SharePoint Online Connector for Alteryx : Read CSV file (generic) via SQL

Integrate Alteryx and SharePoint Online
Integrate Alteryx and SharePoint Online

Learn how to read CSV file (generic) using the SharePoint Online Connector for Alteryx. This connector enables you to read and write SharePoint Online data effortlessly. Integrate, manage, and automate sites, lists, document libraries, and files — almost no coding required. We'll walk you through the exact setup.

Let's dive in!

Create data source using SharePoint Online ODBC Driver

  1. Download and install ODBC PowerPack (if you haven't already).

  2. Search for odbc and open the ODBC Data Sources (64-bit):

    Open ODBC Data Source

  3. Create a User data source (User DSN) based on the ZappySys API Driver driver:

    ZappySys API Driver
    Create new User DSN for ZappySys API 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

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

    SharepointOnlineDSN
    SharePoint Online
    ODBC DSN Template Selection

  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

    SharePoint Online authentication

    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]

    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:

      Start new app registration in Microsoft Entra ID
      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.
      Register app in Microsoft Entra ID

    5. After registering the app, copy the Application (client) ID for later:

      Copy client ID of Microsoft Entra ID app

    6. Copy OAuth authorization endpoint (v2) & OAuth token endpoint (v2) URLs to use later in the configuration:

      Copy Auth and Token URLs in Microsoft Entra ID app

    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
        • User.Read
        • Sites.Read.All
        • Sites.ReadWrite.All
        • Files.Read.All
        • Files.ReadWrite.All
    8. Press Generate Token button to generate Access and Refresh Tokens.
    9. Optional step. Choose Default Site Id from the drop down menu.
    10. Click Test Connection to confirm the connection is working.
    11. Done! Now you are ready to use the API Connector!
    API Connection Manager configuration

    Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

    1. Set Authentication Type to User Credentials [OAuth]
    2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
    3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
    4. Press Generate Token button to generate the tokens.
    5. Finally, hit OK button:
    SharepointOnlineDSN
    SharePoint Online
    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...
    Default Site Id (select after pressing 'Generate Token') Fill-in the parameter...
    Optional Parameters
    Client Secret
    Default Drive Id (select after pressing 'Generate Token')
    Login Prompt Option
    RetryMode RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
    RetryStatusCodeList 429|503|423
    RetryCountMax 5
    RetryMultiplyWaitTime True
    Search Option For Non-Indexed Fields (Default=Blank - Search Only Indexed)
    Extra Headers (e.g. Header1:AAA||Header2:BBB)
    IsAppCred 0
    ODBC DSN OAuth Connection Configuration

    Application Credentials

    SharePoint Online authentication

    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]

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

    • Create an OAuth app
    • Configure App Permissions

    • Grant granular permissions to the OAuth application (optional)

      This step allows to grant OAuth application granular permissions, i.e. access configured specific Sites, Lists, and List Items.

    Step-1: Create OAuth app

    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: Start new app registration in Microsoft Entra ID
      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.
      Register app in Microsoft Entra ID

    5. After registering the app, copy the Application (client) ID for later:

      Copy client ID of Microsoft Entra ID app

    6. Then copy OAuth authorization endpoint (v2) & OAuth token endpoint (v2) URLs:

      Copy Auth and Token URLs in Microsoft Entra ID app

    7. Continue and create Client secret:

      Add Client secret for Microsoft Entra ID app

    8. Then copy the Client secret for later steps:

      Copy Client secret

    Step-2: Configure App Permissions

    1. Continue by adding permissions for the app by going to the API permissions section, and clicking on Add a permission:

      Start adding permissions to Microsoft Entra ID app

    2. Select Microsoft Graph:

      Select Graph API permissions for Microsoft Entra ID app

    3. Then choose Application permissions option:

      Select app permissions for Microsoft Entra ID app

    4. Continue by adding these Sites permissions (search for site):

      Select SharePoint Online application scopes
      INFO: If you want to access specific lists or list items (table-level vs row-level security) rather than the full site, then add Lists.SelectedOperations.Selected or ListItems.SelectedOperations.Selected permissions , just like in the previous step (search for list).
      WARNING: If you add any of these permissions - Sites.Selected, Lists.SelectedOperations.Selected, or ListItems.SelectedOperations.Selected - you must grant the app the SharePoint permissions for the specific resource (e.g. a Site, a List, or a ListItem). Follow instructions in Grant SharePoint permissions to the OAuth app (optional) section on how to accomplish that.

