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Create SSAS Tabular Models from Salesforce Data
How to build a SQL Server Analysis Service Tabular Model from Salesforce data using CData drivers.
SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) is an analytical data engine used in decision support and business analytics. It provides enterprise-grade semantic data models for business reports and client applications, such as Power BI, Excel, Reporting Services reports, and other data visualization tools. When paired with the CData ODBC Driver for Salesforce, you can create a tabular model from Salesforce data for deeper and faster data analysis.
Create a Connection to Salesforce Data
If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.
There are several authentication methods available for connecting to Salesforce: Login, OAuth, and SSO. The Login method requires you to have the username, password, and security token of the user.
If you do not have access to the username and password or do not wish to require them, you can use OAuth authentication.
SSO (single sign-on) can be used by setting the SSOProperties, SSOLoginUrl, and TokenUrl connection properties, which allow you to authenticate to an identity provider. See the "Getting Started" chapter in the help documentation for more information.
About Salesforce Data Integration
Accessing and integrating live data from Salesforce has never been easier with CData. Customers rely on CData connectivity to:
- Access to custom entities and fields means Salesforce users get access to all of Salesforce.
- Create atomic and batch update operations.
- Read, write, update, and delete their Salesforce data.
- Leverage the latest Salesforce features and functionalities with support for SOAP API versions 30.0.
- See improved performance based on SOQL support to push complex queries down to Salesforce servers.
- Use SQL stored procedures to perform actions like creating, retrieving, aborting, and deleting jobs, uploading and downloading attachments and documents, and more.
Users frequently integrate Salesforce data with:
- other ERPs, marketing automation, HCMs, and more.
- preferred data tools like Power BI, Tableau, Looker, and more.
- databases and data warehouses.
For more information on how CData solutions work with Salesforce, check out our Salesforce integration page.
Getting Started
Creating a Data Source for Salesforce
Start by creating a new Analysis Services Tabular Project in Visual Studio. Next create a Data Source for Salesforce in the project.
- In the Tabular Model Explorer, right-click Data Sources and select "New Data Source"
- Select "ODBC" from the Other tab and click "Connect"
![]( "Selecting ODBC as the connector")
- Select the DSN you previously configured
![]( "Selecting the DSN (Salesforce is shown)")
- Choose "Default or Custom" as the authentication option and click "Connect"
![]( "Connecting to the DSN (Salesforce is shown)")
Add Tables & Relationships
After creating the data source you are ready to import tables and define the relationships between the tables.
- Right-click the new data source, click "Import New Tables" and select the tables to import
![]( "Importing the tables (Salesforce is shown)")
- After importing the tables, right-click "Relationships" and click "Create Relationships"
- Select table(s), and choose the foreign keys, cardinality, and filter direction
![]( "Configuring relationships between tables (Salesforce is shown)")
Create Measures
After importing the tables and defining the relationships, you are ready to create measures.
- Select the column in the table for which you wish to create a measure
- In the Extensions menu -> click "Columns" -> "AutoSum" and select your aggregation method
![]( "Creating measures (Salesforce is shown)")
Deploy the Model
Once you create measures, you are ready to deploy the model. Configure the target server and database by right-clicking the project found in the Solution Explorer and selecting "Properties." Configure the "Deployment Server" properties and click "OK."
After configuring the deployment server, open the "Build" menu and click "Deploy Solution." You now have a tabular model for Salesforce data in your SSAS instance, ready to be analyzed, reported, and viewed. Get started with a free, 30-day trial of the CData ODBC Driver for Salesforce.
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Salesforce ODBC Driver
The Salesforce ODBC Driver is a powerful tool that allows you to connect with live Salesforce account data, directly from any applications that support ODBC connectivity.
Access Salesforce data like you would a database - read, write, and update Leads, Contacts, Opportunities, Accounts, etc. through a standard ODBC Driver interface.
