Method:API Q&A

Re: Need API to turn Sync Off and On

Method_Paul — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:43:27 GMT

Dave -

It's good that you are very familiar with QuickBooks. That will help out a lot.

The BuildAssembly table is the *same thing* as what you see in QuickBooks when you go to Vendors > Inventory Activities > Build Assemblies. The Method API is just a way for you to populate what you see in that Build Assemblies screen programmically.

If you created new inventory assembly items, and they appeared automatically in the BuildAssembly table, chances are you put an opening inventory count in there, so QuickBooks had to create a transaction automatically to reconcile that inventory quantity.

This process is in QuickBooks - nothing to do with Method or the Method API.

All BuildAssemblies are in the BuildAssembly table, regardless of whether they are pending or not.

Paul

Re: Need API to turn Sync Off and On

DaveS — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 08:39:53 GMT

Paul,
Thanks for the add'l info, very helpful. I'm very familar with how QB BuildAssemblies works, have created and used many assembly items. What I'm trying to learn now is the intricacies of the API, DB and DB Tables and process.

I understand both ItemInventoryAssembly and ItemGroupOrAssemblyList tables and how they are created and the data they contain. The one DB table I'm still trying to grasp fully is the "BuildAssembly"(BA) table.(not the BA Process to build the item).

If I understand your reply, BA table gets transaction added only when items are build using the BA Process. Not when a new BA item is created but not built. But today we created 2 new assembly items (" m4506-15" and "Bicycle M5200-Bill2" without building them, and both appear in the BA table. For creating these 2 we did use both the "MethodAPIActionSendToDesktopV2 webservice call" and "IsWaitForSyncApproval=No (used Yes/No, not True/False)".

Questions:
1. When do transactions appear in the BuildAssembly table? Is it normally only when items are created using the BuildAssembly Process, and not before then? Example if I create a new BA item "Bicycle M5200-Bill2" but I do not build any yet, then should "Bicycle M5200-Bill2" transactions only appear in the ItemInventoryAssembly and ItemGroupOrAssemblyList tables and not in the BA Table?

2 What other situations will transactions appear in the BA Table?
- Does using both 1) MethodAPIActionSendToDesktopV2 webservice call and IsWaitForSyncApproval=No add trans to the BA table?
- When a BA item becomes PENDING, does that also make it appear in the BA table?

Its a fairly complicated area, but I'm getting close to understanding it fully. I would appreciate your answers to the questions above, and any other info to help me see the total picture of how BA table and process works.

Thanks.
Dave

Re: Need API to turn Sync Off and On

Method_Paul — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:09:01 GMT

Dave -

I think there is some general confusion on what BuildAssemblies are. I think before you use the MethodAPI, you should try a bunch of examles in QuickBooks directly.

ItemInventoryAssembly is the actual QuickBooks item. Like "Bicycle M5200". This will appear in QuickBooks under the item list, which shows you the current stock of "Bicycle M5200". Initially, you have a count of 0 "Bicycle M5200" if you just started your business today and just started using QuickBooks today.

ItemGroupOrAssemblyList is a list of all the raw components and other materials that make up the "Bicycle M5200", like wheels, handlebars, spokes, frame, etc.

Now, how do you get some of these "Bicycle M5200"? You need to build them! The way you build them is by creating a BuildAssembly and specifying "Bicycle M5200". The quantity you specify will increase your count of ItemInventoryAssembly in QuickBooks.

If you create a BuildAssembly using the MethodAPI, and specify IsWaitForSyncApproval=True in the Add request, it won't go to QuickBooks until you mark IsWaitForSyncApproval=False.

For your question: "Can Method create API to simulate clicking that SAVE button?", this functionality already exists. Use the MethodAPIActionSendToDesktopV2 webservice call.

HTH

Paul

Re: Need API to turn Sync Off and On

DaveS — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:57:29 GMT

Hi Paul, Thanks for the reply and info. We tried setting the BuildAssembly table / IsWaitForSyncApproval True/False but it did not work for us.    Let me give a little more infol and ask a few more questions, and hope you can help us out.

Info1:  When we create a new Buld Assembly item using API, we need to turn the sync off BEFORE we start creating it, other wise it feeds to QB before we can add parts items, so results in QB error msg.

Info2: When we create a new Build Assembly item thru QB or Method, the new item data only appears in 2 tables, 1) ItemInventoryAssembly 2) ItemGroupOrAssemblyList , and the do not appear in the "BuildAssembly " table. Only a very few items appear in this "BuildAssembly" table. Example: we created Assembly Items "Bicycle M5200" thru QB, and "Bicycle M5200-2" thru Method. Data for these 2 do not appear in "BuildAssembly" table.

Questions:
1. What is the BuildAssembly table used for, and when it is updated/created?

2. When a new Build Assembly item and parts is added thru QB, which tables are added data, and in what sequence?

3. So that we do not have to manually turn off the Sync on / off to perform many functions, can Method create APIs to do Sync On/Off?

4.   When we make Edit changes to an existing BuildAssembly item thru API, the changes appear in Method Assembly Item screen ok, but for changes to sync to QB, the SAVE button must be clicked. Can Method create API to simulate clicking that SAVE button?

New APIs for #3 and #4 will greatly enhance the power of what Method will enable developers like myself to do via APIs and Mobile devices for Build Assembly and other functions for QB users.

Thanks.
Dave

Re: Need API to turn Sync Off and On

Method_Paul — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:48:56 GMT

Hi Dave -

This functionality already exists.

Just set the IsWaitForSyncApproval field to true on the initial BuildAssembly insert. With IsWaitForSyncApproval the sync will not take place. Then once you are done inserting parts to the build, set IsWaitForSyncApproval to False and the sync will bring it into QuickBooks.

Paul

Need API to turn Sync Off and On

DaveS — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:53:55 GMT

Info On The Web's (IOTW) web and mobile solutions use Method as backend to enable users to do many thing on iPhone/Mobile/IPad. We need Method to create an API which will turn the Synchronization to QB Off and On as needed. For example to create a new QuickBooks Build Assembly (BA), its a 2 step process, 1) create new BA 2) Add parts to the new BA. If Sync between Method and QB is not turned off, then when step 1 occurs it syncs to QB, and QB issues error message like "No parts added to new BA". So the sync needs to be manually turned off while the 2 steps are performed, then turned back on. Very inefficient, which can be easily solved by being able to turn Sync On/Off with an API. This will expand usefulness of Method significantly. Thanks.