    5. Finish by clicking Add permissions button:

      Add permissions to Microsoft Entra ID app

    6. Now it's time to Grant admin consent for your application:

      Grant admin consent for Microsoft Entra ID app

    7. Confirm all the permissions are granted:

      Admin consent granted successfully in Entra ID

    8. 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.
      • Optional step. Choose Default Site Id from the drop down menu.
    9. Click Test Connection to confirm the connection is working.
    10. Done!

    Step-3 (optional): Grant SharePoint permissions to the OAuth app

    If you used Sites.Selected, Lists.SelectedOperations.Selected or ListItems.SelectedOperations.Selected permission in the previous section, you must grant the app the SharePoint permissions for the specific resource (e.g. a Site, a List, or a ListItem). You can do it using PowerShell or SharePoint admin center (obsolete method).

    Granting SharePoint permissions using PowerShell

    Unfortunately, there is no user interface available to control these permissions yet. For now, granting permissions has to be accomplished via Microsoft Graph API [Microsoft reference]:

    You must be the owner of the resource to grant permissions (i.e. belong to SharePoint owners group or be the owner of the Site or List).
    1. Open PowerShell (run as admin).

    2. Call the following PowerShell code to grant read and write permission for the app we created earlier (assuming Application (client) ID is 89ea5c94-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-3fa95f62b66e): 

      ##### CONFIGURATION ############################################################################################

# More info at:
# - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/permissions-selected-overview?tabs=powershell
# - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.graph.sites/?view=graph-powershell-1.0

# Find SharePoint Site Id by following these steps:
# - Login into SharePoint Online
# - Open this URL https://{your-company}.sharepoint.com/_api/site in the browser
#   NOTE: For a subsite use https://{your-company}.sharepoint.com/sites/{your-subsite}/_api/site
# - Find 'Id' element in the response (e.g. <d:Id m:type="Edm.Guid">efcdd21a-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-5d8104d8b5e3</d:Id>)
# - Copy the Site Id, i.e.: efcdd21a-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-5d8104d8b5e3 
# Set $siteId variable to the retrieved Site Id:

$siteId="efcdd21a-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-5d8104d8b5e3"


# Find your Application Id (i.e. Client Id) in the Azure Portal, in App Registrations page:
# https://portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_AAD_RegisteredApps/ApplicationsListBlade

$applicationId="89ea5c94-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-3fa95f62b66e"


# Set one of app permissions: read, write, fullcontrol, owner ('write' includes 'read' permission)

$appPermission="write"



##### SCRIPT ###################################################################################################

# Step-1: Install 'Microsoft.Graph.Sites' module if it's not installed
if (-not (Get-Module Microsoft.Graph.Sites -ListAvailable))
{
    Install-Module Microsoft.Graph.Sites
}

# Step-2: Load module
Import-Module Microsoft.Graph.Sites

# Step-3: Login (use Azure admin or SharePoint owner account)
DisConnect-MgGraph
Connect-MgGraph

# Step-4: Set parameters for API call (set permissions, Site ID and Application ID)

$params = @{
	roles = @($appPermission)
	grantedTo = @{
		application = @{id = $applicationId}
	}
}

# Step-5: Grant permissions
New-MgSitePermission -SiteId $siteId -BodyParameter $params

# Done!
Write-Host "Granted SharePoint permissions to application '$applicationId' for site '$siteId'."
    3. That's it! Now you can use the connector.

    Granting SharePoint permissions using SharePoint admin center (obsolete method)

    If you used Site.Selected permission you can link it SharePoint site in SharePoint admin center [SharePoint reference]. Follow these simple steps to accomplish that:

    1. Log in to SharePoint admin center using this URL: (replace YOURCOMPANY with your company name): 
      https://YOURCOMPANY-admin.sharepoint.com/_layouts/15/appinv.aspx
      INFO: To view all the registered apps in SharePoint, visit this page: https://YOURCOMPANY-admin.sharepoint.com/_layouts/15/appprincipals.aspx?Scope=Web.
    2. In the App Id field enter Application (client) ID you copied in the previous step.

