The connection between your AFAS Profit environment and your Spotler account is established via Spotler's Connector Platform. The data on the Connector Platform remains with Spotler and isn't processed by a third party.
On the Connector Platform, the link is set up in such a way that the source system (AFAS Profit) can communicate with the target system (Spotler account). It works like this:
The Connector Platform retrieves the data from AFAS Profit via the AppConnector (GetConnector) and then transfers it to your Spotler account. Periodically, the changes are retrieved from Spotler and are forwarded by the Connector Platform via the AppConnector (UpdateConnector) to AFAS Profit. That way, all systems remain up-to-date.
Requirements for a successful connection
There are a few requirements to ensure the correct functioning of the connection:
- You use AFAS online. This is because Spotler cannot be connected with AFAS On-Premise.
- The newsletter permissions are set on the fields of the type yes/no.
This is necessary to allow the blocked function of AFAS Profit to work with Spotler.
A type yes/no field is called a free field in Spotler. In a free field, only one option is possible. Would you like to know more about this? Then read the article Starting with your data. - ContactId, PersonNo and OrganisationId are all available in the GetConnector for the Connector Platform.
- All the contacts you want to have in Spotler, should come under an organization in AFAS Profit. Also remember to include loose contacts/private contacts (group these under a fictitious organization if that isn't the case currently).
- Only data from the CRM data collection can be placed in the AFAS Profit GetConnector. Data from HRM, Order Management and Financial cannot be used in the link. Employee data from HRM can only be accessed if the employees are also added as a contact person (person at organization) under their own organization in CRM.
- Spotler only returns data from 'text' (free field) and 'yes/no' type fields.
Note: Data with fields from AFAS Profit of the 'table link' type can be synchronized to Spotler. However, Spotler cannot synchronize back to AFAS Profit on this type of field.
Note: Company name, Street, House/building number, Postal code, City - fields cannot be updated from Spotler to AFAS Profit due to limitations of AFAS Profit. This affects what you can request via Profile Change forms from Spotler. - Spotler provides an implementation manual for setting up the AppConnector. This requires knowledge of AFAS Profit. Do you not have that? Then consult your AFAS partner.
Commentary
- We only report what must be added to AFAS Profit in order to link with Spotler. Spotler is not an AFAS Profit specialist and does not give advice about how AFAS Profit is organized.
- Retrieving contacts from AFAS Profit is quick. Updating contacts from Spotler to AFAS Profit takes longer because there must be an update on three entities (contact, person and organization).
- You can test the connection yourself (with an AFAS partner if required). A test plan is available for this purpose.