Salesforce Connector for Informatica
In this article you will learn how to integrate Using Salesforce Connector you will be able to connect, read, and write data from within Informatica. Follow the steps below to see how we would accomplish that. The driver mentioned above is part of ODBC PowerPack which is a collection of high-performance Drivers for various API data source (i.e. REST API, JSON, XML, CSV, Amazon S3 and many more). Using familiar SQL query language you can make live connections and read/write data from API sources or JSON / XML / CSV Files inside SQL Server (T-SQL) or your favorite Reporting (i.e. Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, SSRS, MicroStrategy, Excel, MS Access), ETL Tools (i.e. Informatica, Talend, Pentaho, SSIS). You can also call our drivers from programming languages such as JAVA, C#, Python, PowerShell etc. If you are new to ODBC and ZappySys ODBC PowerPack then check the following links to get started. |
Connect to Salesforce in other apps
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How to read API data in Informatica (Call JSON / XML SOAP Service)
How to write data to API (POST) in Informatica (Call JSON / XML SOAP Service)
Introduction
JSON / REST API is becoming more and more popular each day as everyone embrace cloud-centric services. This article is primarily focused on Informatica users who want to access Salesforce data or may be other API Integration in Informatica. However many tips and techniques described in this article will help you to understand how to integrate Salesforce / XML SOAP / JSON / REST API in other ETL / Reporting apps such as Tableau, Power BI, SSRS, Talend, Excel and many more.
After going through this article you will learn how to Read Salesforce / JSON / REST API data in Informatica and understand the concept of JSON / REST API. We will go through many screenshots and step-by-step examples to demonstrate Salesforce or REST API integration in Informatica PowerCenter.
XML / JSON can come from a local file or REST API service (internal or public) so we will include both examples in this article (i.e. Read JSON files in Informatica, Import REST API in Informatica). So let’s get started. Next article will focus on how to write data to API in Informatica (POST / PUT data)
Requirements
This article assumes that you have full filled following basic requirements.
- Download Install ZappySys ODBC PowerPack (API Driver for Salesforce included)
- Install Informatica PowerCenter Client Tools (e.g. Workflow and Mapping Designers)
- Access to a Relational database such as SQL Server (or use any of your choice e.g. Oracle, MySQL, DB2 ). If nothing available then you can use flat file target.
High level Steps for Import Salesforce data using Informatica (Read Salesforce API data)
Before we dive deep to learn how to load Salesforce data in Informatica (i.e. Salesforce to SQL Table), Here the summary of high-level steps you need to perform to import Salesforce in Informatica (same steps for Import JSON / XML / REST API).
- Download and Install ZappySys API Driver (for connecting to Salesforce)
- Create ODBC DSN using ZappySys API driver and choose Salesforce Connector during Wizard
- Create Relational > ODBC Connection in Informatica Workflow designer (Point to DSN we created in the previous step)
- Import Salesforce Source Definition in the Informatica Mapping Designer > Sources Tab
- Import Target Table Definition in the Informatica Mapping Designer > Targets Tab
- Create source to target mapping in Mappings tab
- Save mapping (name m_API_to_SQL_Load )
- Create Session using the mapping we created in the previous step
- Save Workflow and execute to load Salesforce data into SQL Table. Verify your data and log.
Video Tutorial – Read any API / JSON data in Informatica (Load Salesforce to SQL Table)
Below video is not about Salesforce API but its showing API access in general (for any API). By watching following ~5 min video can learn steps listed in this article to load JSON API data into SQL Server Table using ZappySys JSON Driver. You can go though full article to learn many useful details not covered in this video.
Getting Started – Import Salesforce to SQL Server in Informatica
Now let’s get started. For example purpose, we will read data from Salesforce and load data into SQL Server Table using Informatica Workflow.
Create ODBC Data Source (DSN) based on ZappySys Salesforce Driver
Step-by-step instructions
To get data from Salesforce using Informatica we first need to create a DSN (Data Source) which will access data from Salesforce. We will later be able to read data using Informatica. Perform these steps:
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Install ZappySys 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 Salesforce Driver
ZappySys Salesforce DriverYou 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. -
Now, we need SalesForce Connection. Lets create it.
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Now, When you see DSN Config Editor with zappysys logo first thing you need to do is change default DSN Name at the top and Click on Preview Tab, Select Table from Tables Dropdown or you can enter or modify a SOQL query and click on Preview Data.
This example shows how to write simple SOQL query (Salesforce Object Query Language). It uses WHERE clause. For more SOQL Queries click here.
SOQL is similar to database SQL query language but much simpler and many features you use in database query may not be supported in SOQL (Such as JOIN clause not supported). But you can use following Queries for Insert, Update, Delete and Upsert(Update or Insert record if not found).SELECT * FROM Account WHERE Name like '%Oil%' -
Click OK to finish creating the data source
Video instructions
Create Connection in Informatica Workflow Designer
Once you create DSN using API Driver our next step is to define a connection for Salesforce source in Informatica PowerCenter Workflow designer.
