Introduction
Bi4Cloud automatically refreshes data to the BI Cloud servers. This is done after 2am everyday so that the data for your BI reports is ready for you at the start of each day. It's also required so that automatically scheduled reports contain the correct information.
Depending upon the product you use this can be a Cloud to Cloud refresh or a Server to Cloud refresh using our BI Connector.
How it Works
Cloud to Cloud refresh is how MYOB AccountRight Live, Xero and QuickBooks Online works. If you want to request a refresh then continue here
Server to Cloud refresh uses our Bi4Cloud Connector which is installed on your server or your computer. It allows you to specify the location of you data files and synchronises these. Once installed it can become active as a system service. See how to install the connector.
You can open the connector up at any time, redo your connection information, or synchronise your data files to the cloud by clicking on it.
The really neat feature however is it's ability to communicate with our BI Cloud server and accept requests to refresh and push data to the cloud. To enable this you need to open the connector and enable it to be Automatic. After that exit the connector - it then becomes a background service that polls our cloud server for sync requests.
Remote Refresh
If you are the BI administrator you will see a panel like this after logging into my.bi4cloud.com
Press the Sync button to initiate a data refresh. You will get an email once the sync is complete.
Check the Connector Status to see if the BI Connector service is on your server is running.
It has three possible states :
All is Good. Your data will auto refresh at night and on demand
Not Good. Your report data will not be refreshed overnight or on-demand because the connector is not communicating with us. Your BI report will run BUT the data will be stale.
See Troubleshooting below if Connector Offline
Not Good. Other users may have installed additional connector and activated them by logging in with the BI Administrator credentials. NOTE: If the connector is installed on your computer and you use your computer on different networks ( office, home, coffee shop ) then we will detect the network address changes and flag this as multiple connectors. Although BI4Cloud can be used like this we do not recommend it. The best practice is to have your data on a server and have the connector installed there.
If Multiple Connectors are running then they will compete for the sync request and refresh will not work correctly or be intermittent. You need to determine where the other connector is installed and uninstall it. You can raise a support ticket with us and we can help you identify where the other connector is installed by providing the network address of the connectors.
Sermon about sharing logins
Multiple connector can only get activated if you install the BI connector on other computers AND login to them with the BI Administrator credentials. If only you have that BI Administrator login then you will know not to install another connector. You should not share your login information. We provide additional licenses for a few dollars more per month. Sharing logins creates the opportunity for others to access all your information whether you want them to or not. It allows them to poke around in places they shouldn't.
You only need the BI connector installed once on one computer and it's only needed to choose the companies to sync.
You DO NOT require a connector to run BI4Cloud reports.
BI4Cloud is a cloud based product and runs from your devices browser. To use BI4Cloud open a web browser on your device and enter my.bi4cloud.com and login.
Refresh from Within the Browser
If you are not a BI administrator or if you are using the BI tool you can refresh from within the BI application.
Refresh Data using the green double arrow on the main screen
Refresh Data using the icon in the result screen (circled in red).
Check when your data was "Last Updated" (green square) when you run a report that has date information.
Once you press the arrows you'll get a dialogue telling you the request is queued.
Getting impatient? If you press it again before it's done or someone else makes a refresh request before it's done then a dialog will display indicating it's queued already.
Troubleshooting
1. You have pressed the green sync circle and you keep getting an "it's queued" message and it should have completed
Answer: The Bi4Cloud Connector may not be Offline and not running. Have your BI administrator login and see the Connector status. If the connector is not running then you need to restart it on the server it is installed on. Learn how to fix Connector Offline.
If you shut the server down at night then the connector will stop running. You must ensure that the connector has checked Automatic as ticked as this ensures it will start when the server is rebooted. See below.
2. You have more than one company and you want to refresh all of them.
Answer: Every evening the BI Cloud will issue an automatic request to refresh data for All companies that you have defined. This happens around 2am and if the connector is up and running on your server then it will send the refreshed data.
If you want all the companies refreshed during the day then you need to either login as the BI administrator and press the Sync button against each company.
OR in the BI screen select each company in turn and press the green sync arrow one at a time.
