Configuring the Accounting Connector for ComputerEase

Important Note: The ServiceTrade Accounting Connector (STAC) requires a Premium or Enterprise ServiceTrade Subscription and is a paid add-on. Please contact your ServiceTrade Salesperson or your Account Manager if you want to learn more about STAC.

Configuring the Accounting Connector

Before you use the Connector for the first time, you will need to configure the Connector with your ComputerEase and ServiceTrade settings. If you haven't Installed the Connector yet, follow the instructions in this article: Installing the Accounting Connector for ComputerEase

1. Go to the folder into which the Connector was installed.  On most computers, this is C:\Program Files (x86)\ServiceTrade Accounting Connector
2. Open the file named environment.txt in a text editor such as Notepad.  It will look like this:
   
3. Open the ServiceTrade Accounting Connector application in a web browser, and log in with your ServiceTrade username and password.
4. Click on 'Settings' to go to the settings page.
   
   
   
5. Scroll to the ServiceTrade Credentials section.  Ensure that the username and password of a ServiceTrade user are entered.
   
   If credentials were not already entered, enter them, then click 'Save Changes' and restart these instruction at step 4.
6. Scroll to the API Clients section at the bottom of the page.
   • If you do not have any API client key/secret pairs generated already, or if you wish to create a new pair, click the 'Create New Client' button.
7. Copy the Key and paste it into the environment.txt file in the line for RECIPE_API_KEY.
   • Example: if your Key was abc123, then your RECIPE_API_KEY line should now read RECIPE_API_KEY=abc123.8. Copy the Secret and paste it into the environment.txt file in the line for RECIPE_API_SECRET.  For instance, if your Secret was abcde12345, then your RECIPE_API_SECRET should now read RECIPE_API_SECRET=abcde12345.
     
8. Go back to the recipe list in the ServiceTrade Accounting Connector web application.
9. Follow either of the instructions below if you are using the Connector for Payroll or AR invoices or PartsLedger Journal Entries.
   • If you are using the Connector for payroll:  Click on the recipe for 'ComputerEase Payroll'.  In your web browser's address bar, copy the ID portion of the URL for this recipe. 
     
     Example:  if the URL of your recipe is https://connector.servicetrade.com/recipe/abcd1234/apply, then you should copy abcd1234.  Paste the ID into the environment.txt file in the line for PAYROLL_RECIPE.
   • If you are using the Connector for AR invoices: Click on the recipe for 'ComputerEase AR Invoices'.  In your web browser's address bar, copy the ID portion of the URL for this recipe.
     
     
     Example:  if the URL of your recipe is https://connector.servicetrade.com/recipe/abcd1234/apply, then you should copy abcd1234.  Paste the ID into the environment.txt file in the line for AR_INVOICE_RECIPE.  Repeat this process for the recipe for 'ComputerEase ServiceTrade Invoice Updates', and paste the ID into the environment.txt file in the line for ST_INVOICE_UPDATE_RECIPE.
   • If you are using the Connector for PartsLedger Journal Entries:  Click on the recipe for 'ComputerEase PartsLedger Journal Entries'.  In your web browser's address bar, copy the ID portion of the URL for this recipe. 
     
     For instance, if the URL of your recipe is https://connector.servicetrade.com/recipe/abcd1234/apply, then you should copy abcd1234.  Paste the ID into the environment.txt file in the line for PARTSLEDGER_GL_ENTRY_RECIPE.
10. Save your changes to environment.txt.

FOLLOW THIS FINAL STEP IF YOU USE ComputerEase Cloud

1. You MUST create a new folder On your C: drive named 'ComputerEaseImports', then within the environment.txt file you MUST set the OUTPUT_DIR equal to 'C:\ComputerEaseImports' and set value of AUTO_IMPORT to '0' (zero).
   
   
   
2. Save your changes to the environment.txt file.

Configuring ComputerEase

This section will walk you through configuring ComputerEase for Payroll Import Layout and GL Journal Entry Layout.

Payroll Import Layout

If you are using the Connector to import payroll records, you will need to configure a payroll record import layout in ComputerEase.

1. In ComputerEase, go to the Payroll module and choose 'Enter Labor Distribution by Job'.
2. Click OK in the popup that appears.
   
3. Choose the 'File' menu at the top, then choose 'Import from a File'
   
4. Click the ? button next to 'Use Layout'
   
5. In the import layout list window, click 'New' to create a new import layout.
   
6. Click the 'New' button to create a new layout.
7. Enter ServiceTrade as the description.
   • IMPORTANT: You must type the name ServiceTrade exactly as shown here -- one word, with capital letters 'S' and 'T'.
8. Choose 'Tab Delimited' as the type.
9. Check the 'Skip First Row' box.
10. Click on column #1. It will turn yellow once selected.  In the Field column, click on 'emp' and then click 'Assign to Field'.  The column will turn green once it is assigned.
    
11. Click on column #2, then click on 'type' in the Field column, then click 'Assign to Field'.
12. Click on column #3, then click on 'hours' in the Field column, then click 'Assign to Field'.
13. Click on column #4, then click on 'date' in the Field column, then click 'Assign to Field'. 
14. If you are assigning cost codes to your payroll entries:  Click on column #5, then click on 'costcode' in the Field column, then click 'Assign to Field'.
    • Once all fields are assigned, the layout should look something like this
      
15. Click 'Save', then click 'Close'.

GL Journal Entry Layout

If you are using the Connector to import GL journal entries, you will need to configure a journal entry record import layout in ComputerEase.

1. In ComputerEase, go to the General Ledger module and choose 'General Ledger Posting'.
2. Choose the 'File' menu at the top, then choose 'Import'
3. Then choose 'From File...'
   
4. Click the ? button next to 'Use Layout'
   
5. In the import layout list window, click 'New' to create a new import layout.
   
6. Click the 'New' button to create a new layout.
7. Enter ServiceTrade as the description.
   • IMPORTANT: You must type the name ServiceTrade exactly as shown here -- one word, with capital letters 'S' and 'T'.
8. Choose 'Tab Delimited' as the type.
9. Check the 'Skip First Row' box.
10. Click on column #1. It will turn yellow once selected. In the Field column, click on 'account' and then click 'Assign to Field'. The column will turn green once it is assigned.
    
11. Click on column #2, then click on 'debit' in the Field column, then click 'Assign to Field'.
12. Click on column #3, then click on 'credit' in the Field column, then click 'Assign to Field'.
13. Click on column #4, then click on 'date' in the Field column, then click 'Assign to Field'.
14. Click on column #5, then click on 'description' in the Field column, then click 'Assign to Field'.
    • Once all fields are assigned, the layout should look something like this:
      
15. Click 'Save', then click 'Close'.

For more information, see this article about using the Connector or this article for troubleshooting common error messages.