Slabsmith Integration Setup - Administration

ActionFlow integrates with Slabsmith, an inventory and layout tool among other features. Reach out to your account manager if you would like to implement this feature.  This is the guide for ActionFlow account managers and administrators who are involved in the Slabsmith integration setup.

Administrators will work directly with their account manager to complete the following steps.

The steps to set up the Slabsmith-ActionFlow Integration are:

1. Check the "Slabsmith" checkbox in Master Settings in ActionFlow.
2. Complete administrative tasks in Slabsmith
3. Download the SlabsmithAF program
4. Complete Settings in SlabsmithAF program and Test the Connection to Slabsmith and ActionFlow
5. Complete the Slabsmith Map that will translate between ActionFlow and Slabsmith
6. Test and troubleshoot to confirm import/export functions working well
7. Turn on the AutoSync setting

1. Check the "Slabsmith" checkbox in Master Settings in ActionFlow (AF Account Manager)

2. Complete administrative tasks in Slabsmith

1. Access the computer where the Slabsmith database is installed. (This may require Remote Desktop Connection to access the Slabsmith server).
2. Open the "Slabsmith Database Administration" app

• Run the program by clicking the Windows icon and then start typing 'slab' in the search window.  (see screenshot below)

• The Slabsmith Database Administration should already be installed on the computer.  If not, contact Slabsmith for assistance.

2. Perform administrative task in the Slabsmith Database Administration program

1. Open the "Manual SQL" tab in Slabsmith
2. Copy the text below (in blue font).
3. Paste the text into the blank window.
4. Click "Execute Script"

Copy and paste the following text in the "Manual SQL" Tab:

ALTER TABLE Slabs
ADD AFInventItemID nvarchar(32)

GO

CREATE TRIGGER [dbo].[UpdateRemnantProperties]
ON [dbo].[Slabs]
AFTER UPDATE
AS
BEGIN
    IF UPDATE([ParentSlabUID])
    BEGIN
        DECLARE @slabID uniqueidentifier;
        DECLARE @parentSlabUID uniqueidentifier;
        DECLARE @oldParentSlabUID uniqueidentifier;
        DECLARE @templateType int;
 
        DECLARE ParentSlabCursor CURSOR FOR SELECT INSERTED.[SlabID], INSERTED.[ParentSlabUID] FROM INSERTED
        OPEN ParentSlabCursor
        WHILE 1=1
        BEGIN
            FETCH NEXT FROM ParentSlabCursor INTO @slabID, @parentSlabUID
            IF @@FETCH_STATUS != 0 BREAK
 
            SET @oldParentSlabUID = (SELECT DELETED.[ParentSlabUID] FROM DELETED WHERE SlabID=@slabID)
            IF (@oldParentSlabUID is NULL AND @parentSlabUID IS NOT NULL)
            BEGIN
                SET @templateType = (SELECT Template FROM Slabs WHERE SlabID=@parentSlabUID);
                IF (@templateType != 1)
                BEGIN
                    UPDATE Slabs SET [AFInventItemID]=null WHERE SlabID=@slabID;
                END
            END
        END
        CLOSE ParentSlabCursor
        DEALLOCATE ParentSlabCursor
    END
END

3. Download the SlabsmithAF program

Install the SlabsmithAF program on the computer where Slabsmith is installed using either link below. The SlabsmithAF program is what allows ActionFlow and Slabsmith to communicate.

• Webpage: https://www.actionflow.net/resources/install/
• Direct installation link: https://aflowwpfui.blob.core.windows.net/slabsmithaf/SlabsmithAF.application

4. Complete Settings in SlabsmithAF program and Test the Connection to Slabsmith and ActionFlow

1. After installation, run the SlabsmithAF program and open the "Settings" tab.

2. Complete the "Slabsmith SQL Connection" section

1. Open the "Slabsmith Database Administration" app (see screenshots below)
2. Go to the "General" Tab
3. Find the Server/Instance and add to SlabsmithAF
4. Find the Username and add to Slabsmith AF
5. Check with your Slabmith administrator for the password (Account Managers - see internal page)
6. Click "Save" (bottom right of the Settings page)
7. Click "Test SQL Connection"

• A successful test should display one Slab ID from Slabsmith

3. Complete the "ActionFlow Connection" sections

1. Add the ActionFlow enterpriseID
2. Add any ActionFlow users' credentials for that enterprise
3. Click "Save" (bottom right of the Settings page)
4. Click "Test ActionFlow Connection"
   • A successful test should display one Inventory ID  from ActionFlow

4. Complete fields for "Send Slabs to ActionFlow" and "Retrieve New Slabs from ActionFlow." Use the default settings in the screenshot and listed below.

