Salesforce SOQL from Crystal Reports

The Salesforce ODBC driver extends the number of applications that you can use Salesforce SOQL from. In this blog, we describe how to run SOQL statements from Crystal Reports by using our ODBC driver.

To get started:

Before you can use the Salesforce ODBC driver to connect your application to Salesforce, you need to configure an ODBC data source. An ODBC data source stores the connection details for the target database (in this case, Salesforce) and the ODBC driver that is required to connect to it (in this case, the Salesforce ODBC driver).

  1. Start ODBC Data Source Administrator. To do this, in the Windows Run dialog box, enter: 
    %windir%\syswow64\odbcad32.exe
  2. In ODBC Data Source Administrator, choose the System DSN tab, and then choose Add.
  3. In the Create New Data Source dialog box, choose Easysoft Salesforce SOQL ODBC Driver, and then choose Finish.
  4. Complete the DSN Setup dialog box:
    Setting Value
    DSN Salesforce
    User Name The name of your Salesforce user. For example, myuser@mydomain.com.
    Password The password for your Salesforce user.
    Token The security token for your Salesforce user, if required.

    To find out whether you need to supply a security token, choose the Test button. If the connection attempt fails with an error which contains LOGIN_MUST_USE_SECURITY_TOKEN, you need to supply one.

    Salesforce emails the security token to the email address associated with your Salesforce user account. If you have not received a security token, you can regenerate it. Salesforce will then email the new security token to you. To regenerate your security token, log in to Salesforce and then choose Setup from the user menu. Search for "security token" in the Quick Find box. Choose Reset Security Token in the Reset Security Token page. When you receive the token in your email client, copy it and then paste it into the Token field.
  5. Use the Test button to verify that you can successfully connect to Salesforce.

Using Salesforce SOQL from Crystal Reports

Using the Salesforce ODBC driver to access Salesforce data from Crystal Reports by using SQL generated with a wizard:

  1. In Crystal Reports, create a new report.
  2. In the Standard Report Creation Wizard, in the Available Data Sources pane, expand the Create New Connection list.
  3. Expand the ODBC (RDO) list.
  4. In the ODBC (RDO) dialog box, in the Data Source Name list, choose your Salesforce ODBC data source. Choose Finish.
  5. Select the tables that you want include in your report, and then choose Next.
  6. Progress the wizard to select the fields and fields that you want to include in your report.
  7. Click Finish to generate the report based on the Salesforce data.

Using the Salesforce ODBC driver to access Salesforce data from Crystal Reports by using pass-through SQL:

  1. In Crystal Reports, create a new report.
  2. In the Database Expert dialog box, expand your Salesforce data source under My Connections.
  3. Double-click Add Command.
  4. In the Add Command To Report dialog box, enter: 
    SELECT Account.Name, (SELECT Contact.LastName FROM Account.Contacts)
FROM Account
  5. Use the OK button to return to Crystal Reports.
  6. In the Field Explorer pane, expand Command under Database Fields. You should get Name and LastName. Drag these fields to the Report Details section.
  7. On the View menu, choose Preview Sample to display the records.