1.3 Create a Connection String

Connection String

Connection strings connect Salesforce to your backend system.

You will create two connection strings, one for connecting to your Salesforce instance and the other for your backend system.

 

Select Connection Strings tab (1) and select the New button (2).


 

Create a new Connection String for your Salesforce instance.

  1. Enter a name for your connection string in Connection String Name.

  2. Select "Salesforce Job" for Connection Type to connect to your Salesforce instance. 

  3. Enter the Connection String. We recommend using a dedicated System Administrator user. It should be in the format, Username=xxx@domain.com.

  4. Enter the Sensitive Part.  This will be the password of the user from step 3. It should be in the format, Password=xxx. Once saved, the system will encrypt the password so that is it not visible to other users with access to Connection String records.

  5. Description and Named Credential are optional fields.  

  6. Select Save.

 

On the connection string record, select the Check button to ensure the connection can be established successfully.



 

A green checked circle will appear once a successful connection is made.

 

If you modify a connection string after running the check, you will need to re-run the check; otherwise, the status may display an incorrect/previous value.


 

Note: If you did not append your Security Token to the Password in Sensitive Part field, you may receive an error message:

To correct this error, navigate to your Settings > My Personal Information > Reset My Security Token and select Reset Security Token. Once you receive an email, append the security token to your password.


 

Repeat Steps 1-3 above to set up a connection string for your backend system (i.e. SAP, Oracle, etc.) and request for whitelisting by following the instructions on Whitelist a Backend System. The information required for each type of Connection String differs between the backend systems. Please see additional documentation on our Help website - Application Help - Connection Strings.

 

If you are connecting your backend system through Secure Agent, please see below instruction Connection String via Secure Agent (does not apply to the Salesforce Job connection string).

 

Note: Ensure that the owner of these records is an active user.


 


Connection String via Secure Agent

Connect String via Secure Agent

Skip this step when you use a VPN connection between Overcast server and your company network.

Assign the secure agent(s) to a connection string.


1. Go to the Connection Strings tab and select the connection string name that you created for your backend system.


2. Scroll down to Secure Agent Links and select New Secure Agent Link.


 

3. Make sure the correct Connection String is displayed (1). Select the Secure Agent that you previously registered (2). Click Save (3).


 

4. You will be navigated to the Secure Agent record page. Go back to the connection string page of your backend system through the Connection Strings tab.


 

5. Scroll down to Secure Agent Links. You should see the Secure Agent is now linked to your Connection String, as indicated by the green icon.


 

6. After assigning the Secure Agent to a connection string, select Check to make sure the connection can be established successfully.


 

7. The Status field under System Information should show a green check icon if your connection was established through Secure Agent successfully.  If the connection fails, the red "X" icon will appear. You can then look into your logs to see why it failed.  

 

 

Next, you will Install and Setup the Components Package.