Data providers (SM206015)

This topic gives you information about the elements that you find in this window in Visma Net, such as fields, field values, buttons, and check boxes.

You use this window to create a provider for data import or data export; you can also use the form to view the details of existing providers.
You can configure providers to work with files in CSV, Excel, and XML format and with different external systems.

If you have exported to XML a file data provider that has a file attached to the window (by using the Clipboard -Export to XML standard button on the form toolbar), when you import the data of the provider (by using Clipboard -Import from XML), you need to attach the file to the data provider manually.

Button Description
Get file link Opens the Attached file link dialog box, where you can get a link to the file attached to the provider.

The dialog box, called when you click Get file link on the toolbar, has the following elements:

 
Element Description
Link The internal link to the file that is attached to the provider.
Close (button) Closes the dialog box.

You use this area to identify the provider.
You can specify the name and details for a new provider, or you can select an existing provider and view its information.

Element Description
Name The name of the provider, which usually describes the data you will transfer by using this provider.
You can use an alphanumeric string of up to 100 characters.
Provider type The type of provider, such as the following:
  • File providers that you use to access data in external files:
    • CSV provider (PX.DataSync.CSVSYProvider):
      For import from and export to files in CSV format
    • Excel provider (PX.DataSync.ExcelSYProvider):
      For import from and export to Excel spreadsheets
    • XML provider (PX.DataSync.XMLSYProvider):
      For import from and export to files in XML format
  • Providers that are preconfigured for importing data from and exporting data to external systems:
    • Salesforce provider (PX.DataSync.SFSYProvider):
      For import from and export to SalesForce CRM by using the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
    • MS SQL provider (PX.DataSync.MSSqlSYProvider):
      For import from and export to Microsoft SQL Server
    • HubSpot provider (PX.DataSync.HubSpot.HSSYProvider):
      For exporting leads to HubSpot for nurturing and importing leads to Visma Net for processing
  • Providers for exporting payment data to external payment systems:
    • ACH provider (PX.DataSync.ACHProvider):
      For exporting data for processing in the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system
    • Giro payment provider (PX.DataSync.Banks.GIROPaymentProvider):
      For exporting data for processing in giro-based payment systems
Active A check box that indicates (if selected) that this provider is active and will be available for selection in the Visma Net windows related to data import.

The Parameters tab provides the list of parameters (in a tabular format) specific for the selected provider type.
For a new provider, fill in the columns.

Button Description
Reload parameters Reloads the default values of the parameters specific to the provider type.
Column Description
Name

The name of the parameter, which is specific to the provider type.

A CSV provider uses the following parameters:

  • The FileName parameter, which is standard for file providers, specifies the name of the file that should be used for data import or data export. The path to the file is set automatically after you have uploaded an external file to the provider.
  • The Encoding parameter specifies the encoding of the source file. You can select the proper encoding value from the drop-down list in the Value column of the table on the Parameters tab. By default, the value of the parameter is set to US-ASCII.
  • The Delimiter parameter specifies the delimiter that is used in the CSV file. You can use as a delimiter any printable character. By default, a comma (,) is used as the delimiter.
  • The QuoteAll parameter makes the provider enclose all values from the source file in double quotes. By default, the system does not enclose source values in double quotes.

An Excel provider uses the following parameters:

  • The FileName parameter, which is standard for file providers, specifies the name of the file that should be used for data import or data export.

An XML provider uses the following parameters:

  • The FileName parameter, which is standard for file providers, specifies the name of the file that should be used for data import or data export.
  • The Encoding parameter specifies the encoding of the source file. You can select the proper encoding value from the drop-down list in the Value column of the table on the Parameters tab. By default, the value of the parameter is set to US-ASCII.
  • The Format parameter specifies the format of the XML file. There are two options:
    • Tree:
      The source file has a tree structure; that is, the values of the source fields are placed in tags of the source XML file.
      This is the default option.
    • Flat:
      The source file has a flat structure; that is, the values of the source fields are placed in attributes of tags in the source XML file.

