Backoffice Connection Settings

This page links each Exact Synergy division to its Exact Globe (or other) SQL database, stores the SQL login TIPP uses to reach those databases, and sets up the database objects the TIPP workspace pages need. It needs a valid TIPP license (the page checks for a valid license, not for a specific tier). It is used by administrators and implementers during installation and whenever a division, server or SQL login changes.

Before you start

• A valid TIPP license. If it is missing you see “License Error: …” and “No Valid TIPP Licence found. Please validate your license via [Modules, TIPP, Setup, License].” and the form and the Save and Setup Workspaces buttons are hidden.
• You must be a Synergy administrator. Other users see “Access denied. Administrator privileges required.” and no form.
• You need a SQL login that can open each Globe database. If it cannot, use the script TIPP_GrantBackofficeUser.sql from the kit SQL folder, run in that database, to grant it access.
• The Synergy server must be able to reach each SQL Server (remote connections allowed).

How to save the SQL credentials

1. Open Backoffice Connection Settings.
2. In the section SQL Server Credentials, fill in SQL Username and SQL Password. Both are required, maximum 100 characters each.
3. Click Save. You see “Credentials encrypted & saved successfully!” and the division settings in the grid are saved as well (“Division configuration saved successfully!”).

If SQL Username is empty you get “Username is required”; if SQL Password is empty you get “Password is required”. Nothing is saved in either case.

How to set up the connection for a division

1. In the section Division Database Configuration, find the division row. Division number and name are read-only.
2. Enter the Server Name (the SQL Server, maximum 200 characters) and the Database Name (maximum 100 characters).
3. Choose the Type: Exact Globe, Macola or Other.
4. Click Save, then click Test Connection on that row. The Status column shows the result.

How to test a connection

1. Save the SQL credentials first. Without them you get “Please save credentials before testing division connections”.
2. Click Test Connection on the division row. The test uses a 5 second timeout. The values in the grid are saved at the same time (“Connection tested. The division settings on this page were saved as well.”).
3. Read the Status column (see the screen guide). When the page opens for the first time and no status is known, all divisions with both a server and a database are tested automatically.

How to deploy the workspaces

1. Make sure the credentials are saved and the divisions you want show “Connected” in Status.
2. Click Setup Workspaces and confirm “Deploy workspaces to all connected divisions? This will execute the workspace SQL script on each connected database.”
3. TIPP runs the workspace script on every connected division of type Exact Globe or Macola. Divisions of type Other, divisions not connected, and divisions without server or database are skipped.
4. Success shows “Workspace setup completed on N database(s). It is safe to run again: existing views are replaced in place.” Status changes to “Connected, workspaces deployed”.

Screen guide

SQL Server Credentials

• SQL Username: the shared SQL login TIPP uses for all division databases. Required.
• SQL Password: the password of that login. Required. It is stored encrypted and shown as hidden characters.

Division Database Configuration (one row per division)

• Division: division number and name, read-only.
• Server Name: SQL Server of this division.
• Database Name: the Globe database of this division.
• Type: Exact Globe, Macola or Other. Workspace setup only applies to Exact Globe and Macola.
• Status: result of the last test or setup.
• Connect column, button Test Connection: tests that one division.

Status values

• Connected: the login can open the database and the TIPP workspaces are deployed.
• Connected, workspaces not deployed: the login works but the TIPP workspace objects are missing. Click Setup Workspaces.
• Connected, workspaces deployed: shown after a successful setup.
• Connected (not Globe/Macola: workspaces not applicable): setup skipped because the Type is not Globe or Macola.
• Failed: cannot open database: the login has no access to that database or the database name is wrong.
• Failed: server not reachable: the server name is wrong or the server is not reachable.
• Setup failed: followed by the first error: workspace setup ran but some statements failed.

Buttons

• Save: saves the credentials and all division rows.
• Setup Workspaces: deploys the workspace objects. Hidden without a valid license.
• Close: closes the page.

Messages and what to do

• “The SQL user ‘…’ cannot open database ‘…’ on …”: grant the user access by running TIPP_GrantBackofficeUser.sql in that database, or correct the server and database on that row.
• “SQL Server ‘…’ could not be reached. Check the server name on this row and that the server accepts remote connections from the Synergy server.”: fix the server name or the server settings.
• “Division … connects, but the TIPP workspaces are not deployed in database …”: click Setup Workspaces. Until then the workspace pages for that division show the same message.
• “Division not found or database configuration incomplete”: fill in both Server Name and Database Name for that row.
• “Please save SQL credentials before running workspace setup.”: save the credentials first.
• “SQL file not found: …”: the workspace script is missing from the TIPP kit folders; reinstall the kit.
• “No connected Globe or Macola databases found. Test the connections first; only divisions showing Connected are set up.”: test first, and check the Type.
• “Setup failed on N database(s). The Status column shows the first error; the full list is above.”: read the listed errors and fix them.
• “No divisions found.” or “Query succeeded but no divisions found.”: the list of divisions is empty.

What you cannot do here

• You cannot add or rename divisions or change division numbers and names. These are maintained in Synergy.
• You cannot use a different SQL login per division; one login is used for all.
• Non-administrators cannot use this page.

Related pages

• License: where the TIPP license is validated.
• TIPP workspace pages and Transactions pages such as Create Sales Order from PDF: they use these connections and show an error when the division cannot be reached.
• TIPP Engine Settings: other TIPP service settings.

Common questions

What is Backoffice Connection Settings for?

It tells TIPP which SQL Server and database belong to each division and which SQL login to use, and it deploys the objects needed by the workspace pages.

Why can I not see the form?

Either the TIPP license is invalid or you are not a Synergy administrator. The messages at the top tell you which.

How do I connect a new division?

Save the SQL credentials, enter the Server Name, Database Name and Type on the division row, click Save, then Test Connection.

The status says Failed: cannot open database. What now?

Run TIPP_GrantBackofficeUser.sql in that database to give the SQL user access, or correct the database name.

The status says Failed: server not reachable. What now?

Check the Server Name and that the server accepts remote connections from the Synergy server.

What does Connected, workspaces not deployed mean?

The connection works but the workspace objects are missing. Click Setup Workspaces.

What does Setup Workspaces do?

It runs the workspace script on all connected Exact Globe and Macola divisions. It is safe to run again because existing views are replaced.

Why was my division skipped during setup?

It was not connected, had no server or database, or its Type is Other.

Does Test Connection save my changes?

Yes, it also saves the division settings in the grid.

Is the SQL password safe?

It is stored encrypted, but it is shown in the field as hidden characters when you open the page.