Integrate Live Basecamp Data into Custom Business Apps Built in Power Apps

Power Apps is a service for building and using custom business apps that connect to your data and work across the web and mobile — without the time and expense of custom software development. When paired with CData Connect Server, you get instant access to Basecamp data from the apps you build using Power Apps. This article shows how to connect to Connect Server from Power Apps and build an app based on live Basecamp data.

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

Create a Virtual SQL Database for Basecamp Data

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

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

   Basecamp uses basic or OAuth 2.0 authentication. To use basic authentication you will need the user and password that you use for logging in to Basecamp. To authenticate to Basecamp via OAuth 2.0, you will need to obtain the OAuthClientId, OAuthClientSecret, and CallbackURL connection properties by registering an app with Basecamp.

   See the Getting Started section in the help documentation for a connection guide.

   Additionally, you will need to specify the AccountId connection property. This can be copied from the URL after you log in.

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

Connecting to CData Connect Server

To use Connect Server to integrate Basecamp data into your Power Apps, you need a new SQL Server connection:

1. Log in to Power Apps
2. Click Data -> Connections -> New connection
3. Select SQL Server
4. In the connection wizard:
   
   
   • Choose to connect directly
   • Set SQL server name to the address of your Connect Server instance (CONNECT_SERVER_URL)
   • Set SQL database name to the name of the virtual Basecamp database you created earlier (like basecampdb)
   • Set the Username and Password and click Create

Building a Data-Centric App for Basecamp Data

With the connection to Connect Server configured, you are ready to integrate live Basecamp data into the apps you build in Power Apps.

1. Log in to Power Apps
2. Click Create, hover over "Start from data" and click Make this app
3. Select the SQL Server connection you created
4. Search for or choose a table to work with
5. Click Connect
6. Customize the newly created app just like you would any other, including changing the layout and setting the fields exposed in BrowseScreen, DetailScreen, and EditScreen

At this point, you have an app with read and write access to live Basecamp data that you can save and publish for use within your organization.

SQL Access to Basecamp Data from Applications

Now you have a direct connection to live Basecamp data from Microsoft Power Apps. You can create more connections and apps to drive business — all without replicating Basecamp data.

To get SQL data access to 200+ SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources directly from your applications, see the CData Connect Server.