Security and Authentication in FXLData

Fusion Security Manager

In order to access data and use it in FXLData, Fusion Security Manager must be set up to ensure that the appropriate users are able to access the relevant data. You can read all about Fusion Security Manager in this article.

Fusion Registry Authentication

Excel will automatically request the user to authenticate when executing and FXLData function where the Fusion Registry data source is operating in private mode.

Points to note:

• Excel will remember authentication details provided for the remainder of the session. Close and reopen Excel if you need to re-authenticate as a different user.
• A spread sheet can contain multiple FXLData functions using different Fusion Registries. Excel will ask for separate authentication details for each Fusion Registry, thus it is possible to connect to Fusion Registry A as user X, and Fusion Registry B as user Y.
• No authentication will be requested if a Fusion Registry is operating in public mode.

There is no way to force FXLData to authenticate as a particular user if the Fusion Registry is operating in public mode but also allows authenticated users with additional data access privileges. Fusion Registry administrators should consider switching to private mode as a work-around.

Extended Authentication Capabilities

Introduced in R26.2.0.00 RSH-FS 28.05.26

This option allows a user to Login to FXLData before they are actually required to do so. In the past the Login box would appear as an when it was required which could interrupt the users workflow.

To use the feature, select Login from the FXLData Ribbon Bar.

First, select the registry that you wish to access as shown in the example below.

Click Login, the Excel login box will appear, enter your credentials in the usual way.

Successful authentication will be confirmed as shown in the image below.

Troubleshooting

• Scenario 1:

You select a registry and click Login, but the feedback box says:“You are logged into {registryUrl} as {userId}.” This indicates that you are already authenticated with the selected registry. If you need to log in as a different user, you will have to restart Excel. Switching accounts within the same Excel session is not supported in the first phase of this feature.

• Scenario 2:

You click Login, but no login prompt appears and the feedback box says: “Login Failed.” In this case, the most likely cause is an authentication configuration issue within the registry. To resolve this, please contact your registry administrator or raise a ticket with Regnology for assistance

[username]@ URL prefix to force authentication as a specific user

From Fusion Registry 11.1.1 (release 10 June 2022) and FXLData 1.1.1, [username]@ can be prefixed to the URL to force authentication as the user identified by [username].

Example:

=FXLData("johnwright@https://stats.mydomain.org/FusionRegistry","ABC,CPI,1.0","A..X00.M+Q._Z")

The Fusion Registry will ensure the user logs in with the given username. To force authentication without specifying a username, user the @ prefix with no username.

=FXLData("@https://stats.mydomain.org/FusionRegistry","ABC,CPI,1.0","A..X00.M+Q._Z")