How to Search Tasks (Advanced Filter) — Asana Connector for Power BI

Introduction

In this article we will delve deeper into Asana and Power BI integration, and will learn how to search tasks (advanced filter). We are continuing from where we left off. By this time, you must have created ODBC Data Source and connected to Asana. So, let's not waste time and begin.

Use Query Builder to generate SQL query

  1. The first thing you have to do is open Query Builder:

    ZappySys API Driver - Asana
    Read and write data related to Tasks, Projects, Workspaces, Portfolios, TimeEntries, Memberships and more.
    AsanaDSN
    Open Query Builder in API ODBC Driver to read and write data to REST API
  2. Then simply select the Search Tasks (Advanced Filter) endpoint (action).

  3. Continue by configuring the Required parameters. You can also set optional parameters too.

  4. Move on by hitting Preview Data button to preview the results.

  5. If you see the results you need, simply copy the generated query:

    Search Tasks (Advanced Filter)
    Optional Parameters
    Fields
    Workspace Id
    Text
    Projects (NOT)
    Projects (ALL)
    Projects (ANY)
    Sections (NOT)
    Sections (ALL)
    Sections (ANY)
    Tags (NOT)
    Tags (ALL)
    Tags (ANY)
    Assigned By (NOT)
    Assigned By (ALL)
    Assigned By (ANY)
    Portfolios (ANY)
    Teams (ANY)
    Due On
    Due On Before
    Due On After
    Due On (Null)
    Start On
    Start On Before
    Start On After
    Start On (Null)
    Created On
    Created On Before
    Created On After
    Created On (Null)
    Modified On
    Modified On Before
    Modified On After
    Modified On (Null)
    Completed On
    Completed On Before
    Completed On After
    Completed On (Null)
    Due At
    Due At Before
    Due At After
    Start At
    Start At Before
    Start At After
    Created At
    Created At Before
    Created At After
    Modified At
    Modified At Before
    Modified At After
    Completed At
    Completed At Before
    Completed At After
    Is Blocked
    Is Blocking
    Is Subtask
    Has Attachment
    Completed
    Sort By
    Sort Ascending
    Continue On 404 Error (When record not found) False
    Advanced Properties
    Continue On 404 Error (When record not found) False
    --//search text in task title or description
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(Text='Hotfix')
    
    --//search text in all tasks from any projects listed below
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(Text='Hotfix', ProjectsAny='1200652735638082,1206028542305053')
    
    --//list all tasks from any projects listed below
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(Text='Hotfix', ProjectsAny='1200652735638082,1206028542305053')
    
    --//list all tasks due on specified date (same way you can use CreatedOn, CompletedOn ...) 
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOn='2024-12-21')
    
    --//list all tasks with due date after specified date (same way you can use CreatedOnAfter, CompletedOnAfter ...) 
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOnAfter='2024-12-21')
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOnAfter='yearstart+1d')
    
    --//list all tasks with due date after specified date (same way you can use CreatedOnBefore, CompletedOnBefore ...) 
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOnBefore='2024-12-21')
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOnBefore='monthstart-5d')
    
    --//list all tasks with due date after specified datetime (same way you can use CreatedAtBefore, CompletedAtBefore ...) 
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueAtBefore='2024-12-21T23:59:59')
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueAtBefore='now-10h')
    
    --//list all tasks with attachment
    SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(HasAttachment='true')
    Query Builder
  6. That's it! You can use this query in Power BI.

Let's not stop here and explore SQL query examples, including how to use them in Stored Procedures and Views (virtual tables) in the next steps.

SQL query examples

Use these SQL queries in your Power BI data source:

How to Search Tasks (Advanced Filters - Just like Asana Search UI)

--//search text in task title or description
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(Text='Hotfix')

--//search text in all tasks from any projects listed below
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(Text='Hotfix', ProjectsAny='1200652735638082,1206028542305053')

--//list all tasks from any projects listed below
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(Text='Hotfix', ProjectsAny='1200652735638082,1206028542305053')

--//list all tasks due on specified date (same way you can use CreatedOn, CompletedOn ...) 
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOn='2024-12-21')

--//list all tasks with due date after specified date (same way you can use CreatedOnAfter, CompletedOnAfter ...) 
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOnAfter='2024-12-21')
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOnAfter='yearstart+1d')

--//list all tasks with due date after specified date (same way you can use CreatedOnBefore, CompletedOnBefore ...) 
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOnBefore='2024-12-21')
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueOnBefore='monthstart-5d')

--//list all tasks with due date after specified datetime (same way you can use CreatedAtBefore, CompletedAtBefore ...) 
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueAtBefore='2024-12-21T23:59:59')
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(DueAtBefore='now-10h')

--//list all tasks with attachment
SELECT * FROM search_tasks WITH(HasAttachment='true')

Stored Procedures and Views

Create Custom Stored Procedure

You can create procedures to encapsulate custom logic and then only pass handful parameters rather than long SQL to execute your API call.

