Updated Dynamics 365, SharePoint & Salesforce Connectors

With Microsoft shifting towards using OAuth to connect to your Dynamics 365 and SharePoint sites we decided that it would be best if we redesigned the connectors for each of these to make the whole process easier.

As you will see we've actually made connecting to Dynamics 365 and SharePoint Online easier than it was previously. The connectors now also support MFA as they re-direct to Microsoft to log-in to your systems.

The Salesforce connector has also had an update so that it too uses OAuth to connect. You will be re-directed to Salesforce to log in and authorise the connection, but you do still need to create the application within Salesforce first.

Contents

1. Requirements
2. Dynamics Connector Changes
3. SharePoint Connector Changes
4. Salesforce Connector Changes
5. Evaluation Licenses

Requirements

Before getting started you will need to ensure that you have the following:

• Windows 10 or Windows Server
• Downloaded & Installed the latest Data Synchronisation Studio version

Dynamics Connector

With this latest release we have created a public application in Azure that Data Sync uses to request read and write permissions of your Dynamics entities. Which handles all the hard work for you.

You now don't need to request administrators to create an application to connect. You simply click a button and sign in with your Microsoft account. This takes away the lengthy process it can be to get approval to create an app in Azure, let alone getting it created.

The process you now follow is:

1. Enter in the URL to your Dynamics 365 site, Data Sync will now convert this for you into the SOAP Service endpoint URL that we need.
2. Click the Authorize Connection button and log in to your Microsoft account
3. Accept the permissions
4. Select your Entity in Data Sync to connect to and then save the connection.

If you want to manage your own Azure application you can also do this by changing the Authorisation Method to Custom OAuth Connection.

With only those 4 steps to follow, connecting to Dynamics using OAuth only takes a moment and doesn't need administrators to get involved.

SharePoint Connector

## SharePoint With this latest release we have created a public application in Azure that Data Sync uses to request read and write permissions of your Dynamics entities. Which handles all the hard work for you.

You now don't need to request administrators to create an application to connect. You simply click a button and sign in with your Microsoft account.

The process you now follow is:

1. Enter in the URL to your Dynamics 365 site, Data Sync will now convert this for you into the SOAP Service endpoint URL that we need.
2. Click the Authorize Connection button and log in to your Microsoft account
3. Accept the permissions
4. Select your Entity in Data Sync to connect to and then save the connection.

To see the full documentation on how to connect, take a look at the documentation page here.

If you want to manage your own Azure application you can also do this by changing the Authorisation Method to Custom OAuth Connection.

Alternatively you can create an application in Sharepoint using the ACS service, just change the Authorisation Method to ACS OAuth App Connection.

Salesforce Connector

With the shift to OAuth as the preferred authentication method, we thought we would get ahead and develop the Salesforce connector to support this.

The changes have actually made it better to connect, as you no longer need a consumer secret. The Salesforce connector now uses the local port 50563 by default as the callback URL, that you will need to define when creating the app in Salesforce. You can select a different port by changing this in the connection window in Data Sync.

Then you just need to create the application, adding the local-host callback URL and adding the following permissions at a minimum:

• Access and manage your data (api)
• Perform requests on your behalf at any time (refresh_token, offline_access)

This will ensure that a refresh token is granted so then you do not need to re-connect each time you open/run your project, and you have permission to access your objects.

When you add the consumer key and secret to Data Sync and click onto Authorize Connection your default browser will open and redirect you to Salesforce to login and authorise the access.

To see the full documentation on how to connect checkout the Salesforce connection documentation.

Evaluation Licenses

We've been trying to find a way to make testing Data Sync easier for those who are signed up to our trial. That is why, from our latest release, you can now simply sign in to your Simego account and request and activate a trial license.

A trial license will give you the equivalent of a Developer license which enables you to use the designer, but cannot be used to schedule your Data Sync and Run Tool projects. If you are currently on a trial and want to try Simego Online to schedule the projects you have been building then contact us via the helpdesk and we can help get you started.

To get started trying Data Sync just download the latest version, sign in using your Simego account, and then simply click activate and you're good to go.

If you have any questions or suggestions, send us a message.