETANDREFRESH.

   For example: User=username;Password=password;CompanyId=CompanyId;Url=https://api4.successfactors.com;

3. The code below creates a simple Blazor app for displaying SAP SuccessFactors data, using standard SQL to query SAP SuccessFactors just like SQL Server.

         @page "/"
         @using System.Data;
         @using System.Data.CData.SAPSuccessFactors;
         
         <h1>Hello, world!</h1>
         
         Welcome to your Data app.
         
         <div class="row">
             <div class="col-12">
         
                 @using (SAPSuccessFactorsConnection connection = new SAPSuccessFactorsConnection(
                   "User=username;Password=password;CompanyId=CompanyId;Url=https://api4.successfactors.com;"))
                 {
                     var sql = "SELECT address1, zipCode FROM ExtAddressInfo WHERE city = 'Springfield'";
                     var results = new DataTable();
         
                     SAPSuccessFactorsDataAdapter dataAdapter = new SAPSuccessFactorsDataAdapter(sql, connection);
                     dataAdapter.Fill(results);
         
                     <table class="table table-bordered">
                         <thead class="thead-light">
                             <tr>
                                 @foreach (DataColumn item in results.Rows[0].Table.Columns)
                                 {
                                     <th scope="col">@item.ColumnName</th>
                                 }
                             </tr>
                         </thead>
                         <tbody>
                             @foreach (DataRow row in results.Rows)
                             {
                                 <tr>
                                     @foreach (var column in row.ItemArray)
                                     {
                                         <td>@column.ToString()</td>
                                     }
                                 </tr>
                             }
                         </tbody>
                     </table>
                 }
             </div>
         </div>
       

4. Rebuild and run the project. The ADO.NET Provider renders SAP SuccessFactors data as an HTML table in the Blazor app.

   At this point, you have a SAP SuccessFactors-connected Blazor app, capable of working with live SAP SuccessFactors data just like you would work with a SQL Server instance. Download a free, 30-day trial and start working with live SAP SuccessFactors data in your Blazor apps today.