A Microsoft SQL provider uses the following parameters:

  • Server:
    Specifies the location of the Microsoft SQL Server instance.
    This is a required parameter. You set the parameter to the server name for a default instance of Microsoft SQL Server (for example MyServer ), and to the server name and instance name for a named instance of Microsoft SQL Server (for example, Myserver\MyInstance). If a default instance of Microsoft SQL Server is installed on the same computer where Visma Net is installed, you can set the value of the parameter to (local).
  • Database:
    Specifies the name of the database on the server. This is a required parameter.
  • Login:
    Specifies the login for accessing the Microsoft SQL Server database. This is a required parameter.
  • Password:
    Specifies the password for accessing the Microsoft SQL Server database. This is a required parameter.
  • LastModifiedDateColumn:
    Specifies the column of the database table or view that contains the date when the record was most recently modified.
    This parameter is necessary only if you want Visma Net to use the synchronisation type of an import scenario based on the Microsoft SQL provider. For details on the synchronisation types, see the description of the Sync type field in the Manage import scenarios (SM206025) topic.
  • CreatedDateColumn:
    Specifies the column of the database table or view that contains the date when the record was created.
    This parameter is necessary only if you want Visma Net to use the synchronisation type of an import scenario based on the Microsoft SQL provider. For details on the synchronization types, see the description of the Sync type field in the Manage import scenarios (SM206025) topic.
  • Authentication:
    Defines the authentication type to be used to connect to the database server. There are two options:
    • SQL:
      Visma Net connects through SQL Server authentication.
      The account you specify should have sufficient rights for making changes to the database.
      This authentication type is used by default.
    • Windows:
      Visma Net connects through a Windows user account with the login and password you provide.
      Windows authentication works only for a local Microsoft SQL Server or when both application and database servers are members of the same Windows domain.
Description The description of the parameter.
Value The value of the parameter to be used by the provider.

On this tab, you can view and manually correct, if needed, the schema of the data used in the specified external data source (file or application).
For a new provider, you can extract the schema from the data source in accordance with the provider type.

If you uploaded a new version of the file for an existing provider, refresh the data schema by filling in schema lines again.

This tab includes two panes: The Source objects area contains the table with the list of objects of the data source, and the Source fields area contains the table with the list of fields for the object selected in the left area.

Button Description
Fill schema objects

Fills in the objects from the data source in accordance with the provider type.
If you don't see this button on the toolbar, click the icon, which displays actions that do not fit on the toolbar.
Edit command

Opens the Object command editor dialog box, where you can type the commands for the selected table line.

Click Close to save the command and close the dialog box.

This button is used for only SQL data providers.
Column Description
Active A check box that indicates (if selected) that the object should be used for import or export.
By default, the check box is not selected.
Object The name of the object in the source, such as a worksheet in an Excel spreadsheet.
Command

The command to be executed for the object during data preparation.

For example: You can apply SQL commands to source objects to apply restrictions on the imported records, select particular records from the source database table, or join data from several tables into one object in the data provider.

This column is used for only SQL data providers.

Button Description
Fill schema fields Fills in the fields from the selected data source object in accordance with the provider type.
Edit command

Opens the Object command editor dialog box, where you can type the commands for the selected table line.

Click Close to save the command and close the dialog box.

This button is used for only SQL data providers.
Toggle activation Reverses the value in the Active column in the selected line and updates the rest of the lines with this value.

Column Description
Active A check box that indicates (if selected) that the field can be used in an import or export scenario.
Field The name of the field of the object in the external data source.
Key

A check box that indicates (if selected) that the field contains the key to the data set of the object.

Currently this column is not used by data providers.
Description The description of the field.
Data type

The type of data in the field, which can be one of the following options: String, DateTime, Double, Decimal, Boolean, or Int32.

For SQL data providers, the value of this field is filled in automatically from the corresponding property of the columns of SQL tables. For other provider types, you do not need to set the value in this column.
Data length

The length of the data in the field.

For SQL data providers, the value of this field is filled in automatically from the corresponding property of the columns of SQL tables. For other provider types, you do not need to set the value in this column.
Command

The action to be performed on the field data during data preparation.
For example: You can replace the value of a field with some calculated value, or change the value of a field depending on some condition.

This column is only used for SQL data providers.

Related concepts

About data providers

Related tasks

Modify a file data provider

Create a CSV data provider

Create a Microsoft SQL data provider

Create an Excel data provider

Parent topic:
Integration windows - overview