How to read Outlook Mail (Office 365) data in ODBC application?

In this section we will learn how to configure and use Outlook Mail (Office 365) Connector in the API Driver to extract data from the Outlook Mail (Office 365).

Create ODBC Data Source (DSN) based on ZappySys API Driver

Step-by-step instructions

To get data from using we first need to create a DSN (Data Source) which will access data from . We will later be able to read data using . Perform these steps:

1. Install ZappySys ODBC PowerPack.

2. Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):
   

3. Create a User Data Source (User DSN) based on ZappySys API Driver

   ZappySys API Driver

   
   You should create a System DSN (instead of a User DSN) if the client application is launched under a Windows System Account, e.g. as a Windows Service. If the client application is 32-bit (x86) running with a System DSN, use ODBC Data Sources (32-bit) instead of the 64-bit version.

4. When the Configuration window appears give your data source a name if you haven't done that already, then select "Outlook Mail (Office 365)" from the list of Popular Connectors. If "Outlook Mail (Office 365)" 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:

   OutlookMailOffice365DSN

   Outlook Mail (Office 365)

   

5. 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.

    User Credentials [OAuth]

   Use delegated access (User Credentials) whenever you want to let a signed-in user work with their own resources or resources they can access. Whether it's an admin setting up policies for their entire organization or a user deleting an email in their inbox, all scenarios involving user actions should use delegated access. [API reference]

   Steps how to get and use Outlook Mail (Office 365) credentials
   

   Follow these simple steps below to create Microsoft Entra ID application with delegated access:

   WARNING: If you are planning to automate processes, we recommend that you use a Application Credentials authentication method. In case, you still need to use User Credentials, then make sure you use a system/generic account (e.g. automation@my-company.com). When you use a personal account which is tied to a specific employee profile and that employee leaves the company, the token may become invalid and any automated processes using that token will start to fail.

   1. Navigate to the Azure Portal and log in using your credentials.
   2. Access Microsoft Entra ID.
   3. Register a new application by going to App registrations and clicking on New registration button:
      INFO: Find more information on how to register an application in Graph API reference.
   4. When configuration window opens, configure these fields:
      • Supported account type
        • Use Accounts in this organizational directory only, if you need access to data in your organization only.
      • Redirect URI:
        • Set the type to Public client/native (mobile & desktop).
        • Use https://zappysys.com/oauth as the URL.
      
   5. After registering the app, copy the Application (client) ID for later:
   6. Then copy OAuth authorization endpoint (v2) & OAuth token endpoint (v2) URLs to use later in the configuration:
   7. Now go to SSIS package or ODBC data source and use the copied values in User Credentials authentication configuration:
      • In the Authorization URL field paste the OAuth authorization endpoint (v2) URL value you copied in the previous step.
      • In the Token URL field paste the OAuth token endpoint (v2) URL value you copied in the previous step.
      • In the Client ID field paste the Application (client) ID value you copied in the previous step.
      • In the Scope field use the default value or select individual scopes, e.g.:
        • email
        • offline_access
        • openid
        • profile
        • Mail.Read
        • Mail.Read.Shared
        • Mail.ReadBasic
        • Mail.ReadBasic.Shared
        • Mail.ReadWrite
        • Mail.ReadWrite.Shared
        • Mail.Send
        • Mail.Send.Shared
        • User.Read
        • User.ReadBasic.All
   8. Press Generate Token button to generate Access and Refresh Tokens.
   9. Optional step. Choose Default User Id from the drop down menu (if someone shared a mailbox with you).
   10. Click Test Connection to confirm the connection is working.
   11. Done! Now you are ready to use the API Connector!

   Fill in all required parameters and set optional parameters if needed:

   OutlookMailOffice365DSN

   Outlook Mail (Office 365)

   User Credentials [OAuth]

   https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0

   Required Parameters
   Authorization URL	Fill-in the parameter...
   Token URL	Fill-in the parameter...
   Client ID	Fill-in the parameter...
   Scope	Fill-in the parameter...
   Return URL	Fill-in the parameter...
   Optional Parameters
   Client Secret
   Refresh Token File Path
   Login Prompt Option
   Default User Id (Select after clicking **Generate Token**)	me
   RetryMode	RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
   RetryStatusCodeList	429|503
   RetryCountMax	5
   RetryMultiplyWaitTime	True

   

    Application Credentials [OAuth]

   Application-only access is broader and more powerful than delegated access (User Credentials), so you should only use app-only access where needed. Use it when: 1. The application needs to run in an automated way, without user input (for example, a daily script that checks emails from certain contacts and sends automated responses). 2. The application needs to access resources belonging to multiple different users (for example, a backup or data loss prevention app might need to retrieve messages from many different chat channels, each with different participants). 3. You find yourself tempted to store credentials locally and allow the app to sign in 'as' the user or admin. [API reference]

   Steps how to get and use Outlook Mail (Office 365) credentials
   

   Follow these simple steps below to create Microsoft Entra ID application with application access permissions.

