Introduction
The BI Connector is a program that is installed on your local server or PC and allows you to connect a variety of accounting company files with BI4Cloud.
The connector can connect many different datasources.
To simplify things we have created specific instructions for each product type and we suggest you go to your specific needs:
- Connect to MYOB Classic installed on Desktop or Server
- Connect MYOB Account Right Live
- Connect EXO, SAP B1, DataPel
The rest of this article cover all modes of the connector.
The connector has three modes of setup:
- Simple Single Company with Manual Refresh
- Advanced: Premier, AccountRight, Multi-Company with Auto Refresh
- Advanced: Exonet, SAP and SQL databases with Auto Refresh
** If you use AccountRight Live On-Premise click here **
Once setup there is a shortcut to access BI for Cloud
The connector is downloaded when you attempt to connect a local company file to cloud by selecting any of the accounting systems that are installed as desktop or server systems.
You can connect a company file on your computer to our cloud using BI Connector. This will connect an ABSS Premier via ODBC or MYOB Exo, SAP B1 or Datapel company via SQL-Server file and sync the file to the BI Cloud server.
For ABSS Premier it uses an OBDC driver and you need to install the BI Connector on a PC that has the ABSS Premier program loaded so that there is access to the ODBC driver and so it has access to the MYOB company file either directly on the same computer or as the MYOB Company file on the network. If your MYOB programs and company files are on a server and you access these with remote desktop then you may prefer to install the connector there.
For MYOB Exo, SAP B1 or Datapel you need to install the BI Connector on a PC that has aacces to the SQL Server database.
When you download the connector it will install and prompt for your BI password - see step 2 below. If you have already installed the BI Connector, there will be an icon on your desktop and so rather than download it again you can click on that icon.
If you encounter problems in the steps below we have a troubleshooting article here
Running BI Connector
Here are the instructions :
1. Double-Click on the BI for MYOB Setup icon on your desktop :
2. Login to the application using your authentication details you used to Signup to your BI for Cloud account:
3. The application will connect to the server to retrieve your details.
The above screen shows a company that was previously selected and synced.
Single Company Selection and Refresh
1. To Select a single company to synchronise select the company by pressing the Browse button.
- Select the Company file
- You will be prompted for the MYOB company file user and password. If there is no password then enter the User "Administrator"
- The company file name will be displayed
2. To Refresh the company data to the cloud press the Refresh to Cloud button
- A progress message will display under the refresh text and you will be prompted for the MYOB user and password
- Once validated the progress message will show the progress by incrementing the elapsed time every 15 seconds.
- The refresh process first extracts data from your company file and then syncs it to the BI Cloud Server. On large company files this can take up to 20 minutes. On completion you will see a message similar to the one below
3. As a convenience we provide an Analyse button so you can start analysing your information and run reports immediately after refresh. You press the Analyse button and it will take you directly to your BI Cloud reports. However if you have additional users you would not want to have them access BI in this way. They would use the method described below..
4. To access BI from any computer or tablet open a web browser and goto the bi4cloud.com website and select Login from the top menu or you can go directly to the BI Login page and then enter your BI login details. You will then be able to run the reports on your data:
Advanced Multi-Company and Auto Refresh Setup
Before you start setting up the advanced options ensure you know
- where your MYOB company file is stored
- and also the company file Administrator password if there is one.
Without this you cannot make a company selection and refresh. If you don't know these details then you need to obtain them before proceeding.
If you intend to sync multiple companies your BI software must be licensed for more than one company.
1. To select multiple companies or to set the refresh mode press the "Advanced Options" on the lower right of the screen.
2. You will then have displayed a multi-company select and refresh screen similar to this.
There is a pulldown list that show the style of Refresh Mode
Note the Refresh Mode selection - if you want automatic refresh you must select Automatic. If you select Automatic and your company files are not on the server you are connected to then you need to setup UNC file paths and you need to set the BIforCloud Desktop Connector Service to logon as a User Account. UNC filenames are formatted like \\server\datafile. More details here. We are often asked how frequently do we refresh - see this article.
Note there are three selections Automatic, Manual and Run at Startup. Automatic is the best option as refresh will occur automatically after hours or requested your browser screen. Manual will require you to open this program to refresh. Run at Startup is planned to be discontinued and is only here for backward compatibility for older installations.
3. To add a company file press the Edit and select the Product from the pulldown list
4. Press the Browse button and select company file.
You will get a different file selection screen spending is you chose Classic MYOB or AccountRight Live that is located on premise.
