Open the Manage Connections window

Select the Settings > Admin Tools from the ribbon at the upper right of the main Mercury window, and then click Connections.    

A window similar to the following is displayed:                                                                                                                                     

Create a new connection

Select New from the Manage Connections window.

A new row will appear in the grid, marked with a big red asterisk to signify that it is new. Enter the details about the connection in the row.

1. Name - The name you want to use for the Connection. When you create a report or a Lookup, you will see a list of connection names to choose from.
   
2. Description - If your installation has many connections, a good description is extremely helpful.
   
3. Provider Name -  specifies the type of database server or other provider of data. Mercury has an actively expanding list of supported data providers.  Check with your IT Administrator to confirm that your data provider is supported or to arrange for a new provider to be added to Mercury.
   
1. ​For more information on the available data providers, see here.                                                                                                                                      
   
4. Test Connection -  Tests your connectivity to the data source.  All required connection properties need to be provided before a connection can be tested.
   

Connection (Data Provider) Properties

When you have chosen a data provider, a Properties grid becomes available in the lower half of the window.  

Each data provider has its own specific set of properties.  We suggest you start by supplying the values for required properties only.  Required properties with no values are identified by the icon.  

In general, most connections require at least two properties: the data source and database. 

1. The data source is typically a database server, but it could also be a folder on a PC or network housing one or more files.  Some data-providers call this the Data Source, others may call it a Server.
   

1. The database is the name of a particular collection of data on the server.   It may be labeled as, “Database”, “Database Name”, “Catalog”, “Initial Catalog”, or something similar.
   

A typical database server – perhaps the one powering your company’s accounting system, or manufacturing system, or something similar – will also require Credentials – a username and password granting access to the data.  Some servers allow you to automatically use your logged-in Windows credentials – this is typically called Integrated Security.  “Yes” or “True” means “use my windows credentials”.  “No” or “False” means that a separate, database-specific username and password are required.  

If you are not sure what the required values should be or if your particular connection does not work after supplying only the required values, check with your IT department.

In the above image, a new Connection to Microsoft’s SqlClient (for use with Microsoft’s SQL Server) is being created. There are three required properties, and multiple optional properties.

Once the required and optional properties are set, click Save to create the connection.                                                                                                                                       

Edit an existing connection

Select Edit from the Manage Connections window. (You can edit any or all connections and their properties.)

1. Change connection(s) details as needed .
2. Change connection(s) properties as needed.
3. Click Save to (just to the right of Edit) save your edits.
   

See “Create a new connection” above for a description of connection details and properties.

Clone an existing connection

Click on the row to select the connection that you would like to duplicate and then click Clone.

A new row will appear at the top of the grid. The clone is identical to the original connection except for the Name, which is blank.

1. Provide a new Name for the connection (it must be unique) and modify the Description if you wish.

2. Change the connection properties, if necessary.

3. Click Save on the toolbar when you’re finished.  (In the above example, the Save button is disabled, because the connection name is required but hasn’t yet been entered.)

Delete an existing connection

1. Select the connection that you want to remove from the list by clicking on the row.
2. Click Delete. 
3. You will be prompted to continue. 
4. Click Yes to complete deleting the connection. 
   

Undo unsaved changes

Reset cancels all pending changes.  Once confirmed, all edits made as of the last "Save" will be discarded.