Integrating Gumloop with SharePoint Data via CData Connect AI
Gumloop is a visual automation platform designed to create AI-powered workflows by combining triggers, AI nodes, APIs, and data connectors. By integrating Gumloop with CData Connect AI through the built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server, workflows can seamlessly access and interact with live SharePoint data.
The platform provides a low-code environment, making it easier to orchestrate complex processes without heavy development effort. Its flexibility allows integration across multiple business applications, enabling end-to-end automation with live data.
This article outlines the steps required to configure SharePoint connectivity in Connect AI, register the MCP server in Gumloop, and build a workflow that queries SharePoint data.
About SharePoint Data Integration
Accessing and integrating live data from SharePoint has never been easier with CData. Customers rely on CData connectivity to:
- Access data from a wide range of SharePoint versions, including Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and above, and SharePoint Online.
- Access all of SharePoint thanks to support for Hidden and Lookup columns.
- Recursively scan folders to create a relational model of all SharePoint data.
- Use SQL stored procedures to upload and download documents and attachments.
Most customers rely on CData solutions to integrate SharePoint data into their database or data warehouse, while others integrate their SharePoint data with preferred data tools, like Power BI, Tableau, or Excel.
For more information on how customers are solving problems with CData's SharePoint solutions, refer to our blog: Drivers in Focus: Collaboration Tools.
Getting Started
Step 1: Configure SharePoint Connectivity for Gumloop
Connectivity to SharePoint from Gumloop is made possible through CData Connect AI's Remote MCP Server. To interact with SharePoint data from Gumloop, we start by creating and configuring a SharePoint connection in CData Connect AI.
- Log into Connect AI, click Sources, and then click Add Connection
- Select "SharePoint" from the Add Connection panel
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Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to SharePoint.
Set the URL property to the base SharePoint site or to a sub-site. This allows you to query any lists and other SharePoint entities defined for the site or sub-site.
The User and Password properties, under the Authentication section, must be set to valid SharePoint user credentials when using SharePoint On-Premise.
If you are connecting to SharePoint Online, set the SharePointEdition to SHAREPOINTONLINE along with the User and Password connection string properties. For more details on connecting to SharePoint Online, see the "Getting Started" chapter of the help documentation
- Click Save & Test
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Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add SharePoint Connection page and update the User-based permissions.
Add a Personal Access Token
A Personal Access Token (PAT) is used to authenticate the connection to Connect AI from Gumloop. It is best practice to create a separate PAT for each service to maintain granularity of access.
- Click on the Gear icon () at the top right of the Connect AI app to open the settings page.
- On the Settings page, go to the Access Tokens section and click Create PAT.
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Give the PAT a name and click Create.
- The personal access token is only visible at creation, so be sure to copy it and store it securely for future use.
With the SharePoint connection configured and a PAT generated, Gumloop is prepared to connect to SharePoint data through the CData MCP server.
Step 2: Connect to the MCP server in Gumloop
The MCP server endpoint and authentication values from Connect AI must be added to Gumloop credentials.
- Sign in to Gumloop and create an account
- Visit the Gumloop Credentials page to configure MCP server
- Click on Add Credentials and search and select MCP Server
- Provide the following details:
- URL: https://mcp.cloud.cdata.com/mcp
- Label: A descriptive name such as SharePoint-mcp-server
- Access Token / API Key: leave blank
- Additional Header: Authorization: Basic YOUR EMAIL:YOUR PAT
- Save the credentials
The MCP server is now available to build workflows in Gumloop.
Step 3: Build a workflow and explore live SharePoint data with Gumloop
- Visit Gumloop Personal workspace and click on the Create Flow
- Select the icon or press Ctrl + B to add a node or a subflow
- Search for Ask AI and select it
- Click Show More Options and enable the Connect MCP Server? option
- From the MCP Servers dropdown, choose the saved MCP credential
- Add a Prompt and Choose an AI Model according to your requirements
- After configuring the required details, Click Run to run the pipeline
With the workflow run completed, Gumloop demonstrates successful retrieval of SharePoint data through the CData Connect AI MCP server, with the MCP Client node providing the ability to ask questions, retrieve records, and perform actions on the data.
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