   1. Navigate to the Azure Portal and log in using your credentials.
   2. Access Microsoft Entra ID.
   3. Register a new application by going to App registrations and clicking on New registration button:
      INFO: Find more information on how to register an application in Graph API reference.
   4. When configuration window opens, configure these fields:
      • Supported account type
        • e.g. select Accounts in this organizational directory only if you need access to data in your organization only.
      • Redirect URI:
        • Set the type to Public client/native (mobile & desktop).
        • Leave the URL field empty.
      
   5. After registering the app, copy the Application (client) ID for later:
   6. Then copy OAuth authorization endpoint (v2) & OAuth token endpoint (v2) URLs:
   7. Continue and create Client secret:
   8. Then copy the Client secret for later steps:
   9. Continue by adding permissions for the app by going to the API permissions section, and clicking on Add a permission:
   10. Select Microsoft Graph:
   11. Then choose Application permissions option:
   12. Continue by adding these Mail (Outlook) permissions:
   13. Finish by clicking Add permissions button:
   14. Now it's time to Grant admin consent for your application:
   15. Confirm all the permissions are granted:
   16. Now go to SSIS package or ODBC data source and use the copied values in Application Credentials authentication configuration:
       • In the Token URL field paste the OAuth token endpoint (v2) URL value you copied in the previous step.
       • In the Client ID field paste the Application (client) ID value you copied in the previous step.
       • In the Client Secret field paste the Client secret value you copied in the previous step.
       • Choose Default User Id from the drop down menu.
   17. Click Test Connection to confirm the connection is working.
   18. That's it! Now you can use the API Connector!

   Fill in all required parameters and set optional parameters if needed:

   OutlookMailOffice365DSN

   Outlook Mail (Office 365)

   Application Credentials [OAuth]

   https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0

   Required Parameters
   Token URL	Fill-in the parameter...
   Client ID	Fill-in the parameter...
   Client Secret	Fill-in the parameter...
   Scope	Fill-in the parameter...
   Default User Id	Fill-in the parameter...
   Optional Parameters
   RetryMode	RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
   RetryStatusCodeList	429|503
   RetryCountMax	5
   RetryMultiplyWaitTime	True

   

6. Once the data source has been configured, you can preview data. Select the Preview tab and use settings similar to the following to preview data:
   

7. Click OK to finish creating the data source.

Video instructions

Reading data from client application

1. Firstly, to get data from ODBC data source based on ZappySys ODBC driver, in your client application, you would need to connect to ODBC source and then from the list select the data source.

2. Finally, to read the data just read tables/views in your app or enter a SQL statement to extract data, e.g.:

   SELECT * FROM MyMessages

Outlook Mail (Office 365) Connector Examples

The ZappySys API Driver is a user-friendly interface designed to facilitate the seamless integration of various applications with the Outlook Mail (Office 365) API. With its intuitive design and robust functionality, the ZappySys API Driver simplifies the process of configuring specific API endpoints to efficiently read or write data from Outlook Mail (Office 365).

Click here to find more Outlook Mail (Office 365) Connector examples designed for seamless integration with the ZappySys API ODBC Driver under ODBC Data Source (36/64) or ZappySys Data Gateway, enhancing your ability to connect and interact with Prebuilt Connectors effectively.

Consume Data inside your App / Programming Language

ODBC inside ETL / Reporting / BI Tools

• Power BI
• Tableau
• Excel
• Informatica PowerCenter
• QlikView
• SQL Server / Linked Server
• SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services)

ODBC inside Programming Languages

• C# (CSharp)
• JAVA
• PHP
• PowerShell
• Python
• T-SQL / SQL Server Linked Server

Key features of the ZappySys API Driver include:

The API ODBC driver facilitates the reading and writing of data from numerous popular online services (refer to the complete list here) using familiar SQL language without learning complexity of REST API calls. The driver allows querying nested structure and output as a flat table. You can also create your own ODBC / Data Gateway API connector file and use it with this driver.

1. Intuitive Configuration: The interface is designed to be user-friendly, enabling users to easily set up the specific API endpoints within Outlook Mail (Office 365) without requiring extensive technical expertise or programming knowledge.

2. Customizable Endpoint Setup: Users can conveniently configure the API endpoint settings, including the HTTP request method, endpoint URL, and any necessary parameters, to precisely target the desired data within Outlook Mail (Office 365).

3. Data Manipulation Capabilities: The ZappySys API Driver allows for seamless data retrieval and writing, enabling users to fetch data from Outlook Mail (Office 365) and perform various data manipulation operations as needed, all through an intuitive and straightforward interface.

4. Secure Authentication Integration: The driver provides secure authentication integration, allowing users to securely connect to the Outlook Mail (Office 365) API by inputting the necessary authentication credentials, such as API tokens or other authentication keys.

5. Error Handling Support: The interface is equipped with comprehensive error handling support, ensuring that any errors or exceptions encountered during the data retrieval or writing process are efficiently managed and appropriately communicated to users for prompt resolution.

6. Data Visualization and Reporting: The ZappySys API Driver facilitates the seamless processing and presentation of the retrieved data from Outlook Mail (Office 365), enabling users to generate comprehensive reports and visualizations for further analysis and decision-making purposes.

Overall, the ZappySys API Driver serves as a powerful tool for streamlining the integration of applications with Outlook Mail (Office 365), providing users with a convenient and efficient way to access and manage data, all through a user-friendly and intuitive interface.