Salesforce Reports Connector

A "Salesforce Reports Connector" refers to a software component or integration tool that allows users to connect and interact with Salesforce reports and data within other applications or systems. 

OvalEdge uses APIs to connect to the data source, allowing users to crawl data objects (Reports, Report Columns, etc.) and build Lineage.

Connector Capabilities

The following is the list of objects supported by the Salesforce Reports connector.

Prerequisites

The following are the prerequisites to establish a connection to Salesforce Reports:

1. API Details
2. Service Account Permissions
3. Configure environment variables (Optional)
   
   

API Details

Service Account Minimum Read Permissions

The following are the minimum privileges required for a service account user.

Configure Environment Variables (Optional)

This section describes the settings or instructions you should know before establishing a connection. If your environments have been configured, skip this step.

Configure Environment Names

The Environment Names allow you to select the environment configured for the specific connector from the drop-down list in the Add Connector pop-up window.

You might want to consider crawling the same schema in both stage and production environments for consistency. 

The typical environments for crawling are PROD, STG, or Temporary, and may also include QA or other environments. Additionally, crawling a temporary environment can be useful for schema comparisons, which can later be deleted, especially during application upgrades.

Steps to Configure the Environment

1. Log into the OvalEdge application. 
2. Navigate to Administration >  System Settings.
3. Select the Connector tab.
4. Find the key name “connector.environment”.
   
5. Enter the desired environment values (PROD, STG) in the Value column.
6. Click ✔ to Save.

Establish a Connection

To connect to Salesforce Reports using the OvalEdge application, complete the following steps:

1. Log into the OvalEdge application.
2. Navigate to Administration > Connectors module.
3. Click on the "+” (New Connector) button enabled at the top right of the page.
4. Add Connector pop-up window is displayed where you can search for the Salesforce Reports connector.
   
5. The Add Connector with Connector Type specific details pop-up window is displayed. Enter the relevant information to configure the Salesforce Reports connection.
   Note: The asterisk (*) denotes mandatory fields for establishing a connection. 
   
   
   
   

