Getting Started with the CData Connect AI Python SDK for NetSuite SuiteAnalytics

The CData Connect AI Python SDK (cdata-connect-ai) is a DB-API 2.0 (PEP 249) compliant client that lets you fetch and act on live NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data with standard Python database code. Because Connect AI provides the connectivity: you install one package, authenticate with a Personal Access Token, and query NetSuite SuiteAnalytics (and every other source connected in Connect AI) using the same familiar connect() / cursor() / fetchall() pattern you already know from libraries like sqlite3 and psycopg2.

This guide walks through connecting NetSuite SuiteAnalytics in Connect AI, generating a Personal Access Token, installing the SDK, and reading (and, where supported, writing) live NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data.

Prerequisites

• An account in CData Connect AI
• Python 3.8 or higher
• An active NetSuite SuiteAnalytics account with valid credentials

Connect to NetSuite SuiteAnalytics in Connect AI

CData Connect AI uses a straightforward, point-and-click interface to connect to data sources.

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 and update the user-based permissions.

Generate a Personal Access Token (PAT)

The Python SDK authenticates to Connect AI with your account email and a Personal Access Token (PAT). It is best practice to create a separate PAT for each application to maintain granularity of access.

1. Click 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 PAT is only visible at creation, so copy it and store it securely.

Install the SDK

Install the SDK from PyPI with pip:

pip install cdata-connect-ai

Connect and Run Your First Query

Connect with your account email and PAT, then query sys_tables to discover every table available across your connected sources. Identifiers in Connect AI are three-part: <Connection>.<Schema>.<Table>, where the connection name defaults to the source name (for example, SuiteAnalytics1).

import cdata_connect_ai

conn = cdata_connect_ai.connect(
    username="[email protected]",
    password="<your_pat>",
)
cur = conn.cursor()

# Discover what's available across your connected sources
cur.execute("SELECT CatalogName, SchemaName, TableName FROM sys_tables LIMIT 25")

for row in cur.fetchall():
    print(row)

Pick any table from the results and query it directly:

cur.execute(
    "SELECT AnnualRevenue, NumberOfEmployees "
    "FROM [SuiteAnalytics1].[SuiteAnalytics].[Account] "
    "LIMIT 10"
)

for row in cur.fetchall():
    print(row)

NetSuite SuiteAnalytics is a read-only source in Connect AI, so the SDK supports queries but not INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE. Close the connection when you are finished:

conn.close()

That is the entire workflow: one package, a PAT, and standard DB-API calls. Because the SDK returns a normal DB-API connection, it drops straight into the rest of the Python data ecosystem. From here you can load NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data into pandas, build ETL pipelines with petl, or power a Dash web app, all using this same connection.

More Information and Free Trial

Now you can query live NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data from Python through the CData Connect AI Python SDK. For more information on connecting to NetSuite SuiteAnalytics (and hundreds of other data sources), visit the Connect AI page. Sign up for a free trial and start working with live NetSuite SuiteAnalytics data in Python.