Query BambooHR Data in MySQL Workbench

MySQL Workbench allows users to administer MySQL environments and gain better visibility into databases. When paired with CData Connect (on-premise or Connect Server), you get live access to BambooHR data as if it were a MySQL database. This article shows how to create a virtual database for BambooHR in Connect and work with live BambooHR data in MySQL Workbench.

Create a Virtual MySQL Database for BambooHR Data

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

1. Login to Connect and click Connections.
2. Select "BambooHR" from Available Data Sources.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to BambooHR.

   Start by setting the Profile connection property to the location of the BambooHR Profile on disk (e.g. C:\profiles\bamboohr.apip). Next, set the ProfileSettings connection property to the connection string for BambooHR (see below).

   BambooHR API Profile Settings

   In order to authenticate to BambooHR, you'll need to provide your API Key. To generate an API key, log in and click your name in the upper right-hand corner of any page to get to the user context menu. If you have sufficient permissions, there will be an "API Keys" option in that menu to go to the page, where you can create a new API Key. Additionally, you will need to set the Domain, found in the domain name of your BambooHR account. For example if your BambooHR account is acmeinc.bamboohr.com, then the Domain should be 'acmeinc'. Set both the API Key and Domain in the ProfileSettings property to connect.

4. Click Save Changes
5. Click Privileges -> Add and add the new user (or an existing user) with the appropriate permissions.

With the virtual database created, you are ready to connect to BambooHR from MySQL Workbench.

Query BambooHR from MySQL Workbench

The steps below outline connecting to the virtual BambooHR database in Connect from MySQL Workbench and issuing basic queries to work with live BambooHR data.

Connect to BambooHR through Connect

1. In MySQL Workbench, click to add a new MySQL connection.
2. Name the connection (CData Connect).
3. Set the Hostname, Port, and Username parameters to connect to the SQL Gateway.
4. Click Store in Vault to set and store the password.
5. Click Test Connection to ensure the connection is configured properly and click OK.

Query BambooHR Data

1. Open the connection you just created (CData Connect).
2. Click File -> New Query Tab.
3. Write a SQL query to retrieve BambooHR data, like SELECT * FROM bamboohrdb.Employees;

With access to live BambooHR data from MySQL Workbench, you can easily query and update BambooHR, just like you would a MySQL database. Request a demo of the CData Connect and start working with BambooHR just like a MySQL database today.