Accessing Your Data Using Business Intelligence (BI) Connectors

Overview

Your applications capture a large amount of data when end-users End-users, also known as Express Users, are the individuals accessing an application through Express View. In most cases, end-users are the customers using the product. interact with them. From submission data, to user activit,y to metadata, this volume of data can be overwhelming. But this data is useful if arranged in a way that is easy to digest. If you want to aggregate this data to make business decisions, you might connect your MySQL databases to a BI (Business Intelligence) tool. For example, the MySQL database Connector for BI is software that translates SQL SQL (Structured Query Language) is language used in programming and designed for managing data contained in a relational database system. queries to MySQL queries. It gives you actionable BI from the connected data. Unqork can configure a database connections to your production environment. These connections create SQL-like views that work with popular BI tools. It also works with other tools that can handle ODBC (Open Database Connectivity). You have the flexibility to select the tools that work best for you.

How to Set Up  MySQL Connections for BI

Unqork sets up the MySQL connector for you, so you only need to provide information to Unqork.

Setup

If you decide the MySQL connectors can benefit your organization, notify your Unqork representative. Your Unqork representative provides you with the BI Connector View Creation or Update Request Form. Complete the form and return it to your Unqork representative.

You'll provide Unqork with an IP address or ranges to include in the allowlist. Allowlists must be specific to each environment.

If you anticipate NULL values or empty arrays, you'll need to notify Unqork.

After you provide your allowlist, Unqork sets up your connection and any views you request. Unqork also provides you with a server address, username, and password so you can access your data. When that's complete, you can connect your chosen BI tool to MySQL.

You need at least one View available before connecting your BI tool.

The last thing you need to do is validate your Views to ensure you have everything you need.

For more information on how to connect MySQL to a compatible BI tool, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-query/connectors/mysql-database.

Testing

Unqork configures the connectors for each environment. Connection testing can occur before a production deployment. To test data, you'll need to ensure that lower environments have comprehensive and quality data.

Unqork needs an allowlist for lower environments if you want to perform testing in them. All changes must be promoted sequentially through lower environments.

When testing, consider the following:

• Connectors are a SQL-like layer on top of your data. They are not a database. If you need to perform complex manipulations, extract the data to your data warehouse and manipulate it inside your ecosystem.

• Don't set up connectors until configuration is stable.

• If an application update results in a change to the data model, the BI tool View might break. Notify your Unqork representative if you make major configuration changes after your initial launch.

• All fields that you want to extract must have values in the submission data.

• VPN for data transfer is not supported.

• When BI Views update, validate the potential impact to connected downstream BI tools. Update downstream BI tools at the same time Unqork updates BI Views.

If you need to make any updates to your Views after launch, you must submit a Zendesk ticket. In the ticket, complete and attach the BI Connector View Creation or Update Request Form.

Resources

• Submission Data.

• Introduction to Data Types and Structures.

• Access Submission Data Using the DevTools Console.