Create ServiceDesk Plus-Connected Business Apps in AppSheet

Google AppSheet is a no-code development platform for application software, enabling users to design mobile, tablet, and web applications. When combined with CData Connect AI, you gain immediate cloud-to-cloud access to ServiceDesk Plus data for business applications. This article outlines the process of connecting to ServiceDesk Plus using Connect AI and constructing a basic app from ServiceDesk Plus data within AppSheet.

CData Connect AI offers a dedicated cloud-to-cloud interface for ServiceDesk Plus, enabling the creation of reports directly from live ServiceDesk Plus data within AppSheet, all without the need for data replication to a native database. When you design applications that interact with data, AppSheet formulates SQL queries to retrieve the required information. With its inherent optimized data processing capabilities, CData Connect AI efficiently channels all supported SQL operations, including filters and JOINs, directly to ServiceDesk Plus. This leverages server-side processing to swiftly deliver the requested ServiceDesk Plus data.

Configure ServiceDesk Plus Connectivity for AppSheet

Connectivity to ServiceDesk Plus from AppSheet is made possible through CData Connect AI. To work with ServiceDesk Plus data from AppSheet, we start by creating and configuring a ServiceDesk Plus connection.

1. Log into Connect AI, click Sources, and then click Add Connection

2. Select "ServiceDesk Plus" from the Add Connection panel

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to ServiceDesk Plus.

   Using OAuth Authentication

   ServiceDeskPlus uses Zoho OAuth 2.0 for secure authentication. To set up OAuth access:

   1. Register your application in the Zoho Developer Console at https://api-console.zoho.com
   2. Configure your redirect URI to match your application setup
   3. Note your Client ID and Client Secret from the application settings

   After setting the following connection properties, you are ready to connect:

   • AuthScheme: Set this to OAuth.
   • OAuthClientId: Set this to your Zoho application Client ID.
   • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to your Zoho application Client Secret.
   • Scope: Set this to the required ServiceDeskPlus permissions (default includes read access to requests, problems, assets, and projects).
   • Domain: Set this to your ServiceDeskPlus domain
   • Portal: Set this to your ServiceDeskPlus portal

   Example Connection String

   Profile=C:\profiles\ServiceDeskPlus.apip;ProfileSettings="Portal=itdesk;Domain=.in;Scope=SDPOnDemand.requests.READ SDPOnDemand.problems.READ SDPOnDemand.assets.READ SDPOnDemand.projects.READ";AuthScheme=OAuth;OAuthClientId=your_client_id;OAuthClientSecret=your_client_secret;
   

   
4. Click Save & Test
5. Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add ServiceDesk Plus Connection page and update the User-based permissions.

Add a Personal Access Token

When connecting to Connect AI through the REST API, the OData API, or the Virtual SQL Server, a Personal Access Token (PAT) is used to authenticate the connection to Connect AI. It is best practice to create a separate PAT for each service to maintain granularity of access.

1. Click on the Gear icon () at the top right of the Connect AI app to open the settings page.
2. On the Settings page, go to the Access Tokens section and click Create PAT.
3. Give the PAT a name and click Create.
4. The personal access token is only visible at creation, so be sure to copy it and store it securely for future use.

With the connection configured and a PAT generated, you are ready to connect to ServiceDesk Plus data from AppSheet.

Connect to ServiceDesk Plus from AppSheet

The steps below outline connecting to CData Connect AI from AppSheet to create a new ServiceDesk Plus data source.

1. Log into AppSheet
2. Click "My account" in the menu
3. Click the Sources tab and add a new data source
4. Select Cloud Database and set the connection information
   • Type: Sql Server
   • Server: tds.cdata.com,14333
   • Database: the ServiceDesk Plus connection, for example, API1
   • Username: a Connect AI user, for example, [email protected]
   • Password: the PAT for the above Connect AI user
   • SSL: Require SSL
   
5. Click "Test Connection"
6. Click "Authorize Access"

Create an App

Once you create the data source for ServiceDesk Plus, you can start building apps on ServiceDesk Plus data. Start by clicking "My apps" in the menu.

1. Click to create a new app and select "Start with your own data"
2. Name the app and select an appropriate category, based on your data
3. Select the newly created data source
4. Select the table or view with the data you want

At this point, you can configure the design of your app, selecting which columns from the selected table to display, use as labels, and more. Preview the app in the preview panel and then publish or share it when ready.

To get live data access to hundreds of SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources directly from your cloud applications, try CData Connect AI today!