How to integrate Azure Blob CSV File with UiPath

Integrate UiPath and Azure Blob CSV File

Learn how to quickly and efficiently connect Azure Blob CSV File with UiPath for smooth data access.

Read and write CSV files in Azure Blob effortlessly. Streamline, manage, and automate CSV files in Blob containers for analytics, reporting, and data pipelines — almost no coding required. You can do it all using the high-performance Azure Blob CSV File ODBC Driver for UiPath (often referred to as the Azure Blob CSV File Connector). We'll walk you through the entire setup.

Ready to dive in? Download the product to jump right in, or follow the step-by-step guide below to see how it works.

Azure Blob CSV File ODBC Driver Powering this integration

High performance
Bidirectional
Low-code / No-code
Easy to use

Built on the ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver, the Azure Blob CSV File ODBC Driver is a high-performance, low-code / no-code solution. It enables you to connect to Azure Blob CSV File data without any coding right in your SQL Server, or any ODBC/JDBC application. Part of the ODBC PowerPack.

Documentation

Create data source using Azure Blob CSV File ODBC Driver

Step-by-step instructions

To get data from Azure Blob CSV File using UiPath, we first need to create an ODBC data source. We will later read this data in UiPath. Perform these steps:

Download and install ODBC PowerPack (if you haven't already).
Search for odbc and open the ODBC Data Sources (64-bit):
Create a User data source (User DSN) based on the ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver driver:

ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver
- Create and use a User DSN if the client application runs under a User Account. This is the ideal option at design time (e.g., when developing in Visual Studio). Use it for both types of applications (64-bit and 32-bit).
- Create and use a System DSN if the client application runs under a System Account (e.g., as a Windows Service). This is usually the required option in a production environment. If your Windows Service is a 32-bit application, you must use the 32-bit ODBC Data Source Administrator to configure this
Create and configure a connection for the Azure Blob storage account.
You can use select your desired single file by clicking [...] path button.

mybucket/dbo.tblNames.csv

dbo.tblNames.csv

----------OR----------
You can also read the multiple files stored in Azure Blob Storage using wildcard pattern supported e.g. dbo.tblNames*.csv.
```
Note: If you want to operation with multiple files then use wild card pattern as below 
(when you use wild card pattern in source path then system will treat target path as folder regardless you end with slash)

mybucket/dbo.tblNames.csv (will read only single .CSV file)
mybucket/dbo.tbl*.csv (all files starting with file name)
mybucket/*.csv (all files with .csv Extension and located under folder subfolder)
```
mybucket/dbo.tblNames*.csv

----------OR----------
You can also read the zip and gzip compressed files also without extracting it in using Azure Blob CSV Source File Task.

mybucket/dbo.tblNames*.gz
Navigate to the Preview Tab and let's explore the different modes available to access the data.
1. --- Using Direct Query ---
  Click on Preview Tab, Select Table from Tables Dropdown and select [value] and click Preview.
2. --- Using Stored Procedure ---
  
  Note : For this you have to Save ODBC Driver configuration and then again reopen to configure same driver. For more information click here.
  Click on the Custom Objects Tab, Click on Add button and select Add Procedure and Enter an appropriate name and Click on OK button to create.
  1. --- Without Parameters ---
    Now Stored Procedure can be created with or without parameters (see example below). If you use parameters then Set default value otherwise it may fail to compilation)
  2. --- With Parameters ---
    
    Note : Here you can use Placeholder with Paramters in Stored Procedure. Example : SELECT * FROM $ WHERE OrderID = '<@OrderID, FUN_TRIM>' or CustId = '<@CustId>' and Total >= '<@Total>'
3. --- Using Virtual Table ---
  
  Note : For this you have to Save ODBC Driver configuration and then again reopen to configure same driver. For more information click here.
  
  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.
  
  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 Buckets with slight variations you can create virtual tables with just URL as Parameter setting).
```
vt__Customers
DataPath=mybucket_1/customers.csv

vt__Orders
DataPath=mybucket_2/orders.csv

vt__Products
DataPath=mybucket_3/products.csv
```
  1. Click on the Custom Objects Tab, Click on Add button and select Add Table and Enter an appropriate name and Click on OK button to create.
  2. Once you see Query Builder Window on screen Configure it.
  3. Click on Preview Tab, Select Virtual Table(prefix with vt__) from Tables Dropdown or write SQL query with Virtual Table name and click Preview.
Click OK to finish creating the data source
That's it; we are done. In a few clicks we configured the to Read the Azure Blob CSV File data using ZappySys Azure Blob CSV File Connector

Read Azure Blob CSV File data in UiPath Studio (workstation)

Here we will be reading Azure Blob CSV File data on your workstation. To accomplish that we will create and run UiPath process package locally. Later on, we'll explore how to publish the package to Orchestrator and run it remotely. For now, let's focus on working locally and get started!

