Connecting to Databases with UiPath
Last updated July 27, 2024
UiPath empowers you to automate interactions with various databases, enabling you to seamlessly retrieve, process, and update data within automation workflows. This guide explores how to connect to databases using UiPath, enabling you to leverage database information in your automation projects.
Understanding Database Automation:
- Data Integration: Integrating your automation processes with databases allows you to:
- Retrieve data from database tables.
- Update data in database records.
- Perform queries and analyze database content.
- Activities for Database Interaction: UiPath provides a rich set of activities specifically designed for interacting with databases. These activities handle the connections, queries, and data manipulation, simplifying database integration in your workflows.
Connecting to a Database:
1. **Install Database Drivers:** Install the necessary database drivers (e.g., ODBC drivers) on the machine where UiPath Studio is installed. These drivers provide the interface for UiPath to interact with your specific database.
2. **Database Connection Activity:** In UiPath Studio, use the "Database Connection" activity to establish a connection to the database.
3. **Configure Connection Settings:** Provide the following connection details:
4. **Test Connection:** Click the "Test Connection" button to ensure that the connection is established successfully.
Working with Data:
- Database Query Activity: Use the "Database Query" activity to execute SQL queries against the database.
- Configure Query: Enter the SQL query you want to execute within the "Query" property of the activity.
- Retrieve Data: Use the "Get Datatable" option within the "Database Query" activity to retrieve the query results as a data table.
- Data Manipulation: Process the retrieved data table within your workflow using data manipulation activities (e.g., "Assign," "For Each Row," "Write CSV").
Updating Data:
- Database Update Activity: Use the "Database Update" activity to update records in your database.
- Configure Update Statement: Specify the SQL statement (UPDATE statement) that defines the changes you want to make.
- Update Records: Execute the update statement to perform changes to the specified records.
Example Workflow:
Let's say you want to create a workflow that retrieves customer data from a SQL Server database and writes it to a CSV file:
1. **Establish Connection:** Use the "Database Connection" activity to connect to your SQL Server database.
2. **Execute Query:** Use a "Database Query" activity with the following query: