Integrating an External Database with a Flow

Overview 

Database Entities represent External Databases that can be integrated with a Flow. To add a Database within the Portal, navigate to System > Integrations > Databases, click the Create Connection button, and supply the necessary details. Once a Database is introduced, components to query, insert, or update data to or from the Database within the Flow Designer can be used. They are found under Integration > Integration Database > [Database Name] > [Table Name].

Example

Setting Up Integration

This example Flow will access a local Database called Basic, retrieve all of the records from the table MockData, and display them in a data grid Form.

1. Begin in the Portal by navigating to the Folder System > Integrations > Databases. 
2. Click the Create Connection button.

   

3. In the resulting Database Integration pop-up, define the details of the Connection. 
4. Give this Connection the same name as the Database to integrate - "Basic."

   

5. Click the Test Connection button to see if the Database can be connected with these details. 
6. If the platform can connect to the Database, a message appears in the upper-left corner of the pop-up. Click OK to continue.

   

7. Navigate to a Designer Folder.  
8. Select Datatypes/Integrations > Database Integration > Add Table

   

9. In the resulting pop-up, select the desired Table. In this case, choose dbo.MOCK_DATA.

   

10. By default, all Fields and all Components are enabled to generate for each selected table. To specify only certain Fields, click on the Browse button in Fields and deselect the undesired fields. 
11. Additionally, to specify only certain components to generate, scroll right and deselect the undesired components. 
12. Select which field to use as the Table Key.

    

13. Click Next. This screen provides the option to Define Flow Steps.  
14. All are selected by default.

    

15. Click Save.
16. This Basic Database Entity is complete and ready to be integrated into the example Flow.

    

Creating the Flow

1. Begin building this example Flow in a Designer Folder by clicking the CREATE FLOW button.
2. In the resulting pop-up, name the example Flow "External DB Flow" and click OK to create it.
3. Retrieve all records from the MOCK_DATA table. 
4. This is done using the component Get all from dbo.MOCK_DATA. 
5. Find this component in the Steps panel, under the category Integration > Database > Basic (Database) > dbo.MOCK_DATA (Table).

   

6. Add a Form in which records from the MOCK_DATA table will be displayed. From the Steps tab, expand Forms [Interaction], and drag and drop the [Pick or Create Form]component into the workspace.

   

7. Connect each step's outcomes as follows:

   

8. Build the Form. From the Form Properties panel, click on Pick or Create Form. 
9. Name the Form DisplayMockData and click OK.
10. Make sure the Form has at least one outcome, such as an OK button.

    

11. Expand the Data > Data Grid category in the Form Toolbox and drag a Data Grid component into the workspace. 
12. In the properties for the data grid, configure the Input Data > Type as the data type of the Mock Data table, since that is the Type Output by the Get all from dbo.MOCK_DATA step. 
    Note: 

    Users can right-click the Form in the Flow and browse the data upstream of the Form; this is a way to check Data Type.

    

13. In the Input Data > Data Name field for the grid, enter MockData. Save and Close the Form.
14. In order for the Form to display the records collected by Get all from dbo_Product, its Inputs must be mapped to the Get all from dbo_Product step's Outputs.
15. Click on the Form and, in the Properties pop up, click the link Edit Input Mapping.
16. To map Get all from dbo.MOCK_DATA's Output collection of MOCK_DATA _Result objects, drag its anchor to the Form's sole Input Mock Data.

    

17. This completes the mapping; click OK to close the Mapping Editor. 
18. Connect the Output path from the Form to the End step to complete the Flow.

Debugging

1. Test the Flow clicking the Debug link at the top of the Flow Designer.
2. When run, the Flow displays a Form grid containing all of the records in the Basic Database's MockData table.