Open UiPath Studio.
Before we really begin the work, make sure UiPath Studio is set as your profile (blue application icon).
In case, it is set to UiPath StudioX, you can change it in UiPath StudioX Settings:

Simply select UiPath Studio option:
Start by creating a new project based on UiPath Process template:
Add Run Query activity in Main Sequence box:
Click Configure Connection... button to create an ODBC connection:
Continue by clicking Connection Wizard:
When the window opens, select ODBC-based driver, provider, and then choose ODBC data source:

AzureBlobCsvFileDSN

AzureBlobCsvFileDSN

You can also select Use connection string option and use whole ODBC connection string instead. Obtain the connection string by pressing Copy Settings button in your data source configuration.
Once you do that, it's time to configure a SQL query:

Make sure, you enclose the query in double quotes!
Proceed by adding a Write CSV activity after Run Query:

In this article we are using Write CSV, but you can freely add any other destination of your choice, e.g. Write DataTable to Excel.
Once you do that, configure the added Write CSV, this will write Azure Blob CSV File data to a CSV file:
It's time for fun! Which means it's time for debugging! Just run the package locally to debug:
Finally, ensure there are no execution errors!

Run UiPath package using Orchestrator (via robot)

UiPath also offers the ability to execute packages remotely using Orchestrator and a robot. This is achieved by publishing the package to UiPath Orchestrator, installing UiPath Assistant on the remote machine, connecting it to Orchestrator, enabling us to run the package remotely. It may sound complicated at first glance, but further steps will clear things out. Let's not waste our precious time and delve into the details!

Publish process package from UiPath Studio

First of all, open the UiPath process package we created in the previous step
Set the option that our process package Starts in Background:
We are ready to Publish it:
Make sure, you publish it to the Shared folder in UiPath Orchestrator Tenant workspace:
Finally, success! We are ready for the next step - creating UiPath robot - so we can automate the job:

Create robot in UiPath Orchestrator

First of all, let's open UiPath Orchestrator from UiPath Automation Cloud console:
It's time to create a robot, which will run unattended packages:
But first we have to create a runtime. Choose to host our robot on-premise, not in UiPath infrastructure:
Let's move along and Create new machine template, this will create a machine in UiPath Orchestrator:
Configure the machine to run in Production environment:
We are ready to Create new robot account in the new machine:
Let's make our robot to work only on background automations:
Continue by selecting newly created robot:
Select Shared folder, so that everyone in the team can benefit from it:
This is the folder where we published our UiPath process package "MyProcess"
We are almost done! We are given machine Client ID and Client secret which we will use to connect UiPath Assistant to our created machine in Orchestrator. Let's leave this open for a while and see how we can do it in the next step.

Connect UiPath Assistant to Orchestrator

We are ready to connect UiPath Assistant to the machine we created in Orchestrator. UiPath Assistant will run our package in a remote machine. Let's connect it and give it some work!

Connect to a remote machine (where your UiPath process package will be running).
Install UiPath Studio there.
Then configure ODBC data source:
If you chose Use user or system data source option in connection configuration, when creating UiPath process package, then create an identical ODBC data source on the same remote machine. Use the same configuration as the one created in your workstation in the first step.

Use Copy Settings and Load Settings buttons to make your life easier. They will help you to transfer settings between different ODBC data sources.

If you chose Use connection string option, then you don't have to do anything. However, you still have to install ODBC PowerPack on the remote machine.
Continue by opening UiPath Assistant and going to Preferences:
Find Orchestrator Settings menu item and click it:
And here even bigger fun begins! But fear not, all you have to do is open your web browser window with Client ID & Client secret we obtained in the previous step and simply copy and paste those values into UiPath Assistant. Also, don't forget to configure Orchestrator URL:
Finally, we get rewarded for the hard work with the Connected as Unattended status:

Create and run UiPath process in Orchestrator

We are at the finish line! Let's create and run UiPath process. This will execute the package on your remote machine using the UiPath Assistant configured earlier.

First of all, open UiPath Orchestrator from UiPath Automation Cloud console.
Then proceed by going to Process in Shared folder:
Continue by simply clicking on Add process button:
Select the process package we created in UiPath Studio:
Rest a while, and just hit Next, unless your package has requirements:
Then simply hit Create button:
But let's not stop here and Start the process by creating a job right away:
Use the same Production runtime we created before and hit Start:
We've reached the final step! In the CSV destination file or destination of your choice you should see Azure Blob CSV File data:

Optional: Centralized data access via ZappySys Data Gateway

In some situations, you may need to provide Azure Blob CSV File data access to multiple users or services. Configuring the data source on a Data Gateway creates a single, centralized connection point for this purpose.

This configuration provides two primary advantages:

Centralized data access
The data source is configured once on the gateway, eliminating the need to set it up individually on each user's machine or application. This significantly simplifies the management process.
Centralized access control
Since all connections route through the gateway, access can be governed or revoked from a single location for all users.

	Data Gateway	Local ODBC data source
Simple configuration
Installation	Single machine	Per machine
Connectivity	Local and remote	Local only
Connections limit	Limited by License	Unlimited
Central data access
Central access control
More flexible cost

To achieve this, you must first create a data source in the Data Gateway (server-side) and then create an ODBC data source in UiPath (client-side) to connect to it.