    3. In the Permission Request XML field enter XML snippet which describes which SharePoint permissions you want to grant to the OAuth app, e.g.: 

      <AppPermissionRequests AllowAppOnlyPolicy="true">
  <AppPermissionRequest Scope="http://sharepoint/content/tenant" Right="FullControl" />
</AppPermissionRequests>
      INFO: This example gives app FullControl, but you can also grant it Read or Write permissions.
    4. Click Create to grant the permission to your OAuth app.
    5. That's it! Now you can use the connector.
    API Connection Manager configuration

    Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

    1. Set Authentication Type to Application Credentials [OAuth]
    2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
    3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
    4. Finally, hit OK button:
    SharepointOnlineDSN
    SharePoint Online
    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...
    Default Site Id Fill-in the parameter...
    Optional Parameters
    Scope https://graph.microsoft.com/.default
    Default Drive Id
    RetryMode RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
    RetryStatusCodeList 429|503|423
    RetryCountMax 5
    RetryMultiplyWaitTime True
    Search Option For Non-Indexed Fields (Default=Blank - Search Only Indexed)
    Extra Headers (e.g. Header1:AAA||Header2:BBB)
    IsAppCred 1
    ODBC DSN OAuth Connection Configuration

    Application Credentials with Certificate (Sign JWT with Private Key)

    SharePoint Online authentication

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

    • Create an OAuth app
    • Configure App Permissions
    • Create Public/Private Key Pair
    • Upload Public Key
    • Configure ZappySys Connection for Private Key use

    • Grant granular permissions (optional)

      This step allows to grant OAuth application granular permissions, i.e. access configured specific Sites, Lists, and List Items.

    Step-1: Create OAuth app

    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: Start new app registration in Microsoft Entra ID
      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.
      Register app in Microsoft Entra ID
    5. After registering the app, copy the Application (client) ID for later: Copy client ID of Microsoft Entra ID app
    6. Then copy OAuth authorization endpoint (v2) & OAuth token endpoint (v2) URLs: Copy Auth and Token URLs in Microsoft Entra ID app

    Step-2: Configure App Permissions

    1. Continue by adding permissions for the app by going to the API permissions section, and clicking on Add a permission: Start adding permissions to Microsoft Entra ID app
    2. Select Microsoft Graph: Select Graph API permissions for Microsoft Entra ID app
    3. Then choose Application permissions option: Select app permissions for Microsoft Entra ID app

    4. Continue by adding these Sites permissions (search for site):

      Select SharePoint Online application scopes
      INFO: If you want to access specific lists or list items (table-level vs row-level security) rather than the full site, then add Lists.SelectedOperations.Selected or ListItems.SelectedOperations.Selected permissions , just like in the previous step (search for list).
      WARNING: If you add any of these permissions - Sites.Selected, Lists.SelectedOperations.Selected, or ListItems.SelectedOperations.Selected - you must grant the app the SharePoint permissions for the specific resource (e.g. a Site, a List, or a ListItem). Follow instructions in Grant SharePoint permissions to the OAuth app (optional) section on how to accomplish that.
    5. Finish by clicking Add permissions button: Add permissions to Microsoft Entra ID app
    6. Now it's time to Grant admin consent for your application: Grant admin consent for Microsoft Entra ID app
    7. Confirm all the permissions are granted: Admin consent granted successfully in Entra ID

    Step-3: Generate a Self-Signed Certificate

    Now let's go through setting up a certificate-based authentication flow for Microsoft Graph or other Azure AD protected APIs using client credentials and a JWT.

    You can use OpenSSL or any other way to generate Certificate file but to make it simple we will use below example PowerShell script.

    Open PowerShell and execute code listed in below steps.

    
# Run this in PowerShell
#Change .AddYears(1) to desired number. By default it expires certificate in one year as per below code.

$cert = New-SelfSignedCertificate `
  -Subject "CN=MyClientAppCert" `
  -KeySpec Signature `
  -KeyExportPolicy Exportable `
  -KeyLength 2048 `
  -CertStoreLocation "Cert:\CurrentUser\My" `
  -KeyAlgorithm RSA `
  -HashAlgorithm SHA256 `
  -NotAfter (Get-Date).AddYears(1) `
  -Provider "Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider"

# Export private key (.pfx)  - Keep this with you to make API calls (SECRET KEY - DONOT SHARE)
$pfxPath = "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\private_key.pfx"
$pwd = ConvertTo-SecureString -String "yourStrongPassword123" -Force -AsPlainText
Export-PfxCertificate -Cert $cert -FilePath $pfxPath -Password $pwd