Steps to create Custom Stored Procedure in ZappySys Driver. You can insert Placeholders anywhere inside Procedure Body. Read more about placeholders here

  1. Go to Custom Objects Tab and Click on Add button and Select Add Procedure:
    ZappySys Driver - Add Stored Procedure

  2. Enter the desired Procedure name and click on OK:
    ZappySys Driver - Add Stored Procedure Name

  3. Select the created Stored Procedure and write the your desired stored procedure and Save it and it will create the custom stored procedure in the ZappySys Driver:
    Here is an example stored procedure for ZappySys Driver. You can insert Placeholders anywhere inside Procedure Body. Read more about placeholders here

    CREATE PROCEDURE [usp_get_orders]
        @fromdate = '<<yyyy-MM-dd,FUN_TODAY>>'
     AS
        SELECT * FROM Orders where OrderDate >= '<@fromdate>';
    

    ZappySys Driver - Create Custom Stored Procedure

  4. That's it now go to Preview Tab and Execute your Stored Procedure using Exec Command. In this example it will extract the orders from the date 1996-01-01:

    Exec usp_get_orders '1996-01-01';

    ZappySys Driver - Execute Custom Stored Procedure

  5. Let's generate the SQL Server Query Code to make the API call using stored procedure. Go to Code Generator Tab, select language as SQL Server and click on Generate button the generate the code.
    As we already created the linked server for this Data Source, in that you just need to copy the Select Query and need to use the linked server name which we have apply on the place of [MY_API_SERVICE] placeholder.

    SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY([LS_TO_ASANA_IN_GATEWAY], 'EXEC usp_get_orders @fromdate=''1996-07-30''')

    ZappySys Driver - Generate SQL Server Query

  6. Now go to SQL served and execute that query and it will make the API call using stored procedure and provide you the response.
    ZappySys Driver - Generate SQL Server Query

Create Custom Virtual Table

ZappySys API Drivers support flexible Query language so you can override Default Properties you configured on Data Source such as URL, Body. This way you don't have to create multiple Data Sources if you like to read data from multiple EndPoints. However not every application support supplying custom SQL to driver so you can only select Table from list returned from driver.

If you're dealing with Microsoft Access and need to import data from an SQL query, it's important to note that Access doesn't allow direct import of SQL queries. Instead, you can create custom objects (Virtual Tables) to handle the import process.

Many applications like MS Access, Informatica Designer wont give you option to specify custom SQL when you import Objects. In such case Virtual Table is very useful. You can create many Virtual Tables on the same Data Source (e.g. If you have 50 URLs with slight variations you can create virtual tables with just URL as Parameter setting.

  1. Go to Custom Objects Tab and Click on Add button and Select Add Table:
    ZappySys Driver - Add Table

  2. Enter the desired Table name and click on OK:
    ZappySys Driver - Add Table Name

  3. And it will open the New Query Window Click on Cancel to close that window and go to Custom Objects Tab.

  4. Select the created table, Select Text Type AS SQL and write the your desired SQL Query and Save it and it will create the custom table in the ZappySys Driver:
    Here is an example SQL query for ZappySys Driver. You can insert Placeholders also. Read more about placeholders here

    SELECT
      "ShipCountry",
      "OrderID",
      "CustomerID",
      "EmployeeID",
      "OrderDate",
      "RequiredDate",
      "ShippedDate",
      "ShipVia",
      "Freight",
      "ShipName",
      "ShipAddress",
      "ShipCity",
      "ShipRegion",
      "ShipPostalCode"
    FROM "Orders"
    Where "ShipCountry"='USA'

    ZappySys Driver - Create Custom Table

  5. That's it now go to Preview Tab and Execute your custom virtual table query. In this example it will extract the orders for the USA Shipping Country only:

    SELECT * FROM "vt__usa_orders_only"

    ZappySys Driver - Execute Custom Virtual Table Query

  6. Let's generate the SQL Server Query Code to make the API call using stored procedure. Go to Code Generator Tab, select language as SQL Server and click on Generate button the generate the code.
    As we already created the linked server for this Data Source, in that you just need to copy the Select Query and need to use the linked server name which we have apply on the place of [MY_API_SERVICE] placeholder.

    SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY([LS_TO_ASANA_IN_GATEWAY], 'EXEC [usp_get_orders] ''1996-01-01''')

    ZappySys Driver - Generate SQL Server Query

  7. Now go to SQL served and execute that query and it will make the API call using stored procedure and provide you the response.
    ZappySys Driver - Generate SQL Server Query

Search Tasks (Advanced Filter) in Power BI

We are at the point where we can reiterate on how to use the SQL query, Stored Procedures or Views in Power BI:

  1. Once you open Power BI Desktop click Get Data to get data from ODBC:
    Power Bi Get Data

  2. A window opens, and then search for "odbc" to get data from ODBC data source:
    Power Bi ODBC Get Data

  3. Another window opens and asks to select a Data Source we already created. Choose AsanaDSN and continue:

    AsanaDSN
    Power Bi Select ZappySys Driver DSN

  4. Most likely, you will be asked to authenticate to a newly created DSN. Just select Windows authentication option together with Use my current credentials option:

    AsanaDSN
    Power Bi DSN Authentication

  5. Finally, you will be asked to select a table or view to get data from. Select one and load the data!
    Power Bi Load DSN Table Data

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