Integrate SQL API Drivers with external BI tools

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Integrate SQL API Drivers with external BI tools

    ServiceNow’s SQL API drivers enable you to connect your instance directly to external business intelligence (BI) and database tools, allowing live, read-only access to ServiceNow data without the need for data export or replication. This integration supports a broad range of ODBC and JDBC-compatible tools, such as Tableau, Power BI, DB Visualizer, Microsoft Excel, and others, facilitating comprehensive data analysis, dashboard creation, and ad-hoc querying.

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    Prerequisites

    • The SQL API plugin must be installed and configured on your ServiceNow instance, including service account creation, ACL setup, and IP filtering.
    • The appropriate SQL API driver (ODBC or JDBC) should be downloaded and installed on your client machine.
    • Driver configuration requires your instance URL, service account credentials, and connection parameters.
    • Your client machine’s IP must be authorized in the SQL API IP filter.
    • The service account needs roles (snodbcrestaccess or snjdbcrestaccess) and necessary table-level access permissions.

    Connection Considerations

    • Connections are strictly read-only; external tools cannot modify ServiceNow data via the SQL API.
    • Performance depends on network conditions, query complexity, and data volume; optimize queries using WHERE clauses and column selection.
    • Security is enforced by ServiceNow ACLs at both row and field levels, potentially causing longer query response times.
    • Strict security can be disabled for a service account by adding the snsqlapiprivilegedmode role.
    • The default query timeout is five minutes, and there is a limit of 500 queries per hour per account.
    • Using separate service accounts per team or project is recommended to maintain granular access control.

    Supported BI Tools

    The SQL API drivers are compatible with any ODBC/JDBC-compliant tools. While Power BI Desktop and DB Visualizer are highlighted, supported platforms also include:

    • Tableau Desktop and Tableau Server
    • Microsoft Excel (via ODBC)
    • SQL Server Management Studio
    • DBeaver and other universal database tools
    • Custom applications leveraging ODBC or JDBC APIs

    Connection parameters such as instance URL, service account credentials, and driver selection remain consistent across tools, though each has its own interface for configuration.

    Connecting Examples

    • Power BI Desktop: Connect via the ODBC driver to create dashboards and reports that visualize ServiceNow data.
    • DB Visualizer: Use the JDBC driver to query authorized tables in ServiceNow, enabling read-only data access for visualization and ad-hoc analysis with standard SQL.

    Configure ServiceNow SQL API drivers to connect with external business intelligence and database tools for direct data access and analysis.

    After installing and configuring the SQL API drivers on your client machine, you can connect them to external business intelligence and database tools. This integration enables you to query ServiceNow data directly from your preferred analytics platforms without requiring data export or replication.

    The SQL API supports integration with a wide range of ODBC and JDBC-compatible tools, including Tableau, Power BI, DB Visualizer, and other standard BI platforms. By connecting these tools to your ServiceNow instance through the SQL API drivers, you can create dashboards, run ad-hoc queries, and perform comprehensive data analysis using live ServiceNow data.

    Important:

    Step-by-step instructions for external tools in this guide are illustrative — you must consult tool-specific documentation for latest updates.

    Prerequisites

    Before connecting external tools to the SQL API drivers, confirm that you have completed the following:

    • The SQL API plugin is installed on your ServiceNow instance.
    • The SQL API is configured on your instance, including Service Account creation, ACL configuration, and IP filter setup.
    • The appropriate SQL API driver (ODBC or JDBC) is downloaded and installed on your client machine.
    • The driver is configured with your instance URL, Service Account credentials, and connection parameters.
    • Your client machine's IP address is included in the SQL API IP filter configuration.
    • The Service Account has the necessary roles (sn_odbc_rest_access or sn_jdbc_rest_access) and table-level access permissions.

    General connection considerations

    When connecting external BI tools to ServiceNow SQL API drivers, keep the following considerations in mind:

    • All connections are read-only. External tools cannot modify ServiceNow data through the SQL API.
    • Query performance depends on network connectivity, query complexity, and the amount of data being retrieved. Use WHERE clauses and column selection to optimize performance.
    • Security permissions are enforced at the ServiceNow level. The connected tool can only access tables and records permitted by the Service Account's roles and ACL configuration.
    • Strict security is enabled by default. When you query data, SQL API validates your access at the row level and field level using the ACLs. As a result, you may notice longer query response times. This is expected behavior, consistent with how GlideRecordSecure works. You can add the role sn_sql_api_privileged_mode to disable strict security at the service account level.
    • The default query timeout is 5 minutes. If your query exceeds this limit, it will be terminated.
    • Monitor your SQL query rate to stay within the 500 queries per hour limitation.
    • Consider using Service Account-specific connections for different teams or projects to maintain granular access control.

    Supported BI tools

    While Power BI Desktop and DB Visualizer are specifically documented examples in this guide, the SQL API drivers support any ODBC or JDBC-compatible application. Other commonly used tools include:

    • Tableau Desktop and Tableau Server
    • Microsoft Excel (via ODBC connection)
    • SQL Server Management Studio
    • DBeaver and other universal database tools
    • Custom applications using ODBC or JDBC APIs

    Each tool has its own connection configuration interface, but the underlying connection parameters (instance URL, Service Account credentials, driver selection) remain consistent across all platforms.