# Export public certificate (.cer) - UPLOAD this to Azure Portal
$cerPath = "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\public_key.cer"
Export-Certificate -Cert $cert -FilePath $cerPath

    Step-4: Upload the Certificate (i.e. Public Key *.cer)

    Once we have certificate file generated.
    1. In your App Registration, go to Certificates & secrets
    2. Under Certificates, click Upload certificate
    3. Select the .cer file (public certificate) Upload public key (certificate file) for App-Credentials (JWT Auth)
    4. Click Select a file (Browse button)
    5. Select public key file (*.cer) from local machine and click OK to upload

    Step-5: Configure ZappySys Connection - Use private key (i.e. *.pfx or *.pem)

    Now its time to use certificate pfx file (private key) generated in the previous step (NOTE: PFX file contains both private key and public key).
    1. 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.
    2. Configure private key
      • go to Certificate Tab
      • Change Storage Mode to Disk File: *.pfx format (PKCS#12).

        NOTE: You can also use Stored In LocalMachine mode if PFX file already imported in the Local Certificate Storage Area - User Store OR Machine Store.

        If you used OpenSSL to generate key pair then use Disk File: *.pem format (PKCS#8 or PKCS#1) Mode for Cert Store Location.

      • Supply the key file path
      • Supply the certificate password (same password used in earlier PowerShell script)
    3. Now go back to General Tab, choose Default Site Id and Default Drive Id from the drop down menu.
    4. Click Test connection see everything is good

    Step-6 (optional): Grant granular permissions to the OAuth app

    If you used Sites.Selected, Lists.SelectedOperations.Selected or ListItems.SelectedOperations.Selected permission in the previous section, you must grant the app the SharePoint permissions for the specific resource (e.g. a Site, a List, or a ListItem). You can do it using PowerShell or SharePoint admin center (obsolete method).

    Granting SharePoint permissions using PowerShell

    Unfortunately, there is no user interface available to control these permissions yet. For now, granting permissions has to be accomplished via Microsoft Graph API [Microsoft reference]:

    You must be the owner of the resource to grant permissions (i.e. belong to SharePoint owners group or be the owner of the Site or List).
    1. Open PowerShell (run as admin).

    2. Call the following PowerShell code to grant read and write permission for the app we created earlier (assuming Application (client) ID is 89ea5c94-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-3fa95f62b66e): 

      ##### CONFIGURATION ############################################################################################

# More info at:
# - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/permissions-selected-overview?tabs=powershell
# - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.graph.sites/?view=graph-powershell-1.0

# Find SharePoint Site Id by following these steps:
# - Login into SharePoint Online
# - Open this URL https://{your-company}.sharepoint.com/_api/site in the browser
#   NOTE: For a subsite use https://{your-company}.sharepoint.com/sites/{your-subsite}/_api/site
# - Find 'Id' element in the response (e.g. <d:Id m:type="Edm.Guid">efcdd21a-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-5d8104d8b5e3</d:Id>)
# - Copy the Site Id, i.e.: efcdd21a-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-5d8104d8b5e3 
# Set $siteId variable to the retrieved Site Id:

$siteId="efcdd21a-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-5d8104d8b5e3"


# Find your Application Id (i.e. Client Id) in the Azure Portal, in App Registrations page:
# https://portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_AAD_RegisteredApps/ApplicationsListBlade

$applicationId="89ea5c94-aaaa-bbbb-cccc-3fa95f62b66e"


# Set one of app permissions: read, write, fullcontrol, owner ('write' includes 'read' permission)

$appPermission="write"



##### SCRIPT ###################################################################################################

# Step-1: Install 'Microsoft.Graph.Sites' module if it's not installed
if (-not (Get-Module Microsoft.Graph.Sites -ListAvailable))
{
    Install-Module Microsoft.Graph.Sites
}

# Step-2: Load module
Import-Module Microsoft.Graph.Sites

# Step-3: Login (use Azure admin or SharePoint owner account)
DisConnect-MgGraph
Connect-MgGraph

# Step-4: Set parameters for API call (set permissions, Site ID and Application ID)

$params = @{
	roles = @($appPermission)
	grantedTo = @{
		application = @{id = $applicationId}
	}
}

# Step-5: Grant permissions
New-MgSitePermission -SiteId $siteId -BodyParameter $params

# Done!
Write-Host "Granted SharePoint permissions to application '$applicationId' for site '$siteId'."
    3. That's it! Now you can use the connector.
    API Connection Manager configuration

    Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

    1. Set Authentication Type to Application Credentials with Certificate (Sign JWT with Private Key) [OAuth]
    2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
    3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
    4. Finally, hit OK button:
    SharepointOnlineDSN
    SharePoint Online
    Application Credentials with Certificate (Sign JWT with Private Key) [OAuth]
    https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0
    Required Parameters
    Token URL Fill-in the parameter...
    Client ID Fill-in the parameter...
    Certificate: *** Configure [Client Certificate] Tab *** Fill-in the parameter...
    Default Site Id Fill-in the parameter...
    Optional Parameters
    Default Drive Id
    RetryMode RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
    RetryStatusCodeList 429|503|423
    RetryCountMax 5
    RetryMultiplyWaitTime True
    Search Option For Non-Indexed Fields (Default=Blank - Search Only Indexed)
    Extra Headers (e.g. Header1:AAA||Header2:BBB)
    IsAppCred 1
    ODBC DSN OAuth Connection Configuration

  6. Then go to Preview tab to start building a SQL query.

  7. Once you do that, proceed by opening Query Builder:

    ZappySys API Driver - SharePoint Online
    Read and write SharePoint Online data effortlessly. Integrate, manage, and automate sites, lists, document libraries, and files — almost no coding required.
    SharepointOnlineDSN
    Open Query Builder in API ODBC Driver to read and write data to REST API

  8. Then simply select the Read CSV File (Generic) endpoint (action).

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

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

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

    Read CSV File (Generic)
    Required Parameters
    Drive Id Select the value from the dropdown
    File Id or Path (e.g. root:/somefolder/myfile.xyz: ) - Max 1000 Listed Select the value from the dropdown
    Optional Parameters
    Site Id (Re-Select Drive Id after you change this)
    Search Type - For UI Only (i.e. Recursive -OR- Non-Recursive) - Default=Recursive)
    Search Folder (For UI Only - Helps to narrow down File Selection DropDown) - Max 200 Listed
    Advanced Properties
    DataFormat Notset
    Continue On 404 Error (When item not found) True
    ColumnDelimiter ,
    HasColumnHeaderRow True
    Encoding
    CharacterSet
    EnableCustomReplace
    SearchFor
    ReplaceWith
    ThrowErrorOnColumnCountMismatch
    ThrowErrorOnNoRecordFound
    AllowComment
    SkipRows
    SkipHeaderCommentRows
    TreatBlankAsNull
    IgnoreBlankLines
    SkipEmptyRecords
    TrimHeaders
    TrimFields
    FileCompressionType None
    DateFormatString 
    SELECT * from get_csv_file
WITH(
	  DriveId='b!0zqXLXXJh0uUMzl-JXAd9Ztngc-5utVDqRyD2lKpD2535-11HLQTR5z4hOzmA7Q0'
	, FileId='root:/MyFolder/dump.csv:'
	--, FileId='01R65QTTRARZ42C4BN6FF2WOH3AONX4GUW' -- by ID (preferred)
	
	--, ColumnDelimiter=',' --{LF}, {TAB}, | , \x0009 ... default is comma (",")
	--, HasColumnHeaderRow=0 --set for header less file
	--, FileId='root:/MyFolder/test_out.csv.gz:'
	--, FileCompressionType='GZip' --None, GZip, Zip
)
    Query Builder

  12. Click OK to use built SQL query and close the Query Builder.

  13. 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 Alteryx:

    ZappySys API Driver - SharePoint Online
    Read and write SharePoint Online data effortlessly. Integrate, manage, and automate sites, lists, document libraries, and files — almost no coding required.
    SharepointOnlineDSN
    SELECT * from get_csv_file
WITH(
	  DriveId='b!0zqXLXXJh0uUMzl-JXAd9Ztngc-5utVDqRyD2lKpD2535-11HLQTR5z4hOzmA7Q0'
	, FileId='root:/MyFolder/dump.csv:'
	--, FileId='01R65QTTRARZ42C4BN6FF2WOH3AONX4GUW' -- by ID (preferred)
	
	--, ColumnDelimiter=',' --{LF}, {TAB}, | , \x0009 ... default is comma (",")
	--, HasColumnHeaderRow=0 --set for header less file
	--, FileId='root:/MyFolder/test_out.csv.gz:'
	--, FileCompressionType='GZip' --None, GZip, Zip
)
    API ODBC Driver-based data source data preview
    You can also access data quickly from the tables dropdown by selecting <Select table>.
    A WHERE clause, LIMIT keyword will be performed on the client side, meaning that the whole result set will be retrieved from the SharePoint Online 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 SharePoint Online servers).

