Extend Google Sheets with Act CRM Data

Interact with Act CRM data from Google Sheets through macros, custom functions, and add-ons. The CData API Server enables connectivity to Act CRM data from cloud-based and mobile applications like Google Sheets. The API Server is a lightweight Web application that produces OData services for Act CRM.

Google Apps Script can consume these OData services in the JSON format. This article shows how to create a simple add-on that populates a Google Spreadsheet with Activities data and, as you make changes, executes updates to Act CRM data.

Set Up the API Server

If you have not already done so, download the CData API Server. Once you have installed the API Server, follow the steps below to begin producing secure Act CRM OData services:

Connect to Act CRM

To work with Act CRM data from Google Sheets, we start by creating and configuring a Act CRM connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to Act CRM data:

1. First, navigate to the Connections page.
2. Click Add Connection and then search for and select the Act CRM connection. 👁 Selecting a data source (SQLite is shown)
   
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Act CRM.

   The and properties, under the Authentication section, must be set to valid Act! user credentials. In addition to the authentication values, see the following:

   • Connecting to Act! Premium

     In addition to the authentication values, the to Act! is also required; for example https://eup1-iis-04.eu.hosted.act.com/.

     Additionally, you must specify the you will connect to. This is found by going to the About Act! Premium menu of your account, at the top right of the page, in the ? menu. Use the Database Name in the window that appears.

   • Connecting to Act! Premium Cloud

     To connect to your Act! Premium Cloud account, you also need to specify the property. This property is found in the URL address of the Cloud account; for example https://eup1-iis-04.eu.hosted.act.com/ActCloudName/.

   Note that retrieving ActCRM metadata can be expensive. It is advised that you set the property to store the metadata locally.

   👁 Connecting to a datasource (SQLite is shown)
   
4. After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your Act CRM data through the API Server. You can add and configure users on the Users page. Follow the steps below to configure and create a user:

1. On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
2. Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User. 👁 Configure a new user
   
3. An Authtoken is then generated for the user. You can find the Authtoken and other information for each user on the Users page: 👁 API Server user settings
   

Creating API Endpoints for Act CRM

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the Act CRM tables:

1. First, navigate to the API page and then click Add Table . 👁 Add tables
   
2. Select the connection you wish to access and click Next. 👁 Select the connection (SQLite is shown)
   
3. With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm. 👁 Adding tables from the connection (SQLite is shown)
   

Gather the OData Url

Having configured a connection to Act CRM data, created a user, and added resources to the API Server, you now have an easily accessible REST API based on the OData protocol for those resources. From the API page in API Server, you can view and copy the API Endpoints for the API:

👁 API Endpoints

Retrieve Act CRM Data

Open the Script Editor from your spreadsheet by clicking Tools -> Script Editor. In the Script Editor, add the following function to populate a spreadsheet with the results of an OData query:

function retrieve(){
 var url = "https://MyUrl/api.rsc/Activities?select=Id,ActivityDisplayName,Subject,Subject";
 var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
 headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
 }); 
 var json = response.getContentText();
 var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
 var a1 = sheet.getRange('a1');
 var index=1;
 var activities = JSON.parse(json).value;

 var cols = [["Id","ActivityDisplayName","Subject","Subject"]]; 
 sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);

 row=2;
 for(var i in activities){
 for (var j in activities[i]) {
 switch (j) {
 case "Id":
 a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
 break;
 case "ActivityDisplayName":
 a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
 break;
 case "Subject":
 a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
 break;
 case "Subject":
 a1.offset(row,3).setValue(account[i][j]);
 break;
 } 
 }
 row++;
 }
}

Follow the steps below to add an installable trigger to populate the spreadsheet when opened:

1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers -> Add a New Trigger.
2. Select retrieve in the Run menu.
3. Select From Spreadsheet.
4. Select On open.

After closing the dialog, you are prompted to allow access to the application.

Post Changes to Act CRM Data

Add the following function to post changes to cells back to the API Server:

function buildReq(e){
 var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
 var changes = e.range;
 var id = sheet.getRange(changes.getRow(),1).getValue();
 var col = sheet.getRange(1,changes.getColumn()).getValue();
 
 var url = "http://MyServer/api.rsc/Activities("+id+")";
 var putdata = "{\"@odata.type\" : \"CDataAPI.Activities\", \""+col+"\": \""+changes.getValue()+"\"}";;
 UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
 method: "put",
 contentType: "application/json",
 payload: putdata,
 headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
 });

}

Follow the steps below to add the update trigger:

1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers.
2. Select buildReq in the Run menu.
3. Select From Spreadsheet.
4. Select On edit.

You can test the script by clicking Publish -> Test as Add-On. Select the version, installation type, and spreadsheet to create a test configuration. You can then select and run the test configuration.

As you make changes to cells, the API Server executes updates to Act CRM data.