Extend Google Sheets with SAP SuccessFactors Data

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

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 ExtAddressInfo data and, as you make changes, executes updates to SAP SuccessFactors 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 SAP SuccessFactors OData services:

Connect to SAP SuccessFactors

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

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

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

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your SAP SuccessFactors 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 SAP SuccessFactors

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the SAP SuccessFactors 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 SAP SuccessFactors 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 SAP SuccessFactors 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/ExtAddressInfo?select=Id,address1,zipCode,city";
  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 extaddressinfo = JSON.parse(json).value;

  var cols = [["Id","address1","zipCode","city"]]; 
  sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);

  row=2;
  for(var i in extaddressinfo){
    for (var j in extaddressinfo[i]) {
      switch (j) {
        case "Id":
          a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "address1":
          a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "zipCode":
          a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "city":
          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.

Post Changes to SAP SuccessFactors Data

Add the following function to post changes to cells back to the API Server:

function buildReq(e){
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  var changes = e.range;
  var id = sheet.getRange(changes.getRow(),1).getValue();
  var col = sheet.getRange(1,changes.getColumn()).getValue();
  
  var url = "http://MyServer/api.rsc/ExtAddressInfo("+id+")";
  var putdata = "{\"@odata.type\" : \"CDataAPI.ExtAddressInfo\",  \""+col+"\": \""+changes.getValue()+"\"}";;
  UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
    method: "put",
    contentType: "application/json",
    payload: putdata,
    headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
  });

}

Follow the steps below to add the update trigger:

1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers.
2. Select buildReq in the Run menu.
3. Select From Spreadsheet.
4. Select On edit.

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.

As you make changes to cells, the API Server executes updates to SAP SuccessFactors data.