This page describes the steps necessary to install and configure the eLink Lite Kashflow module.

Background

Elink Lite includes an optional Kashflow integration module, which allows data to be synchronised between Kashflow and eLink Lite.  Before this module can be used, it has to be installed and configured.  Installation involved extending the database to include space for additional, Kashflow specific, data.  Configuring involves defining the connection details between Kashflow and eLink Lite and also defining the synchronisation parameters and timing.

Prerequisites

1. An operational eLink Lite Account
2. An operational Kashflow Account.

The API access option for the Kashflow account needs to enabled, and it is recommended that IP Address authorisation is used for added security.  This can be setup as follows:

1. Login to Kashflow
2. Choose the Settings Page
3. Choose the API Settings section (currently near the bottom of the settings page)
4. Enable API access
5. Edit the IP Address List to include the eLink Lite IP Address: 92.238.94.253

The following instructions assume the user is logged into their eLink Lite Management Account.

Database Backup

It is recommended that a backup of your database is made before Kashflow Module Installation.  ELink Lite includes a simple backup capability for this purpose.  Note that this backup facility is NOT suitable for general data backup.

1. Choose the eLink Lite Modules tab
2. Press the Backup button at the top of the module management table
   the database will now be backed up.
3. If it is necessary to restore the database to its former state, press the restore button at the bottom of the module management table.

Kashflow Module Installation

The eLink Lite module management page consists of a table, one row for each of the available eLink Lite modules.  Before a module can be used, it has to be installed.  The status lights against each module indicate the status of that module:

• RED – not installed
• AMBER – installed, but not configured (or configuration errors)
• GREEN – fully installed and configured

A module will not be fully operational unless the green light is shown against that module.

To install the kashflow module, press the Install button on the row labelled ‘eLink Lite Kashflow Module’.  The system will switch to another window showing the progress on Kashflow module installation.  If no errors are shown, the module has installed correctly.  Press the Return button.

Configuring the Kashflow Module

On return to the module management page, the Kashflow module status light should now show as AMBER, indicating that the module is ready for configuration.  The notes in the right hand column are intended as an indication of specific configuration issues that need to be addressed.  At this stage in the setup of the kashflow module, there are two primary configuration issues that need attention:

1. Defining an elink username/password for access to elink
2. Defining a kashflow username/password for access to Kashflow.

This user access data is used by the sychronisation process to connect to the two systems.

To begin configuration of the Kashflow module, press the configure button associated with Kashflow on the module management page.

The first page that opens up is the Account management page.  Here the Kashflow and eLink account access details can be entered.  Note that the eLink account data comprises an email address and password.  Typically, the same account should  be used as the one for managing your eLink Lite account. Enter these two values and press Update.

There are two other tabs associated with Kashflow module management, so that in all, the tabs are:

1. Account
2. Synchronisation
3. Timing

It is appropriate to review both of the other tabs at this time in order to ensure the data is setup correctly.

Pressing the ‘Synchronisation’ tab, reveals a table comprising a series of buttons.  The table is divided into two parts.  The top part controls synchronisation from Kashflow to eLink, and the bottom part controls synchronisation from eLink to Kashflow.

In each half, there are a series of buttons for:

1. Customers
2. Quotes
3. Sales Invoices
4. Invoice Payments
5. Suppliers
6. Purchase Invoices
7. Purchase Payments

Pressing a button once may cause it to change to amber, and a second press will turn it green.   These colours indicate:

• RED – records of this type of data are not synchronised in that direction
• AMBER – only new records of that data type will be synchronised in that direction
• GREEN – all new and updated records of that data type will be synchronisated in that direction.

Initially, all these buttons are red, so no synchronisation will occur!  Obviously, it is necessary to change some or all of these buttons.

It should also be noted that a particular button will be disable if the button to the left of it is red.  For instance, if the Customer’s button is red, then the Quotes button will be disabled. Pressing the customer’s button will enable the Quotes button, pressing the Quotes button will enable the Sales Invoice button etc.  Note however, that if a button on the left is AMBER rather than GREEN, buttons to the right of it may not be set GREEN.

The reason for the above restrictions is that it is not possible to synchronise certain data if other data is not synchronised.  For instance, it is not possible to synchronise quotes if customer data is not synchronised because a quote references the customer it relates to.

In choosing which buttons to activate, it is necessary to think about how the system is to be used.  For instance, if your system already has a lot of business-critical finance data held in Kashflow, you may want to allow data to be synchronised from Kashflow to eLink, but not the other direction.  This way, kashflow cannot be changed by the sychronisation, and eLink simply mirrors all the Kashflow data.  But this approach constrains the system such that all changes to the data must be made through Kashflow.

Note: When enabling eLink to kashflow synchronisation, the system will show a warning message before allowing full synchronisation.

After changing the synchronisation options, press the update button to save the changes

The final tab is the timing tab.  This tab controls the timing of synchronisation.  An automated synchronisation system runs every night on the eLink Lite server.  It is possible to choose how frequently synchronisation is to be performed automatically – from once a day to once a month.  There is also a special ‘Test Mode’ option, which is effectively equivalent to once a day, but allows addition executions and is used  for eLink Lite maintenance.

In addition to automated synchronisation, it is possible to synchronise the data manually. If you want all synchronisation to be done manually, select the Disabled timing option.

Once the timing option has been chosen, press the update button to save your settings.

Pressing the close button will return you to the module management page. If all is ok, the kashflow status light should be green.  If not, check the notes field and address the problem reported there by adjusting the configuration.

Activating the Kashflow Module for Users

Once the kashflow module has been installed and configured, it can be activated for specific user in the same way as any other module.