Cosmos DB Connector for UiPathConnect to your Azure Cosmos DB databases to read, query, create, update, and delete documents and more! In this article you will learn how to quickly and efficiently integrate Cosmos DB data in UiPath without coding. We will use high-performance Cosmos DB Connector to easily connect to Cosmos DB and then access the data inside UiPath. Let's follow the steps below to see how we can accomplish that! Cosmos DB Connector for UiPath is based on ZappySys API Driver which is part of ODBC PowerPack. It is a collection of high-performance ODBC drivers that enable you to integrate data in SQL Server, SSIS, a programming language, or any other ODBC-compatible application. ODBC PowerPack supports various file formats, sources and destinations, including REST/SOAP API, SFTP/FTP, storage services, and plain files, to mention a few. |
Connect to Cosmos DB in other apps
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Create ODBC Data Source (DSN) based on ZappySys API Driver
Step-by-step instructions
To get data from Cosmos DB using UiPath we first need to create a DSN (Data Source) which will access data from Cosmos DB. We will later be able to read data using UiPath. Perform these steps:
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Download and install ODBC PowerPack.
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Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):
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Create a User data source (User DSN) based on ZappySys API Driver
ZappySys API Driver-
Create and use User DSN
if the client application is run under a User Account.
This is an ideal option
in design-time , when developing a solution, e.g. in Visual Studio 2019. Use it for both type of applications - 64-bit and 32-bit. -
Create and use System DSN
if the client application is launched under a System Account, e.g. as a Windows Service.
Usually, this is an ideal option to use
in a production environment . Use ODBC Data Source Administrator (32-bit), instead of 64-bit version, if Windows Service is a 32-bit application.
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Create and use User DSN
if the client application is run under a User Account.
This is an ideal option
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When the Configuration window appears give your data source a name if you haven't done that already, then select "Cosmos DB" from the list of Popular Connectors. If "Cosmos DB" is not present in the list, then click "Search Online" and download it. Then set the path to the location where you downloaded it. Finally, click Continue >> to proceed with configuring the DSN:
CosmosDbDSNCosmos DB -
Now it's time to configure the Connection Manager. Select Authentication Type, e.g. Token Authentication. Then select API Base URL (in most cases, the default one is the right one). More info is available in the Authentication section.
Steps how to get and use Cosmos DB credentials : API Key [Http]
Connecting to your Azure Cosmos DB data requires you to authenticate your REST API access. Follow the instructions below:- Go to your Azure portal homepage: https://portal.azure.com/.
- In the search bar at the top of the homepage, enter Azure Cosmos DB. In the dropdown that appears, select Azure Cosmos DB.
- Click on the name of the database account you want to connect to (also copy and paste the name of the database account for later use).
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On the next page where you can see all of the database account information, look along the left side and select Keys:
- On the Keys page, you will have two tabs: Read-write Keys and Read-only Keys. If you are going to write data to your database, you need to remain on the Read-write Keys tab. If you are only going to read data from your database, you should select the Read-only Keys tab.
- On the Keys page, copy the PRIMARY KEY value and paste it somewhere for later use (the SECONDARY KEY value may also be copied and used).
- Now go to SSIS package or ODBC data source and use this PRIMARY KEY in API Key authentication configuration.
- Enter the primary or secondary key you recorded in step 6 into the Primary or Secondary Key field.
- Then enter the database account you recorded in step 3 into the Database Account field.
- Next, enter or select the default database you want to connect to using the Defualt Database field.
- Continue by entering or selecting the default table (i.e. container/collection) you want to connect to using the Default Table (Container/Collection) field.
- Select the Test Connection button at the bottom of the window to verify proper connectivity with your Azure Devops account.
- If the connection test succeeds, select OK.
- Done! Now you are ready to use Asana Connector!
Fill in all required parameters and set optional parameters if needed:
CosmosDbDSNCosmos DBAPI Key [Http]https://[$Account$].documents.azure.comRequired Parameters Primary or Secondary Key Fill-in the parameter... Account Name (Case-Sensitive) Fill-in the parameter... Database Name (keep blank to use default) Case-Sensitive Fill-in the parameter... API Version Fill-in the parameter... Optional Parameters Default Table (needed to invoke #DirectSQL) -
Once the data source connection has been configured, it's time to configure the SQL query. Select the Preview tab and then click Query Builder button to configure the SQL query:
ZappySys API Driver - Cosmos DBConnect to your Azure Cosmos DB databases to read, query, create, update, and delete documents and more!CosmosDbDSN -
Start by selecting the Table or Endpoint you are interested in and then configure the parameters. This will generate a query that we will use in UiPath to retrieve data from Cosmos DB. Hit OK button to use this query in the next step.