Let's not wait and get going!

Create Azure Blob CSV File data source in the gateway

In this section we will create a data source for Azure Blob CSV File in the Data Gateway. Let's follow these steps to accomplish that:

Search for gateway in the Windows Start Menu and open ZappySys Data Gateway Configuration:
Go to the Users tab and follow these steps to add a Data Gateway user:
- Click the Add button
- In the Login field enter a username, e.g., john
- Then enter a Password
- Check the Is Administrator checkbox
- Click OK to save
Now we are ready to add a data source:
- Click the Add button
- Give the Data source a name (have it handy for later)
- Then select Native - ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver
- Finally, click OK
AzureBlobCsvFileDSN

ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver
When the ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver configuration window opens, go back to ODBC Data Source Administrator where you already have the Azure Blob CSV File ODBC data source created and configured, and follow these steps on how to Import data source configuration into the Gateway:
- Open ODBC data source configuration and click Copy settings:
  
  ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver - Configuration [Version: 2.0.1.10418]
  
  ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver - Azure Blob CSV File
  
  Read and write CSV files in Azure Blob effortlessly. Streamline, manage, and automate CSV files in Blob containers for analytics, reporting, and data pipelines — almost no coding required.
  
  AzureBlobCsvFileDSN
- The window opens, telling us the connection string was successfully copied to the clipboard:
- Then go to Data Gateway configuration and in data source configuration window click Load settings:
  
  AzureBlobCsvFileDSN
  
  ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver - Configuration [Version: 2.0.1.10418]
  
  ZappySys Azure Blob CSV Driver - Azure Blob CSV File
  
  Read and write CSV files in Azure Blob effortlessly. Streamline, manage, and automate CSV files in Blob containers for analytics, reporting, and data pipelines — almost no coding required.
  
  AzureBlobCsvFileDSN
- Once a window opens, just paste the settings by pressing CTRL+V or by clicking right mouse button and then Paste option.
Once done, go to the Network Settings tab and Add a firewall rule for inbound traffic:
- This will initially allow all inbound traffic.
- Click Edit IP filters to restrict access to specific IP addresses or ranges.
Crucial Step: After creating or modifying the data source, you must:
- Click the Save button to persist your changes.
- Hit Yes when prompted to restart the Data Gateway service.
This ensures all changes are properly applied:

Skipping this step may cause the new settings to fail, preventing you from connecting to the data source.

Create ODBC data source to connect to the gateway

In this part we will create an ODBC data source to connect to the ZappySys Data Gateway from UiPath. To achieve that, let's perform these steps:

Search for odbc and open the ODBC Data Sources (64-bit):
Create a User data source (User DSN) based on the ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server driver:

ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server

If you don't see the ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server driver in the list, choose a similar version.
Then set a Name for the data source (e.g. Gateway) and the address of the Data Gateway:

ZappySysGatewayDSN

localhost,5000

Make sure you separate the hostname and port with a comma, e.g. localhost,5000.
Proceed with the authentication part:
- Select SQL Server authentication
- In the Login ID field enter the user name you created in the Data Gateway, e.g., john
- Set Password to the one you configured in the Data Gateway
Then set the default database property to AzureBlobCsvFileDSN (the one we used in the Data Gateway):

AzureBlobCsvFileDSN

AzureBlobCsvFileDSN

Make sure to type the data source name manually or copy/paste it directly into the field. Using the dropdown might fail because the Trust server certificate option is not enabled yet (next step).
Continue by checking the Trust server certificate option:
Once you do that, test the connection:
If the connection is successful, everything is good:
Done!

We are ready to move to the final step. Let's do it!

Access data in UiPath via the gateway

Finally, we are ready to read data from Azure Blob CSV File in UiPath via the Data Gateway. Follow these final steps:

Go back to UiPath.
Add Run Query activity in Main Sequence box:
Click Configure Connection... button to create an ODBC connection:
Continue by clicking Connection Wizard:
When the window opens, select ODBC-based driver, provider, and then choose ODBC data source:

ZappySysGatewayDSN

ZappySysGatewayDSN

You can also select Use connection string option and use whole ODBC connection string instead. Obtain the connection string by pressing Copy Settings button in your data source configuration.
Read the data the same way we discussed at the beginning of this article.
That's it!

Now you can connect to Azure Blob CSV File data in UiPath via the Data Gateway.

If you are asked for authentication details, use Database authentication, SQL authentication or Basic authentication option and enter the credentials you used when configuring the Data Gateway, e.g. john and your password.

Conclusion

In this article we showed you how to connect to Azure Blob CSV File in UiPath and integrate data without writing complex code — all of this was powered by Azure Blob CSV File ODBC Driver.

Download ODBC PowerPack now or ping us via chat if you have any questions or are looking for a specific feature (you can also reach out to us by submitting a ticket):

Download Chat