1. Overview
  2. Customer Management Portal
  3. Workspace Management
  4. Workspace ODBC Data Connections

Workspace ODBC Data Connections

Each DashboardFox workspace can be configured with ODBC drivers and data source connections so that the workspace can query external databases and cloud data warehouses directly. This article covers managing ODBC drivers, connections, and credential files for a workspace from the Customer Management Portal.

Who Can Access ODBC Management

Access is restricted to workspace members with the Owner or Member role. Users with the Billing Admin role cannot manage ODBC settings.

Opening ODBC Data Connections

  1. Go to the main Workspaces dashboard.

  2. Click the action menu on the workspace you want to manage.

  3. Select Data Connections.

The Data Connections panel has two primary tabs: ODBC Drivers and ODBC Connections.

How It Works

ODBC connections involve two layers that must be set up in order:

  1. Install a driver — installs the database driver binary onto the workspace's server.

  2. Create a connection (DSN) — configures a named connection using the installed driver and your connection parameters.

Some drivers also require a credential file (such as a JSON service account key or TLS certificate) which is uploaded separately after the connection is created.

All three operations run as background jobs. The UI shows a live status indicator while each job processes.

Plan Limits

The number of drivers a workspace can install depends on its subscription plan.

  • Tier 1 (Auto-Install) drivers count against the plan's driver slot limit. The current usage and limit are shown at the top of the ODBC Drivers tab. If a workspace is at its limit, a driver must be uninstalled or the plan upgraded before a new one can be added.

  • Tier 2 (Customer Upload) drivers require the workspace to be on a Scale, Enterprise, or Partner plan. If the workspace is on a lower plan, these drivers will show Upgrade Plan and cannot be installed.

If a workspace has more drivers installed than its current plan allows — for example after a plan downgrade — an over-limit banner is shown. No new drivers can be installed until the count is brought back within the plan limit.

ODBC Drivers Tab

Tier 1 — Auto-Install Drivers

These drivers are downloaded and configured automatically by the system. No package file is needed from you.

  1. Locate the driver in the Auto-Install Drivers table.

  2. Click Install.

The driver status changes to Installing… while the background job runs. When complete it shows Installed. If the job fails the status shows Failed and a Retry button appears.

Tier 2 — Customer Upload Drivers

These drivers require a license or vendor login to download. You must obtain the download URL directly from the vendor's portal and provide it during installation.

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

  2. Click Install.

  3. In the dialog that opens, paste the direct download URL from the vendor portal.

  4. The system validates the URL format before allowing you to proceed.

  5. Click Install Driver.

Note: Tier 2 drivers are only available on Scale, Enterprise, and Partner plans.

Uninstalling a Driver

  1. Click Uninstall on the driver row.

  2. Confirm the action.

A driver cannot be uninstalled while connections (DSNs) that reference it exist. Delete all associated connections first.

ODBC Connections Tab

Creating a Connection

  1. Click New Connection.

  2. Select the installed driver to use.

  3. Enter a Connection Name. Use only letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores (maximum 64 characters).

  4. Fill in the driver-specific fields shown (server, port, database, etc.).

  5. Optionally enter a Username and Password if the connection requires authentication.

  6. Click Create Connection.

The connection is created as a background job. When complete it appears in the connections list with an Untested status.

Testing a Connection

Click the Test button on a connection row to run a live connectivity check. The result — Connected or Failed — is shown on the row along with any error detail returned by the driver.

Editing a Connection

Click the Edit icon on a connection row to update the connection parameters. Username and password fields are optional — leave them blank to keep the existing values.

Deleting a Connection

Click the Delete icon on a connection row and confirm. Associated credential files linked to the connection are also removed.

Credential Files

Some drivers (such as BigQuery and Snowflake with key-pair auth) require a credential file in addition to connection parameters.

Uploading a Credential File

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

  2. Enter a Name for the credential.

  3. Select the Type from the dropdown (JSON Service Account, TLS CA Certificate, TLS Client Certificate, TLS Client Key, PAT Token, OAuth JSON).

  4. Optionally link the credential to a specific connection using the Link to Connection dropdown.

  5. Choose the file using the file picker.

  6. 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 credentials. Click the Delete icon next to a credential to remove it.

Firewall Allowlist

Some external data sources require inbound connections to come from known IP addresses. The Firewall Allowlist tab shows the egress IP addresses for the workspace's server region. Provide these to your data source's network firewall or allowlist configuration.

Troubleshooting

The driver installation job is stuck on Installing for an extended period. Background jobs typically complete within 1–2 minutes for Tier 1 drivers. Tier 2 drivers may take longer depending on the package size. Click Refresh to check the latest status. If the status shows Failed, click Retry.

The connection test shows Failed. Expand the connection row to read the error message returned by the driver. Common causes are incorrect hostname, wrong port, firewall blocking the egress IPs, or missing credential file for drivers that require one.

I cannot install a Tier 2 driver. Tier 2 drivers require the workspace to be on a Scale, Enterprise, or Partner plan. Check the workspace subscription and upgrade if needed.

I cannot uninstall a driver. Drivers with existing connections cannot be uninstalled. Delete all connections that reference the driver first, then retry the uninstall.

The credential file upload fails. Check that the file type is one of .json, .crt, .key, .txt, or .pem and that the file is under 10 MB.

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