Create Informatica Mappings From/To an ODBC Data Source for Dynamics CRM

Informatica provides a powerful, elegant means of transporting and transforming your data. By utilizing the CData ODBC Driver for Dynamics CRM, you are gaining access to a driver based on industry-proven standards that integrates seamlessly with Informatica's powerful data transportation and manipulation features. This tutorial shows how to transfer and browse Dynamics CRM data in Informatica PowerCenter.

Getting Started

---

Connect to Dynamics CRM as an ODBC Data Source

Information for connecting to Dynamics CRM follows, along with different instructions for configuring a DSN in Windows and Linux environments.

The connection string options meet the authentication and connection requirements of different Dynamics CRM instances. To connect to your instance, set the User and Password properties, under the Authentication section, to valid Dynamics CRM user credentials and set the Url to a valid Dynamics CRM server organization root. Additionally, set the CRMVersion property to 'CRM2011+' or 'CRMOnline'. IFD configurations are supported as well; set InternetFacingDeployment to true.

Additionally, you can provide the security token service (STS) or AD FS endpoint in the STSURL property. This value can be retrieved with the GetSTSUrl stored procedure. Office 365 users can connect to the default STS URL by simply setting CRMVersion.

Windows

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

Linux

If you are installing the CData ODBC Driver for Dynamics CRM in a Linux environment, the driver installation predefines a system DSN. You can modify the DSN by editing the system data sources file (/etc/odbc.ini) and defining the required connection properties.

/etc/odbc.ini

[CData DynamicsCRM Source]
Driver = CData ODBC Driver for Dynamics CRM
Description = My Description
User = myuseraccount
Password = mypassword
URL = https://myOrg.crm.dynamics.com/
CRM Version = CRM Online

For specific information on using these configuration files, please refer to the help documentation (installed and found online).

Create a Linked Table to Account Data

Follow the steps below to create a linked table, which enables you to access live Account data.

Create the ODBC Connection

Follow the steps below to connect to Dynamics CRM in Informatica PowerCenter:

1. In the Informatica Developer tool connect to your repository and create a project.
2. In the Connection Explorer pane, right-click and click Create a Connection.
3. In the New Database Connection wizard that is displayed, enter a name and Id for the connection and in the Type menu select ODBC.
4. In the Connection String property, enter the DSN.

NOTE: If you are working in a Linux operating system, set the Driver Manager for Linux property to unixODBC 2.3.x.

Create the Dynamics CRM Data Object

After you have created an ODBC connection to Dynamics CRM, you can now access Dynamics CRM entities in Informatica. Follow the steps below to add Account entities to your project.

1. In the Object Explorer, right-click your project and then click New -> Data Object.
2. In the wizard that is displayed, select the Relational Data Object option.
3. Click the Browse button next to the Connection box and select the ODBC connection you created in the previous step.
4. Select the option to create a data object from an existing resource and click the Browse button next to the Resource box.
5. In the dialog that is displayed, clear the Show Default Schema Only option and expand the node for the ODBC connection. Select the entity that you want. 👁 The driver models Dynamics CRM entities as relational tables. (Salesforce is shown.)
   

You can now browse the table in the Data Viewer: Right-click the node for the table and then click Open. On the Data Viewer view, click Run.

👁 Table data and metadata in the Data Viewer. (Salesforce is shown.)

Create the Mapping

Follow the steps below to add the Dynamics CRM source to a mapping:

1. In the Object Explorer, right-click your project and then click New -> Mapping.
2. Expand the node for the Dynamics CRM connection and then drag the data object for the table onto the editor.
3. In the dialog that appears, select the Read option.

👁 The source Dynamics CRM table in the mapping. (Salesforce is shown.)

Follow the steps below to map Dynamics CRM columns to a flat file:

1. In the Object Explorer, right-click your project and then click New -> Data Object.
2. Select Flat File Data Object -> Create as Empty -> Fixed Width.
3. In the properties for the Dynamics CRM object, select the rows you want, right-click, and then click copy. Paste the rows into the flat file properties.
4. Drag the flat file data object onto the mapping. In the dialog that appears, select the Write option.
5. Click and drag to connect columns.

To transfer Dynamics CRM data, right-click in the workspace and then click Run Mapping.

👁 The completed mapping. (Salesforce is shown.)