DocumentationExperience PlatformSource Connectors Guide

Create a Salesforce base connection using the Flow Service API

Last update: Tue May 28 2024 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

CREATED FOR:

  • Developer

A base connection represents the authenticated connection between a source and Adobe Experience Platform.

This tutorial walks you through the steps to create a base connection for Salesforce using the Flow Service API.

Getting started

This guide requires a working understanding of the following components of Adobe Experience Platform:

  • Sources: Experience Platform allows data to be ingested from various sources while providing you with the ability to structure, label, and enhance incoming data using Platform services.
  • Sandboxes: Experience Platform provides virtual sandboxes which partition a single Platform instance into separate virtual environments to help develop and evolve digital experience applications.

The following sections provide additional information that you will need to know in order to successfully connect Platform to a Salesforce account using the Flow Service API.

Gather required credentials

The Salesforce source supports basic authentication and OAuth2 Client Credential.

Basic authentication

To connect your Salesforce account to Flow Service using basic authentication, provide values for the following credentials:

table 0-row-2 1-row-2 2-row-2 3-row-2 4-row-2 5-row-2 6-row-2
Credential Description
environmentUrl The URL of the Salesforce source instance.
username The username for the Salesforce user account.
password The password for the Salesforce user account.
securityToken The security token for the Salesforce user account.
apiVersion Optional) The REST API version of the Salesforce instance that you are using. The value for the API version must be formatted with a decimal. For example, if you are using API version 52, then you must input the value as 52.0. If this field is left blank, then Experience Platform will automatically use the latest available version.
connectionSpec.id The connection specification returns a source’s connector properties, including authentication specifications related to creating the base and source connections. The connection specification ID for Salesforce is: cfc0fee1-7dc0-40ef-b73e-d8b134c436f5.

For more information on getting started, visit this Salesforce document.

OAuth 2 Client Credential

To connect your Salesforce account to Flow Service using OAuth 2 Client Credential, provide values for the following credentials:

table 0-row-2 1-row-2 2-row-2 3-row-2 4-row-2 5-row-2
Credential Description
environmentUrl The URL of the Salesforce source instance.
clientId The client ID is used in tandem with the client secret as part of OAuth2 authentication. Together, the client ID and client secret enable your application to operate on behalf of your account by identifying your application to Salesforce.
clientSecret The client secret is used in tandem with the client ID as part of OAuth2 authentication. Together, the client ID and client secret enable your application to operate on behalf of your account by identifying your application to Salesforce.
apiVersion The REST API version of the Salesforce instance that you are using. The value for the API version must be formatted with a decimal. For example, if you are using API version 52, then you must input the value as 52.0. If this field is left blank, then Experience Platform will automatically use the latest available version. This value is mandatory for OAuth2 Client Credential authentication.
connectionSpec.id The connection specification returns a source’s connector properties, including authentication specifications related to creating the base and source connections. The connection specification ID for Salesforce is: cfc0fee1-7dc0-40ef-b73e-d8b134c436f5.

For more information on using OAuth for Salesforce, read the Salesforce guide on OAuth Authorization Flows.

Using Platform APIs

For information on how to successfully make calls to Platform APIs, see the guide on getting started with Platform APIs.

Create a base connection

A base connection retains information between your source and Platform, including your source’s authentication credentials, the current state of the connection, and your unique base connection ID. The base connection ID allows you to explore and navigate files from within your source and identify the specific items that you want to ingest, including information regarding their data types and formats.

To create a base connection ID, make a POST request to the /connections endpoint and provide your Salesforce authentication credentials in the request body.

API format

POST /connections

Request

Basic authentication

The following request creates a base connection for Salesforce using basic authentication:

code language-shell 
curl -X POST \
  'https://platform.adobe.io/data/foundation/flowservice/connections' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer {ACCESS_TOKEN}' \
  -H 'x-api-key: {API_KEY}' \
  -H 'x-gw-ims-org-id: {ORG_ID}' \
  -H 'x-sandbox-name: {SANDBOX_NAME}' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
      "name": "ACME Salesforce account",
      "description": "Salesforce account using basic authentication",
      "auth": {
          "specName": "Basic Authentication",
          "params":
            "environmentUrl": "https://acme-enterprise-3126.my.salesforce.com",
            "username": "acme-salesforce",
            "password": "xxxx",
            "securityToken": "xxxx"
        }
      },
      "connectionSpec": {
          "id": "cfc0fee1-7dc0-40ef-b73e-d8b134c436f5",
          "version": "1.0"
      }
  }'
table 0-row-2 1-row-2 2-row-2 3-row-2 4-row-2 5-row-2
Property Description
auth.params.environmentUrl The URL of your Salesforce instance.
auth.params.username The username associated with your Salesforce account.
auth.params.password The password associated with your Salesforce account.
auth.params.securityToken The security token associated with your Salesforce account.
connectionSpec.id The Salesforce connection specification ID: cfc0fee1-7dc0-40ef-b73e-d8b134c436f5.
OAuth 2 Client Credential

The following request creates a base connection for Salesforce using OAuth 2 Client Credential:

code language-shell 
curl -X POST \
  'https://platform.adobe.io/data/foundation/flowservice/connections' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer {ACCESS_TOKEN}' \
  -H 'x-api-key: {API_KEY}' \
  -H 'x-gw-ims-org-id: {ORG_ID}' \
  -H 'x-sandbox-name: {SANDBOX_NAME}' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
      "name": "ACME Salesforce account",
      "description": "Salesforce account using OAuth 2",
      "auth": {
          "specName": "OAuth2 Client Credential",
          "params":
            "environmentUrl": "https://acme-enterprise-3126.my.salesforce.com",
            "clientId": "xxxx",
            "clientSecret": "xxxx",
            "apiVersion": "60.0"
        }
      },
      "connectionSpec": {
          "id": "cfc0fee1-7dc0-40ef-b73e-d8b134c436f5",
          "version": "1.0"
      }
  }'
table 0-row-2 1-row-2 2-row-2 3-row-2 4-row-2 5-row-2
Property Description
auth.params.environmentUrl The URL of your Salesforce instance.
auth.params.clientId The client ID associated with your Salesforce account.
auth.params.clientSecret The client secret associated with your Salesforce account.
auth.params.apiVersion The REST API version of the Salesforce instance that you are using.
connectionSpec.id The Salesforce connection specification ID: cfc0fee1-7dc0-40ef-b73e-d8b134c436f5.

Response

A successful response returns your newly created base connection along with its unique ID.

{
    "id": "4cb0c374-d3bb-4557-b139-5712880adc55",
    "etag": "\"1700df7b-0000-0200-0000-5e3b424f0000\""
}

Next steps

By following this tutorial, you have created a Salesforce base connection using the Flow Service API. You can use this base connection ID in the following tutorials:

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