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Extend Google Sheets with Act CRM Data
Make calls to the API Server from Google Apps Script.
Interact with Act CRM data from Google Sheets through macros, custom functions, and add-ons. The CData API Server, when paired with the ADO.NET Provider for Act CRM (or any of 200+ other ADO.NET Providers), enables connectivity to Act CRM data from cloud-based and mobile applications like Google Sheets. The API Server is a lightweight Web application that produces OData services for Act CRM and any source supported by the CData ADO.NET Providers.
Google Apps Script can consume these OData services in the JSON format. This article shows how to create a simple add-on that populates a Google Spreadsheet with Activities data and, as you make changes, executes updates to Act CRM data.
Set Up the API Server
Follow the steps below to begin producing secure Act CRM OData services:
Deploy
The API Server runs on your own server. On Windows, you can deploy using the stand-alone server or IIS. On a Java servlet container, drop in the API Server WAR file. See the help documentation for more information and how-tos.
The API Server is also easy to deploy on Microsoft Azure, Amazon EC2, and Heroku.
Connect to Act CRM
After you deploy the API Server and the ADO.NET Provider for Act CRM, provide authentication values and other connection properties needed to connect to Act CRM by clicking Settings -> Connections and adding a new connection in the API Server administration console.
The User and Password properties, under the Authentication section, must be set to valid Act! user credentials. In addition to the authentication values, see the following:
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Connecting to Act! Premium
In addition to the authentication values, the URL to Act! is also required; for example https://eup1-iis-04.eu.hosted.act.com/.
Additionally, you must specify the ActDatabase you will connect to. This is found by going to the About Act! Premium menu of your account, at the top right of the page, in the ? menu. Use the Database Name in the window that appears.
-
Connecting to Act! Premium Cloud
To connect to your Act! Premium Cloud account, you also need to specify the ActCloudName property. This property is found in the URL address of the Cloud account; for example https://eup1-iis-04.eu.hosted.act.com/ActCloudName/.
Note that retrieving ActCRM metadata can be expensive. It is advised that you set the CacheMetadata property to store the metadata locally.
You can then choose the Act CRM entities you want to allow the API Server to access by clicking Settings -> Resources.
Authorize API Server Users
After determining the OData services you want to produce, authorize users by clicking Settings -> Users. The API Server uses authtoken-based authentication and supports the major authentication schemes. Access can also be restricted based on IP address: Connections from all addresses except localhost are blocked by default, so you will need to allow connections from Google's servers for this article. You can authenticate as well as encrypt connections with SSL.
Retrieve Act CRM Data
Open the Script Editor from your spreadsheet by clicking Tools -> Script Editor. In the Script Editor, add the following function to populate a spreadsheet with the results of an OData query:
function retrieve(){
var url = "https://MyUrl/api.rsc/Activities?select=Id,ActivityDisplayName,Subject,Subject";
var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
});
var json = response.getContentText();
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
var a1 = sheet.getRange('a1');
var index=1;
var activities = JSON.parse(json).value;
var cols = [["Id","ActivityDisplayName","Subject","Subject"]];
sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);
row=2;
for(var i in activities){
for (var j in activities[i]) {
switch (j) {
case "Id":
a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
case "ActivityDisplayName":
a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
case "Subject":
a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
case "Subject":
a1.offset(row,3).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
}
}
row++;
}
}
Follow the steps below to add an installable trigger to populate the spreadsheet when opened:
- Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers -> Add a New Trigger.
- Select retrieve in the Run menu.
- Select From Spreadsheet.
- Select On open.
After closing the dialog, you are prompted to allow access to the application.
Post Changes to Act CRM Data
Add the following function to post changes to cells back to the API Server:
function buildReq(e){
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
var changes = e.range;
var id = sheet.getRange(changes.getRow(),1).getValue();
var col = sheet.getRange(1,changes.getColumn()).getValue();
var url = "http://MyServer/api.rsc/Activities("+id+")";
var putdata = "{\"@odata.type\" : \"CDataAPI.Activities\", \""+col+"\": \""+changes.getValue()+"\"}";;
UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
method: "put",
contentType: "application/json",
payload: putdata,
headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
});
}
Follow the steps below to add the update trigger:
- Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers.
- Select buildReq in the Run menu.
- Select From Spreadsheet.
- Select On edit.
You can test the script by clicking Publish -> Test as Add-On. Select the version, installation type, and spreadsheet to create a test configuration. You can then select and run the test configuration.
As you make changes to cells, the API Server executes updates to Act CRM data.
