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Establishing API and FTP Connections and Preferences to ChannelAdvisor

Establishing API and FTP Connections and Preferences to ChannelAdvisor

API Configuration

  1. Navigate to the ChannelAdvisor workspace and click Site Configuration.

  2. Click the (+) icon to add a new site.

    1. The multi-site configuration allows users to add multiple ChannelAdvisor sites with differing configurations.

  3. Enter a Unique ID for the ChannelAdvisor Site.

  4. Enter a Description for the ChannelAdvisor Site.

  5. Enter Access Configuration Details

    1. Enter the Account ID.

    2. Enter the Profile ID.

      1. This can be found in the URL of the ChannelAdvisor merchant site of the homepage. It is the final 8 digits of the URL (e.g. https://complete.channeladvisor.com/?apid=12345678, profile ID is 12345678)

    3. Enter the Developer Key.

    4. Enter the Password for the ChannelAdvisor Developer Account.

    5. Enter the Mode of the ChannelAdvisor Merchant Account that has been created.

  6. Once credentials are inserted, click Request API Access.

    1. If the connection is successfully configured, you will see a green circle with a check mark

    2. If the connection is unsuccessful, you will see a red circle with an X.

  7. Navigate to the ChannelAdvisor Merchant site when the connection is successfully configured.

  8. Click Account.

  9. Under Advanced, click Developer Authorizations.

  10. A new authorization should appear with a Approve Access icon next to the request that was created in Step 2.

Developer Console

Now that the API Access has been requested and approved, the Refresh Token, Application ID, and Shared Secret Data must be collected from the ChannelAdvisor Developer Site.

  1. Navigate to the ChannelAdvisor Developer Site and click Developer Console.

    Developer Console

    ChannelAdvisor Developer Console.

  2. Click the Login link.

  3. Login with the developer key and password that was created with the Developer Site account.

  4. Click on Create New Application

  5. Enter the Name of the application (e.g. KensiumConnector).

  6. Enter a Description of the application (e.g. Kensium Acumatica CA Connector).

  7. Click Create Application.

    1. This will create an Application ID and a Shared Secret key.

  8. Click Add Integration and Request Tokens.

  9. Select the account that access is necessary for.

  10. Click Grant Access to Generate the Refresh Token ID.

  11. Copy the Refresh Token ID.

  12. Paste the Refresh Token ID into the Site Configuration field of the ChannelAdvisor workspace.

  13. Copy the Application ID and Shared Secret key from the Developer Console homepage into the Site Configuration fields of the ChannelAdvisor workspace.

    Site Configuration fields

  14. Click Save.

  15. Click Verify API Access

If the connection is successful, you will see a green circle with a check mark.

If the connection is unsuccessful, you will see a red circle with an X.

FTP Configuration

When using the sync process between ChannelAdvisor and Acumatica, the primary method of data transfer will be API. However, significant API volume can throttle a server.

To ensure that the API service does not hinder server speed, data synchronization can be also sent via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) after a pre-defined point.

This is a slower method of data transfer that occurs by automatically consolidating and exporting product via a spreadsheet with a reduced impact on a server.

PROCESS

  1. To obtain the FTP settings for ChannelAdvisor, on the ChannelAdvisor site, navigate to the Products tab and click Automated Imports under the Product Data section.

  2. Toggle the Status of Images Push to Enabled.

  3. Toggle the Status of Product Data Push to Enabled.

    1. Selecting Edit on these file types will allow a user to set up a schedule if necessary for FTP calls.

  4. Enter a Push FTP Login Prefix

    1. This is a user generated prefix necessary to ensure the FTP connection is made. Enter a 6-digit alphanumeric value in this field.

  5. Click Save

automated imports

In ChannelAdvisor

  1. Navigate to the ChannelAdvisor Workspace.

  2. Enter FTP Configuration Details.

    1. Enter
      ftps.channeladvisor.com
       in the Hostname field.

    2. Enter the Username with the Push FTP Login Prefix: preceding it (e.g. ABCDEF:jsmith@kensium.com).

    3. Enter the Password.

      1. This is the same password used for the ChannelAdvisor Merchant Site.

    4. Enter the Input Directory.

  3. Click Verify FTP Access.

If the connection is successful, you will see a green circle with a check mark.

If the connection is unsuccessful, you will see a red circle with an X.

Preferences Configuration

Additional configuration details must be entered to ensure the connection is successful.

Enter Additional Configuration Details for Sales Orders

  1. Enter the Entity Usage Type for the ChannelAdvisor site.

    1. If using a native Acumatica tax integration, such as Vertex or Avalara, this can be configured at this level for ChannelAdvisor products and orders.

  2. In the Branch field, select the branch(es) that will be used in ChannelAdvisor.

    1. This field is used to map the orders being imported to Acumatica from ChannelAdvisor. This branch will be associated with incoming ChannelAdvisor marketplace orders.

  3. Enter the Default Warehouse for Non-FBA Orders.

  4. In the Customer Class field, select the customer class in Acumatica that will be used for creating orders and shipments in Acumatica that will be exported to ChannelAdvisor.

  5. Enter the Default Order Type.

  6. Enter the Default Acumatica ShipVia.

  7. Select the Number of Days to Go Back for Order Import.

    1. This field gives users the power to select the number of days for the connector to check for orders that may have been missed. For example, if the field was given the value of 7, the connector would look for orders from the last 7 days and add any new records that would have been missed by the connector.

  8. Select Mark Order as Exported in ChannelAdvisor after Successful Import

  9. Select Mark Order as Pending Shipment in ChannelAdvisor after Successful Import

    1. These are options to send order status back to ChannelAdvisor on successful import of order details into Acumatica. One or both options may be selected upon order import.

  10. Next, select Configurations for FBA Orders.

    1. If importing FBA orders into Acumatica, toggle on Import FBA Orders.

      1. When toggled ON, incoming FBA orders will be entered into Acumatica as Invoices. When toggled OFF, FBA orders will not be imported into Acumatica. It is generally considered good practice to leave this setting OFF when not leveraging FBA as a part of the merchant business process to avoid disruption to the connector.

  11. Enter the Entity Usage Type.

  12. Enter the Branch.

  13. Select a Warehouse.

  14. Select a Customer Class.

  15. Select the Default Shipping Method for FBA Orders.

  16. Select the Default Box for FBA Orders.

  17. Select Mark Order as Exported in ChannelAdvisor after Successful Import.

Price Sync Preferences

  1. Navigate to the Price Sync Preferences section.

  2. Enter the Additional Attributes to sync Price to, separated by a comma.

  3. In some business cases, attributes can be used to sync pricing from Acumatica to ChannelAdvisor. For example, Acumatica text attributes can be created for an item class that includes attributes EBAYPRICE, AMZNPRICE, etc., and these attributes can be mapped and synced with ChannelAdvisor as price attributes. If this business process is being followed, enter all ChannelAdvisor pricing attributes EXACTLY as they appear in ChannelAdvisor (comma separated). These attributes can then be mapped in Attribute Mapping.

Tax Sync Preferences

  1. Select the Tax Sync Preferences.

  2. Taxes can be synced as-is from ChannelAdvisor, or a default Tax Zone can be selected in Acumatica for taxes on incoming orders.

    1. Import Tax Through Manual Tax Zone – a Tax Zone can be created in Acumatica specifically for ChannelAdvisor orders. This will bring in the tax on orders by the Tax Zone’s definition and have tax added as is.

    2. Calculate Tax as per Acumatica – taxes can be calculated per Acumatica functionality with a tax provider.

Cash Account Preferences

  1. Navigate to the Cash Account Preferences section.

  2. Define the Cash Account preferences based on business process.

    1. From Payment Method Configuration – Transactions made in ChannelAdvisor that have been imported to Acumatica will be allocated to the mapped payment method’s cash account. For example, if an order was completed using an AmEx card, and the payment method of AMEX in Acumatica has been mapped to the AmEx payment method in ChannelAdvisor, then the order will be imported to Acumatica and the payment will be allocated to the AMEX payment method cash account.

    2. Apply Specific Cash Account – a new cash account may be created specifically for payments received in ChannelAdvisor, regardless of the payment method used. For business processes that require payments be isolated from other transactions using the same payment methods, create a new cash valid cash account, ensuring that it has been marked for use in AR and is eligible for use in all configured payment methods. When created, select this Cash Account in the CashAccountID field.

Message Queue Threshold Value

  1. Designate a Message Queue Threshold Value.

    1. This field is designated for the number of API calls that will occur prior to FTP calls being made. (e.g. If only 5,000 calls can be made through API, this value can be set to 5,000. If 6,000 shipment details of orders are being exported from Acumatica to ChannelAdvisor, 5,000 of them will be sent through API, and 1,000 will be sent via FTP.)

  2. Enter a Batch Count.

    1. The Batch Count will indicate how many records will be sent in batches once the Message Queue Threshold Value has been reached.

      1. Note: Products will export to ChannelAdvisor from Acumatica using FTP and not API. Inventory and Price Updates for products will export via API, then FTP based on the set threshold.

Marketplace Settings

  1. Click on the Marketplace Settings tab.

    1. Marketplace specific configurations can be made for order types, taxes, and customer classes.

  2. In the Marketplaces table, click the (+) icon.

  3. Select the Avalara Customer Usage Type for customer tax specific configuration to a marketplace.

  4. Select the Marketplace ID for the configuration.

  5. Enter a Description.

  6. Enter the Default Order Type for the Marketplace.

  7. Select the Default Tax Zone and Toggle On the Import Tax Value using Site ID Tax Zone if importing orders from this marketplace requires a specific tax zone.

  8. Select the Default Customer Class.

  9. Select the Default Shipping Terms.

Avalara or Vertex

  1. If you are using Avalara or Vertex, navigate to the Tax Management Table.

  2. Click the (+) icon.

  3. Select the Avalara Customer Usage Type.

  4. Select the Country affected by this configuration .

  5. Select the State affected by this configuration.

  6. Select the Default Tax Zone and Toggle On the Import Tax Value using Site ID Tax Zone if importing orders from this marketplace requires a specific tax zone.

Once complete, click Save.

All steps need to be repeated for additional sites to be configured in Acumatica.

If using multiple sites, new API and FTP tokens will be required for your new sites.

FBA Orders

It is considered a best practice to create a new Warehouse and Branch in Acumatica specific to FBA orders.

This is not a necessary step, however doing so will allow for the separation of FBA orders from FBM orders in Acumatica.

If a new Warehouse and Branch is created, enter the details in the applicable Additional Configuration fields.