Build Semantic Layer Views for Odoo Data in APOS Live Data Gateway



Use the CData Connector for Odoo in APOS Live Data Gateway to build Semantic Layer Views for Odoo data.

APOS Live Data Gateway (LDG) is a data connection and data transformation solution that enables live data connectivity and expanded data source options for SAP Analytics Cloud and other SAP solutions. When paired with CData Connectors, users can build semantic layer views for live Odoo data, enabling real-time analytics on Odoo just like working with a relational database.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData Connector offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Odoo data. When you issue complex SQL queries to Odoo, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Odoo and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying allows you to work with and analyze Odoo data using native data types.

About Odoo Data Integration

Accessing and integrating live data from Odoo has never been easier with CData. Customers rely on CData connectivity to:

  • Access live data from both Odoo API 8.0+ and Odoo.sh Cloud ERP.
  • Extend the native Odoo features with intelligent handling of many-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many data properties. CData's connectivity solutions also intelligently handle complex data properties within Odoo. In addition to columns with simple values like text and dates, there are also columns that contain multiple values on each row. The driver decodes these kinds of values differently, depending upon the type of column the value comes from:
    • Many-to-one columns are references to a single row within another model. Within CData solutions, many-to-one columns are represented as integers, whose value is the ID to which they refer in the other model.
    • Many-to-many columns are references to many rows within another model. Within CData solutions, many-to-many columns are represented as text containing a comma-separated list of integers. Each value in that list is the ID of a row that is being referenced.
    • One-to-many columns are references to many rows within another model - they are similar to many-to-many columns (comma-separated lists of integers), except that each row in the referenced model must belong to only one in the main model.
  • Use SQL stored procedures to call server-side RFCs within Odoo.

Users frequently integrate Odoo with analytics tools such as Power BI and Qlik Sense, and leverage our tools to replicate Odoo data to databases or data warehouses.


Getting Started


Download and Install the Connector Files

In order to access Odoo data through the APOS Live Data Gateway, you will need to download the connector files from APOS and install them on the machine hosting the Live Data Gateway. An APOS representative can deliver the necessary files.

  • Install the CData DLL file (System.Data.CData.Odoo.dll) to the APOS Live Data Gateway installation directory (C:\Program Files\Live Data Gateway\Admin\ by default).
  • Install the CData JAR file (cdata.jdbc.odoo.jar) to the ConnectionTest_lib folder in the installation directory (C:\Program Files\Live Data Gateway\Admin\ConnectionTest_lib\ by default).
  • Install the CData JAR file (cdata.jdbc.odoo.jar) to the lib folder in the Web UI installation directory (e.g.: C:\LDG_WebUI\lib\)

Configuring the Odoo Connection String

Before establishing the connection to Odoo from the APOS Live Data Gateway, you need to configure the Odoo JDBC Connection String.

Built-in Connection String Designer

For assistance in constructing the JDBC Connection String, use the connection string designer built into the Odoo JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

java -jar cdata.jdbc.odoo.jar

Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

To connect, set the Url to a valid Odoo site, User and Password to the connection details of the user you are connecting with, and Database to the Odoo database.

Your connection string will look similar to the following:

jdbc:Odoo:User=MyUser;Password=MyPassword;URL=http://MyOdooSite/;Database=MyDatabase;

Connecting to Odoo & Creating a Semantic Layer View

After installing the connector files and configuring the connection string, you are ready to connect to Odoo in the Live Data Gateway Admin tool and build a semantic layer view in the Live Data Gateway Web UI.

Configuring the Connection to Odoo

  1. Log into your APOS Live Data Gateway Manager
  2. If you haven't already, update your APOS LDG license file
    1. Click File -> Configurations
    2. Click on the "..." Menu for the License
    3. Select the license file from the APOS team that includes your CData Connector license
  3. In the APOS Live Data Gateway Manager, click "Add"
  4. In the APOS Live Data Gateway On the Connection tab, configure the connection:
    • Set Data Source to "Database"
    • Set Database to "CData Drivers"
    • Set Database CData Drivers to "Odoo"
    • Set Connection String to the connection string configured earlier (e.g.: jdbc:Odoo:User=MyUser;Password=MyPassword;URL=http://MyOdooSite/;Database=MyDatabase;
    • Set Driver Class to "cdata.jdbc.odoo.OdooDriver" (this should be set by default)
  5. Click Test Connection
  6. Click Save
  7. Give your connection a unique prefix (e.g. "odoo")
  8. Highlight the newly created connection and click File -> "Approve Users For Web UI"
  9. Approve the appropriate DB users to create views and click "Save"

At this point, we are ready to build our semantic layer view in the Live Data Gateway Web UI.

Creating a Semantic Layer View

  1. In your browser, navigate to the APOS Live Data Gateway Portal
  2. Select a Connection (e.g. "odoo")
  3. Set User Name and Password to the User and Password properties for Odoo.
  4. Click "Login"
  5. Once connected, click "Semantic Layer" to create a new semantic layer view
  6. Click "New Semantic Layer View"
  7. Set the Semantic Layer View Prefix and Semantic Layer View Name
  8. Click "Step 2"
  9. Select the table(s) and column(s) you wish to include in your view
  10. Click "Step 3"
  11. Select the Measures from the available table columns
  12. Click "Step 5" (we skipped the "Extra Dimensions" step)
  13. Add any Variable Prompts
  14. Click "Step 6"
  15. Define any Table Joins
  16. Click "Review"
  17. Review you semantic layer view and click "Save"

With the Semantic Layer View created, you are ready to access your Odoo data through the APOS Live Data Gateway, enabling real-time data connectivity to Odoo data from SAP Analytics Cloud and other SAP solutions.

More Information & Free Evaluation

Please visit APOS Systems - APOS Solutions - Request Evaluation Software to request evaluation software or email info@apos.com for more information on working with your live Odoo data in APOS Live Data Gateway.

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