How to integrate Metabase with NetSuite SuiteAnalytics Data

Metabase is an open source data visualization tool that allows users to create interactive dashboards. When paired with CData Connect AI, users can easily create visualizations and dashboards linked to live NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data. This article describes how to connect to NetSuite SuiteAnalytics and build a simple visualization using NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data.

CData Connect provides a pure cloud-to-cloud interface for NetSuite SuiteAnalytics, allowing you to easily integrate with live NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data in Metabase — without replicating the data. Connect looks exactly like a SQL Server database to Metabase and uses optimized data processing out of the box to push all supported SQL operations (filters, JOINs, etc) directly to NetSuite SuiteAnalytics, leveraging server-side processing to quickly return NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data.

Configure NetSuite SuiteAnalytics Connectivity for Metabase

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

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

2. Select "NetSuite SuiteAnalytics" from the Add Connection panel

3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to NetSuite SuiteAnalytics.

   Prerequisites

   Before you can connect to NetSuite SuiteAnalytics, you must set up SuiteAnalytics Connect in your NetSuite account:

   1. Enable the Connect Service feature.

      1. Ensure that your Account Administrator has enabled your Account and Role with the Connect Service feature.

      2. Navigate to Setup > Company > Enable Features.

      3. Click the Analytics tab and check the SuiteAnalytics Connect box.

   2. Add the SuiteAnalytics Connect permission to an existing Role, and note the Role ID for later.

   3. Find the Settings portlet on your home page and click Set Up SuiteAnalytics Connect, then click Your Configuration to view your service host and account ID. These settings map directly to the Server and Account Id properties.

   Add the NetSuite SuiteAnalytics Connection

   1. Open the Sources page of the Connect Cloud dashboard.

   2. Click Add Connection and select NetSuite SuiteAnalytics from the list of connectors.

   3. Enter a Connection Name of your choice.

   Authenticate to NetSuite SuiteAnalytics

   Set the following required properties:

   • Server: The Service Host value you found when setting up SuiteAnalytics Connect.

   • Account Id: The Account ID value you found when setting up SuiteAnalytics Connect.

   • Role Id: The internal ID of the login role you granted the SuiteAnalytics Connect permission.

   Next, choose one of the supported authentication methods:

   Basic authentication

   • User: The username you use to authenticate to your NetSuite account.

   • Password: The password associated with that account.

   Token-based authentication

   • Consumer Key and Consumer Secret: Generated when you create your integration record in NetSuite.

   • Token Key and Token Secret: The access token and secret generated for that integration.

   After you enter your credentials, click Save & Test to validate the connection.

   
4. Click Save & Test
5. Navigate to the Permissions tab in the Add NetSuite SuiteAnalytics 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 NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data from Metabase.

Connect to CData Connect AI from Metabase

After creating the connection in Connect AI, navigate to your Metabase instance. Use the SQL Server interface to connect to Connect AI.

1. Navigate to the administration screen (Settings -> Admin) and click "Add Database" from the "Databases" tab
2. Configure the connection to Connect AI and click "Save"
   • Database type: Select "SQL Server"
   • Name: Name the connection (e.g. "NetSuite SuiteAnalytics (Connect AI)")
   • Host: tds.cdata.com
   • Port: 14333
   • Database name: The name of the connection you just created (e.g. SuiteAnalytics1)
   • Username: A Connect AI username (e.g. [email protected])
   • Password: The PAT previously created
   • Click to Use a secure connection (SSL)
   

Execute NetSuite SuiteAnalytics Data with Metabase

Once you configure the connection to Connect AI, you can query NetSuite SuiteAnalytics and build visualizations.

1. Use the "Write SQL" tool to retrieve the NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data
2. Write a SQL query based on the NetSuite SuiteAnalytics connection in CData Connect AI, e.g.
   
   

   SELECT AnnualRevenue, NumberOfEmployees FROM Account WHERE Industry = 'Life Sciences'

   
3. Navigate to the "Visualization" screen, choose a visualization, and configure the visualization

More Information & Free Trial

At this point, you have built a simple visualization from NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data in Metabase. You can continue to work with live NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data in Metabase just like you would any SQL Server database. For more information on creating a live connection to NetSuite SuiteAnalytics (and more than 100 other data sources), visit the Connect AI page. Sign up for a free trial and start working with live NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data in Metabase today.