If you chose Classic MYOB then you will have displayed the files on the files system and if the MYOB file is on the server then it's a simple click to select.
However if your MYOB company files are on the network then you should select the Network Icon and select the company file. This will put the UNC file location name.
You will be warned about access to these file if you select Automatic refresh mode.
The UNC file name looks something like this ( \\Server\Filename ).
If you chose AccountRight Live then you will be shown a list of the MYOB databases that are present on the server.
Important Note
1. You must install MYOB AccountRight Server Edition. On Server Edition will work.
2. Syncing and refreshing an MYOB AccountRight Live file when it's installed locally is a intensive memory and computer process. Your server needs a minimum dual core CPU and 4 GB of memory and we strongly suggest you only sync in real time if your system is adequately resourced with few other tasks running and that you normally allow the file to sync after hours.
Once the MYOB Company is selected you will prompted for the MYOB Administrator password if one exists.
5. You will need to know the company file Administrator password. If this is required you will be prompted for it.
Please Note: If you change the administrator password on your MYOB file at some time in the future you will need to return to here to update it here as well.
6. The Company name will display and that confirms the company you selected, you can then press the Save button to save the entered details. Once details are saved you will be asked if you wish to sync the company file to the cloud now. If you choose No you can elect Refresh All later. If you select Yes the refresh will occur immediately.
7. When the refresh occurs you will see a progress text displayed under the company file being refreshed. When complete you will see something similar to this
8. You can continue selecting companies until you reach your licensed limit.
9. If you choose not to refresh individually you can use the Refresh All button to refresh all companies. As the refresh progresses a progress text is displayed under each company and when finished a completion dialog is displayed.
Connecting EXO, SAP or DataPel
To connect an Exonet, SAP or other SQL based datasources choose Advanced Options from the bottom of the Simple screen. Once chosen then Advance Options will be your default.
You will get a screen like this and from here add a connection by selecting Edit in an unused slot and choose the connection type.
If connection type chosen uses SQL server you will get the "Build" button displayed. Press this to connect to the database.
There are two options here - ODBC or SQL Server.
SQL Server is faster than ODBC. SQL Server is the preferred option.
If you choose ODBC then the ODBC connection should have been setup by you system administrator beforehand
To choose SQL Server press the arrowed button beside the "SQL Server" text.
The system will look on for the database servers and populate the server list. This can take a minute or two. Use the down arrow to choose the Server that holds the SQL server database and key in the SQL Server database User and Password. These are validated and if they are correct then a list of databases will be populated in the Database pulldown list. Press the down arrow on the right of the field and choose your database. The database must match the type of connection ie. Don't try to connect a SAP connection to an to Exonet database - it won't work.
Press "Test" to test the connection. If it's OK then the "Save" button will be enabled.
Before you Save ensure you put the name of the Company file into the Company field. You can ignore the login/password fields.
Press "Save" and then a dialogue will appear to Sync the database to the Cloud.
Choose Yes.
Depending upon the size of the database and your Internet connection speed this can take some time. Be patient - let it finish.
If you need to connect further database or MYOB files you repeat the procedure.
You only need to use the connector to connect database files or adjust connection changes.
When you are done be sure to tick the Automatic selection in the Refresh Mode in the top left of the connector and then Exit the connector completely. This puts the connecter in Poll mode will allow it to automatically respond to after hour and on-demand sync requests from now on. DO NOT LEAVE THE CONNECTOR FORM UP. IF YOU DO IT WILL NOT POLL.
To use the BI product open browser and connect to BI for Cloud.
10. As a convenience we provide a Start Analysing button so you can start analysing your information and run reports immediately after refresh. You press the Start Analysing button and it will take you directly to your BI Cloud reports.
If you are the only user and Manually controlling the refresh then this use is fine. However if the refresh is Automatic or you have other users of BI for Cloud then this connector screen MUST be exited after the connections are set and access to BI for Cloud done through a web browser as described next.
The connector will only run one process at a time either a foreground connection screen or a background poll/sync/refresh process. This is intentional to minimise resource usage and impact on other users. For Automatic polling the connector screen must be exited or polling will not occur.
11. Access BI from any computer or tablet. From any web browser go to the BI4Cloud.com website and select Run BI from the top menu or you can go directly to the BI Login page. Enter your BI login details to run the BI reports.