Search External Harvest Objects in Salesforce Connect

CData Connect Server, enables you to access Harvest data from cloud-based applications like the Salesforce console and mobile applications like the Salesforce1 Mobile App. In this article, you will use CData Connect Server and Salesforce Connect to access external Harvest objects alongside standard Salesforce objects.

Configuring Connect Server

To work with live Harvest data in Salesforce Connect, we need to connect to Harvest from Connect Server, provide user access to the new virtual database, and create OData endpoints for the Harvest data.

Add a Connect Server User

Create a User to connect to Harvest from Reveal through Connect Server.

1. Click Users -> Add
2. Configure a User
3. Click Save Changes and make note of the Authtoken for the new user

Connect to Harvest from Connect Server

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

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

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

   Harvest API Profile Settings

   To authenticate to Harvest, you can use either Token authentication or the OAuth standard. Use Basic authentication to connect to your own data. Use OAuth to allow other users to connect to their data.

   Using Token Authentication

   To use Token Authentication, set the APIKey to your Harvest Personal Access Token in the ProfileSettings connection property. In addition to APIKey, set your AccountId in ProfileSettings to connect.

   Using OAuth Authentication

   First, register an OAuth2 application with Harvest. The application can be created from the "Developers" section of Harvest ID.

   After setting the following connection properties, you are ready to connect:

   • ProfileSettings: Set your AccountId in ProfileSettings.
   • AuthScheme: Set this to OAuth.
   • OAuthClientId: Set this to the client ID that you specified in your app settings.
   • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the client secret that you specified in your app settings.
   • CallbackURL: Set this to the Redirect URI that you specified in your app settings.
   • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to manage how the driver obtains and refreshes the OAuthAccessToken.
4. Click Save Changes
5. Click Privileges -> Add and add the new user (or an existing user) with the appropriate permissions (SELECT is all that is required for Reveal).

Add Harvest OData Endpoints in Connect Server

After connecting to Harvest, create OData Endpoints for the desired table(s).

1. Click OData -> Tables -> Add Tables
2. Select the Harvest database
3. Select the table(s) you wish to work with and click Next
4. (Optional) Edit the table definition to select specific fields and more
5. Save the settings

(Optional) Configure Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS)

When accessing and connecting to multiple different domains, there is a possibility of violating the limitations of cross-site scripting. In that case, configure the CORS settings in OData -> Settings.

• Enable cross-origin resource sharing (CORS): ON
• Allow all domains without '*': ON
• Access-Control-Allow-Methods: GET, PUT, POST, OPTIONS
• Access-Control-Allow-Headers: Authorization

Save the changes to the settings.

Connect to Harvest Data as an External Data Source

Follow the steps below to connect to the feed produced by the API Server.

1. Log into Salesforce and click Setup -> Integrations -> External Data Sources.
2. Click New External Data Source.
3. Enter values for the following properties:
   • External Data Source: Enter a label to be used in list views and reports.
   • Name: Enter a unique identifier.
   • Type: Select the option "Salesforce Connect: OData 4.0".

   • URL: Enter the URL to the OData endpoint of the API Server. The format of the OData URL is CONNECT_SERVER_URL/api.rsc/

4. Select JSON in the Format menu.

5. In the Authentication section, set the following properties:
   • Identity Type: If all members of your organization will use the same credentials to access the API Server, select "Named Principal". If the members of your organization will connect with their own credentials, select "Per User".
   • Authentication Protocol: Select Password Authentication to use basic authentication.
   • Certificate: Enter or browse to the certificate to be used to encrypt and authenticate communications from Salesforce to your server.
   • Username: Enter the username for a user known to CData Connect Server.
   • Password: Enter the user's authtoken.

Synchronize Harvest Objects

After you have created the external data source, follow the steps below to create Harvest external objects that reflect any changes in the data source. You will synchronize the definitions for the Harvest external objects with the definitions for Harvest tables.

1. Click the link for the external data source you created.
2. Click Validate and Sync.
3. Select the Harvest tables you want to work with as external objects.

Access Harvest Data as Salesforce Objects

After adding Harvest data as an external data source and syncing Harvest tables as external objects, you can use the external Harvest objects just as you would standard Salesforce objects.

• Create a new tab with a filter list view:

• Create reports of external objects:

Simplified Access to Harvest Data from Applications

At this point, you have a direct connection to live Harvest data from Salesforce. For more information on gaining simplified access to data from more than 100 SaaS, Big Data, and NoSQL sources in applications like Salesforce, refer to our Connect Server page.