Integrate Live Google Data Catalog 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 Google Data Catalog 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 Google Data Catalog data.

CData Connect Server provides a pure SQL interface for Google Data Catalog, allowing you to easily integrate with live Google Data Catalog 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 Google Data Catalog, leveraging server-side processing to quickly return Google Data Catalog data.

Create a Virtual SQL Database for Google Data Catalog 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 "Google Data Catalog" from Available Data Sources.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Google Data Catalog.

   Google Data Catalog uses the OAuth authentication standard. Authorize access to Google APIs on behalf on individual users or on behalf of users in a domain.

   Before connecting, specify the following to identify the organization and project you would like to connect to:

   • OrganizationId: The ID associated with the Google Cloud Platform organization resource you would like to connect to. Find this by navigating to the cloud console.

     Click the project selection drop-down, and select your organization from the list. Then, click More -> Settings. The organization ID is displayed on this page.

   • ProjectId: The ID associated with the Google Cloud Platform project resource you would like to connect to.

     Find this by navigating to the cloud console dashboard and selecting your project from the Select from drop-down. The project ID will be present in the Project info card.

   When you connect, the OAuth endpoint opens in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application to completes the OAuth process. For more information, refer to the OAuth section in the Help documentation.

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 Google Data Catalog 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 Google Data Catalog database you created earlier (like googledatacatalogdb)
   • Set the Username and Password and click Create

Building a Data-Centric App for Google Data Catalog Data

With the connection to Connect Server configured, you are ready to integrate live Google Data Catalog 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 access to live Google Data Catalog data that you can save and publish for use within your organization.

SQL Access to Google Data Catalog Data from Applications

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

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