Default settings

Send Slabs To ActionFlow

Statuses to Send: Received, Committed

New Slabs Only

Include Images

Image Path: c:\SSData

Image Resolution: Try Los-Res First, then Hi-Res

Retrieve New Slabs From ActionFlow

Statuses to Retrieve: Available, Consigned

If you would like to learn more about these settings, visit: https://support.actionflow.net/slabsmith-integration-settings

These are the fields that will be exported from ActionFlow to Slabsmith:

5. Configuring the Slabsmith Map

The Slabsmith Map is a tool that translates between ActionFlow and Slabsmith. This is needed because there are some differences in the fields the two programs use to identify slabs:

Slabsmith designates the properties of a slab using the fields below (Not all fields are required.  Most clients use only some of these fields):
        a. Material
        b. Manufacturer
        c. Product
        d. Name
        e. Finish
        f. Thickness
ActionFlow uses just these two fields
        a. SKU Class
        b. SKU Name

The Slabsmith Map is created initially prior to the first transfer of slabs between the program. It will also be used on an ongoing basis as slabs continue to be transferred.  

Note: New slabs created in ActionFlow and transferred to Slabsmith will automatically get added to the Map.

Steps

1. Create the Slabsmith Map by clicking, "Send Slabsmith Map," in the Settings tab of SlabsmithAF. After you click the Slabsmith Map button, SlabsmithAF will send all the colors that exist in Slabsmith to ActionFlow. 

2. Open ActionFlow. Go to the "Inventory" tab and then the "Tasks" icon on the left side of the screen. Then select "Slabsmith Map" from the dropdown menu.

Note: If you do not see the "Slabsmith Map" task item, confirm the 'Slabsmith' checkbox is checked in the Master Settings on the Enterprise tab of the ActionFlow Administration page.

3. Fill in the values for the SKUClass and SKU columns in the map.

1. Auto Map - this uses the "SKUClass rule and SKU rule box in the top right

1. Set the SKUClass Rule and SKU Rule (top right of the screen)

For example, assume you have these records in Slabmith and ActionFlow

SKUClass Rule

The SKUClass in ActionFlow is the Material plus the Thickness from Slabsmith:

The "SKUClass Rule" would be "Material + Thickness"

SKU Rule

The SKU in ActionFlow is the Name plus the Thickness from Slabsmith:

The "SKU Rule" would be "Name + Thickness"

In the basic example in the Map Image, the SKUClass in ActionFlow is the same as the Slabsmith Material and the Name in Slabsmith is the SKU in ActionFlow, so the rules are simply: "Material" and "Name".

 

2. Click the "Auto Map"  Button

• • • ActionFlow will look for all the SKU Class and SKU values already existing in ActionFlow that match the selected rules and automatically set the SKU Class and SKU values accordingly.

    • You can select different rules and click the Auto Map button as often as you want.  It won't erase or change the mappings that have already been set, but should correctly set any mappings that match and have not yet been set.

2.  'SKUClass' and 'SKU' Dropdowns - for updating multiple rows at once

After using the 'Auto Map' function, you may still see some rows that have not been mapped.

The "SKUClass:" and "SKU:" dropdowns allow you to set multiple rows at one time (select multiple rows with either "Ctrl" or "Shift").

3. Manual editing

You can always manually set the SKUClass and SKU dropdowns in the grid to set the values.  Be sure to click 'Save' once those values have been set.

4. Create Missing SKU Classes and SKUS

It's possible that you will need to create new SKU Class and SKU records in ActionFlow to accommodate those records that exist in Slabsmith.  Once you have mapped all the existing records, you can use the 'Create…' button to automatically create SKU Class and SKU records in ActionFlow for those records that have not been mapped.

5. Test and troubleshoot

6. Turn on Auto Sync function

Once the users are confident that the export and import functions are working correctly, we recommend checking the 'Auto Sync' box, which will trigger SlabsmithAF to automatically run and import and export every five minutes.  Specifically, SlabsmithAF will do this:

1. Automatically import any slabs that have been received in ActionFlow and have a Status that has been entered into the 'Statuses to Retrieve' field (normally that setting should be be 'Available,Consigned')
2. Automatically export any new remnants that have been created in Slabsmith