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Extend Google Sheets with SAP ByDesign Data
Make calls to the API Server from Google Apps Script.
Interact with SAP ByDesign data from Google Sheets through macros, custom functions, and add-ons. The CData API Server, when paired with the ADO.NET Provider for SAP ByDesign (or any of 200+ other ADO.NET Providers), enables connectivity to SAP ByDesign data from cloud-based and mobile applications like Google Sheets. The API Server is a lightweight Web application that produces OData services for SAP ByDesign 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 [Inventory Balance] data.
Set Up the API Server
Follow the steps below to begin producing secure SAP ByDesign 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 SAP ByDesign
After you deploy the API Server and the ADO.NET Provider for SAP ByDesign, provide authentication values and other connection properties needed to connect to SAP ByDesign by clicking Settings -> Connections and adding a new connection in the API Server administration console.
Set the following connection properties to connect to SAP ByDesign.
- Url: Set this to the Url of your SAP ByDesign site. For example, https://test.sapbydesign.com
- User: Set this to the username of your account.
- Password: Set this to the password of your account.
- CustomService or AnalyticsService: Only one of these must be specified. If you have a custom service you want to retrieve data from, specify CustomService. If you want to retrieve the reports of a analytical service, specify AnalyticsService.
If neither is specified, 'cc_home_analytics.svc' will used as a default for the AnalyticsService property. If you are not sure what service to specify, you can always query the Services view to list available services.
You can then choose the SAP ByDesign 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 SAP ByDesign 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/[Inventory Balance]?select=Id,ID,ProductCategoryID,ProductCategoryID";
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 [inventory balance] = JSON.parse(json).value;
var cols = [["Id","ID","ProductCategoryID","ProductCategoryID"]];
sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);
row=2;
for(var i in [inventory balance]){
for (var j in [inventory balance][i]) {
switch (j) {
case "Id":
a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
case "ID":
a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
case "ProductCategoryID":
a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
case "ProductCategoryID":
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.
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.
