Getting Started with the CData Excel Add-In for HubDB

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This guide explains everything you need to get started with the CData Excel Add-In for HubDB. You will learn how to install the add-in, understand licensing behavior, configure your first connection, and import real-time HubDB data directly into Excel for analysis, reporting, and automation.

Installation & Licensing

System Requirements

• Windows: Windows 10/11 or Windows Server 2016+
• Microsoft Excel: Excel 2016 or later, Excel for Microsoft 365
• .NET Framework: .NET Framework 4.0 or later

Installing the Excel Add-In

Download and install the Excel Add-In from the CData website by visiting the Excel Add-In download page. Fill in the appropriate contact information when prompted.

👁 Filling in contact info

Note: If you are downloading a licensed installer, use your company email address and license key.

1. Run the installer and follow the setup wizard
2. Once installation is complete, open Excel and verify that the CData tab appears in the Excel ribbon

Licensing the Excel Add-In

The Excel Add-In handles licensing during installation. When running the installer, you can choose to:

• Use the trial license, or
• Install a licensed build provided by CData

If you require a subscription license, contact the CData Orders Team at [email protected] to obtain your license key. Once the add-in is installed, it is ready for use.

Common Licensing Questions

Can I install the add-in on multiple machines?
Your subscription tier determines how many activations are included. Contact [email protected] for details.

I lost my license key. How do I retrieve it?
Email [email protected] with your order number, and we'll resend your license key.

How do I transfer my license?
To transfer the license to a different machine, you will need to submit a License Transfer Request on our site linked below:

https://www.cdata.com/lic/transfer/

After the License Transfer Request is submitted and successfully processed, an activation will be added to your Product Key and you will be able to activate the full license on the other machine. Once this process is finished, the license on the previous machine will be invalid.

For additional licensing questions, contact [email protected]. Viewing and upgrading your license can now be done through our self-service portal at portal.cdata.com.

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Connection Configuration

Once the add-in is installed, you can configure a secure connection to HubDB directly from the Excel ribbon. The add-in stores connection settings inside the Excel environment and uses them to fetch live HubDB data.

Creating a New Connection

1. Open Excel and navigate to the CData tab in the ribbon
2. Click Get Data > From HubDB. Then, click New HubDB Connection to create a new connection
👁 Clicking button in Excel

3. Provide a name for your connection and enable Update, Insert, or Delete operations as required
4. The CData Connection dialog opens. Enter the authentication details required for HubDB (OAuth, API token, credentials, etc.)

Configuring Connection Properties

There are two authentication methods available for connecting to HubDB data source: OAuth Authentication with a public HubSpot application and authentication with a Private application token.

Using a Custom OAuth App

AuthScheme must be set to "OAuth" in all OAuth flows. Be sure to review the Help documentation for the required connection properties for you specific authentication needs (desktop applications, web applications, and headless machines).

Follow the steps below to register an application and obtain the OAuth client credentials:

1. Log into your HubSpot app developer account.
   • Note that it must be an app developer account. Standard HubSpot accounts cannot create public apps.
2. On the developer account home page, click the Apps tab.
3. Click Create app.
4. On the App info tab, enter and optionally modify values that are displayed to users when they connect. These values include the public application name, application logo, and a description of the application.
5. On the Auth tab, supply a callback URL in the "Redirect URLs" box.
   • If you're creating a desktop application, set this to a locally accessible URL like http://localhost:33333.
   • If you are creating a Web application, set this to a trusted URL where you want users to be redirected to when they authorize your application.
6. Click Create App. HubSpot then generates the application, along with its associated credentials.
7. On the Auth tab, note the Client ID and Client secret. You will use these later to configure the driver.

8. Under Scopes, select any scopes you need for your application's intended functionality.

   A minimum of the following scopes is required to access tables:

   • hubdb
   • oauth
   • crm.objects.owners.read
9. Click Save changes.
10. Install the application into a production portal with access to the features that are required by the integration.
    • Under "Install URL (OAuth)", click Copy full URL to copy the installation URL for your application.
    • Navigate to the copied link in your browser. Select a standard account in which to install the application.
    • Click Connect app. You can close the resulting tab.

Using a Private App

To connect using a HubSpot private application token, set the AuthScheme property to "PrivateApp."

You can generate a private application token by following the steps below:

1. In your HubDB account, click the settings icon (the gear) in the main navigation bar.
2. In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Integrations > Private Apps.
3. Click Create private app.
4. On the Basic Info tab, configure the details of your application (name, logo, and description).
5. On the Scopes tab, select Read or Write for each scope you want your private application to be able to access.
6. A minimum of hubdb and crm.objects.owners.read is required to access tables.
7. After you are done configuring your application, click Create app in the top right.
8. Review the info about your application's access token, click Continue creating, and then Show token.
9. Click Copy to copy the private application token.

To connect, set PrivateAppToken to the private application token you retrieved.

Testing your Connection

1. Click Test Connection to validate your input
👁 Testing the connection

2. Click OK to save the connection

Importing Data into Excel

After creating a connection, you can import HubDB data into Excel using the built-in query interface.

Selecting Tables and Views

1. From the CData ribbon, click Get Data > From HubDB and choose the connection you just made
2. The CData Query window opens. Click Select to choose a table or view
👁 Choosing a table

3. Select your desired table and click OK

Running the Query

1. A SQL query is automatically generated for your selected table
👁 Displaying a SQL Query

2. Review the query (optional), then click OK to run it
3. The results populate directly into your Excel worksheet
👁 Displaying Excel spreadsheet

You can now build pivot tables, charts, or use Excel formulas to analyze your HubDB data.

Common Connection Issues

Authentication Failed

Solution: Verify your credentials or OAuth configuration. Ensure that your HubDB account has the required API permissions.

Cannot Connect to HubDB

Solution: Check your internet connection, firewall settings, or proxy configuration. Contact [email protected] for specific port requirements.

Table Not Found

Solution: Confirm your account has access to the selected HubDB data object. Use the table selector in the Query window to browse available resources.

Query Returned No Results

Solution: Verify any filters or WHERE clauses in the generated SQL. Remove or adjust filters to broaden your query.

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What's Next

Now that you have installed, licensed, and configured the Excel Add-In, explore how to automate reporting, refresh live dashboards, and build advanced queries using SQL or Excel functions.

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Get Support

If you need assistance at any point:

• Technical Support: [email protected]
• Community Forum: CData Community Site
• Help Documentation: Installed locally and available online

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FAQs

Installation & Licensing

• Does Excel require administrator rights to install the add-in?
  Administrative privileges are required for installation.
• How do I activate a license?
  Licensing occurs during installation. Licensed installers automatically apply subscription keys.

Connecting

• Can I use multiple HubDB accounts?
  Each time you click Get Data, you can configure a new connection.
• Can I connect through a proxy?
  You can configure proxy settings in the Connection dialog.

Performance & Troubleshooting

• Why is my query slow?
  Add filters using the query editor or narrow the selected fields.
• How do I enable logging?
  

  Add the following to your connection manager:

  • Logfile: /path/to/logfile.log
  • Verbosity: 3

  Be prepared to securely upload the log file upon request when reaching out to [email protected] for troubleshooting analysis.

• How do I refresh data?
  Select the imported table and click Refresh from the CData ribbon.

For questions not covered in this FAQ, contact [email protected].