Create Datasets from Dynamics NAV in Domo Workbench and Build Visualizations of Dynamics NAV Data in Domo

Domo helps you manage, analyze, and share data across your entire organization, enabling decision makers to identify and act on strategic opportunities. Domo Workbench provides a secure, client-side solution for uploading your on-premise data to Domo. The CData ODBC Driver for Dynamics NAV links Domo Workbench to operational Dynamics NAV data. You can build datasets from Dynamics NAV data using standard SQL queries in Workbench and then create real-time visualizations of Dynamics NAV data in the Domo service.

The CData ODBC Drivers offer unmatched performance for interacting with live Dynamics NAV data in Domo due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries from Domo to Dynamics NAV, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Dynamics NAV and utilizes the embedded SQL Engine to process unsupported operations (often SQL functions and JOIN operations) client-side. With built-in dynamic metadata querying, you can visualize and analyze Dynamics NAV data using native Domo data types.

Connect to Dynamics NAV as an ODBC Data Source

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.

Before you can connect, OData Services will need to be enabled on the server. Once OData Services are enabled, you will be able to query any Services that are published on the server.

The User and Password properties, under the Authentication section, must be set to valid Dynamics NAV user credentials. In addition, specify a URL to a valid Dynamics NAV server organization root and a ServerInstance. If there is not a Service Default Company for the server, set the Company as well.

When you configure the DSN, you may also want to set the Max Rows connection property. This will limit the number of rows returned, which is especially helpful for improving performance when designing reports and visualizations.

After creating a DSN, you will need to create a dataset for Dynamics NAV in Domo Workbench using the Dynamics NAV DSN and build a visualization in the Domo service based on the dataset.

Build a Dataset for Dynamics NAV Data

You can follow the steps below to build a dataset based on a table in Dynamics NAV in Domo Workbench using the CData ODBC Driver for Dynamics NAV.

1. Open Domo Workbench and, if you have not already, add your Domo service server to Workbench. In the Accounts submenu, click Add New, type in the server address (i.e., domain.domo.com) and click through the wizard to authenticate. 👁 Connecting to the Domo Service.
   
2. In the DataSet Jobs submenu, click Add New.
3. Name the dataset job (i.e., ODBC Dynamics NAV Customer), select ODBC Connection Provider as the transport method, and click through the wizard. 👁 Configuring the DataSet Job.
   
4. In the newly created DataSet Job, navigate to Source and click to configure the settings.
5. Select System DSN for the Connection Type.
6. Select the previously configured DSN (CData DynamicsNAV Sys) for the System DSN.
7. Click to validate the configuration. 👁 Configuring the Source Settings.
   
8. Below the settings, set the Query to a SQL query:

   SELECT * FROM Customer

   NOTE: By connecting to Dynamics NAV data using an ODBC driver, you simply need to know SQL in order to get your data, circumventing the need to know Dynamics NAV-specific APIs or protocols.
9. Click preview. 👁 Querying Dynamics NAV Data.
   
10. Check over the generated schema, add any transformations, then save and run the dataset job. 👁 Save and Run the Configured DataSet Job (Salesforce is shown).
    

With the dataset job run, the dataset will be accessible from the Domo service, allowing you to build visualizations, reports, and more based on Dynamics NAV data.

Create Data Visualizations

With the DataSet Job saved and run in Domo Workbench, we are ready to build visualizations of the Dynamics NAV data in the Domo service.

1. Navigate to the Data Center. 👁 Accessing the Data Center (Salesforce is shown).
   
2. In the data warehouse, select the ODBC data source and drill down to our new dataset. 👁 Selecting the Dynamics NAV Dataset (Salesforce is shown).
   
3. With the dataset selected, choose to create a visualization.
4. In the new card:
   • Drag a Dimension to the X Value.
   • Drag a Measure to the Y Value.
   • Choose a Visualization.
   👁 Visualizing Dynamics NAV Data in Domo (Salesforce is shown).
   

With the CData ODBC Driver for Dynamics NAV, you can build custom datasets based on Dynamics NAV data using only SQL in Domo Workbench and then build and share visualizations and reports through the Domo service.