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.

SharePoint Online SQL query examples

Use these SQL queries in your Alteryx data source:

Read CSV file

Reads a CSV file from a SharePoint document library without downloading it to disk (streaming approach).

SELECT * from get_csv_file
WITH(
	  DriveId='b!0zqXLXXJh0uUMzl-JXAd9Ztngc-5utVDqRyD2lKpD2535-11HLQTR5z4hOzmA7Q0'
	, FileId='root:/MyFolder/dump.csv:'
	--, FileId='01R65QTTRARZ42C4BN6FF2WOH3AONX4GUW' -- by ID (preferred)
	
	--, ColumnDelimiter=',' --{LF}, {TAB}, | , \x0009 ... default is comma (",")
	--, HasColumnHeaderRow=0 --set for header less file
	--, FileId='root:/MyFolder/test_out.csv.gz:'
	--, FileCompressionType='GZip' --None, GZip, Zip
)

Read compressed CSV file

Reads a compressed CSV file (Zip or Gzip) from a SharePoint document library without downloading it to disk.

SELECT * from get_csv_file
WITH(
	  DriveId='b!0zqXLXXJh0uUMzl-JXAd9Ztngc-5utVDqRyD2lKpD2535-11HLQTR5z4hOzmA7Q0'
	, FileId='root:/MyFolder/dump.csv.zip:'
	--, FileId='01R65QTTRARZ42C4BN6FF2WOH3AONX4GUW' -- by ID (preferred)
	
	--, ColumnDelimiter=',' --{LF}, {TAB}, | , \x0009 ... default is comma (",")
	--, HasColumnHeaderRow=0 --set for header less file
	--, FileId='root:/MyFolder/dump.csv.gz:'
	, FileCompressionType='Zip' --None, GZip, Zip
)

get_csv_file endpoint belongs to FileReaderWriterCsv table(s), and can therefore be used via those table(s).

Create SQL view in ODBC data source

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

Read CSV file in Alteryx via SQL view

  1. Open Alteryx Designer.

  2. First, verify your DCM Settings to ensure you can access ODBC drivers. Go to Options > User Settings > Edit User Settings.

    If DCM Mode is set to DCM Only, change it to DCM Optional if you would like to access the legacy Generic ODBC Connection.

    Alteryx DCM User Settings for ODBC access
    After changing this setting, you may need to click Save and restart the connection window for the "Generic ODBC" icon to appear.

  3. Drag an Input Data tool onto your Alteryx canvas.

    Drag Input Data tool onto Alteryx canvas

  4. In the Configuration pane, click Set Up a Connection.

    Set Up a Connection in Alteryx Input Data configuration

  5. Note for DCM Users: If your environment has DCM (Data Connection Manager) enabled, the classic "Generic ODBC" icon may be hidden. To find it, select Data sources on the left and type "ODBC" in the search bar.

  6. Once the ODBC window opens, click Connect Asset and select your SharepointOnlineDSN DSN from the list.

    Connect Asset and select ODBC DSN in Alteryx
    Ensure you have configured a 64-bit System DSN in the Windows ODBC Data Source Administrator before this step.

  7. After selecting your DSN, configure your SQL Query in the Input Data tool configuration:

    Configure SQL Query in Alteryx Input Data tool

  8. To save your data, drag an Output Data tool and connect it to the Input Data tool.

  9. Configure the Output Data tool to write to a CSV file:

    Configure Output Data to CSV in Alteryx

  10. Press Run (Ctrl+R) to execute the workflow. Verify the results in the Results Window at the bottom.

    Run Alteryx workflow and view results

Advanced topics

Creating SQL stored procedures

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

Conclusion

And there you have it — a complete guide on how to read CSV file (generic) in Alteryx without writing complex code. All of this was powered by SharePoint Online ODBC Driver, which handled the REST API pagination and authentication for us automatically.

Download the trial 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

More actions supported by SharePoint Online Connector

Got another use case in mind? We've documented the exact setups for a variety of essential SharePoint Online operations directly in Alteryx, so you can skip the trial and error. Find your next step-by-step guide below:

More SharePoint Online integrations

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