ERP Sync Tool Install Overview

Purpose

This document is intended to give customers of CIMcloud, their IT resources, and/or their value-added reseller (VAR) a clear description of the standard installation of the CIMcloud’s ERP Sync Tool (called “ERP Driver”). It installs in your local network (on the same server that runs Sage 100) and syncs data between CIMcloud and your Sage 100 ERP / accounting system.

The Deployment Process Steps

This is a simple overview of the deployment process and where the ERP Sync Tools install fits in.

Your company orders the CIMcloud platform (if you are reading this, this is probably already done)
CIMcloud deploys the standard platform (it runs in the cloud)
Your company handles these two critical tasks:
- Complete The ERP Sync Pre-Install Checklist (by your IT / Network Admin Expert)
- Complete the ERP Sync Configuration Questionnaire (by your ERP / Financial Data Expert)
CIMcloud installs the ERP Sync Tool (ERP Driver) on your servers
CIMcloud gets the data syncing between CIMcloud and your Sage 100 system

Background Information

The following background information on the CIMcloud platform is provided for context. The CIMcloud platform is a Software-as-a-Service all-in-one Ecommerce and CRM platform that runs in the cloud. The CIMcloud offering includes data syncing between CIMcloud and on-premise ERP / accounting software systems. You run the Sage 100 ERP / accounting system. In order to sync data between your Sage 100 ERP system and the CIMcloud platform, we have to install a “Sync Tool” in the network that Sage 100 ERP runs on. This sync tool securely moves business data between Sage 100 ERP (running in your local network) and the CIMcloud platform (running in the cloud) via the CIMcloud API. For more information on the CIMcloud platform, visit https://info.cimcloud.com/product/cimcloud-platform.

Installation Overview

For CIMcloud to properly install the ERP Sync Tool, the following needs to happen.

Task #1: Items handled in the ERP Sync Tool Pre-Install Checklist:

Note: More details and FAQs on the installation process are listed below.

You provide general ERP system information (erp version, db type, and company file code(s))
You indicate if you have any customizations to order import or invoice payment (cash receipt) process
You verify that minimum system requirements are met
You unblock the CIMcloud IP address for outbound traffic
You set up remote access to the server that is running your Sage ERP system
You create a sage 100 user login that the ERP Sync Tool will use
For Sage 100 Premium Only (uses MS SQL Server database)
1. You create a local SQL server login
2. You create an ERP SQL user login
You send the complete checklist back to your CIMcloud Customer Success Manager

Video Comments on the ERP Sync Tool Pre-Install Checklist:

Task #2: Items handled in the ERP Sync Configuration Questionnaire

The CIMcloud ERP Sync Tool has lots of configuration options that impact the data flowing between CIMcloud and your ERP system. These configurations need to be set during the initial install process. The following types of items are included in the ERP Sync Configuration Questionnaire.

Pricing preferences for public catalogs / stores
Warehouses to sync for inventory levels (if in scope)
Various fields to set on sales order imports
Preferences for products sync to CIMcloud
Settings on cash receipts imports (for invoice payments)
Settings on new customers (if created with sales order imports)

Technical Details

For additional technical details on how the CIMcloud ERP Sync Tool (ERP Driver) is built and moves data, go to the ERP Driver Technical Details article.

Need Customizations?

Our standard (“out of the box”) ERP Sync Tool installation process assumes that you have NO customizations in your Sage 100 ERP system that will impact the data synced or the ERP Sync Tool’s ability to run. This includes:

User Defined Fields (UDFs) that need to by synced to CIMcloud or populated when data syncs in.
User Defined Tables (UDTs) that need to by synced to CIMcloud or populated when data syncs in.
Modifications or custom modules that interact with the order import.
Modifications of custom modules that interact with the invoice payment (cash receipt) process.

Changes to the standard ERP sync setup between your ERP system and the CIMcloud platform (to add additional data points, apply special logic, etc) are possible, and routinely handled, through a billable engagement with the CIM Professional Services group.

Data Synced with the Standard Install

This article provides details on the standard data that is synced between your Sage 100 system and CIMcloud.

Installation Details

The following provides more information on a few of the specific ERP Sync Tool installations steps.

Set Up Remote Access to the Server that is Running Sage

In order to install ERP Driver, we require our GoToAssist Utility be installed directly on your ERP server. In addition to installing GoToAssist, the utility will create a windows user with local administrator permissions. This will ensure that when our team connects to your server the user has the required permissions needed to install ERP Driver (The first time CIMcloud logs into the server a strong new password will be generated). ERP Driver’s windows service(s) must run under a user that is a member of the local administrators group (Admin access is required to instance the Sage 100 business objects). If there is a need to install the GoToAssist Utility on a different server our user will need local administrator permissions on the ERP server in order to install ERP Driver. It is required that ERP Driver be installed on the same server as Sage 100 software. The installer creates a second local windows user which will also have local administrator permissions and is used to run ERP Driver’s windows services. By default ERP Driver utilizes two standard windows services, depending on your needs and server configuration there could be additional windows services. The first is named ‘WSP – ERP Driver’ and it orchestrates communication to the website for syncing data and updates. The second is named ‘WSP – ERP Driver Query Manager’ and it allows CIMcloud to query against Sage to help with visualizing data for long term support and for ongoing development.

Create a Sage 100 User for the CIMcloud ERP Sync Tool

ERP Driver needs a Sage 100 login for use when syncing data to and from the website and this user will take a Sage seat license when ERP Driver is actively syncing Sales Orders (SO) and Accounts Receivable (AR) data as well as when it imports data into Sage 100. This user needs to have the administrator role for the production company and any other company file being utilized on the website. The company file(s) also need to be configured for remote access using the settings in company maintenance.

If you are using Sage 100 Premium, ERP Driver will require a local SQL server login. This user must be added to the administrators group and needs the following login properties: MAS_System – db_datareader and MAS_<production_company_db> – db_datareader. If these requirements are not satisfied and/or a CIMcloud resource is needed for server environment or ERP sync consultation; additional professional services will be required.

Lifespan of Users and Access Involved in the ERP Driver Sync Tool

This ERP Sync Tool Lifespan article provides an overview of the five (5) stages (and corresponding users and access) that are involved in the lifespan of deploying, running, and uninstalling CIMcloud’s ERP Driver Sync Tool.

FAQ

Who has access to my ERP server? Only a very small subset of CIMcloud employees have access to a customer’s server. We will not make any changes to your server. If needed, we will request you do it. Why does CIMcloud need Admin access of my ERP server? Administrator permissions are required to run ERP Driver’s windows services and to use Sage 100’s Business Objects (CIMcloud use Sage’s Business Object Interface (BOI) to access certain data types)

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