- Open Workflow designer [W] icon
- Goto Connections > Relational
- Click New and select ODBC
- Now on the ODBC connection setup enter connection name, some fake userid / password (this is a required field but its ignored by JSON Driver)
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In the Connection String field enter the exact same name of DSN (Open ODBC Data Sources UI to confirm)
Configure Salesforce connection in Informatica for REST API – Using ZappySys API Driver
- Click OK to close the connection properties.
That’s it. Now we ready to move to next step (define source and target in Mapping Designer).
Import Salesforce Source Definition in Informatica Mapping Designer
Now let’s look at steps to import Salesforce table definition.
- Open Informatica Mapping Designer (Click [D] icon)
- Click on Source Icon to switch to Sources designer
- From the top menu > Click on Sources > Import from Database …
- Select ODBC data source from the dropdown (Find out DSN we created earlier to use as JSON Source)
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Click Connect button to get a list of tables. Any array node is listed as a table. Also, you will see array node with parent columns (e.g. value_with_parent). You may get some warning like below but they are harmless so just ignore by clicking OK.
DLL name entry missing from C:\Informatica\PowerCenter8.6.1\client\bin\powrmart.ini Section = ODBCDLL Entry = ZappySys JSON Driver
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Using EXTODBC.DLL to support ZappySys JSON Driver. For native support of ZappySys JSON Driver make an entry in the .ini file. - Select Table you wish to get (You can filter rows by custom SQL query. We will see later in this article how to do)
- Optionally once table structure is imported you can rename it
- That’s it, we are now ready to perform similar steps to import Target table structure in the next section.
Import SQL Server Target Definition in Informatica Mapping Designer
Now let’s look at steps to import Target table definition (very similar to the previous section, the only difference is this time we will select DSN which points to SQL Server or any other Target Server).
Now lets look at steps to import target table definition in Informatica mapping designer.
- In the Mapping Designer, Click on Target Icon to switch to Target designer
- From the top menu > Click on Targets > Import from Database …
- Select DSN for your Target server (if DSN doesn’t exist then create one by opening ODBC Sources just like we created one for JSON API source (see the previous section about creating DSN).
- Enter your userid , password and Schema name and click Connect to see tables
- Select Table name to and click OK import definition.
Create Source to Target Mapping in Informatica (Import JSON to SQL Server)
Once you have imported source and target table definition, we can create mapping and transformation to load data from JSON to SQL Table.
- First open Mapping Designer (Click [D] icon)
- Drag JSON Source from sources folder
- Drag SQL Table from Targets folder
- Map desired columns from Source to target
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For certain columns you may have to do datatype conversion. For example to convert OrderDate form nstring to DataTime you have to use Expression Transform like below and map it to target. In below example, our JSON has date format (e.g. 2018-01-31 12:00:00 AM ). To import this to DateTime field in SQL server we need to convert it using TO_DATE function. Use double quotes around T to make this format working.
TO_DATE(OrderDate,'YYYY-MM-DD H12:MI:SS AM') --For ISO use below way TO_DATE(OrderDate,'YYYY-MM-DD"T"HH24:MI:SS')
- Once you done with mapping save your mapping and name it (i.e. m_Api_To_SQL)
- Now lets move to next section to create workflow.
Create Workflow and Session in Informatica
Now the final step is to create a new workflow. Perform following steps to create workflow which with a session task to import JSON data into SQL table.
- Open workflow designer by click [W] icon.
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Launch new workflow creation wizard by click Workflow top menu > Wizard
name your workflow (e.g. wf_Api_Tp_Sql_Table_Import) - Finish the wizard and double-click the Session to edit some default properties.
- First change Error settings so we fail session on error (By default its always green)
- Select JSON connection for Source
- Change default Source query if needed. You can pass parameters to this query to make it dynamic.
- Select Target connection of SQL Target Table
- Save workflow
- That’s it. We ready to run our first workflow to load JSON data to SQL.
Execute Workflow and Validate Log in Informatica
Now once you are done with your workflow, execute it to see the log.
POST data to Salesforce in Informatica
There will be a time when you like to send Source data to REST API or SOAP Web Service. You can use below Query for example. For detailed explanation on how to POST data in Informatica check this article.
Video Tutorial – How to POST data to REST API in Informatica
Here is detailed step by step video on REST API POST in informatica PowerCenter
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Advanced topics
Conclusion
In this article we discussed how to connect to Salesforce in Informatica and integrate data without any coding. Click here to Download Salesforce Connector for Informatica and try yourself see how easy it is. If you still have any question(s) then ask here or simply click on live chat icon below and ask our expert (see bottom-right corner of this page).
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How to connect Salesforce in Informatica?
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Call Salesforce API in Informatica
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Salesforce Informatica Integration
Integration Salesforce in Informatica
Consume real-time Salesforce data in Informatica
Consume real-time Salesforce API data in Informatica
Salesforce ODBC Driver | ODBC Driver for Salesforce | ODBC Salesforce Driver | SSIS Salesforce Source | SSIS Salesforce Destination
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Load Salesforce in Informatica
Load Salesforce data in Informatica
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