Database Connections

You can connect to your established data sources through either a SQL connection or an ODBC connection.

Licenses

Note: You can have 100 database connections with a total of 500 statements.

Licenses are based on ODBC drivers. You also require one dedicated license to connect to SQL Server through SQL provider. Each data source requires one license, but in Demo mode, you can have up to two licenses.

Service Provider Details

PropertyValueDescription
ProviderN/AIf you are using a SQL connection, from the drop-down, select SQL Data Provider. You can use this connection method for the following data source:
  • Microsoft SQL Server
ProviderN/AIf you are using an ODBC connection, from the drop-down, select ODBC Data Provider. You can use this connection method to connect to any data source for which the ODBC driver is installed:
  • Microsoft Access database file
  • Microsoft Excel database file
  • ODBC database connections (plus drivers)

Connection Details

You can enter server connection information using either the simple user input section or by using an advanced connection string.

SQL: Simple Connection

PropertyValueDescription
ServerRequired; User-defined up to 50 charactersSpecifies the server name that you want to connect to.
DatabaseRequired; User-defined up to 50 charactersSpecifies the database name that you want to connect to on the server.
PortNumericSpecifies the port number of the server.
TimeoutNumericSpecifies the amount of time alloted for the server to connect before timing out. The default time is 30 seconds.
ODBC: Simple Connection
Note: Access restrictions: Workflow supports only system DSNs, which allow access to any user who has administrative privileges on a particular machine. User and file DSNs are not supported.
PropertyValueDescription
DSNN/ASpecifies the data source name for server drivers.

To configure DSN, go to: Start menu > Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC). Click the Add button, and then follow the DSN instructions.

SQL and ODBC: Advanced Connections

PropertyValueDescription
Connection StringAlphanumericAllows you to add more advanced connection parameters, such as security controls (passwords) and connection pooling.

Credentials

For your server connection login credentials, you can select either:
  • SQL Server Authentication OR
  • Windows Authentication

    If you select SQL Server Authentication, you must indicate a user name and password.

PropertyValueDescription
User NameUser-defined alphanumeric string (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) up to 50 charactersSpecifies the user name used to authorize connection to the server.
PasswordUser-defined alphanumeric string (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) up to 50 charactersSpecifies the password related to the user name to connect to the server.
ODBC Authentication
PropertyValueDescription
User NameUser-defined alphanumeric string (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) up to 50 charactersSpecifies the user name used to authorize connection to the server.
PasswordUser-defined alphanumeric string (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) up to 50 charactersSpecifies the password related to the user name to connect to the server.

Testing the Connection

You can use the Test Connection button to ensure that the database connection details and credentials will work in a production environment.