How to connect to ServiceNow Data with Squirrel SQL client



Connect to ServiceNow data and execute queries in the Squirrel SQL Client.

The CData JDBC Driver for ServiceNow enables you to execute queries to ServiceNow data in tools like Squirrel SQL Client. In this article, you will create a JDBC data source for ServiceNow data and execute queries.

About ServiceNow Data Integration

CData simplifies access and integration of live ServiceNow data. Our customers leverage CData connectivity to:

  • Get optimized performance since CData uses the REST API for data and the SOAP API for schema.
  • Read, write, update, and delete ServiceNow objects like Schedules, Timelines, Questions, Syslogs and more.
  • Use SQL stored procedures for actions like adding items to a cart, submitting orders, and downloading attachments.
  • Securely authenticate with ServiceNow, including basic (username and password), OKTA, ADFS, OneLogin, and PingFederate authentication schemes.

Many users access live ServiceNow data from preferred analytics tools like Tableau, Power BI, and Excel, and use CData solutions to integrate ServiceNow data with their database or data warehouse.


Getting Started


Add the JDBC Driver for ServiceNow

Follow the steps below to add the driver JAR.

  1. In Squirrel SQL, click Windows -> View Drivers.
  2. Click the plus icon to open the Add Driver wizard.
  3. In the Name box, enter a user-friendly name for the driver; for example, CData JDBC Driver for ServiceNow.
  4. In the Example URL box, enter jdbc:servicenow:
  5. In the Extra Class Path tab, click Add.
  6. In the file explorer dialog that opens, select the JAR file for the driver, located in the lib subfolder of the installation directory.
  7. Click List Drivers to populate the Class Name menu with the class name for the driver, cdata.jdbc.servicenow.ServiceNowDriver.

Define Connection Properties

Follow the steps below to save connection properties in the driver alias.

  1. Click Windows -> View Aliases.
  2. In the pane that lists the aliases, click the plus icon.
  3. In the Add Alias wizard that opens, the following fields are required for the JDBC driver:

    • Name: Enter a name for the alias; for example, CData ServiceNow Source.
    • Driver: Select the CData JDBC Driver for ServiceNow.
    • URL: Enter jdbc:servicenow:
  4. If you want to define any additional properties, click Properties.
  5. In the Driver properties tab of the dialog that appears, select the Use driver properties checkbox.
  6. In the Specify column, select the checkboxes for the required connection properties.

    ServiceNow uses the OAuth 2.0 authentication standard. To authenticate using OAuth, you will need to register an OAuth app with ServiceNow to obtain the OAuthClientId and OAuthClientSecret connection properties. In addition to the OAuth values, you will need to specify the Instance, Username, and Password connection properties.

    See the "Getting Started" chapter in the help documentation for a guide on connecting to ServiceNow.

    Below is a typical connection string:

    jdbc:servicenow:OAuthClientId=MyOAuthClientId;OAuthClientSecret=MyOAuthClientSecret;Username=MyUsername;Password=MyPassword;Instance=MyInstance;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH
  7. In the dialog that appears after you click OK, click connect to test the connection.

Discover Schemas and Query ServiceNow Data

After the metadata has loaded, a new tab for the ServiceNow data source is displayed. On the Objects subtab, you can discover schema information, such as the available tables and views.

To view table data, select the table on the Objects tab. The table data is then loaded in a grid on the Content tab.

To execute an SQL query, enter the query on the SQL tab and then click Run SQL (the runner icon). For example:

SELECT sys_id, priority FROM incident

Ready to get started?

Download a free trial of the ServiceNow Driver to get started:

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Learn more:

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Rapidly create and deploy powerful Java applications that integrate with ServiceNow data includingSchedules, Timelines, Questions, Syslogs, and more!