#DirectSQL SELECT * FROM root where root.id !=null order by root._ts desc
Some parameters configured in this window will be passed to the Cosmos DB API, e.g. filtering parameters. It means that filtering will be done on the server side (instead of the client side), enabling you to get only the meaningful datamuch faster . -
Now hit Preview Data button to preview the data using the generated SQL query. If you are satisfied with the result, use this query in UiPath:
ZappySys API Driver - Cosmos DBConnect to your Azure Cosmos DB databases to read, query, create, update, and delete documents and more!CosmosDbDSN#DirectSQL SELECT * FROM root where root.id !=null order by root._ts desc
You can also access data quickly from the tables dropdown by selecting <Select table>.AWHERE
clause,LIMIT
keyword will be performed on the client side, meaning that thewhole result set will be retrieved from the Cosmos DB API first, and only then the filtering will be applied to the data. If possible, it is recommended to use parameters in Query Builder to filter the data on the server side (in Cosmos DB servers). -
Click OK to finish creating the data source.
Video Tutorial
Read Cosmos DB data in UiPath Studio (workstation)
Here we will be reading Cosmos DB 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).
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In case, it is set to UiPath StudioX, you can change it in UiPath StudioX Settings:
Simply select UiPath Studio option:
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Start by creating a new project based on UiPath Process template:
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Add Run Query activity in Main Sequence box:
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Click Configure Connection... button to create an ODBC connection:
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Continue by clicking Connection Wizard:
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When the window opens, select ODBC-based driver, provider, and then choose ODBC data source:
CosmosDbDSNCosmosDbDSNYou 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.
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Once you do that, it's time to configure a SQL query:
Make sure, you enclose the query in double quotes!
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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.
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Once you do that, configure the added Write CSV, this will write Cosmos DB data to a CSV file:
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It's time for fun! Which means it's time for debugging! Just run the package locally to debug:
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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
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Set the option that our process package Starts in Background:
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We are ready to Publish it:
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Make sure, you publish it to the Shared folder in UiPath Orchestrator Tenant workspace:
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Finally, success! We are ready for the next step - creating UiPath robot - so we can automate the job:
Create robot in UiPath Orchestrator
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First of all, let's open UiPath Orchestrator from UiPath Automation Cloud console:
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It's time to create a robot, which will run unattended packages:
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But first we have to create a runtime. Choose to host our robot on-premise, not in UiPath infrastructure:
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Let's move along and Create new machine template, this will create a machine in UiPath Orchestrator:
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Configure the machine to run in Production environment:
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We are ready to Create new robot account in the new machine:
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Let's make our robot to work only on background automations:
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Continue by selecting newly created robot:
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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"
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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.
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Continue by opening UiPath Assistant and going to Preferences:
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Find Orchestrator Settings menu item and click it:
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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:
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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.
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Then proceed by going to Process in Shared folder:
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Continue by simply clicking on Add process button:
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Select the process package we created in UiPath Studio:
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Rest a while, and just hit Next, unless your package has requirements:
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Then simply hit Create button:
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But let's not stop here and Start the process by creating a job right away:
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Use the same Production runtime we created before and hit Start:
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We've reached the final step! In the CSV destination file or destination of your choice you should see Cosmos DB data:
Actions supported by Cosmos DB Connector
Learn how to perform common Cosmos DB actions directly in UiPath with these how-to guides:
- Create a document in the container
- Create Permission Token for a User (One Table)
- Create User for Database
- Delete a Document by Id
- Get All Documents for a Table
- Get All Users for a Database
- Get Database Information by Id or Name
- Get Document by Id
- Get List of Databases
- Get List of Tables
- Get table information by Id or Name
- Get table partition key ranges
- Get User by Id or Name
- Query documents using Cosmos DB SQL query language
- Update Document in the Container
- Upsert a document in the container
- Generic Request
- Generic Request (Bulk Write)
Conclusion
In this article we showed you how to connect to Cosmos DB in UiPath and integrate data without any coding, saving you time and effort. It's worth noting that ZappySys API Driver allows you to connect not only to Cosmos DB, but to any Java application that supports JDBC (just use a different JDBC driver and configure it appropriately).
We encourage you to download Cosmos DB Connector for UiPath and see how easy it is to use it for yourself or your team.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact ZappySys support team. You can also open a live chat immediately by clicking on the chat icon below.
Download Cosmos DB Connector for UiPath Documentation
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