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  4. How to Configure ODBC Data Connections

How to Configure ODBC Data Connections

Note: ODBC Data Connections is a DashboardFox Cloud feature and is not available for on-premise or self-hosted installations.  For on-premise installations self-install your ODBC Driver and DSN and register as normal using the ODBC db platform setting.

You can connect your DashboardFox workspace to external databases and cloud data warehouses using ODBC. This article covers how to install drivers, create connections, and manage credential files from within the application.

To access ODBC Data Connections, click Settings in the sidebar, select Server Settings, then click the Data Connections tab.

Note: Data Connections is only visible to workspace admins. If you do not see it, contact your administrator.

How It Works

ODBC in DashboardFox works in two steps:

  1. Install a driver — This installs the database driver for the data source you want to connect to (for example, Snowflake, BigQuery, or SQL Server).

  2. Create a connection — This configures a named connection (DSN) using the installed driver and your specific server, database, and authentication details.

Once a connection is configured and tested, it is available to use within the platform for queries and integrations.

All install and configuration actions run as background jobs. A status indicator shows progress and the result when complete.

Plan Limits

The number of drivers you can install depends on your subscription plan. Your current usage and limit are shown at the top of the ODBC Drivers tab. If you have reached your limit, you must uninstall an existing driver or upgrade your plan before adding a new one.

Tier 2 drivers (see below) require a Scale, Enterprise, or Partner plan.

Installing an ODBC Driver

Navigate to Settings → Integrations → Data Connections → ODBC Drivers.

Drivers are grouped into two tiers:

Tier 1 — Auto-Install Drivers

These are the most common drivers. The system downloads and installs them automatically — no package file is needed from you.

  1. Find the driver for your data source in the Auto-Install Drivers table.

  2. Click Install.

The row shows Installing… while the job runs. Installation typically completes within 1–2 minutes. Once done the status changes to Installed.

If installation fails, a Retry button appears on the row. Click it to try again.

Tier 2 — Customer Upload Drivers

These drivers require a license agreement or a vendor account to download. You must log in to the vendor's portal, obtain a direct download URL for the driver package, and provide it here.

  1. Find the driver in the Customer Upload Drivers table.

  2. Click Install.

  3. In the dialog, click the link to go to the vendor's download page.

  4. Log in to the vendor portal and copy the direct download URL for the driver package.

  5. Paste the URL into the Download URL field.

  6. The system checks that the URL is valid and points to the correct file type before you can proceed.

  7. Click Install Driver.

Note: Tier 2 drivers are only available on Scale, Enterprise, and Partner plans. If your plan does not include them, the install button will show Upgrade Plan.

Uninstalling a Driver

  1. Click Uninstall on the driver row.

  2. Confirm the action.

Important: You cannot uninstall a driver while connections that use it exist. Delete those connections first.

Creating a Connection

Navigate to Settings → Integrations → Data Connections → ODBC Connections.

  1. Click New Connection.

  2. Select the installed driver you want to use from the list shown.

  3. Enter a Connection Name. This name is used to reference the connection within the platform. Use only letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores (maximum 64 characters).

  4. Fill in the driver-specific fields that appear (typically server hostname, port, and database name — these vary by driver).

  5. If your connection requires a username and password, enter them in the Username and Password fields. These are optional and can be left blank if the driver uses key-based or certificate-based authentication instead.

  6. Click Create Connection.

The connection is configured as a background job. Once complete it appears in the list.

Testing a Connection

After creating a connection, click the Test button on its row to verify that the platform can reach your data source.

The result is shown directly on the row:

  • Connected — the connection is working.

  • Failed — the connection could not be established. Expand the row to read the error detail returned by the driver.

Expand a connection row at any time to see the last test result and when it was last tested.

Editing a Connection

Click the Edit icon on a connection row to update its parameters. You can change the configuration fields, hostname, port, and credentials. Leave the password field blank if you do not want to change it.

Deleting a Connection

Click the Delete icon on a connection row and confirm. This removes the connection configuration and any credential files linked to it. This cannot be undone.

Credential Files

Some drivers require a credential file in addition to connection parameters. Common examples:

  • BigQuery — requires a JSON service account key file

  • Snowflake (key-pair auth) — requires a private key file

  • MySQL/PostgreSQL with TLS — may require CA certificate and client certificate/key files

If a driver requires a credential file, a note is shown in the connection form after you create the connection.

Uploading a Credential File

On the ODBC Connections tab, scroll down to the Upload Credential File section.

  1. Enter a Name for the credential (for your reference).

  2. Select the Type that matches the file you are uploading:

    • JSON Service Account

    • TLS CA Certificate

    • TLS Client Certificate

    • TLS Client Key

    • PAT Token

    • OAuth JSON

  3. Optionally, link the credential to a specific connection using the Link to Connection dropdown. This associates the file with that connection so it is used automatically.

  4. Choose your file using the file picker.

  5. Click Upload Credential.

Allowed file types: .json, .crt, .key, .txt, .pem Maximum file size: 10 MB

Deleting a Credential File

Expand a connection row to see its linked credential files. Click the Delete icon next to a credential to remove it.

Firewall Configuration

If your database or data warehouse is behind a firewall that restricts inbound connections by IP address, you will need to allowlist the egress IPs used by your DashboardFox workspace.

To find these IPs, go to Settings → Server Settings → Data Connections and click the Firewall Allowlist tab. The IP addresses listed there are the outbound addresses your workspace uses when connecting to external data sources.

Add these IPs to the inbound allowlist in your database's firewall or network security group.

Troubleshooting

My driver has been Installing for more than a few minutes. Click Refresh to check the latest status. If it shows Failed, click Retry. For Tier 2 drivers, installation time depends on the size of the vendor package.

My connection test shows Failed. Expand the connection row to read the error message. Common causes:

  • Incorrect hostname or port

  • The workspace's egress IPs are not allowlisted on your database's firewall (see Firewall Configuration above)

  • Missing or incorrect credential file for drivers that require one

  • Wrong username or password

I cannot uninstall a driver. You must delete all connections that use that driver before it can be uninstalled.

I do not see the Data Connections tab. This tab is only visible to workspace admins. Contact your administrator if you need access.

My Tier 2 driver install button shows Upgrade Plan. Tier 2 drivers require a Scale, Enterprise, or Partner plan. Go to Settings → Subscription to upgrade.

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