   Field Name	Description
   Connector Type	The selected connection type, Salesforce Reports is displayed by default. Additionally, you can select the connector type from the drop-down list. Based on the selection, the relevant details are displayed.
   Connector Settings
   Credential Manager*	Select the option from the drop-down list to indicate where you want to save your credentials: OE Credential Manager: The Salesforce Reports connection is configured with the basic Username and Password of the service account in real-time when OvalEdge establishes a connection to the Salesforce Reports database. Users need to add the credentials manually if the OE Credential Manager option is selected. HashiCorp: The credentials are stored in the HashiCorp database server and fetched from HashiCorp to OvalEdge.   AWS Secrets Manager: The credentials are stored in the AWS Secrets Manager database server; OvalEdge fetches the credentials from the AWS Secrets Manager.  Azure Key Vault: Azure Key Vault allows for secure storage and strict access mechanisms of sensitive information such as tokens, passwords, certificates, API keys, and other confidential data. For more information on Azure Key Vault, click here. For more information on Credential Manager, click here.
   License Add-Ons	All of the connectors will have a Base Connector License by default that allows you to crawl and profile to obtain the metadata and statistical information from a data source.  OvalEdge supports various License Add-Ons based on the connector’s functionality requirements: Select the Auto Lineage Add-On license that enables the automatic construction of the Lineage of data objects for a connector with the Lineage feature.
   Connector Name*	Enter a connection name for the Salesforce Reports database. The name that you specify is a reference name to easily identify your  Salesforce Reports database connection in OvalEdge. Example: salesforcereports_demo
   Authentication Type	The Authentication Type drop-down list allows you to select either Token Based or JSON Web Token (JWT) If you select JSON Web Token (JWT), enter the following details: Keystore password*: The keystore password is a critical security measure to prevent unauthorized access to the private key and the associated SSL/TLS certificate. Alias name*: Enter the Alias name of the keystore. Keystore file path*: A "keystore file path" refers to the specific location or directory where a keystore file is stored on a computer or server.
   Connector Environment	The environment drop-down list allows you to select the environment configured for the connector.  Example: PROD, or STG. The purpose of the environment field is to help users understand that the new connector is established in an environment available at the Production, STG, and QA levels. Note: The steps to set up environment variables are explained in the Prerequisites section.
   Username*	A username is required to connect to the Salesforce Reports server.  Note: Sometimes, this field is automatically filled by the web browser with the current OvalEdge user login. Please enter the Salesforce Reports service account name.
   Password*	Password required to connect to the Salesforce Reports server.
   Client id*	The "Client ID" typically refers to a unique identifier or token that is associated with the connector. It is used as part of the authentication and authorization process to establish a secure connection.
   Client secret*	The "Client Secret" is a confidential token or password that is used in the authentication and authorization process when connecting to Salesforce. The Client Secret is typically used in conjunction with the "Client ID" to verify the identity of the integration application and ensure secure access to Salesforce resources.
   Security token	A "security token" is an additional layer of security used to authenticate and secure the connection between an external application and the Salesforce Reports connector.
   IS SANDBOX?	The Sandbox drop-down list allows you to select either y or n. Enter y or n (to specify whether the instance is a sandbox or not) Note: The information regarding the Sandbox instance can be checked in the Organization Edition under Company Information under Setup.
   API version*	Select the API version from the drop-down list. The "API version" refers to the version of the Salesforce Reports API connector used to interact with the OvalEdge application. This allows you to access specific features and capabilities available in that version of the API.  For example, to use the latest features, you'll need to specify the most recent API version.
   Default Governance Roles
   Default Governance Roles*	You can select a specific user or a  team from the governance roles (Steward, Custodian, Owner) that get assigned for managing the data asset. Based on the settings, Governance Role 4, Governance Role 5, and Governance Role 6 can also be specified. Note: The drop-down list displays all the configurable roles (single user or a team) as per the settings made in the OvalEdge Administration > Security > Governance Roles section.
   Admin Roles*	Select the required admin roles for this connector. To add Integration Admin Roles, search for or select one or more roles from the Integration Admin options list, then click the Apply button. The Integration Admin is responsible for: Configuring crawling and profiling settings for the connector Deleting connectors, schemas, and/or data objects. To add Security and Governance Admin roles, search for or select one or more roles from the Security and Governance Admin options list, and then click on the Apply button. The security and Governance Admin is responsible for: Configuring role permissions for the connector and its associated data objects. Adding admins to set permissions for the connector's roles and associated data objects. Updating governance roles. Creating custom fields. Developing Service Request templates for the connector. Creating Approval workflows for the templates.
   Select Bridge*	With the OvalEdge Bridge component, any cloud-hosted server can connect with any on-premise or public cloud data source without modifying firewall rules. A bridge provides real-time control that makes it easy to manage data movement between any source and destination.  For more information, refer to Bridge Overview.

6. After filling in all the connection details, select the appropriate button based on your preferences.
   1. Validate: Click on the Validate button to verify the connection details. This ensures that the provided information is accurate and enables successful connection establishment.
   2. Save: Click on the Save button to store the connection details. Once saved, the connection will be added to the Connectors home page for easy access.
   3. Save & Configure: For certain Connectors that require additional configuration settings, click on the Save & Configure button. This will open the Connection Settings pop-up window, allowing you to configure the necessary settings before saving the connection.
7. Once the connection is validated and saved, it will be displayed on the Connectors home page.

Connection Validation Errors

Note: If you have any issues creating a connection, please contact your assigned OvalEdge Customer Success Management (CSM) team.

Connector Settings

Once the connection is validated successfully, various settings are provided to retrieve and display information from the data source.

To view the Connector Settings page,

1. Go to the Connectors page.
2. From the nine dots select the Settings option.
   
3. The Connector Settings page is displayed where you can view all the connector setting options.
   
4. Click Save Changes. All the settings will be applied to the metadata.

The following is a list of connection settings along with their corresponding descriptions:

Crawling Report Group Names

A Crawl/Profile option allows you to select one or more  Report Group Names for crawling.

1. Navigate to the Connectors page, and click Crawl/Profile. This allows you to select the Report Groups that need to be crawled.
2. The Crawl option is selected by default.
3. Click the Run button to gather all metadata from the connected source into the OvalEdge Data Catalog. After a successful crawl, all the information is displayed in the Data Catalog > Report / Report Column Tab.